ARS | Publication request: Effect of cotton fiber properties on properties of hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics

Submitted to: Fiber Society Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: August 29, 2011
Publication Date: November 1, 2011
Citation: Sawhney, A.P., Condon, B.D., Reynolds, M.L., Allen Jr, H.C., Slopek, R.P., Nam, S., Gary, L. 2011. Effect of cotton fiber properties on properties of hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics. Proceedngs of Fiber Society Meeting. 2p.

Interpretive Summary: Although nonwoven textiles and technical products are growing rapidly, the use of cotton in these emerging products is minimal, partly because the classical greige cotton requires substantial cleaning of its non-lint content of contaminants, which the existing nonwovens industry is incapable of doing. To promote value-added use of cotton in nonwovens, the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has directed a new and elaborate research program at the Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, to explore avenues to increase use of cotton in nonwovens. Research at the Center has led to identification of uniquely cleaned greige (non-bleached) cotton that may not require the traditional cotton cleaning which partly inhibits use of cotton in the nonwoven goods industry. Pilot plant- based trials conducted with the pre-cleaned cottons of different properties, such as micronaire, length and length uniformity, have shown that these cottons can be processed into hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics of satisfactory properties. Research to develop durability of the fabrics to ordinary washing is continuing.

Technical Abstract: Seven mechanically pre-cleaned greige cottons of significantly different fiber length, length uniformity or micronaire were processed into nonwoven fabrics using a commercial-grade hydroentanglement system of fabric formation. Results have shown that the pre-cleaned greige cotton of considerably different quality characteristics can be efficiently used to produce nonwoven fabrics and that the fiber properties studied do not significantly affect properties of the fabrics made thereof.