Meltblown technology for production of polymeric microfibers/nanofibers: A review

This work summarizes the current state of knowledge in the area of meltblown technology for production of polymeric nonwovens with specific attention to utilized polymers, die design, production of nanofibers, the effect of process variables (such as the throughput rate, melt rheology, melt temperature, die temperature, air temperature/velocity/pressure, die-to-collector distance, and speed) with relation to nonwoven characteristics as well as to typical flow instabilities such as whipping, die drool, fiber breakup, melt spraying, flies, generation of small isolated spherical particles, shots, jam, and generation of nonuniform fiber diameters.