Study of Meltblown Structures Formed by Robotic and Meltblowing Integrated System: Impact of Process Parameters on Fiber Diameter Distributions

Abstract

In previous publication, the influence of process parameters on the fiber orientation of the meltblown web was evaluated [4]. The meltblown webs were formed using Robotic Fiber Assembly and Control System (RFACS), which is described in previous publications [3, 4]. In this paper, parametric studies evaluating the effect of polymer throughput rate, attenuating air pressure and temperature, and die temperature, on fiber diameter distributions of meltblown webs from polypropylene produced by RFACS are reported. Fiber diameters were determined by analyzing fabric images obtained through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Under the specific conditions explored, the fraction of fibers of diameter smaller than 10 microns (μm) can increase by 72% with a 7.9 × 10−2 g/min/hole (82%) reduction in throughput. A 54% increase of the same can be observed with a 2.8 bar (400%) increase in attenuating air pressure. A change of 45°C (16 %) in air temperature is shown not to significantly affect fiber diameters produced, while an increase of 67°C (26%) in die temperatures can result in an increase of 17% in the fraction of fibers of diameter smaller than 10μm. All fiber diameter distributions are shown to be unique to the condition evaluated as no overlap across distributions for changes in a given parameter is observed. Further fiber fraction smaller than 10 μm data is also shown to be unique to each parameter evaluated.