Studies on the compressional behaviour of nonwoven fabrics: Part I- Development of a constant rate deformation tester and its comparison with Essdiel thickness tester

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;="" mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">An instrument has been designed and fabricated to study the compressional behaviour of nonwoven fabrics at a constant rate of deformation. The compressional load is measured by a load cell and the fabric deformation by a LVDT. The analog signals from the transducers are converted to the digital values using the analog-to-digital conversion card and these data are processed on a computer. The compression and recovery parameters of a wide variety of spun-bonded and needle-punched nonwoven fabrics obtained using this instrument (constant rate deformation tester) are compared with those obtained using Essdiel thickness tester. The nonwoven fabrics show lesser compressibility and recovery when tested on CRD tester. Except the heat-sealed spunbonded fabrics, all nonwoven fabrics show higher energy loss when compression testing is carried out on Essdiel thickness tester.</span>