Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a new material whose properties are ideal for medical devices such as masks and bandages. It is also more environmentally friendly than currently used materials.
Using nonwovens (fabrics made by joining fibers without weaving or knitting), the team led by Gajanan Bhat was able to create flexible, breathable and absorbent composite materials that are ideal for medical devices. The inclusion of cotton also makes the resulting material comfortable on the skin (an important factor for medical purposes) and easier to compost, making it more environmentally friendly than similar products currently on the market.
In his laboratory at the Northern Riverbend Research Laboratory, Professor Gajanan Bhat demonstrates how elastic nonwovens can be wrapped and used as medical dressings. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/University of Georgia)
With funding from the USDA, the researchers tested various combinations of cotton and nonwovens, as well as original nonwovens, for properties such as breathability, water absorption and stretchability. Composite fabrics performed well in tests, providing good breathability, greater water absorption and good tensile recovery, meaning they can withstand repeated use.
The demand for nonwovens has been growing in recent years, and the market value is expected to reach US$77 billion in 2027, according to a report from Acumen Research and Consulting. Nonwovens are widely used in household products such as diapers, feminine hygiene products, and air and water filters. They are waterproof, flexible, breathable, and their ability to filter air makes them ideal for medical use.
“Some of these products that are used for biomedical purposes, such as patches and bandages, require some stretching and recovery after stretching. But because they come into contact with the body, using cotton can actually be beneficial, says the Family and Consumer College. Services said Barth, chair of the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interior Design, who co-authored the paper with a current graduate student. Students D. Partha Sikdar (first author) and Shafiqul Islam.
Although cotton is not as stretchy as non-woven fabric, it is more absorbent and softer, making it more comfortable to wear. Cotton is also a major crop in Georgia and an important part of the state’s economy. The USDA is always looking for new uses for cotton, and Barth suggested they “combine stretchable nonwovens with cotton to create something that’s high in cotton content and stretchy.”
Professor Gajanan Bhat tests stretchable nonwovens using a permeability tester in his laboratory at Riverbend North Research Laboratories. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/University of Georgia)
Barth, who specializes in nonwovens, believes the resulting material could retain the desired properties of nonwovens while being easier to handle and compostable.
To test the properties of the composites, Bhat, Sikdar and Islam combined cotton with two types of nonwovens: spunbond and meltblown. Spunbond nonwovens contain coarser fibers and are generally more resilient, while melt extruded nonwovens contain finer fibers and have better filtration properties.
“The idea was, ‘What combination will give us good results?’” Butt said. “You want it to have some stretch recovery, but also be breathable and have some wicking ability.”
The research team prepared nonwovens of varying thicknesses and combined them with one or two sheets of cotton fabric, resulting in 13 varieties for testing.
Tests have shown that the composite material has improved water absorption compared to the original non-woven material, while maintaining good breathability. Composite materials absorb 3-10 times more water than non-cotton fabrics. The composite also preserves the ability of nonwovens to recover from stretching, allowing them to accommodate spontaneous movements without deformation.
The process of making composite nonwovens can use lower-quality cotton and sometimes even waste or recycled cotton from the production of products such as T-shirts and bed sheets, says Barth, professor of fibers and textiles at the Georgia Athletic Association. Thus, the resulting product is more environmentally friendly and cheaper to produce.
The study was published in the journal Industrial Textiles. Co-authors are Doug Hinchliffe and Brian Condon of the USDA Southern Regional Research Center.
Post time: Jan-23-2024