Bicomponent fibers can be defined as “extruding two polymers from the same spinneret with both polymers contained within the same filament

1. "BICOMPONENT FIBERS "
BY
Presented By:- Amal Ray
Roll No:-02
Stream:-MTT
GUIDED BY-Sajal Burman
GETTS, Serampore

2. BICOMPONENT FIBERS
Bicomponent fibers can be
defined as “extruding two
polymers from the same
spinneret with both
polymers contained within
the same filament

3. FIBERS
- Poly propylene/polyethylene
The fiber has a low-melt component
(polyethylene) and a high melt component
(polypropylene).

4. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
POLYPROPYLENE / POLYETHYLENE
BICOMPONENT FIBERS
• Very lightweight (PP and polyethylene
fibers have the lowest specific gravity of
all fibers)
• Very soft and very comfortable
• Thermally bondable
• Able to give good bulk and cover

5. • Quick drying
• Low static
• Strong
• Dry hand; it transports body moisture from
the skin
• Resistant to deterioration from chemicals,
mildew, perspiration, rot and weather
(Sunlight resistant)
• Stain and soil resistant

6. Line diagram of bicomponent
fibre production

7. Bicomponent Configurations
• Most commercially available bicomponent fibers
are configured in a sheath / core, side-by-side, or
eccentric sheath / core arrangement.
Sheath / Core Side by Side Eccentric Sheath / Core

8. Bicomponent Fiber Capabilities
• Thermal bonding
• Self bulking
• Very fine fibers
• Unique cross sections
• The functionality of special polymers or
additives at reduced cost

9. BACKGROUND
- Dupont introduced the first commercial
bicomponent application in the mid 1960s
- In the 1970s, various bicomponent fibers began to
be made in Asia, notably in Japan.
- In 1989, a novel approach was developed using
thin flat plates with holes and grooves to route the
polymers.

10. PRODUCERS
- Japan and Korea led in bicomponent output
with a total of 200 million
- The production of the U.S. is currently
around 60 million pounds
- production of bicomponent fibers
worldwide is only a fraction of the 25
million metric tons of manmade fiber

11. POLYMERS
PET (polyester) PEN polyester
Nylon 6,6 PCT polyester
Polypropylene PBT polyester
Nylon 6 co-polyamides
Polylactic acid polystyrene
Acetal polyurethane
Soluble co polyester HDPE, LLDPE

12. - The main objective of producing Bicomponent
fibers is to exploit capabilities not existing in
either polymer alone
- Bicomponent fibers are commonly classified by
their fiber cross-section structures as side-by-side,
sheath-core, islands-in-the-sea and citrus fibers or
segmented-pie cross-section types
PRODUCTION AND CLASSIFICATION

13. POLYMER BLENDS
Several criteria are used to define the nature of
polyblends:
• Miscibility or compatibility
• Phase diagrams
• Relative moduli of the components
• The classification also depends on the polyblend
method of manufacture (melt, solution and
emulsion mixing).

14. POLYMER BLENDS
– SIDE –BY-SIDE (S/S)
– SHEATH-CORE (S/C) FIBERS
(CONCENTRIC or ECENTRIC)
– MATRIX-FIBRIL BICOMPONENT
FIBERS (ISLAND /SEA)
– SEGMENTED PIE STRUCTURE
(PIE WEDGE)

15. SIDE –BY-SIDE (S/S)
Side-by-Side, Trilobal
Cross-Section

16. SHEATH-CORE (S/C) FIBERS
Round Cross-Section
Trilobal Cross-Section

17. MATRIX-FIBRIL BICOMPONENT FIBERS
(ISLAND/SEA)
Islands-in-the-Sea, 64 Islands

18. PIE WEDGE OR PIE STRUCTURE
• made of sixteen adjoining
"pie wedges".
• Each pie wedge of polymer
A is flanked on both sides by
a polymer B.

19. SEGMENTED PIE STRUCTURE
Sixteen Segment Hollow Pie

20. SEGMENTED PIE STRUCTURE

21. SEGMENTED PIE STRUCTURE

22. POLYMER BLENDS
– HOMOGENITY OF BLENDS
– HETEROGENEOUS BLENDS
– MODULI OF THE COMPONENTS
– RHEOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF
BICOMPONENT FIBER PRODUCTION

23. Bicomponent fibers are actually being
applied in the production of :
1) Microfibers (hygiene)
2) Conductive fibers
3) Antimicrobial textiles
4) Auto crimp fibres
5) Elastic fibres
6) Composites
7) Non-wovens

24. APPLICATIONS IN NONWOVENS
Bicomponent fibers made of PP/PE are important material
in the nonwoven market. The main applications include:
• Nonwoven fabrics for diapers, feminine care and adult
incontinence products (as top sheet, back sheet, leg cuffs,
elastic waistband, transfer layers).
• Air-laid nonwoven structures are used as absorbent cores
in wet wipes.
• Used in spun laced nonwoven products like medical
disposable textiles, filtration products.

25. CONCLUSIONS
- Bicomponent technology, microdenier fibers with a dpf
of less than 0.2 can now be produced and processed
economically and in large quantities.
- The industry is no longer limited in fiber dpf to the
lowest homopolymer denier that can be spun or
processed into fabric with reasonable yields.
- It is expected that exciting new products will be
constantly discovered using this technology in the next
decade.

26. Questionaire….. ?

27. THANKS