Modification of Surface Properties of Non-Woven Polypropylene Fabrics by Gaseous Plasma Treatment—Review and Challenges

The scientific literature on plasma methods for modifying the surface properties of non-woven polypropylene (NWPP) fabrics is reviewed. The scientific background of the observations reported by different teams is explained, and the technological limits are highlighted. Plasma treatment usually modifies the surface layer, which is beneficial for some applications, such as grafting functional coatings onto the fibers in the surface film of NWPP fabrics. The water contact angle of NWPP fabrics treated by plasmas sustained by the classical dielectric barrier discharges at atmospheric pressure and low-pressure discharges in the range of about 10 to a few 100 Pa rarely drops below 90°, which is explained by the inability to modify fibers deep in the fabrics due to the limited penetration depth of such plasmas. The super-hydrophilic finish can be achieved either by using nanosecond-pulsed atmospheric-pressure discharges or by weakly ionized plasma with a relatively high electron temperature, sustained at a pressure of a few Pa or below. Such plasmas modify the fibers deep in the fabric, which is particularly useful for applications in respiratory masks where the fibers should be coated with ultra-thin films of virucidal substance. The energy efficiency of the latter plasmas is better because practically no gas-phase loss of reactive species occurs, and so is their scalability, making them the most suitable for modifying NWPP fabrics at an industrial scale. While most authors reported only increased wettability with increasing treatment intensity, over-treatment has been reported and is attributed to thermal effects. The range of optimal intensity has yet to be systematically quantified.