Design and Characterization of a Bicomponent Melt-Spun Fiber Optimized for Artificial Turf Applications

Artificial turf is robust, playable in all weathers and has a long service life. Polyamide (PA) flooring has excellent resilience but provokes abrasion injuries (friction burn); polyethylene (PE) monofilaments are skin‐friendly but tend to permanent deformation. To maximize resilience while minimizing the risk of skin abrasion, PA‐PE bicomponent fibers are developed. Numeric simulation is applied to find optimized fiber cross‐sections and material combinations, accompanied by melt‐spinning of respective filaments and validation of the model. The resulting artificial grass resembles natural turf with respect to playability and appearance and does not need any granular infill. An artificial turf made of PA and PE combined in a bicomponent fiber minimizes the risk of skin abrasion without cut‐back in resilience. The PA core ensures that the fiber recovers after being bent, while the PE sheath prevents injury when players slide on the synthetic turf. The optimum cross‐section is assessed by numeric simulation and validated by melt‐spinning of respective filaments.