Characterization and Evaluation of Polyester and Silk Fabrics Treated using Plasma as Clean Energy Advanced Technique.

Abstract

I N this article we studied the effect of surface modification of polyester (PET) and silk fabrics by their exposure to cold plasma. The cold plasma was carried out using oxygen as a working gas and different plasma device parameters have been studied such as: different time, different current and different hydrostatic pressure using plasma/Oxygen. Treated fabrics are characterized by the measurements and evaluation of mechanical properties, air permeability, Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) and the changes in surface morphological of pretreated fabrics were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX)). The nano-silver particles were prepared by green synthesis method, then were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Zeta Potential and particle size. The exposed plasma fabrics at optimum conditions were modified with the prepared nanosilver. The antibacterial activity properties for treatedfabrics against gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aurous) and gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) were examined. The SEM results confirmed that there was a significant increase in roughness of the surface for all treated fabrics. The results of mechanical properties showed that plasma treatment had not destructive effect on the physical properties of the fabrics. The results obtained clarify that the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) values increase for polyester exposed fabrics but the increase is not significant for silk fabrics while antibacterial properties were highly improved by all treated fabrics.

Application of Sensitized Silver Nanoparticles on Pretreated Polyester and Silk Fabrics with Eco-friendly Mixed Gas Plasma

“…It is clear that the light fastness grades were improved on oxygen nanosilver plasma treated, mixed gas plasma treated and oxygen/argon mixed gas nano-silver plasma treated samples. Because of increasing the colour strength, the other fastness values were not affected [13,14].…”

“…The schematic diagram of the experimental set-up of exposing samples surface to oxygen plasma or oxygen argon mixed gases plasma was last mention in our previous works [13,14]. The samples were treated with oxygen plasma or oxygen/argon mixed gases plasma at different conditions of pressure, current, and time.…”

“…The nano-silver particles were synthesized according to green synthesis method of silver nano particles which was characterized by Zeta Potential and particle size determination, Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and UV/Visible Spectral Analysis. The characterization of the synthetized nanosilver with the desired properties was approved in our previous work [13,14].…”

“…It is clear that the treated fabrics by oxygen/ argon mixed gas have higher K/S values and ∆E than fabrics treated by oxygen gas Also maximum dyeability was obtained for oxygen/ argon plasma and nano-silver treated samples related to their blank dyed mates. Nano-silver work as mordant in case of nano-silver treated samples and also the increased surface area and the modifications of the partition equilibrium of the dye between the dyeing bath and the macromolecular surface in contact with it, can also play a role [13,14].…”

“…Visual light fastness rating based on the standard Blue Scale were assessed and the obtained results are given in tables 5 (a-e), were showed that the dyed oxygen nano-silver plasma treated, mixed gas plasma Treated and oxygen/argon mixed gas nano-silver plasma treated samples were the highest value (5) with highest colour difference (∆E) values. Dyed samples obtained from untreated and oxygen plasma treated their values were of the order (4-5) [13,14].…”