| Popis: |
Due to the low hydrophilic nature, polyester (PET) is often difficult to dye and difficult to achieve saturated colours when printing. A review of literature revealed that several studies had conducted research in the area of Oxygen (02) plasma and surface etching, but little work had been published in the area of the effects of O2 plasma on the printing process. The research analysed low pressure plasma as a pre-treatment to modify the surface of PET. Surface roughness and chemical functionalization were determined for the different discharge powers and exposure times. The experimental methodology utilised a low-pressure radio frequency (RF) oxygen plasma using 4 discharge powers and a constant exposure time. Further experiments were conducted at 600 W for 2, 4, 6 and 8 minutes to determine the level of etching. The surface of PET was characterised by a combination of surface-sensitive instruments: Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy {mR} with an AJR attachment and Contact angle measurements. Colorimeter measurement were obtained using a spectrophotometer to assess colour differences. Colourfastness to Washing and Light were conducted to establish the stability of colours for the unmodified and treated PET fabrics. |
