9:00 am - 11:30 am
Innovative Components & Concepts
Fundamentals of Fiber in Fluid Movement
Absorbent hygiene products such as diapers and sanitary pads have been a
necessity for centuries. As products have evolved from being comprised of
grasses and animal furs through various other materials and forms, one thing
has remained constant, the need for fibers (elongated elements) of one kind
or another. The use of cellulose fibers in absorbent hygiene products dates
back to the early 20th century, when nurses began using wood pulp bandages
to make sanitary pads. During World War II the original use of creped
cellulose tissue in diapers began, as an alternative to cotton cloth diapers
since cotton was needed in the war effort as a raw material for “gun cotton”
(nitrocellulose explosives). This began the evolution of the disposable
products, in some cases relying on up to 60-70 grams or more of cellulose
fibers to absorb liquid and reduce leakage.
As time progressed, airlaid applications and superabsorbent polymers were
introduced, and cellulose fibers usage decreased. Although usage decreased,
cellulose fibers provide fundamental attributes (based on their shape and
hydrophilicity) in absorbent hygiene products that are difficult to obtain by
SAP, synthetic fibers and nonwovens from same. Now, over a century later,
absorbent hygiene products have evolved and cellulose fibers remain a key
sustainable raw material offering properties such as absorbency, wicking, dry
and wet strength. In addition to intrinsic properties of native cellulose fibers,
fluff pulp producers have extended and added new features to meet
consumer demands such as comfort, odor control, skin wellness, and more.
This presentation will explore the science of fluid-flow, the physical
processes that govern mass transport of liquid (especially against the “arch
enemies”, gravity and pressure) and the fundamental requirement for “fibershaped”
elements in effective product designs.