2019 article

Nonwovens-Structure-process-property relationships

STRUCTURE AND MECHANICS OF TEXTILE FIBRE ASSEMBLIES, 2ND EDITION, pp. 109–143.

Source: Web Of Science
Added: November 18, 2019

The definition of nonwovens is even more complicated. The term nonwoven refers to web-like assemblages of fibers wherein fiber-to-fiber bonding replaces twisting and interlacing. We define a nonwoven as an engineered fabric structure that may contain fibrous and nonfibrous elements and that is often manufactured directly from fibers or filaments and may incorporate other types of fabrics. The difference primarily between a nonwoven and its more traditional counterparts (woven, knitted, and braided structures) is the structure. The fibers or filaments in a nonwoven are not interlaced or interlooped and are somewhat random layered assemblies of fibers held together by a variety of different means. The structure of a nonwoven is defined, therefore, as its fiber orientation distribution function (ODF). Another structural aspect important to consider is the basis weight (mass per unit area—g/m2 or more commonly referred to as gsm) and its uniformity. While ODF may dictate behavior, basis weight uniformity dictates failure. The structure-property relationships in a nonwoven cannot be decoupled from the process utilized to form the nonwoven. Therefore, below, we present a short review of the processes employed in the making of nonwovens followed by a discussion of the structure-process-property relationships and will make an attempt to describe the mechanical properties of one class of nonwovens.