Improvement of Linen Fabric Wickability by Low Temperature Plasma Treatment

Low temperature plasma treatments were applied to linen with oxygen and argon, various level of discharge power and exposure time. Tbe fabric weight loss increased with the exposure time. Their effects on surface chemical properties and morphology of flax fiber, and fabric wickability were investigated. X - ray photoelec-tron spectroscopy discovered that the surface oxygen content of the plasma treated sample was increased. Formation of voids and cracks on the fiber surface was revealed by the scanning electron microscopy. Fabric wickability first was increased and then decreased with the prolonged exposure.