Structure and properties of polypropylene filaments in a spunbonding process

Polypropylene homopolymer (PP) and a copolymer (P/E) were processed using the Reicofil® spunbonding line at the Textiles and Nonwovens Development Center of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The properties of the filament samples taken before thermal-bonding were determined through a variety of techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry, thermomechanical analysis, thermal deformation analysis and mechanical properties. The two process variables investigated, primary air temperature and throughput had a strong influence on the structure and properties of both the filaments and the bonded nonwovens. As the primary air temperature and throughput decreased, there was a tendency for decrease in filament diameter with a simultaneous increase in their crystallinity, birefringence and thermal stability. The copolymer filaments showed lower crystallinity and orientation for all the corresponding processing conditions.Authors would like to thank the Exxon Chemical Company for funding a part of this study, for providing the polymers and for providing the spunbonding equipment at no cost to the University.