Topographical effects of 02- and NH3-plasma treatment on woven plain polyester fabric in adjusting hydrophilicity

Hydrophilisation of polyester textile materials has been investigated over the last twenty years using low-pressure and atmospheric plasmas. According to these studies, wettability and capillarity of fabrics can be significantly improved depending on the process gas used. In the present study, the effects of low pressure O2- and NH3- plasma on the morphology and topometry of fabrics on four different length scales, as well as the influence of the topographical changes of textile structures on the resulting water spreading and absorption rates were investigated. The results of the topographic characterisation using two non-contact optical methods and wettability measurements indicate that the modification of filament nano-topography cannot satisfactorily explain the drastic changes observed in wettability. Dimensional changes (relaxation and shrinkage) as well as changes in warp morphology and inter-yarn spaces are more decisive for inducing hydrophilicity in polyester woven plain fabrics than an increase in the surface nano-roughness of their filaments

Cooperative action of cellulase enzyme and carboxymethyl cellulose on cotton fabric cleanability from a topographical standpoint

In this study, the effect of cotton treatment with cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose on soil release of three different types of fabric: woven plain, woven twill and knitted were systematically studied. A recent study of the effect of a cleaning cellulase enzyme on cellulose films has proven that this substance selectively attacks amorphous cellulose regions, consisting of small hills in a matrix of flat crystalline regions. According to our previous investigations, where carboxymethyl cellulose is present in the formula, the enzyme seems to drive soil release performance. However, the mechanism has not yet been sufficiently studied from the topographical standpoint. In the present study, topographical changes caused by the treatment with cleaning cellulase enzyme and carboxymethyl cellulose on the fabrics by conditioning while washing were analysed on three different length scales in order to interpret their cooperation on water and oil absorption mechanisms and, hence, on cleanability of cotton fabrics stained with liquid–solid, liquid and solid soils

Cleanability Improvement of Cotton Fabrics Through Their Topographical Changes Due to the Conditioning with Cellulase Enzyme

In this study, topographical changes of woven cotton fabrics conditioned with a cellulase enzyme during several wash–dry cycles are systematically studied. A recent study of cellulase enzyme effect on cellulose films has proven that this substance selectively attacks amorphous regions of cellulose, consisting of small hills in a matrix of flat crystalline regions. In another study, topographical changes caused by cotton treatment with cellulase by conditioning while washing were analysed on three different length scales in order to interpret their cooperation on water and oil absorption mechanisms and, hence, on the cleanability of cotton fabrics stained with liquid–solid, liquid and solid soils. In the present study, we emphasise the micro-topographical changes resulting from several wash–dry cycles by the application of mathematical methods to quantify the changes of yarn micro-surfaces. As a result, we present a conceptual model that describes how the topographical effect of washing and conditioning by cellulase enzyme improves the cleanability of woven plain cotton fabrics

Surface roughness and wettability of wool fabrics loaded with silver nanoparticles: Influence of synthesis and application methods

Hydrophilization of wool fabrics was performed by silver nanoparticles with different surface charge using three different methods: exhausting, pad–dry–cure and in situ synthesis. Dynamic wetting measurements and surface topography analysis were used to evaluate surface changes on wool fabrics. The wool samples in situ loaded revealed the highest fabric roughness and porosity, while the use of the pad–dry–cure method leads to the lowest fabric porosity, and its roughness values approximately were the same as those for samples loaded with the exhaustion method. The results revealed that loading silver nanoparticles with high surface charges onto wool fabrics via the exhaustion method can significantly improve the hydrophilicity of wool fibre surface. The possible reasons for this improvement are discussed