Physical hydrophilic treatment: the innovative road of hydrophilic super soft PP spunbond nonwovens

Physical hydrophilic treatment technology is an environmentally friendly and efficient surface modification method. It uses physical means to treat the surface of the material at the micro-nano scale, thereby changing its surface properties. In the production process of hydrophilic super soft PP spunbond nonwovens, physical hydrophilic treatment technology mainly includes three methods: plasma treatment, ultraviolet treatment and laser treatment.

Plasma is an ionized gas composed of electrons, ions, neutral atoms and molecules, with high energy density and high reactivity. During the plasma treatment process, the nonwoven fabric is placed in a plasma environment, and high-energy particles (such as electrons and ions) collide with the fiber molecules on the surface of the nonwoven fabric, resulting in the breaking and recombination of chemical bonds. In this process, free radicals may be formed on the fiber surface. These free radicals can react with oxygen, water molecules, etc. in the air to generate hydrophilic groups such as hydroxyl and carboxyl, thereby enhancing the hydrophilicity of the nonwoven fabric.

The advantages of plasma treatment are fast processing speed, high efficiency, and surface modification without introducing additional chemicals. However, plasma treatment may also have a certain impact on the physical properties of non-woven fabrics, such as reduced strength and increased surface roughness, so parameters need to be optimized according to specific application requirements.

Ultraviolet treatment is a method of modifying the surface of materials using the photochemical effect of ultraviolet rays. Under ultraviolet irradiation, the fiber molecules on the surface of non-woven fabrics absorb light energy, break and reorganize chemical bonds, and form new chemical bonds or functional groups. These new functional groups are often hydrophilic, thereby improving the hydrophilic properties of non-woven fabrics.

Ultraviolet treatment has the advantages of simple operation, low cost, environmental protection and pollution-free. However, the effect of ultraviolet treatment is often affected by factors such as light source type, irradiation intensity, and irradiation time, and the treatment depth is limited, mainly acting on the surface of the material within a few nanometers to tens of nanometers. Therefore, for non-woven materials with thicker thickness, it may be necessary to extend the treatment time or increase the number of treatments to achieve the ideal hydrophilic effect.

Laser treatment is the use of the high energy density and precision of the laser beam to process and modify the surface of the material at the micro-nano scale. During the laser treatment process, the laser beam is focused on the surface of the non-woven fabric, generating a high-temperature and high-pressure plasma environment, which causes the chemical bonds on the fiber surface to break and reorganize. At the same time, the laser beam can also form micro-nano structures on the surface of the material, such as grooves and holes. These structures increase the specific surface area of ​​the material surface, which is conducive to the adsorption and diffusion of water molecules, thereby improving the hydrophilicity of the non-woven fabric.

The advantages of laser treatment are high processing accuracy, strong controllability, and surface modification without damaging the overall performance of the material. However, the cost of laser processing equipment is high and the processing efficiency is relatively low, which limits its application in large-scale industrial production.

Physical hydrophilic treatment technology has significant advantages in the production of hydrophilic ultra-soft PP spunbond non-woven fabrics. First, this technology does not require the introduction of additional chemicals, avoiding environmental pollution and safety hazards that may be caused by chemical treatment. Secondly, physical hydrophilic treatment can achieve precise modification of the material surface without changing the overall performance of the material, meeting the requirements of material performance in different application fields. In addition, physical hydrophilic treatment also has the advantages of fast processing speed, high efficiency, and simple operation, which is conducive to reducing production costs and improving production efficiency.

Physical hydrophilic treatment technology also faces some challenges. First, the scope of application and effects of different physical treatment methods vary, and the appropriate treatment method needs to be selected according to specific application requirements. Secondly, the modification depth of the material surface by physical hydrophilic treatment is limited, and it mainly acts on the surface within a few nanometers to tens of nanometers. For thicker materials, multiple treatments may be required to achieve the ideal hydrophilic effect. In addition, the cost of physical hydrophilic treatment equipment is high, and a certain amount of energy consumption and waste may be generated during the treatment process, which requires further optimization and improvement.