ABSTRACT

Cotton is the most used natural fiber in textile industries. Generally, fiber is used as textile material due to its favorable bulk properties although its surface properties are inadequate for processing as per user requirement. In conventional processing, the textile materials undergo wet chemical treatment to get the desire properties; however, consumption of large amount of chemicals and water makes it extremely polluting industry, and thus the textile industries belong to the top 10 polluting industries. Pollution prevention is the prime requirement of the 21st century, and thus there are demands for textile industries for reduction in pollution generation and switch to eco-friendly processing. Non-thermal plasma technology is a versatile technology with proven potential for industrial process enhancement and pollution prevention. Pre-treatment and finishing of textile fabrics using plasma received enormous attention as a solution for the environmental problem of textile industries, and cotton being the most used natural fiber, during last two decades, considerable efforts have been devoted on surface modification of cotton textile with plasma technology. The main purpose of this review is to offer an overview to readers about wide variety of applications of emerging plasma technologies, aiming for reducing environmental impacts of conventional processing of cotton textile. This review offers plasma chemistry as an innovative tool for processing of cotton textile.