Nanoval Technology—An Intermediate Process between Meltblown and Spunbond
The idea of ”Nanoval technology“ origins in the metal injection molding for gas atomization of metal powders and the knowledge of spunbond technologies for the creation of thermoplastic nonwovens using the benefits of both techniques. In this study, we evaluated processing limits experimentally for...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | Materials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2932 |
| _version_ | 1797607498035757056 |
|---|---|
| author | Tim Höhnemann Johannes Schnebele Walter Arne Ingo Windschiegl |
| author_facet | Tim Höhnemann Johannes Schnebele Walter Arne Ingo Windschiegl |
| author_sort | Tim Höhnemann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The idea of ”Nanoval technology“ origins in the metal injection molding for gas atomization of metal powders and the knowledge of spunbond technologies for the creation of thermoplastic nonwovens using the benefits of both techniques. In this study, we evaluated processing limits experimentally for the spinning of different types of polypropylene, further standard polymers, and polyphenylene sulfide, marked by defect-free fiber creation. A numerical simulation study of the turbulent air flow as well as filament motion in the process visualized that the turnover from uniaxial flow (initial stretching caused by the high air velocity directed at the spinning die) to turbulent viscoelastic behavior occurs significantly earlier than in the melt-blown process. Modeling of the whole process showed that additional guide plates below the spinneret reduce the turbulent air flow significantly by regulating the inflow of secondary process air. The corresponding melt flow index of processible polymer grades varied between 35 g·10min<sup>−1</sup> up to 1200 g·10min<sup>−1</sup> and thus covering the range of extrusion-type, spunbond-type, yarn-type, and meltblown-type polymers. Hence, mean fiber diameters were adjustable for PP between 0.8 and 39.3 μm without changing components of the process setup. This implies that the Nanoval process enables the flexibility to produce fiber diameters in the typical range achievable by the standard meltblown process (~1–7 μm) as well as in the coarseness of spunbond nonwovens (15–30 μm) and, moreover, operates in the gap between them. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:30:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b8937799b0b462ab5257874cc3d83b2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:30:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b8937799b0b462ab5257874cc3d83b22023-11-17T17:07:15ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442023-04-01167293210.3390/ma16072932Nanoval Technology—An Intermediate Process between Meltblown and SpunbondTim Höhnemann0Johannes Schnebele1Walter Arne2Ingo Windschiegl3German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF), Koerschtalstr. 26, D-73770 Denkendorf, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM), Fraunhofer Platz 1, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM), Fraunhofer Platz 1, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, GermanyGerman Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF), Koerschtalstr. 26, D-73770 Denkendorf, GermanyThe idea of ”Nanoval technology“ origins in the metal injection molding for gas atomization of metal powders and the knowledge of spunbond technologies for the creation of thermoplastic nonwovens using the benefits of both techniques. In this study, we evaluated processing limits experimentally for the spinning of different types of polypropylene, further standard polymers, and polyphenylene sulfide, marked by defect-free fiber creation. A numerical simulation study of the turbulent air flow as well as filament motion in the process visualized that the turnover from uniaxial flow (initial stretching caused by the high air velocity directed at the spinning die) to turbulent viscoelastic behavior occurs significantly earlier than in the melt-blown process. Modeling of the whole process showed that additional guide plates below the spinneret reduce the turbulent air flow significantly by regulating the inflow of secondary process air. The corresponding melt flow index of processible polymer grades varied between 35 g·10min<sup>−1</sup> up to 1200 g·10min<sup>−1</sup> and thus covering the range of extrusion-type, spunbond-type, yarn-type, and meltblown-type polymers. Hence, mean fiber diameters were adjustable for PP between 0.8 and 39.3 μm without changing components of the process setup. This implies that the Nanoval process enables the flexibility to produce fiber diameters in the typical range achievable by the standard meltblown process (~1–7 μm) as well as in the coarseness of spunbond nonwovens (15–30 μm) and, moreover, operates in the gap between them.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2932polymersprocessingfibersspinningmeltblownspunbond |
| spellingShingle | Tim Höhnemann Johannes Schnebele Walter Arne Ingo Windschiegl Nanoval Technology—An Intermediate Process between Meltblown and Spunbond Materials polymers processing fibers spinning meltblown spunbond |
| title | Nanoval Technology—An Intermediate Process between Meltblown and Spunbond |
| title_full | Nanoval Technology—An Intermediate Process between Meltblown and Spunbond |
| title_fullStr | Nanoval Technology—An Intermediate Process between Meltblown and Spunbond |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nanoval Technology—An Intermediate Process between Meltblown and Spunbond |
| title_short | Nanoval Technology—An Intermediate Process between Meltblown and Spunbond |
| title_sort | nanoval technology an intermediate process between meltblown and spunbond |
| topic | polymers processing fibers spinning meltblown spunbond |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2932 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT timhohnemann nanovaltechnologyanintermediateprocessbetweenmeltblownandspunbond AT johannesschnebele nanovaltechnologyanintermediateprocessbetweenmeltblownandspunbond AT walterarne nanovaltechnologyanintermediateprocessbetweenmeltblownandspunbond AT ingowindschiegl nanovaltechnologyanintermediateprocessbetweenmeltblownandspunbond |