Objective The purposes of the project are to develop innovative products and examine new production methods by using low-temperature, low-pressure plasma technology. The main objective of the project is to develop new microfibre fabrics for high-performance products. The European manufacturers of these materials are often small- and medium-sized enterprises, who are able to gain considerable competitive and technological advantages by introducing cold plasma techniques. The main objective of the machine manufacturer participating in the work is to design a versatile industrial-scale plasma machine for the processing of high-performance fabrics and technical textiles. As a result of the project, the information needed for the construction of an industrial-scale machine will be ready at the end of the work. The necessary information includes the results of the different trials made during the work, information gained on the suitable process parameters, experiences on the operation of the process and the results from the surface research and textile tests to be made. The machine will be designed to be installed into a normal manufacturing and finishing line of a textile mill.The results of the PLASMAFAB project were both scientific, technical and industrial. The project greatly increased the knowledge of cold plasma processes, their physical and chemical effects and applications in fibre and textile industry. The project resulted in commercial innovations and the establishment of a plasma technology business. In the flame retardant finishing trials, the emphasis was laid on plasma activation before conventional finishing. Air, ammonia and allyl alcohol were used as plasma gases and finishing was carried out using commercial chemicals. It was found that the air plasma treatment increased the reactivity of the tested cotton/polyester fabric to the extent that appr. 20 per cent less chemical was needed in the flame retardant recipe. Another result was that the reactivity of the fabric with a compound, which does not normally react properly with blend fabrics, was increased with selected plasmas.Air plasma activation before conventional finishing also enhanced water repellence of a polyester micro-fibre fabric. After the air plasma activation, 25 per cent less fluorocarbon finishing chemical was needed. Excellent water repellence for a polyester micro-fibre fabric was achieved with plasma polymerisation of perfluorohexane. The attained effect was more durable than the one achieved in conventional fluorocarbon-based finishing. Ethylene/hydrogen plasma was used to polymerise a water repellent layer on a polyamide fabric. In these trials the same level of water repellence was achieved to the fabric in question as with the conventional method. Furthermore, the costs of different plasma processes were compared with a conventional water repellent finishing process. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesplasma physicsengineering and technologymaterials engineeringtextilesnatural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryalcoholsnatural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryaliphatic compounds Programme(s) FP5-GROWTH - Programme for research technological development and demonstration on "Competitive and sustainable growth 1998-2002" Topic(s) 1.1.3.-1. - Key Action Innovative Products, Processes and Organisation Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator TAMPERE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY EU contribution No data Address Korkeakoulunkatu 6 33101 TAMPERE Finland See on map Total cost No data Participants (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all FINLAYSON FORSSA OY Finland EU contribution No data Address Lallintie, Box 43 30101 FORSSA See on map Total cost No data H.T.P. UNITEX SPA Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Archimede 454 21042 CARONNO PERTUSELLA See on map Total cost No data L. MICHAEL OY Finland EU contribution No data Address Isoniityntie 2-4 32740 ÄETSÄ See on map Total cost No data YKI - INSTITUTE FOR SURFACE CHEMISTRY Sweden EU contribution No data Address Drottning Kristinas Vaeg 45 114 86 STOCKHOLM See on map Total cost No data
