EFFECTS OF PLASMA TREATMENT ON WATER SORPTION IN VISCOSE FIBRES

UČINKI PLAZEMSKE OBDELAVE NA SORPCIJO VODE V VISKOZNIH VLAKNIH

Miha Devetak1, Nejc Skoporc2, Martin Rigler2, Zdenka Peršin1,3, Irena Drevenšek-Olenik2,4, Martin Čopič2,4, Karin Stana-Kleinschek1,3

1Co PoliMaT, Tehnološki park 24, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
2Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
3Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
4Department of Complex Matter, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

miha.devetak@polimat.si

Prejem rokopisa – received: 2011-09-30; sprejem za objavo – accepted for publication: 2011-10-14

We investigated water sorption in viscose nonwoven fibres manufactured by Tosama d.d. with the surface density of 175 g/m2. A comparison between untreated fibres and by oxygen plasma treated fibres was made using optical polarization microscopy. Plasma treatment was done for 10 minutes at pressure of 75 Pa at current of 250 mA at the power of 500 W. Swelling was characterized by measurements of fibre diameter. Modifications of intensity of the polarized light transmitted through the fibre were measured as a function of time of exposure to water. Characteristic swelling and intensity modification times were resolved for untreated and oxygen plasma treated fibres. The swelling time of oxygen plasma in comparison to untreated plasma is reduced by the factor of 0.54 and intensity change time by the factor of 0.4. From the characteristic swelling and intensity change times it was concluded that oxygen plasma treatment of viscose increases the speed of water sorption.

Keywords: plasma treatment, viscose, swelling, optical polarization microscopy

Proučevali smo sorpcijo vode pri vlaknih v viskozni kopreni, ki jo proizvaja podjetje Tosama d.d., s površinsko gostoto 175 g/m2. Primerjali smo neobdelana in s kisikovo plazmo obdelana vlakna z uporabo optično-polarizacijske mikroskopije. Plazemska obdelava je trajala 10 minut pri tlaku 75 Pa, toku 250 mA in pri moči 500 W. Nabrekanje viskoznih vlaken smo opazovali preko sprememb premera vlakna. Z optično polarizacijsko mikroskopijo smo merili spremembe intenzitete polarizirane svetlobe, ki potuje skozi vlakno med močenjem. Iz meritev na neobdelanih in s plazmo obdelanih vlaknih smo ocenili karakteristične čase nabrekanj vlaken in spremembe intenzitete polarizirane svetlobe, ki potuje skozi vlakna. Pri s plazmo obdelanih vlaknih se časi nabrekanja zmanjšajo za faktor 0.54 in čas spremembe intenzitete za 0.4. Iz meritev smo zaključili, da obdelava s kisikovo plazmo pohitri proces sorpcije vode.

Ključne besede: plazemska obdelava, viskoza, nabrekanje, optična polarizacijska mikroskopija