Effect of Melt Jet Spinning Process on Poly(lactic acid) Disposable Nonwoven Fabric Production

Abstract

In the light of marine microplastic pollution and mounting environmental degradation, this research proposes biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nonwoven fabric produced by novel melt jet spinning technology under various process conditions. In the study, the die temperature was varied at 210, 230, and 250 °C and the die-to-collector distance was varied between 30, 60, 90, and 120 cm. The performance metrics included fiber diameter, fiber crystallinity, fabric weight, air permeability, and contact angle. The results revealed that the optimal die temperature was 250 °C. At 250 °C, the fibers were of fine size with high crystallinity, independent of collector distances. Specifically, the die-to-collector distance, given the optimal die temperature, had negligible effect on the fiber diameter and crystallinity. On the other hand, the collector distance played a role in the nonwoven fabric characteristics. The collector distance was positively correlated with the elongation at break and air permeability but inversely correlated with the fabric density and tensile strength. The fabric contact angles were found to be in the range of 124–130 °, indicating the hydrophobicity of PLA nonwoven fabric. Essentially, the novelty of this research lies in the use of biodegradable PLA polymers, as opposed to conventional petroleum-based non-biodegradable polymers; and melt jet spinning technology to realize fine microfibers (1–10 µm).

Preparation of PLA/PEG@SDS microfibers‐based nonwovens via melt‐blown process parameters: Wound dressings with enhanced water wetting performance

“…Hence, the processing temperature of PLA should be set between 210 C and 225 C, which forms increased, which makes the blended melt to be easily drawn by the hot air, thus leading to a thinner fiber diameter. 34 Similar to the trends observed in the morphology as a function of die temperature, increase in hot air pressure also causes thinning of the fiber diameter and decrease in the pore size, as shown in Figure 4. The diameters of PLA/PEG@SDS microfibers nonwovens are primarily distributed between 7 and 13 μm when the hot air pressure is 0.038 MPa.…”

“…When the temperature in increased to 225°C, the diameter of PLA fibers decreases to below 4 μm, thereby increasing the number and density of apertures between fibers. This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that the viscosity of the melt mix decreases as the die temperature is increased, which makes the blended melt to be easily drawn by the hot air, thus leading to a thinner fiber diameter 34 …”

Tailoring the Microstructure of Biodegradable PLA/PBS Melt-Blown Nonwovens with Enhanced Mechanical Performance by In Situ PBS Fibrils Formation

“…To evaluate the breathability of the MBAS nonwovens, the air permeability values were tested and compared with those of commercial nonwovens reported in recent years. − There was no noticeable difference in the air permeability values of the MBAS nonwovens and the reported commercial nonwovens, as shown in Figure c,d and Table S4. Furthermore, the MBAS nonwovens had a maximum air permeability value of 420.12 mm/s, which was slightly higher than that of the pure PLA nonwoven (407.89 mm/s).…”