THE MANUFACTURE OF CONTINUOUS POLYMERIC FILAMENTS BY THE MELT-BLOWING PROCESS

This paper presents an experimentally‐based analysis of the continuous filament regime of the melt‐blowing process. The experiments were performed with a versatile air‐polymer die, several die operating temperatures, and three different polymer feed resins. The measurements discern the effects upon the final fiber diameter of the following input parameters: die dimensions, die temperature, polymer feed resin, and both the air and polymer mass flow rates. An empirical model equation is developed which relates these input parameters to the final fiber diameter. In addition, the conditions which result in a transition of the filament from continuous (or stable) to discontinuous (or unstable) are quantified. The model equation and the transition or stability information are then used to predict the behavior of the melt‐blowing process for a wide range of case studies involving the input parameters noted above. The data and empirical model are of considerable utility for developing new die designs, for comparison with theoretical models, for predicting fiber stability, and for explaining the behavior of current industrial melt‐blowing processes. Copyright © 1990 Society of Plastics Engineers