Influence of plasma treatment on moisture management of bamboo charcoal composite fabrics for hospital application

To enhance the moisture transmission properties of hospital bed linen, a tri-layer weft knitted fabric has been developed from the fibres, like lyocell, bamboo charcoal and micro polyester, and tested for comfort properties. The tri-layer fabric exhibits good water vapour permeability, water absorbing tendency, wicking tendency and faster drying rate. To enhance these functional properties, the fabric is subjected to plasma treatment. Optimization of plasma treatment parameters is attempted by using Box-Benkhen experimental design, considering the process parameters, such as time, distance between electrodes and current. The plasma-treated and untreated fabrics are tested for moisture management properties, such as water absorbency, water vapor permeability, wickability – transverse and vertical, drying time and SEM analysis. From the test results, it is observed that the plasma-treated fabric has improved moisture management and drying properties