Along with the development of increasingly advanced technology, the need for textile

materials does not only include clothing and fashion but includes functional textiles such as
medical textiles. Textiles have an essential role in the world and Indonesia in the medical
field, such as bandages to cover wounds, disposable surgical gowns, and surgical threads.

This research aims to study the effect of plasma treatment on silk surgical sutures to
increase antibacterial properties so that they can be applied as medical textiles. Changes in
surface properties (fabric surface modification) make operating yarns more optimal to be
used in the following process. The optimized capability is wettability. The plasma process
makes the active thread experience an increase in surface energy so that it is closely related
to the adhesive properties of a surface so that initially, it has hydrophobic properties to
become hydrophilic.

This research method was carried out using one way: plasma treatment on samples of silk
sutures yarn by varying the plasma treatment time and electric voltage. The point electrodes
used are in the form of pointed bolts and are three in number, mounted on a board
connected in series. The samples came from silk sutures thread, which will be given plasma
treatment with variations in 2 minutes, 2.5 minutes and 3 minutes with an electric voltage of
1.6Kv, 3.3Kv and 4.1Kv.

The test results showed that the surface properties of silk operating yarn after receiving
plasma treatment with variations in time of 2 minutes, 2.5 minutes and 3 minutes with
tensions of 1.6Kv, 3.3Kv and 4.4Kv experienced an increase in wettability. The most optimal
results are obtained in a 3-minute variation with a voltage of 1.6Kv seen from the FTIR test
graph. There is a change in the fibre structure from the surface of the yarn that has not
received plasma treatment, which has received plasma treatment and the surface of the yarn
that has received plasma treatment and antibacterial coating, both betel leaf extract (Piper
beetle L.) and liquid disinfectant. Surgical threads that have been treated with plasma and
have been coated with organic or inorganic materials have a larger inhibition zone; this is
because the properties of these two materials can kill bacteria and germs.