Frictional coefficient of wool treated with low temperature plasma.

Abstract

Low temperature plasma treatment is of interest as one of the techniques to modify polymer surface. It has been reported that the treatment offers a good shrink resistance property for wool fabrics. In this study, Merino wool fibers were treated with plasma in oxygen, tetrafluoromethane, and tetramethylsilane. The frictional coefficients of the direction with and against scale, μ1 and μ2, respectively, were measured in dry and wet conditions by using a Roder's apparatus. The plasmatreated wool fabrics showed an excellent shrink resistance property similar to the descaled wool fabrics prepared by DCCA and Dylan methods. Electron micrographs of the surface of the plasmamodified wool showed little damage of the scale. It was found that the dry frictional coefficients, μ1 and μ2, are increased by the plasma treatment, whereas the value of μ2-μ1 is decreased as compared to that of the untreated wool. Both values of wet frictional coefficients and μ2-μ1 were greatly increased. The effect of plasma treatment on the frictional coefficients of polyester, nylon 6, and cotton fibers were also studied and discussed on the basis of the surface structure and properties.