Effect of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma on Pilling Propensity of Acrylic Fabrics

Plasma is the 4th state of matter and a gas becomes plasma when the kinetic energy of the gas particles equals the ionisation energy of the gas. When gas molecules reaches excited state, molecule breakdown takes place and collision between excited species takes place. In this state it behaves as a chemically very active environment and the surface interaction with organic substrates takes place[1]. Pilling is the ball like structures on the surface of the fabrics that are formed due to repeated abrasion. Synthetic fabrics especially knitted are likely to pill more because of smooth surface and higher tensile strength. . This paper focuses on application of plasma treatment and its effect on various types of acrylic fabrics. The treated and untreated fabrics viewed under SEM and pilling tests and tensile strength test were carried out. It was observed that plasma treatment makes the fibre surface rough and decreases tensile strength of fibre; thus reducing the formation of pills on the fabrics by increasing inter fibre friction and detaching the pills from the fabric surface.