Plasma Assisted Hemp Degumming Technology

Hemp fabrics are popular with their unique features. Degumming process is important in hemp fabric production. The recent hemp degumming methods have disadvantages with large energy waste, heavy pollution, and residual chemical, which has paved way for exploring effective and environmental hemp degumming methods.In this paper, the Chinese hemp fiber was used to study the plasma assisted hemp degumming technology. The paper mainly dealed with the followings:1. The plasma acid degumming technology was studied. The acidic liquid((plasma acid) used in the degumming processing was made by plasma technology. The plasma acid processing hemp fiber was: pretreatment-washing-drying-plasma acid-washing-drying. The facors of plasma acid processing, liquor ratio, temperature and time were studied, and the optimal plan was obtained through the orthogonal experiment.2. The plasma acid-sodium degumming technology was studied. First of all, through optimizing expeiment with the main factors of sodium concentration, temperature, treatment time, and liquor ratio, the optimal sodium alone degumming proessing was obtained. Then, the plasma acid-sodium-degumming technology was studied on the basis of optimal technology of sodium degumming. The results showed that plasma acid had a supporting role in sodium degumming, and could also effectively reduce the usage of alkali in degumming process. The chemical oxygen demand of plasma acid assisted degumming wastewater was significantly decreased.3. The plasma acid-enzymatic degumming technology was studied. First, through Single factor experiment method with treatment time, enzyme concentration and liquor ratio, the optimal enzymatic degumming proessing was obtained. In addition, the effect of the EDTA agent was studied in the enzyme degumming process and the result showed that the EDTA agent could improve the pectin and lignin removal rate. Then plasma acid-enzymatic degumming technology was studied on the basis of optimal degumming technology, which showed that plasma acid had an auxiliary role on enzyme degumming method with less fiber damage and low chemical oxygen demand of degumming wastewater than traditional method.4. Comparision among the above different degumming methods was made in pectin and lignin removal rate, fiber split degrees and strength, and chemical oxygen demand of degumming wastewater. The optimal degumming method was selected as the plasma acid-enzymatic degumming technology, which could meet the spinning needs and had low chemical oxygen demand.The study concluded that the plasma-assisted hemp degumming technology was feasible. The plasma acid provided a clean and pollution-free acidic environments, which was good for the environment compared with traditional degumming method.