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Development of non woven from Alfa fibres

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 International Conference of Applied Research in Textile
Monastir, Tunisia © CIRAT-5, 2013

Development of non woven from Alfa fibres

Mohamed Taher HALIMI, Mohamed Ben Hassen, Faouzi SAKLI

Textile engineering Laboratory, ISET of Ksar Hellal, Monatir University Tunisia

Abstract

Natural fibers are nowadays increasingly employed for making nonwovens, replacing the synthetic materials due to
economic and/or environmental considerations. Extracted alfa fibres present satisfying mechanical properties that alloy it
to be an important source for nonwoven textiles materials. The purpose of this study is to show the feasibility to of
making nonwoven textiles with alfa fibre. Therefore, alfa fibre was blended with other fibre: cotton, polyester, Tencel
and wool. Webs are prepared using modified cotton or wool cards in regular width. Then the needling is used to
consolidate the fibrous structure. These non woven can lead to different useable products in order to improve the alfa
fibre added value.

Keywords: Nonwoven, Value-added product, natural fibres

1. INTRODUCTION

The non woven fabrics are exploited in large
number of exploitation such as membrane
(Young.Ju. Yeo, 2005), reinforcing fibres
(R.N.Kumar, 2005), biomedical devices (J.Meng,
2006) and scaffold for tissue engineering
(X.Viala, 2009). Raw materials used in non
woven products vary greatly, covering the entire
spectrum from synthetic to natural fibre. Besides,
current research all over the word is concerned
with the development of new uses and added
value to farm and forestry products for greater
economic benefits.
An attempt has been made to study the effect of
Alfa fiber portion on the non-woven properties. It
is also intended to optimise non-woven quality
using maximum alfa fiber portion.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1Alfa fibre extraction
To extract fibres from the organic matrix, three
techniques were investigated. Firstly, fibers were
manually extracted after cutting the leaf.

Alfa fibres are extracted from the plant Stippa

tenaciss-ma, or esparto grass (alfa is the Arab
name for esparto), and grows in the dry regions of
North Africa (M.C. Paiva, 2003). These fibres are
mostly used in the production of paper. Given that
this plant is very available in Tunisia and in order
to make it a successful alternative crop, it must be
incorporated into value-added products such as
nonwoven for domestic textiles materials.

In addition, with needle-punching, the needle

gauge, the needling density, the needle Figure 1: Alfa after chemical treatment.
penetration and the passage number have an
important affect on the nonwoven thickness,
After this, leaves were submitted to caustic soda
weight and tensile properties (S.J.Russel,
during two hours, then to bleaching treatment.
2006;O.I.Chiparus, 2004). Obviously, the fibre
After this chemical treatment, technical fibers
quality has an important effect on the nonwoven
were not sufficiently separated. For this reason,
properties. Many published papers have discussed
leaves were processed in a mechanical treatment
the use of natural fibres in nonwoven (Gita.N,
using the trash tester Shireley Analyser during
2003). One of the limitations of the extensive use
four passages (Figures: 1-2).
of natural fibers in nonwovens is their low
strength if the web is not bonded with a screen of
synthetic fibers .

The purpose of this study is to show the feasibility

to of making nonwoven textiles with alfa fibre.

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3. TESTING AND EVALUATION

Non woven characterisation was done according

to standard ISO recommended methods, included
breaking strength and elongation (ISO 13934-1),
weight (ISO 9073), thickness (ISO 5084), air
permeability (ISO 9237) and the adiathermic
property (NF G 07-107). Weight and thickness
were determined using ten replications of die-cut
square samples taken at random, conditioned in
standard atmosphere and weighed. Average of
ten test results has been reported in figures. Air
Figure 2: Analyser shireley. permeability was tested with the air flow going
2.2 Materials properties and mixture through the non woven with a defined pressure
The overall properties of non woven are mainly and during a given time. Ten replications in each
related on raw material properties and the directions (MD: machine direction, CD: cross
manufacturing process. In order to improve fibres direction) were done for each fabric and
cohesion, Alfa fibres were mixed with different characteristics.
fibres types: cotton, polyester, tinsel and wool. In
total, the proportion of alfa fibre in non woven 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
takes seven levels varying from 0% to 60%.
2.3 Preparation of Needle-punched Non-woven A non woven is characterised by different
Fabric structure parameters such as: weight, thickness,
The processing steps and machinery used are air permeability…Which depend essentially on
shown in Figure 3. The opener supplies regularly machine parameters such as needle gauge, punch
the card and assures the raw material opening and density and depth needle penetration (S.Russel,
cleaning. The fibre mixtures were run through the 2006). In addition, the modification of one
opener two times in order to improve the parameter affects directly the non woven
homogeneity of the blend. structure.
4.1. Measurement of physical properties
The non woven made were approximately 214-
Opener 247 g/m2 with an average thickness of 1.5 mm. In
practical experience, we would like to avoid
thickness and weight variation especially for the
same material blend to could compare results
Card (Table 1). The slight variation for these two
parameters can be explained by the stretching
during needle-punching. For this reason,
machinery parameters are chosen carefully.
Cross-lapper Table 1 : Thickness and weight
Alfa Weight (g/m2)
portion Alfa/PES Alfa/Co Alfa/Tin Alfa/Wo
Mean 220.51 215.04 206.96 351.66
Needleloom 0
CV(%) 2.13 2.44 1.78 0.66
Mean 255.46 288.88 191.33 360.8
20
CV(%) 1.11 4.73 1.90 3.91
Mean 252.06 205.33 188.79 378.65
Winder 40
CV(%) 3.56 1.77 4.26 1.53
Mean 287.30 202.01 201.34 391.7
60
Figure 3: Non woven process CV(%) 1.34 2.98 4.13 4.79
Width (mm)
Mean 1.58 1.41 1.59 1.85
0
CV(%) 1.99 3.80 3.00 3.51
Mean 1.60 1.37 1.75 1.39
20
CV(%) 4.67 3.25 2.01 4.01
Mean 1.53 1.23 1.45 1.85
40
CV(%) 2.20 2.97 3.81 1.66
Mean 1.52 1.52 1.66 1.49
60
Figure 4: Non wovens from CV(%) 3.13 1.80 4.03 2.01
PES: Polyester, Co: Cotton, Tin:Tensel, Wo: Wool.

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nonwoven elongation decreases by 22%, 9%,

28% and 27%, respectively.
Table 2 : Air permeability and adiathermic property
Alfa Air permeabily (l/m2/s) Machine direction Cross direction
portion

Tensile  strength (N.cm3/g)
Alfa/PES Alfa/Co Alfa/Tin Alfa/Wo
2,5
Mean 935.2 1133.6 1301.2 3424
0
CV(%) 3.09 44.27 3.19 2.58 2
Mean 877.1 1052.2 1052.2 2571
20 1,5
CV(%) 2.86 1.61 3.12 4.19
Mean 1293 1199.5 1620 2363 1
40
CV(%) 4.62 3.49 2.62 4.07 0,5
Mean 1442 1169.2 1642 2782
60 0
CV(%) 4.77 1.97 3.50 4.18
Adiathermic property (%) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Mean 50.39 42.50 43.93 52.60 Alfa portion (%)
0
CV(%) 3.24 4.44 1.46 3.13
Mean 50.39 45.45 42.14 49.28
20 Figure 5: The effect of Alfa fibre portion on the
CV(%) 3.35 2.68 3.33 1.09
Mean 45.45 42.98 39.85 45.26
nonwoven tensile strength Alfa/Tincel.
40
CV(%) 4.14 4.12 2.17 4.05 Machine direction
Mean 50.31 38.88 37.88 43.77 Cross direction
60 230
CV(%) 1.11 4.33 2.18 1.13
210
Elongation (%)
Table 2 shows that the air permeability increases
190
with the alfa fibre portion in the nonwoven. These
results can be explained by the finesse fibre 170
difference. In addition, alfa fibre are more coarse
then the other fibre which generate more and 150
more pores in the fabric structure.The adiathermic 130
property reflects the thermal fabric resistance and
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
radiance characteristics especially used in Alfa portion (%)
clothing industries and sportswear’s.

4.2. Measurement of tensile properties
4.2.1 Tensile strength
Figures 5 shows the effect of alfa portion on the
non woven tensile strenhth. In the two directions,
results indicate that non woven tensile strength
was largely affected when alfa portion passes
from 0% to 60%. In addition, Alfa is a strong,
coarse but stiff fibre with very low extensibility,
which can degrade at once strength and
elongation (Figure 6). On the other hand two
phenomenon have to be taken into account to
Figure 6: The effect of Alfa fibre portion on the
nonwoven elongation:Alfa/Tincel.
4.2.3 Compression
The compression test is the following: the
sample is first compressed up to 50% of its initial
thickness then decompressed at the same speed
until the plates are back to their initial locations,
then 10s rest is given to the sample in order to
recover. This cycle is repeated 5times.
ALFA/PES ALFA/COTON
ALFA/TENCEL ALFA/LAINE

improve non woven strength. Firstly, during 0,014

Maximum load(MPa)

penetration of barbed needles, which rearrange 0,012

some fibres from horizontal position to vertical 0,01

position. Secondly, breakage of fibres during 0,008
needling is an important phenomenon, which 0,006
controls not only the tensile behaviour but also
0,004
the tracking behaviour of fabric.
0,002
4.2.2. Elongation
0
Results, from figures 6, indicate that the
nonwoven elongation decreases by 6 %, 13%, 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
16% and 27% for the machine direction Alfa portion  (%)
respectively for the blends: Alfa/PES,
Alfa/Cotton, Alfa/Tinsel and Alfa/ Wool, when Figure 7: The effect of Alfa fibre portion on the
the alfa portion passes from 0% to 60 %. For the nonwoven elongation:Alfa/Tincel.
same blends variation and the cross direction, the Results from figure 7 show that maximum load
increase with alfa portion in non woven. In
addition, with more alfa fiber, we have to provide

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 CIRAT-5
more stress to compress the non woven. During
the test, the time, the displacement and the
applied force to the plate are measured.
5. CONCLUSION
This study emphasizes the use of alfa fibre in non
woven which can lead to different useable
products in order to improve its added value. In
addition, alfa fibres can be blended with other
textile fibre such as cotton, polyester, tencel or
wool. The mixtures can be carded on a cotton or
wool card with proper adjustments. The resultant
web can be successfully cross-lapped and finally
needle-punched or calandered in one operation.
The non woven can be used as a comfort liner in
motorcycle helmet or composite reinforcement or
in many domestic textiles materials.
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force maximale et de l'allongement à la force
maximale par la méthode sur bande.
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