TT 504.

601 NONWOVENS PhD FPS - NCSU

THE SPUNBOND PROCESS

Edmir Silva,a

Dupont developed and commercialized the melt spinning technique for

man-made fiber production in 1958. In the 1960s, Dupont (U.S.A.) and
Freudenberg (Germany) adopted this technique into spunbond
technology. The spunbond technology, among other nonwoven
technologies, has shown outstanding records in terms of the annual
growth rate. The spunbond manufacturing is very similar to the fiber
producing process. The primary difference between these two systems is
in the filament drawing mechanism. Rather than mechanical take-up rolls
used in the fiber producing process, the air drawing device is used in the
spunbonding process. In this paper processes, parameters, fibers and
applications are discussed.

Keywords: Nonwovens; Spubond process; Melt spinning process;

Contact information: a: College of Textiles, NCSU, email: [email protected]

INTRODUCTION

Spunbonding is one of the most widely used methods of producing nonwovens. It

is based on the melt spinning technique and has many similarities to it. (Bo 2007)
Continuous filament nonwovens are fabrics produced by the direct lay processes,
wherein webs are made directly from fibers as they are being spun from molten plastics.
As these processes eliminate intermediate steps, they provide opportunities for increasing
production and reduction of cost, although the flexibility in product ranges might be
limited. The two important processes are spunbonding and melt blowing.(Bhat and
Malkan 2002)
The concept of the spunbond process was developed simultaneously in Europe
and the United States in the late 1950s, but it was later—in the mid-1960s to early
1970s—that the strength and potential of the spunbond technology was recognized for
commercial applications. A large number of patents on the spunbond process design were
filed during this period, and a few of them were used for commercial production
processes.(Malkan 1995)
According to the ReicoFil website, accessed on April 26, 2010
(www.reicofil.com/en/vliesanlagen/p0035_prozess.asp), the REICOFIL® spunbonding
process is successfully employed to produce polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester and
polyamide nonwovens. The REICOFIL® spunbonding process has continually been
developed since 1986. It is based on the wish to make the process as simple to control as
possible and to be energy efficient in comparison to similar processes.

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Process components
a. Preparation of raw material
b. Dosing unit for primary polymer, pigments and additives
c. Extruder for melting and conveying the raw materials
d. Melt filter
e. Spin pump to ensure a constant throughput to the spin unit
f. Sheet distributor with spinneret
g. Filament cooling
h. Filament extension
i. Discharge unit (diffuser)
j. Web forming machine for discharge and conveyance of the filaments
k. Nonwoven bonding, preferable calendaring
l. Winding

Fig. 1. Spunbond modular system from ReicoFil website.

SPUNBOND PROCESS

Spunbonded fabrics are classified as nonwovens composed of endless filaments,

and produced by an integrated process combining fiber spinning, web formation, and
bonding. The fabrics are produced by depositing extruded, spun filaments onto a
collecting belt, followed by bonding the fibers.(Bhat and Malkan 2002)
A primary factor in the production of spunbonded webs is the control of four
simultaneous, integrated operations: filament extrusion, drawing, laydown, and bonding.
The first three operations are directly adapted from conventional manmade fiber spinning
and constitute the spun or web formation phase of the process. (Malkan 1995) The fibers
are separated during the web laying process by air jets or electrostatic charges. The
collecting surface is usually perforated to prevent the air stream from deflecting and
carrying the fibers in an uncontrolled manner. (Bhat and Malkan 2002) The last operation

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is the web consolidation or bond phase of the process— hence the generic term
spunbond. Bonding imparts strength and integrity to the web by applying heated rolls or
hot needles to partially melt the polymer and fuse the fibers. In its simplest form, a
spunbond line consists of the following elements: an extruder for forming filaments; a
metering pump, a die assembly, a filament spinning, drawing, and deposition system, a
belt for collecting the filaments, a bonding zone, and a winding unit. (Malkan 1995)
Production rates are a function of the recent developments in this area, the
filament spinning speeds up to 6000 meters per minute with Polyester, and 4500 meters
per minute, or higher with Polypropylene. These can be reached using Ason spunbond
technology (Ason Engineering Inc., U.S.A.) with a compact line and a balanced quench
system, producing filament diameters of 5 to 25 micron; specifically as small as 0.7
denier with Polypropylene (PP) and 0.5 denier with Polyester (PET). New techniques are
being developed to improve uniformity and barrier properties of spunbond fabrics
allowing spunbond to compete successfully with carded thermal bonded nonwovens.

Fig. 2. Rieter Spunbond (www.rieter.com)

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TT 504.601 NONWOVENS PhD FPS - NCSU
Flashspun Fabrics

DuPont’s Tyvek is produced by a unique spunbonding process called splash

spinning. In this, a 10–15% solution of high-density polyethylene in
trichloroflouromethane or methylene chloride, is heated to about 200°C and pressurized
to 4.5 MPa or more. When the pressurized solution is extruded through a spinneret,
solvent is instantaneously flashed off, leaving a three-dimensional film-fibril network
referred to as a plexifilament. A web of multiple plexifilaments is thermally bonded to
produce a sheet-like fabric. The filaments are highly oriented and have high tenacities.
Because of the fine fibrils, the fabric has good softness as well. This is a complex and
difficult method of manufacturing spunbonded fabrics, as it involves spinning heated
pressurized solutions under precise conditions. However, it produces fabrics with unique
structure and properties.

Fig. 3. Tyvek from DuPont (http://cerig.efpg.inpg.fr)

Tyvek products are widely available in for commercial uses in areas where
performance is required, would be interesting to investigate this technology in the apparel
side; it is believed that the price point is just not yet right to allow that to be explored.
Nonwoven products seem to struggle to pass through the fashion barrier and break
through in the fashion.

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CRITICAL FACTORS

Spunbonding involves extrusion, followed by non-isothermal extensional flow of

the melt and crystallization, accompanied by molecular orientation. The kinematics and
development of morphology in the filaments are governed to a large extent by a
combination of elongational deformation and stress-induced crystallization.
Understanding the influence of the spin line dynamics on the structure of the filament can
help in manipulating the process conditions to achieve the desired properties in filaments.
Normally molten polymer is forced by spinning pumps through special spinnerets
containing a large number of holes. The primary blow ducts located immediately below
the spinneret block continuously cool the filaments with conditioned air. Second blow
ducts, located below the primary blow ducts, continuously blow auxiliary air at room
temperature. A blower at the bottom of the enclosed spinline creates suction for the air
mixed filaments. The continuous filaments are then sucked through a venturi (high
velocity low pressure zone) and distributing chamber. (Dong Zhang and others 1998)
The spunbonding process is quite complex and involves many operating
variables. The processing variables can be divided into two categories: operational
variables and material variables. By manipulating these variables, a variety of spunbond
fabrics can be produced with the desired properties. Each of these variables plays a
significant role in process economics and product reliability. Therefore, it is essential that
each one is precisely defined and understood in order to optimize the spunbond process.
The following are the major process variables that affect the filament and web
properties:(Malkan 1995)
• Polymer characteristics
• Melt viscosity and temperature
• Air temperature and flow rate
• Filament draw speed
• Polymer throughput rate
• Collection speed
• Bonding conditions.

CHARACTERISTICS AND PROPERTIES OF THE WEBS

Some of the properties of the unbonded filament were described in Bo Z. (2007).

The diameters of the filaments produced with increasing throughputs are in the same
range. Hence, there is an increasingly higher draw force with increase in throughput,
which was accomplished by adjusting the air rate for each throughput. Maintaining the
same diameter is important in comparing data by avoiding another variable. However, the
higher draw ratio leads to different stages of development of filament morphology. It
causes an increase in strength and reduction in extension of the filaments by changing the
molecular orientation, as a result of the drawing stress. This is accompanied by higher
crystallinity as well as larger crystallite sizes. Consequently, the filaments become

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thermo mechanically more stable. This is a result of higher molecular otientation,
crystallinity, and larger crystallite size.
The web properties are influenced by the properties of the filaments as described
and other variables in the process, after the formation of the filaments and exposed to
heat in the calendar. The lay down of the filaments on the conveyor belt is affected by the
air speed in the distributing chamber and the belt speed that is governed by the
throughput rate and the basis weight. The belt speed affects the calendering time, and the
calendar itself has a calender surface temperature and nip pressure as variables.
Increasing the basis weight and maintaining the polymer throughput rate
constantly requires the line speed to be lower and hence decreases the tendency for the
filaments to be oriented in the direction of motion. This is seen as the ratio of filament
bundles along Machine Direction (MD) to Cross Direction (CD) reducing and reaching a
value close to one.
The tensile properties of the fabric are affected by the orientation, the filament
properties, and the bonding conditions. The bonding conditions including calender
temperature, calender pressure, and contact time seem to have the greatest effect on the
tensile properties. When bonding temperature is increased, with throughput and basis
weight constant, it is seen that peak stress follows a positive correlation, reaches a peak
value, and then declines. The same trend is seen for peak extension as well. The main
contributor to this trend is the manner in which the filaments bond together in the area of
the bond. There is an increase in crystallinity and crystallite sizes in the unbonded and
bonded areas of the fabric but, differences in crystal sizes between samples bonded at
different bonding temperatures are minimal. The effect of contact time becomes
important when throughput is increased with fabric weight and bonding temperature is
kept constant. Increase in throughput requires increased bond temperature to attain
optimum transfer of heat and to produce a fabric with optimum properties. Finally,
increasing basis weight also requires higher bonding temperatures along with higher
bonding nip pressure to attain optimum properties.(Nanjundappa and Bhat 2005)
Spunbond fabrics are produced by an integrated process of spinning, attenuation,
deposition, bonding, and winding into rolls. The fabrics are up to 5.2 m wide and usually
are not less than 3.0 m in order to facilitate productivity. Fiber sizes range from 0.8 to 50
dtex (0.07–45 denier), although a range of 1.5–20 dtex (1.36–18 denier) is most common.
A combination of thickness, fiber denier, and number of fibers per unit area determines
the fabric basis weight, which ranges from 10 to 800 g/m2. Typically, basis weight ranges
from 17 to 180 g/m2. The tensile and other performance properties of the spunbonded
fabric are dependent on the fabric’s composition and structure.(Bhat and Malkan 2002)

SPUNBOND APPLICATIONS

According to Genis (2007) 10% of spunbond is used for medical, 34% for diaper
and hygienic, 20% for Geotextiles and construction, 16% for upholstery materials, 20%
for other purposes (filters, carpet, etc) in the USA and Western Europe on average. Those
percentages are slightly different when compared with other studies.

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TT 504.601 NONWOVENS PhD FPS - NCSU
A more broad research shows that spunbond nonwovens are being used in a great
variety of products as listed below. The key to most of these markets has been a low cost
covering material with sufficient tensile properties to fit the application.
- Agriculture: Plant cover, inner curtains in green house
- Apparel: Interlinings, high-loft insulation, protective clothing, embroidery
backings
- Automotive: today spunbonded webs are used throughout the automobile and in
many different applications. One of the major uses of spunbonded webs in
automobile is as a backing for tufted automobile floor carpets. The spunbonded
webs are also used for trim parts, trunkliners, interior door panel, and seat covers
- Construction and civil engineering: the segment remains a large market for
spunbond webs, constituting sometimes closer to 25% of the total. Spunbonded
civil engineering webs cover a multiple of related uses, such as, erosion control,
house wrap protection, railroad beds stabilization, canal and reservoir lining
protection, highway and airfield black top cracking prevention, roofing (upper
sheet), etc. The particular properties of spunbonded webs - which are responsible
for this revolution - are chemical and physical stability, high strength/cost ratio,
and their unique and highly controllable structure which can be engineered to
provide desired properties.
- Geo-synthetics: earth reinforcement, tunnel drainage, soil separation
- Household: bags, wrapping paper, carpet backing, furniture dust covers
- Industrial: cable sheath, battery separator, air and liquid filters
- Medical and sanitary/hygienic: the use of spunbond web as a coverstock for
diapers and incontinence devices is still growing dramatically. This is mainly
because of the unique structure of spunbond, which helps the skin of the user stay
dry and comfortable. Additionally, spunbond webs are cost effective over other
conventional nonwovens. Spunbond web, as coverstock, is also widely used in
sanitary napkins and to a limited extent in tampons. In medical applications many
traditional materials have been replaced by high performance spunbonded webs.
The particular properties of spunbonded webs, which are responsible for medical
use are: breathability, resistance to fluid penetration, lint free structure,
sterilizability, and impermeability to bacteria. Medical applications include:
disposable operating room gowns, shoe covers and sterilizable packaging,
incontinence devices, medical wipes, medical gowns, drapes and barrier fabrics
- Packing: Spunbonded fabrics are widely used as packaging material where paper
products and plastic films are not satisfactory. The examples include: metal-core
wraps, sterile medical packaging, floppy disk liners, high performance envelopes
and stationery products.

It is interesting to observe the versatility of the spunbond nonwoven product and

realize that it merges properties from distinct conventional older markets which is
represented in figure 4. The nonwoven industry managed to engineer products to deliver
what the customers were looking for and in some cases created the need for, as the lower
cost allowed, for disposable products.

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Fig. 4. Spunbond Market (www.apparelsearch.com)

Polymers

Polypropilene (PP) spunbond has the widest spectrum of applications – from use
in the production of medical and sanitary-higienic applications to filter materials. It is still
the preferred raw material for hygienic articles and diapers, and the cost of the finished
product is the deciding factor, since there are no special requirements for thermal stability
and strength. Use of PP spunbond as geotextile and cover (in agriculture) materials in
many cases has no competition. Due to the lower cost, spunbond is used instead of more
expensive traditional materials in the sewing,leather and haberdashery industry as linings
and interlinings, nonglued fleece, as bodice and insert enhancer and as packing material
for outer clothing and footwear. (Genis 2007)
The method of fabric manufacturing determines the sheet characteristics, whereas
the polymer determines the intrinsic properties. Properties such as fiber density,
temperature resistance, chemical and light stability, ease of coloration, surface energies,
and others are a function of the base polymer.
Although any filament-forming polymer can be used in the spunbonding process,
most spunbond fabrics are based on isotactic polypropylene and polyester. Small
quantities are made from nylon-66 and increasing amounts from high density
polyethylene. Linear low density polyethylene is also used as base polymer because it
gives a softer fabric. Isotactic polypropylene is the most widely used polymer for
spunbond nonwovens, as it provides the highest yield and covering power at the lowest
cost, because of its low density. Considerable advances have been made in the
manufacture of polypropylene resins and additives since the first spunbond

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polypropylene fabrics were commercialized in the 1960s. Although unstabilized
polypropylene is rapidly degraded by UV light, improved stabilizers permit several years
of outdoor exposure before the fiber properties deteriorate. To reduce cost, scrap or
polypropylene fibers of inferior quality may be re-pelletized and then blended in small
amounts with fresh polymer to produce first grade spunbond fabrics, which is very
advantageous and important in a highly competitive industry.
The properties of polyethylene fibers melt-spun by traditional methods are
inferior to those of polypropylene fibers. Advances in polyethylene technology have
helped in the production of spunbond structures with characteristics not attainable with
polypropylene. Polyester is used in a number of commercial spunbond products and
offers certain advantages over PP, although it is more expensive. Tensile strength,
modulus, and heat stability of polyester fabrics are superior to those of PP fabrics.
Polyester fabrics are easily dyed and printed with conventional equipment. Unlike
polypropylene, polyester scrap is not readily recycled in spunbond manufacturing.
Apparently, the new polyester, PTT, can be successfully processed to produce fabrics
with properties that are much better than that of PP. Spunbond fabrics are made from
both nylon-6, and nylon-66. Nylon is highly energy-intensive and, therefore, more
expensive than polyester or polypropylene. Nylon-66 spunbond fabrics are produced with
weights as low as 10 g/m2 and with excellent cover and strength.
Unlike olefins and polyester fabrics, those made from nylon readily absorb water
through hydrogen bonding between the amide group and water molecules. A new type of
structure being commercialized for spunbond fabrics is based on thermoplastic urethanes.
Unique properties are claimed for this product, which appears to be well suited for
apparel and other applications requiring stretch and recovery.
Some fabrics are composed of several polymers. A lower melting polymer
functions as the binder, which may be a separate fiber interspersed with higher melting
fibers; or the two polymers may be combined in a single fiber type. In the latter case, the
so-called bi-component fibers possess a lower melting component, which acts as a sheath
covering a higher melting core. Polyethylene, nylon-6, and polyesters modified by
isophthalic acid are used as bicomponent (lower melting) elements. Because molecular
orientation increases the melting point, fibers that are not highly drawn can be used as
thermal binding fibers. Polyethylene or random ethylene–propylene copolymers are used
as low melting bonding sites.(Bhat and Malkan 2002)

REFERENCES CITED

Bhat GS and Malkan SR. 2002. Extruded continuous filament nonwovens: Advances in
scientific aspects. J Appl Polym Sci 83(3):572-85.

Bo Z. 2007. Effects of processing parameters on the filament fiber diameter of

spunbonded nonwoven fabrics. Polymer Engineering & Science 47(4):510-5.

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TT 504.601 NONWOVENS PhD FPS - NCSU
Dong Zhang , Bhat G, Sanjiv M, Wadsworth L. 1998. Evolution of structure and
properties in a spunbonding process. Textile Research Journal 68(1):27-35.

Malkan SR. 1995. An overview of spunbonding and meltblowing technologies. Tappi J

78:185-.

Nanjundappa R and Bhat GS. 2005. Effect of processing conditions on the structure and
properties of polypropylene spunbond fabrics. J Appl Polym Sci 98(6):2355-64.

Genis A. V. 2007. Status of production and use of polypropylene spunbond in Russia and
abroad. Fibre Chemistry, 39 (1), 1-6.

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