Plasma effect on the chemical structure of cellulose fabric for modification of some functional properties

Abstract

The present paper describes efficiency of the low-pressure plasma process for improving of deposition process on chemical-physical activated cellulose fabric surfaces. The surface of cellulose substrates was pre-treated with O2 plasma followed by acrylic acid (AAc) as monomer in plasma polymerisation process with surface of cotton fabrics in continuous treatment process was used (O2/AAc). AAc as monomer was applied on the fabric surface using PE-CVD process. Modifications of cellulose fibres were studied in respect to surface effects by means of SEM microscopy while the chemical effects of plasma treatment were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results indicate that the surface of the cotton fibres was cleaner and smooth with micro-fibrils visible along to fibre axis after treatment with AAc, what is in correlation with results of hydrophilic properties of O2/AAc treated samples. According to XPS spectra results, oxygen plasma is certainly changed the chemical surface structure of tested cotton fabrics whereby the deposition of the AAc nano-layer on the fibre surface was enabled.