Masters Theses
Date of Award
8-1991
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Major
Textiles, Retail, and Consumer Sciences
Major Professor
Kermit E. Duckett
Committee Members
John F. Schneider, William L. Sanders
Abstract
Efficient industrial production of any product depends on setting the optimum processing conditions. This is particularly true with cotton and synthetic fiber blended nonwoven fabrics produced by the thermal calendering process. The proportion of the constituent fibers in the final product and the speed with which the fabrics are produced in the calendering machine are two main parameters in the process. Other parameters include the top (pattern) and bottom (smooth) roll temperatures of the calendering machine and nip pressure between them. Once a decision on the blend level and speed is made, an acceptable product of quality depends on choosing the appropriate values of the other three parameters. The objective of this study, then, is to optimize those parameters so that the final end product will have properties suitable to a particular application without any significant loss in the physical properties of the fibers. Samples of nonwoven fabric were made with proper combinations of all the five variables and then tested for strength and stiffness properties. Results showed that, of the three parameters, i.e., pattern roll temperature, smooth roll temperature, and nip pressure, the smooth roll temperature was the most dominant factor in deciding the properties of the nonwovens. Effects of both top roll temperature and nip pressure were significant when the temperature was either at softening point or the melting point of the binder fiber. Excessive pressure generally tended to increase the stiffness with no improvement in strength. An optimum value for pattern roll was found to be near or at the melting point of the binder fiber. Increasing the top roll temperature above this point did not necessarily result in any significant improvement of the fabric. Most of the above findings were got by statistically analyzing the experimental results to estimate the significance levels of the effects of the parameters on the properties of the fabric. For future study, it is suggested that bottom roll temperature be increased gradually to and above the melting point to observe the changes in the properties of the bonded nonwovens.
Recommended Citation
S Kanagaraj, "Experimental and theoretical optimization of thermal calendering process parameters for efficient production of cotton/binder fiber blended nonwovens. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1991.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/12520