PROPERTY ENHANCEMENT OF PIGMENT PRINTED POLYESTER FABRIC USING PLASMA TECHNOLOGY

Today, the customer is the king of the market and polyester fabric is in high demand as it is more economical and has many good properties when compared with other textile material. Polyester is claiming more than 75percent of the estimated 60 million metric tons of fibres consumed in man-made textiles in the apparel industry over natural fibres. Naseerali (2013) In this study the researcher has made an attempt to improve the absorbency of polyester fabric as well as to reduce its static charge. Air plasma technology was used to treat the surface of 100% polyester fabric at different time durations of 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes. The control and the surface modified fabrics were then printed with water- based pigments which are eco-friendly and without water based pigments which are commercially used. As most of the pigment printed samples get peeled off so it was plasma treated and then printed to evaluate the durability of the pigment prints. The UPF (ultra-violet protection factor) value of all the control and the modified sample were then evaluated to determine the ultraviolet radiation blockage or transmittance by fabrics intended to be used for UV protection. It was further found that better UPF value of the modified non water- based pigment at 90 minutes when compared to water based pigment samples and untreated samples. The fastness properties like rub and color fastness were observed with standard methods. In the rub fastness tests it was observed that the plasma treated with water based pigments for 30 minutes gave better dry rub fastness and it concludes that plasma treatment more than 30 minutes is not required because it gives a better results at 30 minutes. In the color fastness properties the water- based and non-water based pigment printing gave a better result at all-time durations than the control sample, so in concern of energy usage, treatment can be given for less time duration to have better quality products.