Factors Affecting the Water Absorbency of Spunlace Nonwovens
May 21,2025
Factors Affecting the Water Absorbency of Spunlace Nonwovens
Spunlace nonwovens have been widely used in numerous fields due to their unique properties. Among these properties, water absorbency is one of the most important, which is influenced by a variety of factors comprehensively. Understanding these influencing factors is of great significance for optimizing the performance of spunlace nonwovens and meeting the requirements of different application scenarios.
Influence of Fiber Raw Materials
Fiber raw materials are the fundamental factors determining the water absorbency of spunlace nonwovens. Different fibers have distinct water absorption characteristics. For example, cotton fiber, a natural fiber, has excellent water absorbency because its molecular structure contains a large number of hydroxyl groups (-OH), which can quickly absorb and store water. In contrast, polypropylene fiber, a chemical fiber, has poor water absorbency due to the hydrophobic nature of its molecular structure. When hydrophilic fibers are used in the
production of spunlace nonwovens, the hydrophilic groups on the fiber surface can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, facilitating the rapid attachment and penetration of water molecules into the interior of the fibers. Additionally, the fineness of the fibers also affects water absorbency. Finer fibers have a larger specific surface area, providing more sites for contact with water molecules, which is conducive to improving the water absorbency of spunlace nonwovens. For instance, in some high-end hygiene products, fine-denier viscose fibers are often used to enhance the water absorption capacity of spunlace nonwovens.
Role of the Production Process
- Hydroentanglement Pressure and Frequency: In the hydroentanglement process, the injection of high-pressure fine water jets is the key step for fiber entanglement and reinforcement. The hydroentanglement pressure and frequency affect the structure of the nonwoven fabric, thereby influencing its water absorbency. Higher hydroentanglement pressure can make the fiber entanglement tighter. However, if the pressure is too high, it may lead to a reduction in the pores between the fibers, which is not conducive to the rapid absorption and transmission of water. Appropriately increasing the number of hydroentanglement times can enhance the fiber entanglement without significantly reducing the pores, improving the strength and stability of the nonwoven fabric while maintaining good water absorbency. For example, when producing spunlace nonwovens for medical wound dressings, the hydroentanglement pressure and frequency are precisely controlled to ensure that the product has good water absorbency to absorb wound exudate and sufficient strength to prevent breakage during use.
- Web Structure: The uniformity of the web and the fiber arrangement have a significant impact on water absorbency. A uniform web ensures that water is evenly distributed and absorbed in the nonwoven fabric, avoiding the phenomenon of uneven water absorption in different areas. Regarding fiber arrangement, randomly arranged fibers form a more complex and diverse pore structure, which is beneficial for the diffusion and storage of water in different directions, thus improving water absorbency. In contrast, fibers with directional arrangement may have good liquid conductivity in the arrangement direction, but their water absorbency in the perpendicular direction may be limited.
Correlation with Fabric Weight
Fabric weight, that is, the weight of the nonwoven fabric per unit area, is closely related to water absorbency. Generally, the higher the fabric weight, the more fibers there are per unit area, and the total volume of the pores formed between the fibers is relatively larger, enabling it to accommodate more water. For example, in spunlace nonwovens used for wiping, products with higher fabric weight often have better water absorbency, capable of absorbing more liquid at one time and improving the wiping efficiency. However, a too-high fabric weight is not ideal. Excessively high fabric weight may make the nonwoven fabric too thick, affecting its softness and ease of use. At the same time, it will also increase production costs. Therefore, in actual production, the fabric weight needs to be selected reasonably according to the product's usage requirements and performance specifications.
Influence of Post-treatment
- Hydrophilic Treatment: To further improve the water absorbency of spunlace nonwovens, hydrophilic treatment is often carried out. Hydrophilic treatment methods include chemical coating and treatment with hydrophilic finishing agents. Chemical coating involves applying a layer of polymer containing hydrophilic groups on the surface of the nonwoven fabric. These hydrophilic groups can interact with water molecules, enhancing the water absorption capacity of the nonwoven fabric. Treatment with hydrophilic finishing agents is achieved by immersing the nonwoven fabric in a solution containing hydrophilic finishing agents, allowing the finishing agent molecules to adsorb on the fiber surface and changing the surface properties of the fibers to make them more hydrophilic. Spunlace nonwovens treated with hydrophilic agents can quickly absorb a large amount of water in a short time and are widely used in products such as wet wipes and cotton pads.
- Waterproof Treatment (Special Case): Although in most cases we focus on how to improve water absorbency, in some special applications, waterproof treatment of spunlace nonwovens is required, which is the opposite operation of enhancing water absorbency. Waterproof treatment usually involves forming a waterproof film on the surface of the nonwoven fabric or modifying the fiber surface to make it hydrophobic through chemical means, thereby preventing the intrusion of water. However, such waterproof-treated spunlace nonwovens are no longer suitable for conventional applications that require water absorbency.
Advantages of HYFabricsupply's Products
HYFabricsupply has outstanding technology and rich experience in the field of spunlace nonwovens, and its products exhibit remarkable advantages in terms of water absorbency. The company is extremely strict in the selection of fiber raw materials, carefully choosing high-quality hydrophilic fibers to ensure the improvement of product water absorption performance from the source. In the production process, by continuously optimizing the hydroentanglement pressure, frequency, and web structure, the fiber entanglement of the products is reasonable, and the pore distribution is uniform with appropriate sizes, ensuring both good water absorbency and excellent strength and stability. In the post-treatment process, HYFabricsupply adopts advanced hydrophilic treatment technology, further enhancing the water absorbency of spunlace nonwovens. Whether in the fields of wet wipes, medical dressings, or household cleaning products, HYFabricsupply's spunlace nonwoven products can provide users with efficient and reliable usage experiences with their excellent water absorbency, meeting the strict requirements of different industries for product water absorbency.
