Effect of air plasma treatment on thermal comfort properties of cotton/polyester knitted fabrics

Abstract

The effect of plasma treatment has been studied on thermal comfort properties of cotton and polyester fibres blended in the ratios of 0:100, 50:50 and 100:0 using four types of fabric structures, single jersey, cross tuck, cross miss and twill at two different loop lengths 0.29 cm and 0.32 cm. The findings reveal that the knitted fabrics made from 100% polyester show better thermal resistance characteristics. On the other hand, the fabric made with 100% cotton gives better air permeability and water vapour permeability behavior. The fabric knitted from 100% polyester with a cross-miss structure on a loop length of 0.32 shows an excellent thermal comfort characteristic as compared to all the other samples due to its appreciable behaviors suitable for thermal conduction. The plasma treatment has a great impact on the thermal properties, in such a way that it reduces the air permeability and water vapour permeability but increases the thermal resistance.