VARDE, Denmark — April 12, 2011 — FiberVisions will unveil its trilobal thermal bonding PP fibers
as well as its fine fibers at INDEX 11, and ES FiberVisions will launch its PTC Bounce fiber at
INDEX 11.
Trilobal Thermal Bonding PP Fibers
FiberVisions® presents the nonwovens industry with new opportunities to make hygiene fabrics
more versatile without sacrificing strength and barrier properties, with the launch of its new
trilobal thermal bonding staple polypropylene (PP) fibers at INDEX 2011.
HY-Light / T-194 fibers offer customers a cost-effective solution for achieving nonwovens
with dramatically improved coverage and uniformity, even in lightweight fabrics, while maintaining
fabric strength and softness.
The trilobal staple PP fibers are based on a proprietary new technology from FiberVisions,
the world’s leading polyolefin fiber specialist. They are optimized for dry laid nonwoven formation
systems and are specifically designed to be converted into carded thermal bonded (CTB) fabrics.
Key advantages of the new fibers include:
•
High nonwoven tensile strength: the new trilobal fibers are engineered to provide
equivalent nonwoven fabric strength as FiberVisions’ current market-leading PP fibers for CTB
nonwovens.
•
Improved opacity: nonwovens’ producers can achieve up to 33% opacity with the
standard trilobal PP fiber and 41% opacity with the high opacity version, compared to 19% with a
traditional round PP fiber at the same basis weight. The increased surface area of the fibers
results in higher light scattering and therefore higher opacity.
•
Comfort and softness: the fiber provides improved loft and hand feel for
all-around comfort and softness, and good drapeability. It has excellent resistance to static
build-up.
•
Tailored specifications: fiber cut length, crimp and lubrication are tailored to
the needs of the application and the customer to assure excellent processability and product
quality.
As with all FiberVisions PP fibers, HY-Light / T-194 are low density fibers of 0.91 g/cm³.
This is 50% lower than polyester and 25% lower than polyamide. As a result, they support the
production of lightweight fabrics with excellent bulk and cover from lower density yarns. The
fibers offer resistance to alkalis, acids, and most organic chemicals, and have very low moisture
absorption.
“Our cost-effective trilobal staple polypropylene fibers are an exciting new addition to the
FiberVisions® portfolio, reinforcing our commitment to provide customized solutions to the
continuous challenge for cost-efficiency and performance facing nonwovens’ producers,” comments
Karena Cancilleri, Business Director Hygiene, FiberVisions.
Fine Fibers
FiberVisions® unveils its unique line of fine fibers at INDEX 2011 in support of the
industry’s evolution towards high-performance lightweight and soft nonwovens.
FiberVisions has developed cost effective polypropylene (PP) fine fiber in response to the
continuing need to make carded nonwoven fabrics more cost effective. Finer fibers allow the
nonwoven fabric manufacturers to produce lightweight fabrics maintaining fabric strength and fabric
coverage while improving fabric uniformity and softness.
Developed for drylaid, wetlaid and airlaid fiber formation, the new range of fine dtex
polypropylene (PP) staple fibers offers unmatched softness and coverage, high nonwoven tensile
strength and low density (ca. 0.9 g/cm³) for uniform, thinner and lighter nonwoven fabrics. They
also provide higher efficiency for filtration products. This creates new opportunities for
customers to source fibers from as low as 1.0 dtex to 1.7 dtex for their nonwoven applications.
Lighter products: FiberVisions fine staple fibers save on material use through the
creation of lighter-weight fabrics. For example, a 13g/m² fabric made with 1.0 dtex FiberVisions
fine fibers provides the same coverage and uniformity as a 15 g/m² fabric with a 1.2 dtex fiber and
a 20g/m² with a 2.2 dtex fiber. Commercial-scale pilot line trials confirm the excellent machine
directional and cross directional strengths in carded thermally bonded nonwoven products. The
resulting nonwovens are also much softer due to the fine fibers.
More efficient filtration: the increased surface area of the finer fibers can be
used to ensure filtration products with higher efficiency.
Flexible processing: the fibers can be thermally bonded, spunlaced, or
needlepunched or spun into a yarn. Fiber diameter, cut length, fiber cohesion and fiber surface
characteristics are tailored to customers’ needs.
FiberVisions fine staple fibers are suited to a wide range of applications including soft
coverstock, wipes, filtration, and similar applications.
“FiberVisions® fine fibers create lower basis weight fabrics and materials with enhanced
hand-feel. They have been developed in response to the continuing challenge to make fabrics thinner
and lighter without sacrificing strength and barrier properties,” comments Karena Cancilleri,
Business Director Hygiene, FiberVisions. “We are looking forward to exploring their benefits with
the nonwovens market.”
PTC Bounce Fiber
Nonwovens’ producers looking to reach new heights in resilience, bulk and softness can turn
to the new PTC Bounce fiber from ES FIBERVISIONS launched at INDEX 2011.
The bicomponent PTC polypropylene (PP) fiber with a polyester (PET) core was specifically
developed by the world-leading bicomponent fiber specialist for customers who use ultrasonic
welding to bond nonwovens.
The PET core gives PTC Bounce-based nonwovens excellent bulkiness and resilience, while the
PP sheath provides excellent bonding capabilities to the fiber. The design of the PP sheath, made
possible with FiberVisions’ expertise in PP monocomponent fibers, offers a broad bonding window.
The high melting point of PET compared to the melting point of the PP sheath further increases the
bonding temperature range and provides high heat sealing performance. The high bond strength and
ultrasonic bonding from the PP sheath allows the elimination of chemical binders in nonwovens and
consumer products.
The performance of the nonwovens is further enhanced by ES FIBERVISIONS’ advanced finish
technology suited to the end application. For example, a PTC fiber with an appropriate finish has
outstanding liquid acquisition performance.
PTC Bounce fibers are currently available in 2.2 – 6.7 dtex. Various aspects of the fibers
are customizable to the needs of the application and customer processes.
The benefits of PTC Bounce open up new performance possibilities for hygiene acquisition
distribution layers, filters, household products, medical products, and other air-through (oven)
bonded products, as well as in carded thermal bonded products.
“A key benefit of polyester bicomponent fiber is its high resiliency versus other core types.
PTC Bounce is therefore an exciting development which thanks to its processing flexibility and
performance gives nonwovens’ producers new opportunities to boost the bulkiness and resilience of
their products and achieve that all-important softness,” comments Flemming Bynge, Commercial
Director ES FIBERVISIONS EMEA.
Posted on April 12, 2011
Source: FiberVisions/ES FiberVisions
