Melt blowing technology

Figure 1 Exxon Chemical melt blowing technology.

Melt blowing technology involves the controlled melting of thermoplastic polymers and subsequent transfer and metered distribution to a multi-orifLce nose-piece. Polymer exiting from these orifices form continuous or discontinuous fibers, which are blown onto a conveyor screen or substrate. They are selfentangling and form a self-bonded web, which can be transported to a winder. 

The melt-blown spinning process stretches the polymer melt leaving the capillaries of the spinneret using compressed air stream. The fibers, randomly deposited on a conveyor belt, form a non-woven textile fabric - see the chapter entitled Melt blowing technology in this book. 

McCulloch, J. G., The History of the Development of Melt Blowing Technology, Nonwovens/Melt Blowing Industry, www.inda.org/subscrip/inj99 l/melthist.html, 2001. 

L.S. Pinchuk, V.A. Goldade, A.V. Makarevich, V.N. Kestelman. Melt Blowing. Equipment, Technology, and Polymer Fibrous Materials. Berlin Heidelberg New York, Springer-Verlag, 2002. 

Spun bonded media production processes exploit the thermosetting properties of polymers, to form fibres that can be bonded by combinations of heat, pressure and chemical activation. Melt spinning, using conventional synthetic fibre technology, was the earliest method used for producing spun bonded filter media and continues to be of major importance, but finer fibres are produced by melt blowing and flash spinning processes. 

However, modern melt spinning distribution system technology has clearly demonstrated the capability to produce fibers with smaller size and better consistency than either of the two aforementioned techniques. Multicomponent fiber sizes as low as -0.04 pm (-40 nm) have now been demonstrated commercially at attractive production rates [22]. In addition, micro-sized (1-10 pm) and nano-sized (<1 pm) multicomponent fibers can be produced with improved production rates, economics and physical properties over the other systems, and with an even broader choice of polymers [22]. Multicomponent fiber production can be used to create fibers in staple or continuous filament form using the spunbond and melt blowing processes. 

PO materials look increasingly set to enter some important new markets just as the number of established end-uses has begun to mature. The technologies for the production of high tenacity yarns and the high speed extrusion of relatively fine PP fibres and filaments, as well as nonwoven processes such as melt blowing, create opportunities for further development and exploitation of the many valuable properties of these and related classes of materials [39, 115, 131, 767-777]. 

These fibers are used to produce special aesthetics, bonding, or other properties. One commercial application for this technology is in the production of capillary filters such as felt tipped ink pens using a melt blowing type of process. 

It is well known that empirical models including statistical model and ANN model are based on experimental data. Thus, in order to achieve these models, experiments were carried out on the melt blowing equipment at Nutrend Technology Developing Chemistry and Electronic Engineer Corporation Limited. 

Melt blow moulding technology is also divided into two subprocedures, melt back pressme technology and melt extrusion technology in a secondary cavity. The advantage of these processes is the avoidance of switch over markings on the surface of the moulded part. 

Figure 10.22 The melt blow moulding technology process...

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