Biologically degradable spunbonded nonwovens from PLA - process and product parameters

摘要

Biopolymers based on agricultural semi-products open up more ways into novel processes and products in the textile industry, particularly in the field of nonwovens. This is true of the manufacture of spunbonded nonwoven to give an example. Conventionally, such nonwovens are made from polypropylene (PP) or polyester (PET), which means they do not rot when their lifetime is over. The solution to the ecological problems this entails is seen in biologically degradable spun-bonded nonwovens. However, as far as technical applications are concerned, such nonwovens are not found on the market yet. The Saechsisches Textilforschungsinstitut (STFI), Chemnitz/ Germany together with the Institut fuer Kunstofftechnologie (IKT), Stuttgart/ Germany and the Institut fuer Polymer-forschung (IPF), Dresden/Germany have run a research project investigating the manufacture of spunbonded nonwovens from polylactides. As for the spunbond-ing and web formation processes, biologically degradable polymers show processing characteristics clearly different from the conventional polypropylene or polyester. This is why the well-known plants for producing spunbonded nonwovens needed to be modified. Product parameters, too, are significantly different as compared to the conventionally used polymers, which above all concerns mechanical properties and degradability.