In this paper, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) non-wovens were modified by a dielectric barrier discharge in air, helium and argon at medium pressure (5.0 kPa). The helium and argon discharges contained a fraction of air smaller than 0.1 %. Surface analysis and characterization were performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, liquid absorptive capacity measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The non-wovens, modified in air, helium and argon, showed a significant increase in liquid absorptive capacity due to the incorporation of oxygen-containing groups, such as C—O, O—C=O and C=O. It was shown that an air plasma was more efficient in incorporating oxygen functionalities than an argon plasma, which was more efficient than a helium plasma. SEM pictures of the plasma-treated nonwovens showed that the hydrophilicity of the nonwovens could be increased to a saturation value without causing physical degradation of the surface. The ageing behavior of the plasma-treated textiles after storage in air was also studied. It was shown that during the ageing process, the induced oxygen-containing groups re-orientated into the bulk of the material. This ageing effect was the smallest for the argon-plasma treated non-wovens, followed by the helium-plasma treated non-wovens, while the air-plasma treated non-wovens showed the largest ageing effect.
Rahel, J., Simor, M., Cernak, M., Stefecka, M., Imahori, Y., and Kando, M., Hydrophilization of Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabric using Surface Barrier Discharge , Surf. Coat. Technol.169, 604—608 ( 2003).
2.
Hwang, Y.J., Mccord, M.G., An, J.S., Kang, B.C., and Park, S.W., Effects of Helium Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment on Low-stress Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabrics, Textile Res. J.75(11), 771—778 ( 2005).
3.
Poll, H.U., Schladitz, U., and Schreiter, S., Penetration of Plasma Effects into Textile Structures, Surf. Coat. Technol.142, 489—493 (2001).
4.
Vohrer, U., Muller, M., and Oehr, C., Glow-discharge Treatment for the Modification of Textiles, Surf. Coat. Technol.98(1—3), 1128—1131 (1998).
5.
De Geyter, N. , Morent, R., and Leys, C., SurfaceModification of a Polyester Non-woven with a Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Air at Medium Pressure, Surf. Coat. Technol.201(6), 2460—2466 (2006).
6.
Borcia, G., Anderson, C.A., and Brown, N.M.D., Dielectric Barrier Discharge for Surface Treatment: Application to Selected Polymers in Film and Fibre Form, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.12(3), 335—344 ( 2003).
7.
Tsai, P.P., Wadsworth, L.C., and Roth, J.R., Surface Modification of Fabrics using a One-atmosphere Glow Discharge Plasma to Improve Fabric Wettability, Textile Res. J.67(5), 359—369 (1997).
8.
Cheng, C., Zhang, L.Y., and Zhan, R.J., SurfaceModification of Polymer Fibre by the New Atmospheric Pressure Cold Plasma Jet, Surf. Coat. Technol.200(24), 6659—6665 (2006).
Radetic, M. , Jocic, D., Jovancic, P., Trajkovic, R., and Petrovic, Z.L., The Effect of Low-temperature Plasma Pretreatment on Wool Printing, Textile Chem. Color. Am. Dyest. Rep.32(4), 55—60 (2000).
11.
Ryu, J., Wakida, T., and Takagishi, T., Effect of Corona Discharge on the Surface of Wool and its Application to Printing , Textile Res. J.61(10), 595—601 (1991).
12.
Shenton, M.J. , Lovell-Hoare, M.C., and Stevens, G.C., AdhesionEnhancement of Polymer Surfaces by Atmospheric Plasma Treatment, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.34(18), 2754—2760 (2001).
13.
Shaker, M., Kamel, I., Ko, F., and Song, J.W., Improvement of the Interfacial Adhesion Between Kevlar Fiber and Resin by using R-F Plasma, J. Compos. Technol. Res.18(4), 249—255 (1996).
14.
Heise, M., Neff, W., Franken, O., Muranyi, P., and Wunderlich, J., Sterilization of Polymer Foils with Dielectric Barrier Discharges at Atmospheric Pressure, PlasmasPolym. 9(1), 23— 33 (2004).
15.
Nakamatsu, J., Gado-Aparicio, L.F., Da Silva, R., and Soberon, F., Ageing of Plasma-treated Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) Surfaces, J. Adhesion Sci. Technol.13(7), 753—761 (1999).
16.
Paynter, R.W. , XPS Studies of the Ageing of Plasma-treated Polymer Surfaces, Surf. Interface Anal.29(1), 56—64 (2000).
17.
Canal, C., Molina, R., Bertran, E., and Erra, P., Wettability, Ageing and Recovery Process of Plasma-treated Polyamide 6, J. Adhesion Sci. Technol.18(9), 1077—1089 (2004).
18.
Wilson, D.J. , Williams, R.L., and Pond, R.C., Plasma Modification of PTFE Surfaces Part II: Plasma-treated Surfaces Following Storage in Air or PBS, Surf. Interface Anal.31(5), 397—408 (2001).
19.
Borcia, G., Anderson, C.A., and Brown, N.M.D., The Surface Oxidation of Selected Polymers using an Atmospheric Pressure Air Dielectric Barrier Discharge. Part II, Appl. Surf. Sci.225(1—4), 186-197 (2004).
20.
Cui, N.Y., and Brown, N.M.D., Modification of the Surface Properties of a Polypropylene (PP) Film using an Air Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma, Appl. Surf. Sci.189(1—2), 31—38 (2002).
21.
Choi, J.H., Lee, E.S., Baik, H.K., Lee, S.J., Song, K.M., and Lim, Y.S., Analysis of Polymer Surface Treated by Dielectric Barrier Discharge, Plasma SourcesSci. Technol.14(2), 363— 367 (2005).
22.
Massines, F. , Gouda, G., Gherardi, N., Duran, M., and Croquesel, E., The Role of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Atmosphere and Physics on Polypropylene Surface Treatment, PlasmasPolym. 6(1-2), 35—49 (2001).
23.
Borcia, G., Anderson, C.A., and Brown, N.M.D., Using a Nitrogen Dielectric Barrier Discharge for Surface Treatment, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.14(2), 259—267 (2005).
Wagner, H.E. , Brandenburg, R., Kozlov, K.V., Sonnenfeld, A., Michel, P., and Behnke, J.F., The Barrier Discharge: Basic Properties and Applications to Surface Treatment, Vacuum71(3), 417—436 (2003).
26.
Kogelschatz, U., Dielectric-barrier Discharges: Their History, Discharge Physics, and Industrial Applications, Plasma Chem. PlasmaProcess. 23(1), 1—46 (2003 ).
27.
Kogelschatz, U., Eliasson, B., and Egli, W., Dielectric-barrier Discharges. Principle and Applications, J. Phys.IV7(C4), 47— 66 (1997).
28.
Sira, M., Trunec, D., Stahel, P., Bursikova, V., Navratil, Z., and Bursik, J., SurfaceModification of Polyethylene and Polypropylene in Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.38(4), 621—627 (2005).
29.
De Geyter, N., Morent, R., and Leys, C., Treatment of Polymer Films with a Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Air, Helium and Argon at Medium Pressure, Surf. Coat. Technol.201(16— 17): 7066—7075 ( 2007).
30.
Trunec, D., Brablec, A., and Buchta, J., Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge in Neon, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.34(11), 1697— 1699 (2001).
31.
Vatuna, T., Pichal, J., Spatenka, P., Koller, J., Aubrecht, L., and Kolouch, A., Plasma Penetration Through the PES Fabrics Sheaf in Atmospheric Corona and Dielectric Barrier Discharges, in “Proceedings 2nd International Workshop on Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas: Sources and Applications,” CAPPSA2005, Bruges, Belgium, pp. 275—280 (2005).
32.
De Geyter, N. , Morent, R., and Leys, C., Penetration of a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma into Textile Structures at Medium Pressure, Plasma SourcesSci. Technol.15(1), 78—84 (2006).
33.
Wu, S., “ Polymer Interfaces and Adhesion,” Dekker, New York, USA (1982).
34.
Zamfir, M., Verschuren, J., and Kiekens, P., Medical Spun-bonded and Hydroentanglement Nonwovens Modified by Plasma Treatment , in “Proceedings Joint INDA-TAPPI International Nonwovens Technical Conference,”Atlanta, Georgia, USA (2002).
35.
Temmerman, E. , Akishev, Y., Trushkin, N., Leys, C., and Verschuren , J., SurfaceModification with a Remote Atmospheric Pressure Plasma: DC Glow Discharge and Surface Streamer Regime, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.38(4), 505—509 (2005).
36.
Dorai, R., and Kushner, M.J., A Model for Plasma Modification of Polypropylene using Atmospheric Pressure Discharges, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.36(6), 666—685 (2003).
37.
Larrieu, J. , Held, B., Martinez, H., and Tison, Y., Ageing of Atactic and Isotactic Polystyrene Thin Films Treated by Oxygen DC Pulsed Plasma, Surf. Coat. Technol.200(7), 2310—2316 ( 2005).
38.
Gheorghiu, M., Arefi, F., Amouroux, J., Placinta, G., Popa, G., and Tatoulian, M., Surface Cross Linking and Functionalization of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) in a Helium Discharge, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.6(1), 8—19 (1997).
