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Abstract:
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This research was aimed to impart antimicrobial and stain repellent finishes to
polyester fabrics using atmospheric pressure plasma-aided graft copolymerization of
active monomers. The process consists of multiple steps; first, surface activation of
fabric samples via atmospheric pressure plasma, followed by polymerization reaction of
glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and a quaternary ammonium chitosan derivative (HTCC)
compound to produce polyester/GMA/antimicrobial agent. Next perfluorodecyl acrylate
is bound to the polyester/GMA/antimicrobial agent via polymerization reaction in
atmospheric pressure plasma.
Samples were exposed to plasma, which has 99% helium and 1% oxygen, for
times up to 2 ½ minutes with incremental exposure times to determine the optimal
exposure to plasma. Samples were conditioned in an environmental chamber prior to
plasma exposure. Weight changes were recorded to determine the percent add-on in each
step. Samples were analyzed post plasma exposure and inclusion of the active agents
using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.
Standard washing tests were conducted to determine the effectiveness of grafting after
washing.
Antimicrobial assays and stain repellent tests were conducted on treated samples
and compared to control.
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