Vous êtes sur la page 1sur 6

Etching of PES fabric by O2 /CF4 plasma

L. Aubrecht, J. Pichal
Czech Technical University, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Department of Physics,
Technická 2, 166 27 Prague, Czech Republic
e-mail: {aubrecht, pichal}@fel.cvut.cz

P. Spatenka, T. Vatuna
Technical University of Liberec, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Department of Material Science,
Hálkova 6, 461 17 Liberec, Czech Republic

L. Martinkova
Inotex s. r. o.,
Stefankova 1208, 544 28 Dvur Kralove, Czech Republic

Received 29 May 2006

The woven fabrics (woven fabric were of Tesil 12 type) were modified by a radio fre-
quency discharge. A degree of hydrophility and a dye ability of the knitted substrate after
the modification with a plasma excited in an O2 /CF4 mixture were determined. Addition-
ally, the effect of an enzyme Texazym treatment was studied. As process parameters, time
and the distance of the source were varied at the plasma modification. The results of hy-
drophility, surface resistance and dyeing achieved at knitted substrates modified by plasma
and enzyme were compared. The significant differences between these two in different way
modified materials were observed.

PACS : 52.80.-s
Key words: plasma discharge, plasma, etching, textil

1 Introduction

Low–pressure low–temperature plasma technology is often used in various in-


dustrial applications. Attempts to incorporate plasma technologies into textile in-
dustry have been done recently [1–6]. Plasma technology is suitable for changing
of chemical structure as well as for surface topography of material [1]. Plasma –
textile interaction may be divided into three main processes:

– plasma cleaning based on destruction of surface contaminants, toxic and dan-


gerous matters,

– improvement of surface properties of materials,

– deposition of new materials on the fabrics.

Large potential of plasma barrier modifications represents their utilization for


natural and synthetic fibres processing. As an example we can see the reduction

B1126 Czechoslovak Journal of Physics, Vol. 56 (2006), Suppl. B


Etching of PES fabric by O2 /CF4 plasma

of the resistance of fabric with simultaneous positive effect on dyeing and printing
after plasma treatment. Enhancement of hydrophility of inherently hydrophobic
materials together with partial surface topography can ensure low adhesion of bac-
teria and fungi (repellent effect). Modification of synthetic fibres, that shall be later
used for chemical loading, is performed because of the considerable enhancement
of surface stability. Examples of various other applications of plasma treatment in
the textile industry may be found in [1–6].
The woven fabrics (woven fabric were of Tesil 12 type) were modified by a radio
frequency discharge. A degrees of hydrophilicity and a dye ability of the knitted
substrate after the modification with a plasma excited in an O2 /CF4 mixture were
determined. Additionally the effect of an enzyme treatment. The modification ef-
fects have been studied using two methods: hydrophilicity by Determination of
water suction capacity and electrostatic properties by Test method for protective
clothing parameters measurement. The dye ability has been determined by The
test of relative strength of reactive dyeing (reactive dyestuffs for cellulose dyeing
were used). The results of hydrophilicity, surface resistance and dyeing achieved at
knitted substrates modified by plasma and enzyme, were compared. The significant
differences between these two in different way modified materials were observed.
The several attempts were carried out with a different time of modification. Com-
pared with the flat foil of which is geometrically similar to a desk, the fabric is
composed from fibres. These fibres are spun into yarns and these yarns are woven
to the final textile fabric. Because of this physical and geometrical different struc-
ture between foil and fabric it is difficult to compare them from the point of view
of hydrophility measurement.

2 Experimental

The etching was carried out by radio–frequency (13.56 MHz) discharge (Fig. 1).
Two types of samples were modified: the samples of fixed polyester (the heat treat-
ment of the fabrics for geometric stability of textile) and the samples of polyester
fixed and treated by enzyme. For the enzymatic treatment the product with trade-
mark Texazym (it serve for environmentally friendly hydrophility of polyester, con-
trary to alkaline treatment) has been used. This enzyme applied on the surface was
used for combination of positive results of plasma and enzyme on the hydrophility
(by this way the colouration may be enhanced). For plasma treatment the distance
of the substrate on the movable table was chosen in the region 20 ÷ 260 mm from
rotary electrode. The gas flow rate and gas percentage were constant: flows were
12 sccm CF4 and 48 sccm O2 , modification time was 600 ÷ 1 800 s and RF power
was 150 W. In all experiments a pressure of 64 Pa was kept constant.
The test of relative colouring was carried out using reactive dyestuffs deter-
mined for dyeing of cellulose. The colouring samples were measured by testing
of relative strength of reactive dyeing (spectrophotometer Minolta) in comparison
with unmodified sample.
The principle of measurement of hydrophility and thus suction capacity is as

Czech. J. Phys. 56 (2006) B1127


L. Aubrecht, J. Pichal, P. Spatenka, T. Vatuna, L. Martinkova

follows: the stripes of textile, which are strapped in a frame, are immersed into
a liquid (spirituous water with a colour pigment) for two minutes and after that
the suction height is measured. This suction height is then compared with suction
height of unmodified sample [7]. The measurement of surface resistance was carried
out by Teraohmeter at standard conditions. Modification gases the mixture of tetra
fluorocarbon and oxygen were used for their etching.
The following four modification processing procedures were arranged for mea-
surements:
1. enzymatic treatment of polyester,
2. plasma treatment of polyester,
3. Texazym conditioning with subsequent plasma treatment,
4. plasma treatment with subsequent Texazym conditioning.

Fig. 1. Schematic view of experimental set–up.

3 Results and discussion

For monitoring of the influence of modification on the surface of polyester these


experiments were carried out: the measurement of the hydrophility (the test of
suction height), the measurement of the surface resistance and the influence of
this modification on dye ability of the substrate by the reactive dyestuffs. These
dyestuffs determined for dyeing of cellulose are bound to cellulose by means of
hydroxyl groups. Supposing that these hydroxyl groups exist as a result of the
plasma activity we can monitor the possibility of the generation of covalent bonds
between cellulose and dyestuffs.
Our experiments showed that in comparison with the unmodified substrate the
colour strength at plasma–modified samples was practically not enhanced (Fig. 2).
It means that rising groups are not hydroxyl groups but they are of radical charac-
ter. Oxygen – tetra fluorocarbon plasma radically increases the absorbency already
in the shortest time and also in the largest possible distance. This confirmed again

B1128 Czech. J. Phys. 56 (2006)


Etching of PES fabric by O2 /CF4 plasma

the high hydrophility effect of oxygen plasma.


Hydrophility rapidly increased (Fig. 3) at surface modification. We needed to
discover the losses of effect of the hydrophility and therefore polyester was modified
seven days before evaluation. Measured values were the same as at the sample after
several hours after modification. Modified samples do not loose its suction ability
after one week.
The combination of enzyme and subsequent plasma treatment did not bring dis-
tinctively higher modification effect. In the case to the contrary performed combi-
nation of treatment there was even decrease of the resulting sucking height (Fig. 3).
Relative colour strength [%]

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
Unmodified Plazma Plazma + enzym

Fig. 2. Colour strength of plasma–modified samples.

120
Sucking height [mm]

100

80

60

40

20

0
Unmodified Enzym Plasma Enzym+plasma Plasma+enzym

Fig. 3. Comparison of the fabrics treatment.

Czech. J. Phys. 56 (2006) B1129


L. Aubrecht, J. Pichal, P. Spatenka, T. Vatuna, L. Martinkova

The reduction of the surface resistance could be reached generally either by


interlacing of conducting fibres into textile or by increase in wettability of textile
fibres (hydrophilization). The surface resistance is related with the existence and
formation of electrostatic charge. When surface charge decreases, the chance of
electrostatic charge formation decreases, too.
The surface resistance measurement thus might promote to indirectly deter-
mine decreasing or increasing of hydrophility of textile. Surface resistance is after
plasma modification rapidly reduced (Fig. 4). Change of this degradation is about
six orders, from nearly immeasurable values 1014 Ω to 108 Ω. This low value of
surface resistance begins to rise again to original value after one week of stocking
of the fabrics. This result again verifies the fact that with increasing time the hy-
drophilous effect disappears. The disappearing occurred due to scrolling of hydroxyl
groups from the surface to the interior of the material or as well as by the possible
saturation of radicals on the surface of treated textile material.

10
Surface resistance [10 ? ]

9
-8

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Unmodified Enzym Plasma Enzym+plasma Plasma+enzym

Fig. 4. Electrostatic surface resistance.

4 Conclusion

Our experiments showed that in comparison with the unmodified substrate the
colour strength at plasma–modified samples is not enhanced (Fig. 2). Measured
data of relative colour strength indicates that radicals on the surface are not of
hydroxyl origin.
Polyester hydrophility is increased by etching with mixture of oxygen and tetra
fluorocarbon. Surface resistance was significantly reduced from value 1014 Ω to
value 108 Ω. Increased hydrophility affected the moisture increase and therefore
the formation the surface electrostatic charge is reduced.

This research has been supported by the research program MSM 1M4531477201 of
the Technical University in Liberec (sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Youth and
Sports of the Czech Republic).

B1130 Czech. J. Phys. 56 (2006)


Etching of PES fabric by O2 /CF4 plasma

References

[1] H. Hocker: Pure and Applied Chemistry (2002) 5.


[2] F. Hochart, R. De Jaeger: Surf. Coat. Technol. 165 (2003) 10.
[3] P. Stahel, J. Janca, D.P. Subedi: Czech. J. Phys. 52 (2002) 6.
[4] X. W. Yuan, K. Jayaraman, D. P. Bhattacharyya: J. Adhesion Science and Technology
16 (2002) 25.
[5] M. Sarmadi, A. R. Denes, F. Denes: Textile Chemist and Colorist 28 (1996) 17.
[6] V. A. Titov, E. V. Kuvaldina, S. A. Smirnov, A. N. Ivanov, V. V. Rybkin: High Energy
Chemistry, 36 (2002) 5.
[7] T. Vatuna et all.: 5th International conference Textile Science 2003; Liberec 16–18,
June, 2003.

Czech. J. Phys. 56 (2006) B1131

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi