Surface modification of polyester fabrics using low pressure air radio frequency plasma

In this study, the feasibility of using ambient air low pressure plasma to switch polyester's interaction with water from hydrophobic to hydrophilic is demonstrated. The increase in wettability was achieved by the introduction of carboxylic and amide groups. The presence of these functional groups was probed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as well as high-speed photography. Having water wettable polyester surfaces can be advantageous to the textiles and apparel industry as most of their manufacturing processes are water based. Potentially, the ability of having tunable hydrophilic/hydrophobic behaviour on the surface of polyester, the one side hydrophilic, may open new avenues for smart clothing aimed at moisture and sweat transport management.