ABSTRACT

Needlepunched nonwoven substrates are known to be weaker as the bonding mechanism is basically fiber interlocking. One method of enhancing the strength of needlepunched nonwoven a fabric is to compliment the needlepunching operation with the thermalbonding operation. The thermalbonding operation is basically melting the low melt polymer fibers that have been mixed with the base substrate before the needlepunching operation. To have a uniform distribution of low melt fibers in the web, it is important to have the blending done manually and then subsequently in the hopper feeder of the needlepunching line. The present study elaborates the results on the thermalbonding of cotton webs. Two different blend proportions have been used in the study.