Effect of Calender Temperature and Fiber Spinning Conditions on Spunbond Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Nonwoven Physical Properties

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is one of the most widely used polymers. However, its high melting temperature and low crystallization rate limit its use in thermally bonded spunbond nonwoven production. Homocomponent PET suffers from a narrow window of bonding conditions and low fiber adhesion in comparison to polyolefins. To improve mechanical properties without alteration of polymer feedstock, the impact of spunbond production parameters on bond formation and mechanical properties of nonwoven fabrics is studied in industrially relevant settings on a pilot scale Reifenhauser‐Reicofil spunbond line. A reduction in polymer throughput and aspiration pressure at the same target basis weight reduces single fiber tensile strength but improves the tensile properties of spunbond nonwovens. This can be attributed to higher mid‐point temperature and morphological changes of fibers. The results indicate that PET thermally bonded spunbond nonwovens' strength is more strongly influenced by bond development than the individual strength of constituent fibers.