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ABSTRACT
In the present study, surface modification of polyester fabric was carried out using dielectric barrier discharge in air at atmospheric pressure. Control and plasma treated fabric were characterized by ATR-FTIR and SEM. The active species present in plasma were identified by optical emission spectroscopy. Physical and chemical modification of polyester by plasma treatment resulted in a new surface which was more hydrophilic due to incorporation of oxygen containing polar functional groups as well as had different conformational composition and crystallinity. The ATR-FTIR results were clear indication of the conversion of trans ethylene glycol residue to gauche one after plasma treatment and thus reduction in crystallinity. In comparison to untreated, we observed nearly 21 % increase in color depth upon dyeing the non-thermal plasma treated polyester with a commercially available natural dye. The improvement in color depth could be correlated as a consequence of the surface modification.
KEYWORDS: Plasma, Atmospheric pressure, DBD, OES, Ozone, Surface modification, Polyester, crystallinity, Natural dye
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INTRODUCTION
Recently, surface modification by non-thermal plasma treatment has opened up new possibilities for processing of textile polymers. The improvement in surface properties of textile polymers can be obtained by increase in the surface energy through a chemical and/or physical activation, which can be done by treating a polymeric sample with plasma of gases such as oxygen, hydrogen, methane or nitrogen. Compared with conventional chemical treatments non-thermal plasma techniques have the advantages such as being eco-friendly and keeping bulk properties unchanged and is claimed to replace some wet chemical processing as an environmental friendly process. Plasma technologies being dry technique and do not require water; it involves extremely low quantities of starting materials; the process is realized in gas phase, and process duration is low thus provides energy saving and environmental benefits[1-2].
In the past decade, the use of non-thermal plasmas for selective surface modification has been a rapidly growing research field. In literature, some excellent reviews on plasma treatment of textile polymers are available which gives overview of all different types of non- thermal plasma treatments of textiles polymers in general[3-5]. Also, it observed that in the last decade there is significant revival of interest in application of natural dyes for coloration of textile polymers all over...