Effect of Melt Jet Spinning Process on Poly(lactic acid) Disposable Nonwoven Fabric Production

In the light of marine microplastic pollution and mounting environmental degradation, this research proposes biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nonwoven fabric produced by novel melt jet spinning technology under various process conditions. In the study, the die temperature was varied at 210, 230, and 250 °C and the die-to-collector distance was varied between 30, 60, 90, and 120 cm. The performance metrics included fiber diameter, fiber crystallinity, fabric weight, air permeability, and contact angle. The results revealed that the optimal die temperature was 250 °C. At 250 °C, the fibers were of fine size with high crystallinity, independent of collector distances. Specifically, the die-to-collector distance, given the optimal die temperature, had negligible effect on the fiber diameter and crystallinity. On the other hand, the collector distance played a role in the nonwoven fabric characteristics. The collector distance was positively correlated with the elongation at break and air permeability but inversely correlated with the fabric density and tensile strength. The fabric contact angles were found to be in the range of 124–130 °, indicating the hydrophobicity of PLA nonwoven fabric. Essentially, the novelty of this research lies in the use of biodegradable PLA polymers, as opposed to conventional petroleum-based non-biodegradable polymers; and melt jet spinning technology to realize fine microfibers (1–10 µm).