KINETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ETCHING OF A POLY(ETHYLENE-TEREPHTHALATE) FABRIC IN ACTIVE OXYGEN .2. OXYGEN-PLASMA AFTERGLOW

The action of flowing O-2-plasma afterglow on the surface of a poly(et hylene terephthalate) fabric was studied. Temperature dependences for the rates of total mass loss, gas release, and O-2 consumption were me asured. The data obtained show that the mass loss, similar to that in the plasma zone, is determined by the action of oxygen atoms, with the reaction rate being related (via the structure of the fabric) to char acteristics of homogeneous recombination of atoms on the material in c ontact with the fabric. It was found that degradation occurs by two pa thways that have different rate-limiting stages. One of these channels gives CO2, CO, and H2O, and the other results in phenolic compounds.