Hydrophobic Surface Modification of Silk Fabric Using Plasma-Polymerized HMDSO

In this work, we study the wetting properties of silk fabrics by deposition of plasma-polymerized (PP) hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) using low-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Recently hydrophobic properties are under active research in textile industry. The effect of exposure time and power on the HMDSO-coated silk fabrics has been investigated. Water contact angle of PP-HMDSO-coated silk fabric surface has been measured as the function of power and coating time. Fabric surface has shown enhancement in hydrophobicity after coating. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) reveals the surface chemistry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows the surface morphology of the untreated and HMDSO-coated fabrics, respectively. In the case of untreated fabric, water droplet absorbs swiftly, whereas, in the case of HMDSO-coated fabric, water droplet remains on the fabric surface with a maximum contact angle of 140°. The HMDSO-deposited silk surface is found to be durable after detergent washing. Common stains like ink, tea, milk, turmeric, and orange juice are tested on the surface of both fabrics. In HMDSO-coated fabrics, all the stains are bedded like ball droplet. The fabric is tilted to 45° angle; stain droplets easily roll off from the fabric

Investigation of complexity dynamics in a DC glow discharge magnetized plasma using recurrence quantification analysis

The authors are thankful to BRNS-DAE, Government of India for the financial support under the project grant (Reference No. 2013/34/29/BRNS). The authors would like to express their heartfelt thanks to all the members of plasma Physics division of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics for their help and constant support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Surface and moisture characteristics of jute using a D.C. glow discharge argon plasma

A D.C. glow discharge plasma source was employed to characterize changes in water absorbance and surface morphology of natural jute fibers. The low temperature plasma removed moisture from the fibers and significantly modified surface properties. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used for characterization. Open source software was used for the processing of the scanning electron micrographs. The changes in the macromolecular structure and the crystallinity were characterized by X-ray diffraction. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated moisture removal from the fibers following plasma treatment.by Supin Gopi et,al

Observation of the ion-ion instability and its suppression mechanism in a dusty double plasma device

12th International Congress on Plasma Physics, 25-29 October 2004, Nice (France)Ion-ion instability is excited due to the counter streaming of ion beams in any plasma system. An experiment has been carried out to observe the ion-ion instability in dusty plasma and in presence of different gas compositions viz., H2, Ar, Xe and He. The experiment is performed in a double plasma device consisting of 90 cm in diameter and 120 cm in length and separated by a mesh grid of 81% optical transparency. Glass beads of 10 mm average dust distributions are used as a dust grains for the whole set of experiment and are allowed to fall within a particular region of plasma column inside the system. The growing and suppression of ion-ion instability is observed by translating the probe spatially with respect to different dust density compositions and compared the same also in presence of other gasses. The suppression mechanism of this kind of instability in plasmas was explained by RF pumps[1]. However, in this experimental finding the suppression phenomena are discussed in terms of dust density inside the system. The instability is found to be suppressed completely at a critical dust density (Ndcr). The complete set of experimental results will be tried to explain with the numerical solution of Van der Pol Equation

White Grain Eumycetoma due to Aspergillus flavus in Infancy: A Rare Case Report from Assam

Mycetoma is a slowly progressive, chronic granulomatous infection of skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by traumatic inoculation of either fungi (eumycotic) or bacteria (actinomycotic). The disease is characterized by triad of tumefaction, discharging sinuses and grains. Here, we report a case of eumycetoma in an infant presenting with multiple discharging sinuses in lower limb. Aspirate and biopsy tissue from the sinuses were processed. The discharge revealed presence of white grains. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) mount revealed presence of hyaline septate hyphae. Histopathological examination showed granulation tissue and fungal hyphae. Repeated culture on sabouraud’s dextrose agar (SDA) with chloramphenicol showed growth of Aspergillus flavus on each occasion. Antifungal susceptibility testing was done following Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) M38-A2 protocol and showed high minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for fluconazole, caspofungin, anidulofungin and micafungin. The patient responded to itraconazole. Hence, exact categorization of lesion is essential for effective therapy and better prognosis