engleski

Impact of low-pressure plasma on dyeability of wool using natural dye

In this paper, the influence of low-pressure O2 plasma on surface properties and dyeability of wool is studied. Wool is a natural fiber that consists mainly of keratin protein with high number of disulfide cysteine crosslinkages (-S-S-). It has a complex morphological structure containing internal cortical cells that make 90 % of fiber and external cuticular cells. This complex structure makes chemical processing of wool difficult. The scales need to be removed in order to improve wool absorbency and make the penetration of dyes and chemicals possible [1, 2]. There is a number of methods researched in order to modify wool surface by physical and chemical means such as ultrasound, ozone, enzyme treatments, microwave irridation, laser technology, plasma etc [3]. Fiber surface modification using plasma is an environmentally friendly, dry-state process that modifies only the outer layer of substrate and consumes minimal amounts of gasses or monomer vapor [2]. In this research, plasma etching of wool surface was conducted using different process parameters (300 W and 500 W) for 2 and 5 minutes. Natural dye extracted from Punica granatum L. – Punicaceae and 2% KAl(SO4)2 and 0, 1M AgNO3 as mordants were used on plasma pretreated wool. Results show great increase in wettability of all plasma treated samples. An increase in the breaking strength and elongation was observed with increased flexural rigidity. The color strength of plasma treated and untreated samples was analyzed using remission spectrophotometer. Color depth (K/S values) indicate that plasma pretreatments can increase the dye exhaustion and can even replace the application of mordants.

low-pressure plasma, surface modification, wool, natural dye, wettability, dyeabilitty, breaking strength

Sredstva potpore istraživanju za 2017: Antibakterijska svojstva tekstilnih materijala ekološkim postupcima obrade (voditelj: doc. dr.sc. M. Somogyi Škoc)