LOW-PRESSURE AIR PLASMA INFLUENCE ON COTTON TEXTILE SURFACE MORPHOLOGY AND evaporated COPPER COATING ADHESION

The present study evaluates the influence of low-pressure air plasma before vacuum evaporation process on the cotton textile surface morphology, as well as evaporated copper coating adhesion. During the experiment, commercial cotton textile was functionalized with vacuum evaporation technique with or without low– pressure air plasma pre-treatment. Surface analysis of the cotton textile treated with low-pressure air plasma and evaporated copper was carried out using Scanning electron microscope. As shown in the experimental results, modification of cotton textile surface by applying low-pressure air plasma noticeably deteriorates adhesion of the evaporated copper coating to the cotton textile substrate. These can be explained as morphological changes of the cotton textile surface resulting from its modification with low-pressure air plasma. Scanning electron microscope micrographs reveal that low-pressure air plasma changes cotton textile surface morphology, i.e. the original cotton fibre surface generally becomes smoother, whereas some fibres become completely even.