Adhesion studies of atmospheric pressure plasma-modified polyester fabrics with polyurethane coating

Surface modification of polyester fabric was done using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with the aim of improving the adhesion properties using polyurethane (PU) polymer as an adhesive. The change in adhesion strength with respect to various plasma powers and treatment durations was examined. For analysing the adhesive bond strength of the coated fabric the T-peel off strength was investigated. After plasma treatment, an improvement in adhesion was observed compared to the untreated sample. The effect of oxygen gas on adhesion with PU adhesive was also studied. Surface wettability after plasma treatment was studied by wicking measurements. Changes in surface morphology were analysed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ATR-FTIR were used to study the surface chemistry of plasma-treated samples. SEM, AFM, and XPS results reveal the surface roughening and incorporation of functional groups, such as C–O, C–OH, O–C=O, and COOH. No adverse effect on the mechanical strength of the plasma-modified polyester fabric was seen.