The influence of surface hydrophilicity on the adhesion properties of wet fabrics or films to water

The adherence of wet fabrics to the skin brings much discomfort. The relationship between hydrophilicity and adhesion properties of fabric materials is investigated. A theoretical expression is given to describe the relationship of adhesion force, water contact angle (WCA), and radius of fabric–liquid interface. The adhesion force grows with decreasing WCA and increasing radius of the fabric–liquid interface. With the help of atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) treatment, the hydrophilicity of the fabric materials is improved, accompanied by reduced WCA, roughened fiber surfaces, as observed by scanning electronic microscope (SEM), and increased Oxygen/Carbon (O/C) atomic ratio and polar bonds, analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In accordance with the theoretical conclusion, the APPJ treated fabrics have a much larger maximum adhesion force and longer adhesion duration with water, indicating more discomfort resulting from the increase of hydrophilicity when they are wet. To minimize the discomfort caused by wet adhesion, less hydrophilic fabric surfaces may be preferred.