SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOOL AND POLY(ETHYLENE-TEREPHTHALATE) FABRICS AND FILM TREATED WITH LOW-TEMPERATURE PLASMA UNDER ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE

Wool and poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabrics and film were treated wi th low-temperature plasmas of helium/argon or acetone/argon under atmo spheric pressure for 10 to 180 seconds. Although argon itself cannot i ndependently generate a plasma under atmospheric pressure by applying high frequency voltage, it is easily generated by adding a small quant ity of helium or acetone to argon gas. Wettability of the fabrics and surface tension of the film increased considerably with the treatment within 30 seconds. ESCA analysis was used to elucidate the surface che mical composition of fibers treated with atmospheric low-temperature p lasma. Relative O1s intensity increased considerably and oxygen was in corporated in the form of -CO- and -COO- on the fiber surface. From th ese results, it appears that low-temperature plasma by atmospheric pre ssure discharge is effective for modifying the polymer surface, as it acts in the same fashion as low-temperature plasma by glow discharge.