Evaluation of some of the properties of plasma treated wool fabric

Low temperature plasma (LTP) treatment was applied to wool fabric with the use of a nonpolymerizing gas, namely oxygen. Properties of the LTP-treated samples including low stress mechanical behavior, air permeability, and thermal characteristics were evaluated in this study. Kawabata evaluation system fabric (KES-F) was employed to determine the tensile, shearing, bending, and compression strength properties and surface roughness of the specimens. The changes in these properties are believed to be closely related to the interfiber and interyarn frictional force induced by the LTP. The decrease in the air permeability of the LTP-treated wool fabric was found to be probably because of the plasma action effect on increasing the fabric thickness and a change in fabric surface morphology, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy micrographs. The change in the thermal properties of the LTP-treated wool fabric was in good agreement with the earlier findings and can be attributed to the amount of air trapped between the yarns and fibers. This study suggested that the LTP treatment can influence the final properties of the wool fabric, and also provide information for developing LTP-treated wool fabric for industrial use. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.