Pulsed Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Poly(allyl alcohol) onto Natural Fibers

Pulsed plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition was used to coat natural fibers of silk, wool, and cotton with poly(allyl alcohol) films. Untreated and coated fibers were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and scanning electron microscopy. Coated fibers had very similar XPS high resolution C-1s spectra, suggesting the coatings are uniformly and conformally coated, regardless of fiber type. EPR data show strong signals from incorporated radicals in all three of the coated fibers, with the strongest signal arising from the coated cotton fibers, indicating more free radicals are formed during plasma treatment of cotton. Tensile strength tests reveal coated wool and silk fibers were significantly stronger than their uncoated counterparts.