Effect of loading behaviour on compressional property of needle-punched nonwoven fabric

Abstract

An attempt has been made to understand the effect of different testing parameters on compressional behaviour of needle-punched nonwoven fabric. These parameters are repeated compression-recovery cycles (0-200 kPa), ultimate load (50, 100 and 200 kPa), duration after loading or unloading (up to 6 min with 200 kPa), rate of deformation (1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mm/min) and testing principles (constant rate of loading or compression). It is found that most of the changes in the compressional properties take place in the first and second compression cycles.In all the cycles, compression parameter (α) and recovery parameter (β) of polypropylene and jute-polypropylene blended fabrics are higher than jute fabric. There is no effect of ultimate compressional pressures selected in this experiment on different compressional parameters. Type of testing principle also affects the extent of compressibility and recovery. As the rate of deformation increases, α, β and energy loss decrease initially and then remain unaltered. When compressional pressure is applied on needle-punched fabric, there is an instantaneous compression and after that thickness loss increases with time in diminishing rate. The thickness loss stabilizes after reaching to maximum which is 55-60% for jute and wet jute, 83% for jute/polypropylene and 92% for polypropylene. Recovery from compression also follows the similar trend. These information will be useful in the real situations where different magnitude and nature of compressional load is applied on needle-punched nonwoven fabrics.