Eco-friendly Surface Modification …
533
is most suitable for surface modification of textiles as during plasma processing of
textiles minimal thermal degradation of the fabric takes place. In non-thermal plasma,
continuous loss of energy takes place whether through radiation or conduction or
various interactions within the plasma species, therefore, for constant processing of
the sample, power has to be supplied continuously from an external source usually
using an electrical discharge. These electrical discharges are provided either at low
pressure in vacuum chambers or at atmospheric pressure.
Low-pressure plasma technology has been spearheaded by the microelectronics
industry and material technology. Low-pressure plasma systems generally operate in
vacuum conditions at a pressure between 1–100 Pa and near ambient temperature. The
system is usually pumped down, and only necessary plasma gases like neon, argon,
helium, nitrogen and oxygen are then pumped into the large vacuum chambers. Lowpressure plasma systems have been adopted for textile processing, but the requirement
for airtight enclosures makes them highly expensive and time-consuming. Therefore,
recently the focus has been on developing more accessible and easy processing
techniques and hence came atmospheric pressure plasma systems (Mather 2009).
The atmospheric pressure plasma are generated at high pressure of approximately
1 atm. These systems are remarkably better than low-pressure system since do not
require the presence of vacuum conditions, and they also possess increased reactive
chemical species with higher selectivity along with low gas temperature (Nehra
2008).
2.3 Types of the Non-thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma
System
The economic viability and ease of operation at 1 atm pressure have led to the
development of a variety of atmospheric pressure plasma sources for various scientific
and industrial applications (Table 1).
The following four discharges can obtain atmospheric pressure plasma discharge.
2.3.1 Corona Discharge
Corona discharge is the most primitive type of plasma treatment. The system requirement for this kind of discharges consists of two electrodes of opposite charges and a
high voltage supply. The inhomogeneous electrode arrangement is the characteristic
of Corona discharge where one electrode is highly curved like a pointed needle or
wire, and the other one is planar or flat. The discharge is created when current flows
from the strong curvature electrode kept at a higher potential into a neutral fluid
which is usually air and ionises the nearby area. Furthermore, the corona developed
in high field region discharges to area of lower potential and passes to the planar
electrode. Coronas can be either positive or negative depending on the polarity of
533
is most suitable for surface modification of textiles as during plasma processing of
textiles minimal thermal degradation of the fabric takes place. In non-thermal plasma,
continuous loss of energy takes place whether through radiation or conduction or
various interactions within the plasma species, therefore, for constant processing of
the sample, power has to be supplied continuously from an external source usually
using an electrical discharge. These electrical discharges are provided either at low
pressure in vacuum chambers or at atmospheric pressure.
Low-pressure plasma technology has been spearheaded by the microelectronics
industry and material technology. Low-pressure plasma systems generally operate in
vacuum conditions at a pressure between 1–100 Pa and near ambient temperature. The
system is usually pumped down, and only necessary plasma gases like neon, argon,
helium, nitrogen and oxygen are then pumped into the large vacuum chambers. Lowpressure plasma systems have been adopted for textile processing, but the requirement
for airtight enclosures makes them highly expensive and time-consuming. Therefore,
recently the focus has been on developing more accessible and easy processing
techniques and hence came atmospheric pressure plasma systems (Mather 2009).
The atmospheric pressure plasma are generated at high pressure of approximately
1 atm. These systems are remarkably better than low-pressure system since do not
require the presence of vacuum conditions, and they also possess increased reactive
chemical species with higher selectivity along with low gas temperature (Nehra
2008).
2.3 Types of the Non-thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma
System
The economic viability and ease of operation at 1 atm pressure have led to the
development of a variety of atmospheric pressure plasma sources for various scientific
and industrial applications (Table 1).
The following four discharges can obtain atmospheric pressure plasma discharge.
2.3.1 Corona Discharge
Corona discharge is the most primitive type of plasma treatment. The system requirement for this kind of discharges consists of two electrodes of opposite charges and a
high voltage supply. The inhomogeneous electrode arrangement is the characteristic
of Corona discharge where one electrode is highly curved like a pointed needle or
wire, and the other one is planar or flat. The discharge is created when current flows
from the strong curvature electrode kept at a higher potential into a neutral fluid
which is usually air and ionises the nearby area. Furthermore, the corona developed
in high field region discharges to area of lower potential and passes to the planar
electrode. Coronas can be either positive or negative depending on the polarity of