CO 2 laser irradiation of raw and bleached cotton fabrics, with focus on water and dye absorbency

Abstract

In this research, the effect of carbon dioxide laser irradiation on various properties of raw and bleached cotton fabrics, including fabric weight, bending rigidity, wetting, and air permeability, as well as dyeing, was examined and compared. The experiments were carried out at three different laser powers ranging from 4.5 to 6 W to determine the effect of laser treatment on fabric properties. In particular, the influence of laser irradiation on the dyeing properties of treated fabrics with CI Reactive Blue 198 was studied. The colour change of laser-treated fabrics was determined by calculation of the K/S values as a function of fabric reflectance. The morphological changes in laser-treated fabrics were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The effects of laser treatment on the properties of raw and bleached cotton fabrics were varied. For instance, the wettability of raw cotton samples was reduced after laser irradiation, whereas the wettability of bleached cotton fabrics was greater. Possible reasons for the various dyeing behaviours observed with irradiation at different laser powers are discussed.