Pulsed plasma polymerization of hexamethyldisiloxane onto wool : control of moisture vapor transmission rate and surface adhesion

A new fabric with potential in medical textiles has been developed by application of a surface coating on wool using pulsed plasma polymerization of HMDSO. This coating enabled a controllable MVTR and surface adhesion. MVTR in the range recommended for optimum wound healing was obtained by varying frequency, monomer pressure and deposition time. Lower surface adhesion was achieved. Peeling tests, contact angle measurements, SPM force curves and ATR FT-IR were used to characterize the surfaces for both wool and a PE model substrate. All these results were consistent with a decrease in surface energy after PP-HMDSO treatment. ATR FT-IR results showed a siloxane film with less organic Si(CH₃)_n groups and more SiOSi cross-links.