Modification of plasma pre-treated PET fabrics with poly-DADMAC and its surface activity towards acid dyes

In the recent years, there has been a growing interest in the substrate-independent coloration for the textile materials industries. This concern may be achieved by so-called tailored surfaces to be enriched by a certain kind of functional groups in order to increase substantivity of chemically diverse substrates toward a single class of dyes or develop of a single class of dyes that can be applied to all substrates. The approach introduced in this work comprises the formation of negatively charged groups on poly (ethylene terephthalate) fabrics, PET, surfaces by using low-temperature oxygen plasma. Subsequently, the positively charged polyelectrolyte poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), poly-DADMAC, was applied. This leads to stable surface modification with accessible quaternary ammonium groups that provide a high substantivity to acid dyes via complementary electrostatic attractions. Surface-sensitive characterization techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), streaming potential measurements, and dynamic wetting measurements were used to characterize the treated fabrics. Finally, color strength and fastness tests of printed fabrics were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of surface modification.

► Development of a simple process based on plasma treatment to improve coloration behavior of fabrics made from polyester.
► Surface charges of oxygen plasma treated polyester fabrics were greatly influenced by adsorption of cationic polyelectrolyte.
► Streaming potential measurements were used to characterize surface charges.
► Substrate-independent coloration enriched by plasma-based modification.