Improving the hydrophilic properties of wool fabrics via corona discharge and hydrogen peroxide treatment

Abstract

Corona discharge has been widely applied to modify the surfaces of polymers. In this study, corona discharge was combined with a hydrogen peroxide treatment to improve the hydrophilic properties of wool fabric. Scanning electron microscopy photographs showed that the tip of wool scales was etched after corona discharge and that parts of the scales were peeled off after the hydrogen peroxide treatment. The surface hydrophilic properties of the wool fabric were improved greatly by corona discharge. Increases in the discharge voltage and the number of treatment passages enhanced the hydrophilic properties dramatically, but the improved properties deteriorated with increases in the number of washing cycles and storage time. The hydrogen peroxide treatment could improve the hydrophilic properties and especially the wicking properties of the wool fabric. The fabric became weaker and flexible with an average weight loss of 3% after the hydrogen peroxide treatment. A combination of corona discharge treatment and the hydrogen peroxide treatment made the wool fabric absolutely hydrophilic; the water penetration time of the treated fabric was less than 1 s even when the fabric was washed for several cycles or stored for 6 months.

Effect of surface modifications on the thermal and moisture behavior of wool fabric

“…The surface wettability affects the comfort of clothing directly as it determines the amount of absorbed sweat from body skin in service. According to previous studies [14,15], the surface morphology of wool fiber after corona discharge and hydrogen peroxide treatment has been severely etched and destroyed. The breakage of scale of wool fiber would change the surface properties and thus affect its interaction with water and moisture.…”

“…Attention has been put on the shrinkproof aspect of wool as which is important in wool products in cold weather [12,13]. Surface wettability has been achieved as well to develop wool products in next to skin products in summer [14,15]. As the surface properties affect the contacts between fibers/fabric and moisture/water, thermal and moisture behavior of the fabric will definitely be changed after surface modification.…”

Mechanical and biological properties of oxidized horn keratin

“…During the oxidizing reaction of hydrogen peroxide, many perhydroxyl species are formed from hydrogen peroxide, such as HO 2 − , which can attack much substance, including the keratins [22,23]. The attacking of disulfide bonds by perhydroxyl species would produce disulfide oxidation products from ruptured \S\S\ bonds, which are cysteic acid and intermediate sulfoxides.…”

Effect of Colloidal Dispersion of Clay on Some Properties of Wool Fiber

“…[15][16][17][18][19] Because the clay used is hydrophilic in nature due to its surface hydroxyl groups, it is capable of forming hydrogen bonds with water molecules, thereby clay treated wool samples are more accessible for water molecules penetration with increasing the whole fiber inter-chain hydrogen bonds. This could be an advantage of clay treatment to improve the breathability of wool fibers.…”

“…[1,2] Researchers utilized various methods for modifying the surface of wool and other textile fibers using various chemical and physical modification methods including, treatment with various enzymes and reagents, [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] grafting of different monomers, [12] application of supercritical carbon dioxide in scouring and dyeing, [13] microencapsulation techniques, [14] corona discharge, [15] gamma and ultraviolet irradiations, [16,17] ultrasound vibration, [18,19] and plasma functionalization, [20][21][22] However, some of these methods often damage other excellent mechanical and bulk properties of natural and synthetic fibers while they are time and energy consuming methods which in turn increase the manufacturing costs. [23] Some others have difficulties in the textile industry as development of scale-up strategies from laboratory to the industrial scale.…”