Continuous Modification Treatment of Polyester Fabric

by Dielectric Barrier Discharge

Ren Zhongfu1, Qiu Gao2, Ren Xiandong1, Wang Zhonghua1
(1. Jining Medical College, Jining, 272000 ; 2. College of Basic Science,
Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051)

Abstract: Continuous modification of polyester fabric was carried out by dielectric barrier
discharge (DBD) of Ar-O2 (10:1) at atmospheric pressure. The results revealed that the
dyeability of polyester fabric was dramatically improved, and its reflectivity of light was
considerably decreased. The spectral value (K/S) was found to be increased by about 50﹪.
The dye up-take was found to be increased by about 18﹪. However, the dyeing fastness was
the highest degree, that is to say, despite the large increase of the up-take, the dyeing fastness
was not be affected by the modification treatment of the DBD. SEM studies showed that the
smooth and glossy surface of polyester fibre became rough and deep in colour after treatment
by the reason of etching action of the discharge. XPS studies showed that Ar-O2 discharge
could help to form a few carboxyl groups on the polyester fibre surface.
Keywords: dielectric barrier discharge, continuous modification treatment, dyeability,
reflectivity, polyester fabric

1. Introduction
The requirement of vacuum systems for low pressure plasma has been a burden for the textile
industry, hence there is now an enthusiasm for plasma generated at atmospheric pressure.
Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is effective in generating uniform plasma at atmospheric
press. In addition to its freedom from the reliance on vacuum systems and adaptability to
continuous industrial production, DBD at atmospheric pressure costs much less than low
pressure plasma, consequently, DBD will play an active part in future textile industry[1-7].
Polyester is one of the most popular principal synthetic textile materials nowadays, which
many people are very fond of at present. Yet it has some defects in practice. Because of its
high molecule crystallization and deficiency of reactive group on fibre surface, polyester
fabric is rather reflective and dye-resistant to some extent, especially not suitable to be dyed
in deep colour, and all these affect its common application and appearance.
To meet the requirements in technical textiles, modification of polyester fabric is important
to achieve improvements in surface properties, such as the promotion of dyeability and the
reduction of reflectivity. DBD technology can effectively achieve modification of
near-surface region without affecting the desirable bulk properties of material. In the
experiment, polyester fabric was continuously treated by DBD of Ar-O2(10:1) using a simple
system at atmospheric pressure. This paper, firstly describes the experimental system, then
presents detailed results of the continuous modification effects of DBD on polyester fibre
surface, this is to say, the spectral value (K/S), the relative dye up-take, the dyeing fastness,
the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and also the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
of polyester fabric, finally, this paper analyzes and studies the likely mechanisms of the
modification processes.

2. Experimental set-up
The set-up of continuous modification treatment is shown in Figure 1. Two plane-parallel
copper electrodes covered with dielectric material (usually mylar or glass) are separated by a
uniform gap. An A.C. power supply is connected to the two electrodes to enable discharge.
The gas passes a flow meter that shows its flow rate, and then is distributed to the discharge
gap. Cooling liquid goes through the hollow electrodes, so that the heat produced during
discharge can be emitted promptly, and the temperature in the gap would not rise too high for
synthetic material. Discharge voltage, discharge power, and charge current can be measured
with measurement system. The material is fed by a conveying system into the gap
continuously, and the treatment time can be controlled by adjusting the conveyer’s moving
speed. The whole set-up is fixed in a transparent chamber.

Figure 1. The continuous modification treatment system of dielectric barrier discharge

In the experiment pure Argon was not chosen as discharge gas on account of its inertia,
instead it was mixed with a little oxygen. The addition of a little oxygen was to introduce
oxygen groups into polyester fibre surface via chemical reaction for the reason of oxygen
activity. In the discharge gas the ratio of argon to oxygen is 10 to 1 in volume, so that the
discharge gas is formulated into Ar-O2(10:1) in this thesis.

3. Results and discussions

Polyester fabric samples treated for various time by discharge were dyed with blue disperse
dye under high temperature and high pressure. The change of K/S value is shown in Figure 2.
It can be seen that the process of continuous modification treatment resulted in a large
increase of K/S value. In the initial time of treatment the K/S value rised sharply, then slowly,
and after about 1 minute it reached the maximum. The maximum of K/S value was
dramatically increased by about 50﹪ in comparison with that of untreated sample. The
increase of K/S value indicates the improvement of dyeability and also the reduction of
reflectivity.
The plot of the relative dye up-take is depicted in Figure 3, which is somewhat parallel to
the increase of K/S value. The relative dye up-take reached saturation after about 1minute too.
The maximum of dye up-take was increased by about 18%.
6.0 Relative
K/S 1.18
Dye Up-take
1.16
5.5
1.14

1.12
5.0 1.10

1.08

4.5 1.06

1.04

4.0 1.02

1.00

3.5 0.98
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Treatment Time (sec) Treatment Time (sec)

Figure 2. K/S value versus Figure 3. Relative dye up-take versus

treatment time treatment time

The increases of the K/S value and the dye up-take both illustrate that the discharge of
Ar-O2 can satisfactorily improve the dyeability of polyester fabric. To test the dyeing fastness
of polyester fabric treated with discharge, the rubbing dye fastness was tested, as is shown in
the table 1. The treatment time was 1minute. Reaching the 5degree (the highest degree), the
two kinds of rubbing dyeing fastness of polyester fabric treated by discharge remained the
same as that untreated, which is very significant. By the way, the rubbing dyeing fastness of
the untreated polyester fabric is usually the highest degree. So it can be concluded that even
though the dye up-take was increased, the dyeing fastness wasn’t be affected by discharge
modification treatment.

Table 1. Dyeing fastness of polyester fabric treated and untreated

Polyester fabric Untreated Treated
Rubbing dyeing fastness (dry) 5 5
Rubbing dyeing fastness (wet) 5 5

In preceding part of the paper it is illustrated that discharge of Ar-O2 can satisfactorily
improve the dyeability of polyester fabric under the condition of keeping dyeing fastness. In
order to study further the likely mechanism of the discharge modification to polyester fabric
surface, and also to analyze the surface state change during treatment, the samples before and
after treatment were analyzed with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As is shown in Figure 4 (a) the polyester fibre surface
before treatment looks smooth and glossy. And the fibre surface treated for 1minute is
shown in Figure 4 (b). It was rougher and deeper than before treatment. The roughness and
deepness was due to etching process, which helped to the increase of the K/S value, and the
decrease of reflectivity as well.
Figure 5. shows C(1s) XPS spectra of polyester fibre surfaces before and after treatment by
Ar-O2 discharge, the treatment time was 1minute too. Binding energies characteristic of
different levels of oxidized carbon are assigned as follows: saturated carbon ( C-C/C-H ) at
285.0eV, carbon bonded to hydroxyl group or doubly bonded to one oxygen atom
(C-OH/C=O) at 287.2eV, and carbon bonded to carboxyl group (C-COOH ) at 289.3eV[8].
The Figure 5. (b) has one a little

(a) (b)

Figure 4. SEM image of untreated polyester fibre. (a) untreated (b) treated

bigger shoulder at higher binding energy than Figure (a), which indicates a little more
carboxyl groups on fibre surface after treatment. The XPS datas show that Ar-O2 discharge
can help to form a few carboxyl groups on polyester fibre surface. Carboxyl group is
hydrophilic, and its formation on surface is advantageous to the improvement of polyester
fabric dyeability to a certain extent.

(a) (b)

Figure 5. C1s XPS spectra of polyester. (a) untreated (b) treated

4. Conclusion
The continuous modification of Ar-O2(10:1) discharge can improve polyester fabric dyeability
and reduce its reflectivity dramatically. The K/S value and dye up-take was enormously
increased. In spite of the large increase of dye up-take of the treated fabric, the rubbing dyeing
fastness still reached 5 degree (the highest degree) as well as that untreated, so it can be
concluded that modification treatment of Ar-O2 discharge does not affect the dyeing fastness
of polyester fabric. The discharge has two kinds of modification action on polyester fabric
surface, i.e. etching and chemical reaction. Due to etching the smooth and glossy surface of
polyester fibre became rough and deep in colour, in other words, its reflectivity was decreased,
which corresponded with the large increase of K/S value. On the other hand, chemical
reaction can introduce a few -COOH groups，which is hydrophilic, into the polyester fabric
surface, and the formation of -COOH group is another positive factor to improve polyester
fabric dyeability.

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