Nonwoven Fabrics

.:. Nonwovens are produced directly from fibres without the need of making a yarn

.:. Nonwoven fabrics can be produced at a very rapid rate of production

.:. Because of a short and simple process and a high rate of production, nonwovens can be produced very economically

.:. Fibres which can not be used for a yarn can be utilized to make nonwoven fabrics .

• :. Layered composite fabrics can alobe formed

Forrnatlon of Nonwoven Fabrics

.:. 'To create a nonwoven fabric:

.:. First a web is made either from staple fibres or continuous filaments

.:. Then the web is strengthened by using one of the four following techniques:

(1 ) Adhesive Bonding (2) Mechanical Bonding (3) 'Thermal Bonding (4) Stitch Bonding

Classlflcatlon of Nonwoven Fabrics

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According to Web Formation

Wet Laid

Dry Laid

Melt Blown

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According to Bonding Technique

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Adhesive Bonded

- Mechanical Bonded

Thermal Bonded

- Stitch Bonded

Web Forrnatlon --Wet l.ald

.:. 'The wet laid technology of making non-woven fabrics is based on paper making

.:. In this method, the fibres are suspended in water to create a slu rry .

• :. 'The suspension is then filtered on a screen to form a mat or web on the screen

.:. 'The water is then removed by suction or squeezing and the mat of fibres is dried

.:. 'The mat of fibres is then compacted and bonded together using different bonding techniques

'Web Formatlon .... Wet, Laid

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Wet Laid web Forming 'Technique

Web Forrnatlon - Dry Laid

.:. In the dry laid web forming technique, the fibres are opened, blended and cleaned and are then taken into a web form .

• :. 'The machine line used for dry laid webs are similar to a typical short staple spinning system and includes series of opening machines and a carding machine .

• :. Depending upon the required thickness of the nonwoven fabric, a number of webs produced by carding machine are laid on top of one another and are bound together by some means to form a fabric

Web Forrnatlon - Dry Laid

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Atypical dry laid web forming technique

Types of Dry .. Laid Web Forrnatlon

.:. Depending upon the way the dry-laid webs are formed and combined together, the dry-laid web forming

tech nlque is fu rther classified as:

( 1) Pa rallel-Lald (2) Cross-Laid

(3) Air-Laid or Random-Laid

Types of Dry-Laid Web Forrnatlon

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Cross .. Laid Web Forrnatlon

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Air or Random-Laid Web Formatlon

Web Forrnatlon --Melt, Blown

.:. In this method the polymer is extruded through the spinneret and is then sprayed by means of hot gas or air on to a vacuum belt.

.:. 'The fibres are then bonded together to form a sheet of fabric by means of thermal bonding using calendar rollers

.:. 'The fibres can also be deposited on a web formed by dry-laid process to form a composite material

.:. 'This method can give a very fine nonwoven fabric suitable for filtration and absorbent purposes

Web Forrnatlon -Melt, Blown

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Melt Blown Method of Web Formation

Bonding Techniques - Adhesive Bonding

.:. In this method, the textile material composed of a web or batt of fibres is bonded together by means of some adhesive materials.

·:·After applying the adhesives to the web, it is necessary to cure the adhesives by heating or blowing air,

·:·Adhesive Bonding is fu rther classified as:

(1) Saturation Bonding (2) Spray Bonding

(3) Print Bonding

(1 ) Saturation Bonding

.:. In Saturation bonding, the web of fibres is passed through a trough containing adhesive. 'The excess of adhesive solution is squeezed out between rollers nip

.:. The saturation bonding can be applied In following two ways:

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Nip Padding

Lick .. up Padding

(2) Spray Bonding

.:. In spray bonding, the adhesive is applied to the web in form of droplets being sprayed from spraying nozzles .

• :. 'The adhesive is showered on the sheet in a separate spraying chamber with the help of air

.:. 'The sparying nozzles are reciprocated in the machine direction to prevent any streaking on the fabric .

• :. Suction can also be applied beneath the web to help the drops of adhesive to penetrate the web sheet.

(3) Print Bonding

.:. In printbonding, just like regular colour printing of fabrics, the binding agent is applied intermittently over the surface of the web in form of some design .

• :. Since print bonding technique does not entirely cover the surface of the fabric, it leaves the fabric softer and more flexible as compared to saturation or spray bonding

.:. 'The adhesive or the binder is applied to the web either from a rotary screen or engraved print roll.

.:. Colour binders can also be used to print designs along with the binding of the fibres

(3) Print Bonding

Engraved Roll Pri nt Bondi ng

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Rotary Screen Print Bonding

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Bonding Techniques - Mechanical Bonding

.:. In mechanical bonding, the web of fibres isbou ndwith each other by their entanglement using mechanical tech nlques.

.:. Mechanical bonded fabrics are usually given an additional thermal bonding treatment.

.:. 'Two main types of mechanical bonding techniques are:

(1) Pressure Felting (2) Needle Felting

( 1) Pressed Felts

.:. Fabric simply known as felt has been produced about 4000 years ago by the Chinese by the process of pressure felting.

.:. In this method, conventionally wool fibres are used which are subjected to moisture heat and mechanical pressure, This causes the fibres to get entangled with each and the lndividual fibres can not slip back forming a fabric.

·:·Manmade fibres can not be used to form pressed felts, however a blend of wool and manmade fibres can be used to create such a fabric.

(2) Needle Felts

.:. Fibres other than wool can be converted into a felted fabric by mechanical entanglement of the fibres using barbed needles. Such a fabric is called as needle felt.

·:·A series of needles are mounted on aboard or frame called as needle board

.:. 'The needles are driven down into the web of fibres and are withdrawn. In this way each barbed needle punches the fibre web entangling them together to form a needle felt fabric.

(2) Needle Felts

A Barbed Needle

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Bonding Techniques - Thermal Bonding

.:. In thermal bonding, a web of fibres is created by mixing it with a meltable material. Thermal bonding is achieved by heating the fibre web until the material melts down and becomes adhesive and then the web is cooled down to hold the fibres together .

• :. For bonding material either adhesive is mixed with the fibre web in the form of powder or thermoplastic textile fibres can also be used .

• :. During thermal bonding/ pressure can also be applied .

• :. For heating the fibre web, various techniques can be used as shown below:

Bonding Techniques - Thermal Bonding

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Calendar Thermal Bondi ng

Conveyor Oven Thermal Bonding

'Drum Oven Thermal Bonding

Bonding Techniques - Thermal Bonding

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Powder Thermal Bonding

Bonding Techniques - Stitch Bonding

.:. In stitch bonding, the web of flbres is held together as a fabric by means of stitched loops

.:. Stitches through the fibre web are formed using row of needles and theprocess resembles to warp knitting

Klnock iO'¥i8r 'fable,

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Stitch Bonding using Latch Needle

Microscope Image of stitch bonded fabric

Uses of Nonwovens

Disposable

Durable

Wipes

Pampers

Surgical Gowns

Sterilization Packs

Medical

Work Wear

Floor Covering

Industrial &. Technical

Furniture

Apparel

Civil Engineering

Automotive

Tufted Fabrics

.:. 'Tufted fabrics are made by the combination of :-

( 1 ) Fou ndation Cloth (2) 'Tufts

.:. The foundation cloth is normally a woven fabric generally a plain weave or any open structure made up of cotton/wool or jute can be used as a foundation .

• :. On the foundation cloth/ tufts are inserted .

• :. Tufts of the fibres are inserted into the open spaces of the foundation cloth. For tuft formation a special tuftforming machine can be used or tufts can be made by hand.

Tufted Fabrics

·:·Abunch of fibres tied together by means of a thread can be used as a tuft. Sometimes instead of fibres, threads can also be used as tufts .

• :. The tufts are inserted into the foundation cloth according to the required pattern. Various coloured tufts can also ,be used to produce coloured designs .

• :. Once the tufts are inserted into the foundation, they are made permanent by using a natural latex coating or by some chemical binding agents. Sometimes instead of using latex or binding agents, tufts are sewed to the fou ndation cloth.

Characterlstlcs of Tufted Fabrics

.:. Tufted fabrics are soft with low tensile strength .

• :. Production of tufted fabrics take more time as compared to woven fabrics, because first woven fabric is made and then tufts are inserted .

• :. They are bulky in nature .

• :. Only limited designs can be made on tufted fabrics .

• :. Their dyeing and printing is very difficult. Generally tufts are first dyed and then inserted into the fou ndation cloth to give colou red effects .

• :. Tufts once removed from the fabric are hard to repair.

Uses of Tufted Fabrics

.:. They are mostly used as carpets, rugs, mats, etc .

• :. 'They are also used in bed covers and table cloths .

• :. Decorative fabrics are also made out of them .

• :. 'Tufted fabrics are also used as a furnishing material .:. Dresses are rarely made out of them.

Laced Fabrics

·:·A lace is an openwork fabric made from intermeshing threads into a fabric. Intermeshing of threads can be carried out by the following methods :-

( 1 ) Using knitting needles (Needle Point)

(2) Using bobbins (pillow)

(,3) Using shuttles (Tatting)

(4) Using crochet needles (Crotchet)

Laced Fabrics

.:. Laced fabrics could only be produced by hands till the invention of the first automatic lace machine in early 1800s .

• :. 'The laced fabric produced by hands is called as the II Real l.ace" .

• :. Real laces take plenty of time and their cost is high .

• :. But various patterns of laces can be produced on the modern lace looms at huge quantltles and at a very low cost.

Characterlstlcs of laced Fabrics

.:. Since it is an open 'work fabric, it gives a very low cover .

• :. Its properties are very similar to knitted fabrics .

• :. Their dyeing is possible but printing cannot be done .

• :. 'They have high elasticity so they can be stretched without damaging the fabric.

Uses of Laced Fabrics

.:. Laced fabrics are used as shawls and scarves .

• :. Laces are stitched on the woven fabrics to give various designs .

• :. Fine laces are used as curtains .

• :. Different decorative textiles are made from them .

• :. Fishing nets are also made from laced fabrics.

Braided Fabrics

.:. Braided fabrics are produced by a special method of interlacement known as braiding or plaiting .

• :. In braiding or plaiting, three or more yarns over and under one another are interwoven to form a flat or tubular cloth known as a braided fabric .

• :. In braiding, instead of threads, cut strips of cloths or straws can also be used for braiding. 'The braided fabrics have relatively narrow width as compared to the woven fabrics .

• :. 'The process of braiding or plaiting is very much similar to the process of weaving. Following are the differences in braiding and weaving

Braided Fabrics

.:. Inweaving only two threads are used l.e. warp and weft, but in braiding three or more than three threads are used .

• :. ln weavlng threads always interlace at right angles/while in braiding threads can interlace at any angle .

• :. Inweaving only threads can be used,while in braiding apart from threads straws, strips of threads, etc can be used to produce a fabric.

Characterlstlcs of Braided Fabrics

.:. Structure of braided fabrics is very much similar to woven fabrics .

• :. They give good covering effect .

• :. Braided fabrics have a narrow width .

• :. 'They can be dyed and printed easily .

• :. 'They can be produced cheaply and on large scale.

Uses of Braided Fabrics

.:. 'The are used as belts, cords, shoe laces, etc .

• :. Different kinds of ribbons are also made from braided fabrics .

• :. Plastic or straw braids can be sewn together to form hats .

• :. Braided fabrics can also be sewn together to form braided rugs .

• :. 'Trimming and tapes for dresses can be made from them .

• :. 'Tubular braided fabrics are used as hose pipes, ropes" sacks, etc.