The synergetic effects of alternative methods in wool finishing

Knitted wool fabrics were treated with atmospheric argon plasma, enzyme (protease), chitosan and a combination of these processes. The treated fabrics were evaluated in terms of their dyeability, colourfastness and shrinkage properties, as well as bursting strength. The surface morphology was characterised by SEM images. In order to show the functionalisation of a wool surface after plasma treatment, XPS analysis was done. Our results reveal that atmospheric plasma has an etching effect and increases the functionality of a wool surface, which is evident from SEM and APS analysis. Atmospheric plasma treatment enhances the adhesion of chitosan to the surface and improves the hydraphility of the fibre. Enzymatic treatment improves the coating ability of chitosan. All these processes produce high dyeing efficiency and shrink-resistance in wool fabric. Plasma treatment has no significant effect on bursting strength, unlike enzymatic treatment. The loss of bursting strength after plasma and enzymatic treatment is recovered, to a certain degree, by chitosan treatment. Significant changes in the fastness properties of the treated fabrics were not observed.