Hydro-entangled bi-component microfiber nonwovens

This article describes the production of microfiber non-woven fabrics from segment pie bi-component fibers using air-laying and hydro-entanglement. The bi-component fibers were split into microfibers during hydro-entanglement. The microfiber non-woven fabrics are compared with similar products made from single component fibers. The degree of fiber splitting is found to depend on the jet pressure as well as the fiber position in the web thickness direction. Compared with the non-wovens fabric made from single component fibers, the microfiber nonwoven fabrics have higher tensile strength, lower elongation, higher water absorbency. However, contrary to what was expected, the micro- fiber nonwovens fabrics have a stiffer handle. This is caused by the increased fiber entanglement and much denser structure for the bi-component microfiber non-woven fabrics. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers.