Certain combinations of microwave Ar plasma process parameters improved the hydrophilicity of cotton fabric while certain other combinations reduced the same i.e., a single process gave rise to dual effect. Box-Behnken method was applied to optimize both the effects.
ATR-FTIR analysis revealed the strain induced in each of the O6H⋯O3 inter chain hydrogen bond, O3H⋯O5, O2H⋯O6 intra chain hydrogen bond, Cborder="0" alt="single bond" data-inlimg="/entities/sbnd" src="/sd/grey_pxl.gif" class="glyphImg imgLazyJSB">H⋯O inter sheet hydrogen bond and Cborder="0" alt="single bond" data-inlimg="/entities/sbnd" src="/sd/grey_pxl.gif" class="glyphImg imgLazyJSB">Oborder="0" alt="single bond" data-inlimg="/entities/sbnd" src="/sd/grey_pxl.gif" class="glyphImg imgLazyJSB">C glycosidic covalent bond and rotation about C
ATR-FTIR analysis shows the lengthening of the flanking hydrogen bonds and rotation about C
The changes observed in the minimum hydrophilic sample were resisted by the shortening of the O3H⋯O5 intramolecular hydrogen bond and Cborder="0" alt="single bond" data-inlimg="/entities/sbnd" src="/sd/grey_pxl.gif" class="glyphImg imgLazyJSB">Oborder="0" alt="single bond" data-inlimg="/entities/sbnd" src="/sd/grey_pxl.gif" class="glyphImg imgLazyJSB">C glycosidic bond and the change in the weak inter sheet Cborder="0" alt="single bond" data-inlimg="/entities/sbnd" src="/sd/grey_pxl.gif" class="glyphImg imgLazyJSB">H⋯O bond length.
These changes lead to the alterations in the unit cell parameters and also a decrease in crystallinity which was evident from XRD studies. FESEM analysis captured the etching effect of plasma. Thus, the synergism between the structural and physical changes induced by microwave Ar plasma process was responsible for the dual behavior.