Plasma technology application in textile assignment.
1. Application of Plasma technology in textile.
Introduction:
Plasma is ionized form of gas and produced by control of AC and DC power of ionizing gas
medium. Plasma contains positive ions, electrons, neutral gas atom or molecules, UV light,
excited gas atom and molecule. These atom can carry large energy internally why that
plasmas glow cause of its light emitted as these excited neutral particles relax to lower energy
state. With plasma contact any surface can do interact to show surface modification choosing
gas mixture, power, pressure etc. So, plasmas are often referred as fourth state of matter.
Plasma technology mechanism:
There are two key mechanisms in plasma processing: a physical mechanism performed by
ions and a chemical mechanism performed by free radicals and byproducts. Physical plasma
is a result of the charged ionic species gaining sufficient kinetic energy from the applied
electric field to perform sputtering. Through energy transfer, partial molecules and atoms are
sputtered from the surface, resulting in contaminant removal from the substrate surface.
Physical bombardment also changes the topography of the surface, increases the surface
roughness at the molecular level, and can aid in interface adhesion. Chemical plasma relies
on the chemically active free radicals and byproducts generated in the plasma to diffuse to the
sample surface. These free radicals and byproducts decrease the activation energy in a
chemical reaction, resulting in material removal. The volatile chemical reaction byproducts
are removed from the sample surface and the process chamber by the vacuum system.
Isolation of a particular plasma mechanism is determined by the plasma mode, where the
mechanism selection is based upon the packaging application.
Plasmas are generated when an electrical current is applied a cross dielectric gas or fluid (an
electrically non-conducting material) as can be seen in Figure -1,
Fig-1: Generation of plasma.
,
Fig-2: Cascade process of ionization, electron(e-),
neutral atom(O), Cations(+).
2. When the kinetic energy of the gas particle rises to equal to the ionization energy of the gas.
When this level is reaches collision of the gas particle cause a rapid cascading ionization
resulting in plasma. Fig: 2.
Application of plasma in textile:
In textile technology plasma is applied as a dry and environmentally, worker friendly method.
Surface alteration achieve without modifying of properties of materials. Thermal and non
thermal plasmas are use I textile. Non thermal plasmas are suited cause of having sensitivity
of textile material and processes. Textile manufacturers and end users have been searching
For ways to improve adhesion, wet ability, printability and dye ability, as well as reduce
material shrinkage. Due to the great amount of literature result only a few exemplary
application related with plasma technology as following,
Mechanical properties of textile materials are improve by Plasma, use to enhance
1) Softening of cotton and other cellulose based polymers with a treatment by oxygen
plasma.
2) Wool felting properties cause by overlapping of cuticle gives shrinkage effect on
aqueous medium. To overcome this shrinkage of wool, surface oxidation is done by
plasma, reduce the cross link density.
Electrical properties of different fiber can be reform with plasma application.
1) Antistatic finish of rayon with chloromethyl dimethyl silane in plasma.
Hydrophilic enhancement of fiber gives
1) wetting and dyeing: properties of manmade and natural fibers are reconcile by plasma
treatment. Synthetic polymers are PA, PE, PP, PET, PTFE treated with O2
-, NH3-plasma.
Specially PE is improve dye ability with SiCl4-plasma and PA with Ar-plasma. Natural
fibers are wool silk, cellulose, hemp also leather to introduce plasma on their hydrophilic
functional group –COOH, -OH, -NH2. Meta-aramide after application of DBD plasma
discharge shows hydrophilicity at atmospheric pressure.
2)Adhesive bonding: Good adhesion between layers depends upon the surface
characteristics and interaction taking place at the inter can be modified by plasma.
Hydrophobic enhancement of water and oil-repellent textiles.
2) Cotton/PET with per fluorocarbon-plasma gives water repellency.
3) Oleo-phobic finish for cotton/polyester by means of grafting of perfluoro acrylate.
3. Facilitating the removal of sizing agents.
1) Plasma used to remove PVA sizing from cotton by O2/He plasma or air/He plasma.
Firstly the treatment breakdown the chain of PVA making smaller and more soluble.
This process plasma introduce oxygen and nitrogen groups on the surface of PVA
which owing the greater polarity increase the solubility of PVA.
Bio-medical / biological textiles are treated with plasma to give different kind of finishing as
1) Anti-bacterial fabrics by deposition of silver particles in the presence of
plasma.
2) Cell culture tests fabric favoring over growth of cells , fermentation or implant. Fabric
not favoring over growth of cell for catheters , membrane, enzyme, immobilization,
sterilization.
Coating of textile used for variety of application. Expected material can be strongly adhere
on fibers surface to fulfill its function. Plasma pretreatment of polymer gives the metal
adhere on the substrate.
Environmental issues ate overcome by plasma such as
gas separation oxygen enrichment solution diffusion membrane to obtain alcohol enrichment.
1) Waste water treatment is used for textile industries polluted water refinement process
by plasma.
Some other application of plasmas are
1) Flame-retardant coating using monomer vapor (halogen and/or
phosphorus) in combination with nitrogen and/or silicone.
2) UV protection on dyed cotton polyester with HMDSO in plasma.
3) Cleaning of hairy fiber and desizing also perform by plasma treatment.
4) Room temperature sterilization .
5) Scouring of cotton, viscose, polyester and nylon fabrics.
6) Activation of functionality.
7) Improved adhesion between textiles and rubber.
8) Graft plasma polymerisation for producing fabrics with laundry-durable.
9) Atmospheric plasma-based graft polymerisation of textiles and nonwo-
vens having different surface functional properties on the face and back
side of the fabric.
10) A fabric which is coated with sizing agent inactive to plasma on one side
and on the other side left as hydrophobic or hydrophilic after size
removal, the resultant fabric having different functionality on its two sides.
4. 11) Prevention of readily-occurring colour variation in textiles.
12) • Durable antistatic properties using PU-resin and plasma processing.
13) • Electro-conductivity of textile yarns by surface plasma deposition.
Conclusion:
All use of plasma with their different categories shows that the vast area of application in
textile. Now a days this technology is developing its procedure with modern technology and
will make easy, costly effective process for textile.
