Improvement of hydrophilic nature of polyester fabrics by atmospheric pressure plasma exposure

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To enhance hydrophilic nature of polyester surfaces, atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) treatment with three gas sources, Air, nitrogen and argon, was carried out. The contact angles on the poly (ethylene terephthalate), PET, films and fibers untreated and treated by the APP was determined by the Wilhelmy method. As a result, the wettability and the surface free energy were found to increase drastically after the APP exposure. The water wicking, detergency and dyeability of the PET fabric were successfully enhanced after the APP exposure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy of the PET fiber showed that the improvement of the practical performances of the PET fabric was caused by the surface oxidation and the surface topographical change. The APP exposure, especially with nitrogen gas, was found to be more effective compared with other dry process such as UV treatment.