Improvement of soil release from polyester fabric with atmospheric pressure plasma jet

Abstract

Polyester fabrics were exposed to an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) to improve their detergency performance. Surface characterization of the polyester fibers showed that wettability, surface free energy, and surface oxygen concentration increased after the APPJ treatment. The untreated and APPJ-treated polyester fabrics were soiled with carbon black, oleic acid, and stearic acid as model contaminants. The soiled fabric was washed together with the original fabric in the aqueous detergent solutions without and with mechanical action (shake or ultrasound). A washing test using a horizontal drum type washer in accordance with ISO 6330 was also performed to verify the efficiency of the APPJ treatment to polyester fabric in a domestic laundry. The soil removal from the fabric and redeposition onto the fabric were evaluated from the changes in the surface reflectance of the soiled and the original fabrics due to washing. As expected, the APPJ treatment was found to enhance soil removal and to prevent soil redeposition independent of detergent solution and mechanical action. When the polyester fabric after soiling was exposed to the APPJ, the increase in soil removal and the decrease in soil redeposition were remarkably observed compared with the APPJ exposure to polyester fabrics before soiling. Such detergency improvement by the APPJ was also observed for a cotton fabric soiled with stearic acid.

Experimental Analysis of Detergency Phenomena and Investigation of a Next-generation Detergency System

“…The effects of exposing polymer surfaces to APPJ 33 on their detergency were investigated from the viewpoint of pretreatment for aqueous cleaning 34,35 . Polyester fabrics soiled with carbon black, oleic acid, or stearic acid were treated by nitrogen-gas APPJ prior to cleaning.…”

“…According to adhesion studies 37 , the hydrophobization and hydrophilization of substrate surfaces can lead to soil guard and release abilities, respectively. We have applied the APPJ treatment to soil guard and release finishes, since it can modify the extremely thin surface layer without causing environmental pollution 34,38 .…”

Textile Performance of Polyester, Nylon 6 and Acetate Fabrics Treated with Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet

“…Because the soil redeposition is dependent on the amount of soil removed from the fabric in the wash bath, the soil redeposition was calculated by the following equation [43] : (2) Where ow refer to the unsoiled fabrics after washing and the term [(K/S) S -(K/S) W] is corresponding to the soil amount removed from the soiled fabric. After rinsing thoroughly and drying of the dyed fabric, the surface reflectance of the dyed fabric in the visible wavelength region was measured as mentioned in 2.5, from which the K/S at maximum absorption wavelength and the total color difference, ΔE* ab, between the untreated and treated fabrics after dyeing were obtained.…”

“…the decrease in the work of adhesion [52]. Therefore, the hydrophilization of the fiber surface by APP treatment can improve the detergency of synthetic textiles in aqueous solutions [43], overcoming the disadvantage for removing soil by the surface roughness increase in Fig. 4.…”

Introduction of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma to Aqueous Detergent Processes

“…After exposure to the APP jet, the wettability of these surfaces was found to increase remarkably due to surface oxidation. Based on these experimental results, various fabrics soiled with carbon black or oleic acid were exposed to the APP before cleaning in aqueous detergent solutions in the previous studies 14,15 . The deterAbstract: The effects of exposure of polymer surfaces to atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) on detergency were investigated from the viewpoint of pretreatment to cleaning in aqueous systems using three PET substrates: film, mesh, and fabric.…”