Abstract
In this paper, a novel electrostatic-assisted melt blown process was reported to produce polypropylene (PP) microfibers with a diameter as fine as 600 nm. The morphology, web structure, pore size distribution, filtration efficiency, and the stress and strain behavior of the PP nonwoven fabric thus prepared were characterized. By introducing an electrostatic field into the conventional melt-blown apparatus, the average diameter of the melt-blown fibers was reduced from 1.69 to 0.96 μm with the experimental setup, and the distribution of fiber diameters was narrower, which resulted in a filter medium with smaller average pore size and improved filtration efficiency. The polymer microfibers prepared by this electrostatic-assisted melt blown method may be adapted in a continuous melt blown process for the production of filtration media used in air filters, dust masks, and so on.
Highlights
Nonwoven fabrics are a wide range of fibrous materials formed through direct fiber web formation rather than through yarn spinning and weaving
The filtration efficiency of nonwoven filter media obtained by electrostatic-assisted melt blown was shown in the present study to be much improved under the combined actions of the above two aspects
The common melt-blown nonwoven system/equipment was modified, and an electrostatic field was directly applied adjacent to the melt-blown head to achieve a combination of melt blown and electric field effect, namely electrostatic-assisted melt blown
Summary
Nonwoven fabrics are a wide range of fibrous materials formed through direct fiber web formation rather than through yarn spinning and weaving. The filtration efficiency of nonwoven filter media obtained by electrostatic-assisted melt blown was shown in the present study to be much improved under the combined actions of the above two aspects. The common melt-blown nonwoven system/equipment was modified, and an electrostatic field was directly applied adjacent to the melt-blown head to achieve a combination of melt blown and electric field effect, namely electrostatic-assisted melt blown It is different from electroblowing in the electrospinning literature in which the melt stream is directly connected to an electrode for charged melt streams. The effect of electric field intensity on fiber fineness and performance differences between electrostatic-assisted melt-blown fabrics and conventional melt-blown fabrics regarding fabric strength, pore size distribution, and filtration efficiency were studied in detail
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