2002 - Volume 1 - JEFF. Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics

Table 6
ABSORPTIVE PROPERTIES OF TERNARY MIXTURES: WOOD PULP, SAP AND SF
Content, % Absorbtion Retention, AC rm
Capacity, AC, g/g g/g
Wood pulp SAP PP PES time 360s
Exp. Acc. Exp. Acc.
80
15 5 - 19.2 20.9 13.5 15.0
10 10 - 20.9 19.4 14.3 14.0
5 15 - 18.6 17.9 12.2 13.0
10 - 10 20.5 20.5 15.0 14.8
70
10 10 - 21.4 21.6 14.6 12.7
15 15 - 20.8 20.1 14.1 14.7
10 20 - 20.1 18.6 14.4 13.8
20 - 10 22.4 22.5 17.9 16.6
15 - 15 23.7 22.4 18.5 16.9
10 - 20 23.3 22.9 17.2 15.4
60
30 10 - 23.3 23.8 17.4 17.6
20 20 - 20.7 20.8 14.8 15.6
10 30 - 18.3 17.8 13.8 13.6
20 - 20 24.1 23.8 17.3 17.2
Coefficient correlation (r) 0.94 0.84
increase of the quantity of SAP in the mixture. The coefficient
correlation of the accounted and experimental values
AC is high (r=0.91) at the long period of time, at the initial
period of time it is low (r=0.21). PP and PES fibers influence
equally on the AC of the mixtures with SAP in the free state,
but after wringing the assembly with PES fiber retains more
liquid than with PP due to its physico-mechanical properties.
Thus, it may be concluded that the independent behavior of
the components of the mixture in the state of completed
absorption of liquid permits to use the synthetic fibers in the
mixture with SAP for production of the core for the incontinence
pads.
Absorptive properties of the ternary mixture: wood pulp,
SAP and synthetic fibers
The values of AC and ACrm for the ternary mixtures of
wood pulp, SAP and PP or PES fibers are presented in the
Table 6. The data in Table 6 show that AC of the ternary mixtures,
containing 80% wood pulp, varies insignificantly by
the variation of the content SAP from 5 till 15% and ratio
SAP/SF from 3:1 till 1:3. The ternary mixtures, containing as
base 70% wood pulp, behave in the same manner: the change
of the content SAP from 10 till 20% by ratio SAP /SF 2:1 –
1:2 is not accompanied by the significant change of AC as in
the presence of PP so of PES fibers. Nevertheless PES fibers
cause the increase of AC and ACrm as compared to PP due to
the ability of PES to form the physical structure more
resilient and stable in the wet state. The influence of the quantity
of SAP on AC of the ternary mixtures, containing 60%
wood pulp, is more significant than for the preliminary ones:
the reduction of the content of SAP from 30 till 10% is
accompanied by the decrease of AC to 20%.
It should be noted that the absorptive behavior of the mixture,
containing 70% wood pulp, at least depends on the variation
of the quantity of SAP and ratio SAP/SF, what may be
the basis for the appraisement of this ratio as optimal.
The comparison of the accounted and experimental values
of AC, determined for the period of time 360s, that are presented
in the Table 6, show that there is concordance with the
results shown in the previous divisions of the article for the
double mixtures of wood pulp, SAP and synthetic fibers. All
the components of the mixture behave independently in the
process of absorption, swelling and retaining of liquid and do
not disturb in the absorption of liquid to one another.
In the commercial incontinence pads the absorbing layer
may contain diminutive quantity of binder and may be treated
by pressure or high temperature during the process production
for enhancing of transporting ability of the core. This
treatment influences on the absorption capacity of the core.
Therefore the absorptive properties of the absorbing layer
(wood pulp and SAP) from the area of the crotch in the commercial
pad were evaluated in the free state and under pressure
without and with addition of the synthetic fibers. The
results, presented in Table 7, show that the addition of 30%
PP fibers to the core does not change its AC, simultaneously
PES and PA fibers provoke the growth of the absorption and
retention capacity of the absorbing layer without and under
pressure. Besides the addition of SF is accompained by the
INJ Spring 2002 15