Sorption behavior of polypropylene nonwovens treated with gas plasma

Polypropylene nonwovens have been increasingly used in many industries due to their low density and excellent physical and chemical resistance. The low water uptake, however, has prevented the use of polypropylene in sorption areas. Various techniques have been used to improve the sorption properties of polypropylene nonwovens. Among them, cold plasma treatment has proven to be a better approach in the Surface modification of PP nonwovens. In this study, polypropylene nonwovens were treated in oxygen plasma for improving the water absorption properties. The effects of plasma treatment on wetting and water absorption behavior were characterized using ESEM and dynamic sorption measurements. ESEM examination revealed the significant improvement of surface wettability of the fibers after plasma treatment. The dynamic sorption measurements also indicated the water absorption behavior of the materials. The investigation revealed that plasma treatment could significantly improve the water absorption properties of polypropylene nonwovens.