Analysis of Effect of Heat-Setting Temperatures on Crimp Parameters in Polypropylene Single-Fibres via Favimat-Robot

Abstract

The study on the effects of heat-setting temperature on crimp parameters of Polypropylene (PP) single-fibres was initiated by a non-woven manufacturing industry. The study is therefore important as it is addresses the real need raised by the industry to have a better comprehension of effects of heat-setting temperatures  in order to optimize and develop a superior end-product. The exploratory research was conducted on non-conventional single-fibre tester Favimat-Robot (Technico), Germany at the Textile Physical testing Laboratory of Vakgroep Textielkunde Universiteit Gent (Ghent University), Belgium. Testing of PP single-fibres was limited to the following crimp parameters: Crimp Force, Crimp Length, Crimp Extension, Crimp Amplitude and Number of Crimps per cm. The collected data was statistically analyzed by the Analysis of Variance test ANOVA, using STATGRAPHICS Centurion XVI.II software, while chart was generated using Microsoft excel program. Major findings of this study reviled that all crimp parameters show a high variation. The study also revealed that the Number of Crimps per cm is increasing with increased temperature, while Crimp Length and Crimp Amplitude are decreasing with increased temperature. From the results it can be also concluded that neither of heat-setting temperatures had a clear effect on Crimp Force and on Crimp Extension. Two crimp parameters-Crimp Extension and Number of Crimps per cm-showed statistically significant difference. For more definite conclusions, the study recommends, in further research-experiments, to break the temperature-range into smaller segments, and to increase subject-temperature from two to five, by incorporating 125,130 and 135^o C.

Keywords: single fibre, Polypropylene, crimp, Favimat, testing.