Fibers Caught in the Knuckles of the Forming Wires: Experimental Measurements and Physical Origins of the Force of Peeling in the Hydroentanglement Process

Abstract

In hydroentanglement process, very fine water jets with high pressure impinge on the fiberweb, which is supported by forming wires. The impact of the jets causes fiber entanglement in the fiberweb and produces an integrated fabric with desired performance, texture, and appearance similar to the forming wires. It is important that at the end of the process, the fiberweb can be easily separated from the forming wires. In this paper, the force of peeling required for the separation of the wet, hydroentangled fabric from the forming wires is measured experimentally. A set of experimental trials was conducted to investigate the effects of the jet pressure, fiberweb basis weight, and forming wires mesh size on the peeling force. Visualizing fibers caught in the knuckles of the forming wires under magnification reveals physical mechanisms leading to the formation of the peeling force.