Plasma treatments finishing process

Control of fiber friction is essential to the processing of fibers, and it is sometimes desirable to modify fiber surfaces for particular end-uses. Most fiber friction modifications are accomplished by coating the fibers with lubricants or finishes. In most cases, these are temporary treatments that are removed in final processing steps before sale of the finished good. In some cases, a more permanent treatment is desired, and chemical reactions are performed to attach different species to the fiber surface, e.g. siliconized slick finishes or rubber adhesion promoters. Polyester s lack of chemical bonding sites can be modified by surface treatments that generate free radicals, such as with corrosive chemicals (e.g. acrylic acid) or by ionic bombardment with plasma treatments. The broken molecular bonds produce more polar sites, thus providing increased surface wettability and reactivity. 

The composition and space distribution of products of plasma treatment of polymer materials can keep changing long after the plasma treatment process is finished. The phenomenon is referred to as the aging effect in plasma-treated polymers. Four major mechanisms of the aging effect can be pointed out ... 

Industrial application of plasma treatment for cotton gray fabric pretreatment results in poorer hand feel and sofmess, but these adverse effects can be compensated by the subsequent finishing process. Plasma treatment can reduce effluents and cost of energy compared with conventional pretreatment processes. In terms of energy use, plasma treatment consumes about 9.8 ml of gasoline per meter of fabric while conventional pretreatment method consumes 62.5 ml of gasoline. In addition, the residues that remain after plasma treatment can be removed easily by the subsequent washing process. The plasma treatment shortens the treatment time when compared with conventional pretreatment with chemicals, but similar results can be achieved (Chen, 2005). 

The new methodology considers additional steps to improve adhesion and smoothness on the finished product. Accordingly, several treatment units are combined in line in a single system to afford the versatility required to tailor each deposition process to the requirements of the finished product. The system comprises a first conventional plasma-... 

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