The effect of an innovative atmospheric plasma jet treatment on physical and mechanical properties of wool fabrics

✍ Scribed by Alberto Ceria; Fabio Rombaldoni; Giorgio Rovero; Giorgio Mazzuchetti; Silvio Sicardi

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 973 KB
• Volume: 210
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0924-0136
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2009.12.006

✦ Synopsis

This work concerns the study of some important physical and mechanical properties of a wool fabric treated with a roll-to-roll atmospheric plasma jet equipment. The plasma pilot unit, based on a postdischarge technology, was equipped with an innovative plasma-to-fabric contactor, which promotes a relevant penetration of plasma through the fabric structure and geometrically defines the atmosphere. Wool fabrics were processed at three different velocities (1, 3 and 6 m/min); the other process variables were kept constant. Tensile strength, elongation at break, surface thickness, wettability and air permeability increased after the plasma treatment, while several low-stress mechanical properties, strictly related to the handle, were not modified. SEM analysis was also carried out to better interpret the above macroscopic results.