Effects of Processing Parameters on the Fiber Diameter of Melt Blown Nonwoven Fabrics

Our air drawing model of polymers in the melt blowing process is verified by the experimental results obtained with our university’s equipment. The predicted fiber diameters tally well with the experimental data. The effects of the processing parameters on the fiber diameters are further investigated in this paper. We find that a lower polymer flow rate, a higher initial polymer temperature, a higher initial air velocity, and a higher polymer melt flow index can all produce finer fibers, while the effect of the initial air temperature is insignificant. The results reveal the great potential of this research for computer assisted design of the melt blowing technology.