Recent Developments with Acrylic Fibers: Nonwovens Applications, 1993 Nonwovens Conference Proceedings

Robert E. Evans, Daniel F. Crean

Historically, acrylic fibers have been overlooked in, the development of nonwovens. However, the last decade has seen both a change in the fiber needs of the nonwovens producers and a major emphasis by several acrylic producers to develop higher performance acrylic fibers and new fiber architectures for specific industrial and technical applications. This paper presents a general industry overview of the technology and applications of both conventional and second generation acrylic fibers as well as newly developed acrylic pulps and fibrillated fibers. Conventional acrylic “textile-type” fibers are beginning to find particular application as a rayon substitute. They provide greater coverage than rayon and polyester because of their lower specific gravity. Other attributes include rapid liquid transport and wicking. Special acrylic fibers, such as microdenier and ribbon-shaped fibers, have recently become available that can provide improved filtration efficiency, improved wicking, improved softness and enhanced thermal insulation characteristics. New bicomponent acrylics are being used to make high loft nonwovens. Second generation acrylic fiber forms are becoming available in the industry for high modulus/high strength reinforcement, high moisture adsorption, controlled porosity and controlled release, reverse osmosis, reduced static charge, and, in a thermally stabilized form, for high temperature applications. Fibrillated acrylic fibers and acrylic pulps have been recently developed which provide high surface area, high efficiency mechanical binding and tensile strength in wet-laid nonwovens. It is an objective of this discussion to provide the reader with sufficient information to permit his further consideration and evaluation of acrylic fibers and pulps in specialty nonwoven applications.