Study Of The Influence Of Fiber Morphology On Liquid Diffusion Within Nonwoven Structures

Nonwoven products are being widely used in the absorption related applications such as hygiene, cosmetic, health care, industrial or domestic wiping products.Liquid diffusion and structural properties of nonwoven materials are strongly linked. The structural properties of fibrous materials are characterized by the fiber arrangement (packing density, fiber orientation, pore structure, etc.) as well as the fiber features (morphology, nature, surface energy, swelling, blend, etc.) The effect of the nonwoven structural properties on the liquid diffusion behavior will therefore be complex to figure out.The study of liquid diffusion in nonwoven media allows a better understanding of the liquid/fiber interactions in order to support decisions during the design procedure of new products. Moreover, it enables the characterization of the nonwoven structure (porosity, heterogeneity) from the capillaries formed by the interspaces between fibers in which the liquid flows. Such properties are critical in many end-uses dedicated to absorption, desorption, filtration, drainage, vapor transmission, etc.In our project, several nonwoven materials made of 100% polyester (PET) fibers with different fineness are used for the absorption properties tests. The fibers chosen are of the different count or cross-section shape, because these factors would probably influence the pore distribution with the nonwoven fabric, and furthermore, affect the absorption properties. Three different test methods are chosen: Tensiometric Test, Absorption Capacity Test and Demand Absorbency Test, in order to evaluate the real absorption performance in different conditions.The results show that the fiber morphology does influence the structure of the nonwoven fabric. So the absorption properties are also related.