Research on structure characteristics and filtration performances of PET-PA6 hollow segmented-pie bicomponent spunbond nonwovens fibrillated by hydro entangle method

Bicomponent spunbond technology is considered to be the most rapid process of ultrafine fiber nonwoven material. The cross-section of 70% PET and 30% PA6 bicomponent hollow-segmented pie filaments with diameter range from 2 D to 4 D was made by the bicomponent spunbond technology, and fibrillated by the high-pressure water jets at the same time bonded to microfiber nonwoven materials with the dense structure. The structure characteristics of materials were tested to study the feasibility for the air filter, including fineness of the fiber and pore size distribution of the webs. The filtration efficiency and filtration resistance of the webs were studied with the dioctyl phthalate particles in range of 0.3–2.7 micron at face velocity in range of 1.8–4.8 m/min. It was found that the hollow segmented-pie bicomponent fibers are splitted to microfibers and bonded mechanically by subjecting the web to high-pressure water jets, the total high pressure water jets energy was 5610.2 kJ/kg. The microfibers fibers gathered into fiber bundles on the surface of the webs were found from the 3D images. The filtration efficiency and filtration resistance of the webs followed typical behavior for fibrous filtration media, and the filtration efficiency and filtration resistance of the webs is increased with the weight increases.