Atmospheric plasma treatment of polypropylene fabric for improved dyeability with insoluble textile dyestuff

Polypropylene (PP) fabrics were activated by an atmospheric pressure, dielectric barrier discharge to optimize the effects of some discharge parameters on the dyeability of PP fabrics. Air and argon plasmas were used to modify the surfaces of the fabrics, and the effects on dyeability were investigated when the treated fabrics were dyed by leuco and pigment forms of vat dyestuffs. Surface properties of plasma-treated samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Vat-dyed samples showed a significant increase in color strength when PP fabrics were pretreated with atmospheric pressure plasmas of either argon or air. © 2011 The Korean Fiber Society and Springer Netherlands.