With the advancement of consumption and industrial upgrading, single performance wet non-woven fabrics are no longer able to meet the needs of medical protection, hygiene care, high-end filtration and other fields. The introduction of functional fibers endows wet non-woven fabrics with special properties such as antibacterial, moisture wicking, flame retardant, and filtering, continuously expanding their application boundaries. However, the dispersion, compatibility, and cost control issues of functional fibers in wet production have also become key constraints on their large-scale application. This article will systematically review the application scenarios of functional fibers in wet non-woven fabrics, deeply analyze the challenges faced, and propose feasible solutions.
Functional fiber empowered wet non-woven fabric: application scenarios and cases
Functional fibers, through their unique composition or structure, combined with the advantages of wet processes, have given rise to a series of high value-added products. At present, the mature applications mainly focus on the following five directions:
1. Antibacterial fiber: the “first line of defense” for protecting health
Antibacterial wet non-woven fabric has a strong demand in fields such as medical dressings, baby wipes, and feminine hygiene products, with the core relying on the antibacterial ability of antibacterial fibers. Common antibacterial fibers include:
Silver ion composite fiber: By loading nano silver ions on the surface of fibers such as polyester and viscose, the antibacterial effect of silver ions on bacterial cell membranes is achieved, and the antibacterial rate against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus can reach over 99%. A certain medical material enterprise uses silver ion adhesive fiber to produce wet medical dressings, which can effectively reduce the risk of infection in wound care, with a product premium of up to 40%.
Natural antibacterial fibers: Bamboo fibers, hemp fibers, and other natural fibers contain bamboo quinone and polyphenolic substances that have natural antibacterial properties and good biocompatibility. A wet wet wipes produced by a certain enterprise in Zhejiang using bamboo fiber as raw material do not require the addition of chemical antibacterial agents, with a bacteriostatic rate of 90%, and are highly favored by the mother and baby market.
Antibacterial modified fiber: A modified fiber made by adding antibacterial agents (such as quaternary ammonium salts, zinc oxide) during the fiber spinning process, which has a long-lasting antibacterial effect and is not easily detached. Adding 15% -20% antibacterial modified polyester to the wet non-woven fabric used for elderly care pads can extend the product’s lifespan and reduce odor generation.
2. Moisture absorbing and sweat wicking fibers: the “core engine” that enhances comfort
In scenarios such as sports hygiene products and medical protective clothing liners, the moisture wicking performance directly affects the user experience. This type of functional fiber mainly achieves moisture management through the “core absorption effect”:
Irregular cross-section fibers: such as trilobite and cross shaped polyester fibers, the grooves formed on the surface can quickly dissipate moisture. A wet motion towel cloth produced by a certain enterprise by mixing cross shaped polyester and wood pulp fibers in a 3:7 ratio has a 50% increase in moisture absorption rate and a 30% reduction in drying time compared to ordinary products.
Hydrophilic hydrophobic composite fiber: adopts a composite structure of “hydrophilic core layer+hydrophobic skin layer”, where the core layer absorbs water and diffuses and evaporates through the skin layer. Adding 25% hydrophilic and hydrophobic composite adhesive fibers to the wet non-woven fabric used for medical protective clothing lining can effectively avoid the stuffiness and heat sensation of medical staff wearing it for a long time.
3. Filter fiber: an efficient barrier for precise interception
Wet non-woven fabric, with its advantages of uniform fibers and controllable pores, has shown outstanding performance in the fields of air filtration and liquid filtration. The introduction of filter fibers further enhances interception efficiency
Ultra fine fibers: Ultra fine polyester and nylon fibers with a diameter of 0.5-5 μ m, which enhance the filtration capacity for PM2.5 and bacteria by increasing the specific surface area and porosity. A wet air filter cloth produced by a certain enterprise using ultrafine polyester fibers has a filtration efficiency of 99.97% for 0.3 μ m particles and can be used for high-end air purifiers.
Static Electrified Fiber: By subjecting polypropylene, polyester, and other fibers to static electrostatic treatment, charged particles are adsorbed using electrostatic force to improve filtration efficiency without increasing airflow resistance. Wet process polar non-woven fabric used for the middle layer of masks, with a filtration efficiency 20% -30% higher than ordinary products, and better breathability.
Functional adsorption fibers: fibers loaded with activated carbon and molecular sieves, capable of adsorbing harmful gases such as formaldehyde and VOCs. The wet adsorption non-woven fabric produced by a certain environmental protection enterprise has an adsorption capacity of 80mg/g for formaldehyde and is widely used in new car interiors and indoor air purification.
4. Flame retardant fiber: a “safety shield” that blocks risks
In the fields of aerospace, automotive interior, fire protection, etc., flame retardant wet non-woven fabric is a key material, and its performance depends on the synergistic effect of flame retardant fibers:
Intrinsic flame retardant fibers, such as aramid 1313 and polyimide fibers, have the characteristics of high temperature resistance and non flammability, with a limit oxygen index (LOI) greater than 28%. Wet process aramid non-woven fabric used for aircraft seat covers can withstand high temperatures of 400 ℃ and has no melt droplets during combustion.
Flame retardant modified fiber: a modified fiber made by adding flame retardants (such as bromine and halogen-free phosphorus) to the fiber, such as flame retardant polyester and flame retardant adhesive. A certain automobile enterprise uses flame-retardant polyester to produce wet process automotive interior fabric, which meets the GB 8410-2019 “Combustion Characteristics of Automotive Interior Materials” standard, with a combustion rate of ≤ 100mm/min.
5. Biodegradable fibers: practicing the “green choice” of environmental protection
Under the promotion of the “dual carbon” policy, biodegradable wet non-woven fabrics have become a trend, with biodegradable fibers as the core raw material
Polylactic acid (PLA) fiber: Made from corn starch, it can be completely degraded into carbon dioxide and water in natural environments. The PLA wet wipes produced by a certain enterprise have a degradation rate of 90% in soil after 6 months and have passed the EU EN 13432 degradation standard.
Polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) fiber: After blending with PLA, it can improve brittleness and enhance the flexibility of wet non-woven fabrics. PLA/PBAT composite wet non-woven fabric used for packaging materials not only maintains biodegradability but also has good tensile strength.
Realistic dilemma: Four major challenges of functional fibers in wet process applications
Although functional fibers have brought performance upgrades to wet nonwoven fabrics, there are still many technical and market challenges in actual production and application, which restrict their large-scale promotion.
1. Dispersion problem: Fiber agglomeration affects product uniformity
Wet production relies on the uniform dispersion of fibers in water, while functional fibers are often prone to agglomeration due to surface modification, special structure, and other factors.
Nano functional fibers, such as nano silver ion fibers and ultrafine fibers, have high surface energy and are prone to forming flocs in water, resulting in uneven network formation and product issues such as “spots” and “uneven thickness”. When a certain enterprise attempted to produce nano silver antibacterial wet non-woven fabric, the qualification rate was only 60% due to fiber agglomeration, far lower than the 95% of ordinary products.
Composite functional fibers: hydrophilic hydrophobic composite fibers, load type adsorption fibers, etc. Due to uneven surface properties, they are prone to forming “clumps” in water, which affects the stability of the suspension slurry. To solve the dispersion problem, companies often need to add a large amount of dispersants, which not only increases costs but may also affect product functionality (such as dispersants potentially reducing antibacterial effects).
2.Compatibility issues: “synergy barriers” between fibers, processes, and additives
The special components of functional fibers may conflict with the process conditions and chemical additives in wet production:
Compatibility with the process: Some flame retardant fibers (such as modified fibers containing phosphorus flame retardants) are prone to flame retardant migration and decomposition during wet high-temperature drying, leading to a decrease in flame retardant performance of the product. When a certain enterprise produces flame retardant wet non-woven fabric, the maximum oxygen index of the product decreases from 32% to 25% after the drying temperature exceeds 120 ℃, losing the flame retardant effect.
Compatibility with additives: Antibacterial fibers may undergo chemical reactions with commonly used softeners and adhesives in wet production, reducing their antibacterial activity. For example, when quaternary ammonium salt antibacterial fibers are compounded with cationic softeners, precipitation is prone to occur, resulting in a 30% -40% decrease in antibacterial rate.
3. High cost enterprises: the “balance problem” between performance upgrades and market acceptance
The production process of functional fibers is complex, and the raw material cost is much higher than that of ordinary fibers, resulting in high prices for end products:
Raw material cost: The price of silver ion composite fiber is about 80000 to 120000 yuan/ton, which is 5-8 times that of ordinary adhesive fiber (15000 to 20000 yuan/ton); The price of aramid 1313 fiber is about 400000-500000 yuan/ton, which is 40-60 times that of ordinary polyester (8000-10000 yuan/ton).
Production cost: In order to adapt functional fibers, enterprises need to adjust process parameters (such as dispersant addition, drying temperature control), which increases production difficulty and energy consumption. When a certain enterprise produces PLA wet non-woven fabric, due to the low melting point and easy thermal adhesion of PLA fibers, the drying temperature needs to be lowered, resulting in a 20% decrease in production efficiency and a 15% increase in unit cost. \
The high cost makes functional wet non-woven fabrics mainly used in the high-end market, making it difficult to enter the mass consumption field, with a market penetration rate of less than 10%.
4. Performance stability: Functional degradation affects product reliability
The performance of some functional fibers is easily affected by the usage environment and storage conditions, leading to product functional degradation:
Attenuation during use: After multiple washes, the surface antibacterial agent of antibacterial fibers tends to peel off, resulting in a decrease in antibacterial effect. After 5 washes, the antibacterial rate of a certain brand of wet towel decreased from 99% to 65%; The electrostatic charge of static polarized fibers is easily lost over time and humidity, and the filtration efficiency may decrease by 15% -20% after 6 months of storage.
Instability during storage: Biodegradable fibers such as PLA are prone to premature degradation in high temperature and high humidity environments, leading to a decrease in product strength. The PLA wet non-woven fabric of a certain enterprise showed a 25% decrease in tensile strength after being stored at 30 ℃ and 80% humidity for 3 months.
5. Lack of standards: Industry norms lag behind technological development
At present, there is a lack of unified performance testing standards and evaluation system for functional wet non-woven fabrics
Inconsistent testing methods: For example, in antibacterial performance testing, some companies use GB/T 20944.3-2008 “Evaluation of Antibacterial Performance of Textiles Part 3: Oscillatory Method”, while others use ISO 20743:2013 “Determination of Antibacterial Activity of Textiles”. The difference in testing results between different methods can reach 10% -20%.
The definition of indicators is vague: the definitions of functions such as “moisture absorption and sweat wicking” and “efficient filtration” lack clear thresholds, and some companies exaggerate their advertising, such as claiming that “moisture absorption rate increases by 100%” without specifying the testing conditions, resulting in uneven product quality in the market and difficulty for consumers to distinguish.
The Road to Breakthrough: Five Strategies for Dealing with Challenges
In response to the above challenges, efforts need to be made from multiple dimensions such as technological innovation, process optimization, and standard construction to promote the large-scale and high-quality application of functional fibers in wet non-woven fabrics.
1. Fiber modification technology: improving dispersibility and compatibility
By utilizing surface modification and structural design techniques, the wet adaptability of functional fibers can be improved
Surface hydrophilic modification: Plasma treatment or coating of nano functional fibers and composite fibers with hydrophilic coatings to reduce surface energy and minimize aggregation. After a certain enterprise adopted plasma treatment of nano silver fibers, their dispersibility in water increased by 40%, and the product qualification rate increased from 60% to 92%.
Composite spinning optimization: Adjust the composite structure of functional fibers, such as evenly dispersing antibacterial agents inside the fibers rather than on the surface, to avoid reaction with additives. The “embedded silver ion polyester fiber” developed by a certain enterprise has antibacterial agents wrapped in the fiber core layer, which improves compatibility with the softener and only reduces the antibacterial rate by 5% -8%.
2. Collaborative optimization of processes: adapting to the characteristics of functional fibers
Customize and adjust the wet production process based on the characteristics of different functional fibers:
Optimization of Suspension Slurry System: Adopting a combination of “dispersant+ultrasonic dispersion” to improve the fiber dispersion effect. For ultrafine fibers, adding 0.2% -0.5% non-ionic dispersants (such as polyoxyethylene ether) and combining with ultrasonic treatment for 10-15 minutes can effectively inhibit agglomeration.
Innovation in drying process: Adopting “low-temperature segmented drying” instead of high-temperature continuous drying to protect the performance of functional fibers. When producing flame-retardant wet non-woven fabric, it is first dried at 80-90 ℃ for 30 minutes, and then dried at 110-120 ℃ for 20 minutes to ensure the drying effect and avoid the decomposition of flame retardants. The ultimate oxygen index of the product is maintained above 30%.
3. Cost control path: Reduce costs, increase efficiency, and expand the market
By replacing raw materials and upgrading processes, the cost of functional wet non-woven fabrics can be reduced
Composite ratio optimization: Adopting a mixed formula of “functional fibers+ordinary fibers” to reduce the amount of functional fibers while ensuring performance. For example, when producing antibacterial wipes, reducing the proportion of silver ion fiber from 20% to 10% and compounding it with bamboo fiber can still achieve a 95% antibacterial rate and reduce raw material costs by 30%.
Production equipment upgrade: Introduce intelligent production lines, adjust process parameters in real-time through online monitoring systems, and improve production efficiency. After a certain enterprise introduced a fully automated wet production line, the production efficiency of PLA non-woven fabric increased by 15% and the unit cost decreased by 10%.
Scale production: Expand production capacity and dilute fixed costs through industrial clusters, joint production, and other methods. Multiple wet non-woven fabric enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta region have formed a “Functional Materials Industry Alliance” to jointly purchase functional fibers and share production equipment, reducing raw material procurement costs by 15% -20%.
4. Performance improvement technology: Enhance functional stability
By using techniques such as formula improvement and post finishing reinforcement, the performance and lifespan of functional fibers can be extended
Crosslinking fixation treatment: Crosslinking treatment is applied to antibacterial fibers and polarizing fibers to enhance the adhesion between functional components and fibers. A certain enterprise used epoxy crosslinking agent to treat silver ion fibers, and the product maintained a bacteriostatic rate of over 90% after 10 water washes; Heat setting treatment was applied to the polarizing fibers, resulting in a 30% increase in static charge retention rate and a significant enhancement in storage stability.
Composite functional synergy: Multiple functional fibers are compounded to enhance performance stability through synergistic effects. For example, mixing PLA fibers with PBAT fibers in a 7:3 ratio not only improves the brittleness of PLA, but also enhances its hydrolysis resistance. After being stored in a high temperature and high humidity environment for 3 months, the tensile strength only decreases by 10%.
5. Standard system construction: Standardize the development order of the industry
Promote government, industry associations, and enterprises to collaborate in formulating standards, clarify testing methods and indicator requirements:
Develop national standards: Referring to international standards such as ISO and ASTM, and combining with the actual situation of the domestic industry, develop national standards such as “Testing Method for Antibacterial Performance of Functional Wet Process Non woven Fabrics” and “Performance Evaluation Standards for Degradable Wet Process Non woven Fabrics”, unify testing indicators and testing conditions.
Establish a certification system: Led by industry associations, establish a “functional wet non-woven fabric certification system” to provide third-party certification for product functionality and safety, such as “antibacterial performance certification” and “degradable certification”, to help consumers identify high-quality products.
Strengthening quality supervision: Market regulatory authorities have increased their spot checks on functional wet non-woven fabrics, severely cracked down on exaggerated advertising, false labeling, and other behaviors, and standardized market order.
Future prospects: trends towards multifunctionality, greenness, and intelligence
With the continuous advancement of technology, the application of functional fibers in wet non-woven fabrics will present three major trends:
Multi functional composite: Single function products will gradually be replaced by multifunctional composite products such as “antibacterial+moisture wicking+biodegradable”. For example, the integrated wet dressing of “antibacterial moisture absorbing biodegradable” in the medical field can prevent infections and keep wounds dry. It can naturally degrade after use and reduce medical waste.
Green and low-carbon: The application proportion of bio based functional fibers (such as bamboo fiber and PLA fiber) and regenerated functional fibers (such as regenerated antibacterial polyester) will continue to increase, and with the energy-saving and emission reduction transformation of wet process technology, the full life cycle environmental protection of “green raw materials, low-carbon production, and biodegradable products” will be achieved.
Intelligent Responsiveness: Develop fibers with intelligent response functions, such as temperature sensing and pH sensing functional fibers, for high-end fields such as intelligent medical dressings (which can monitor changes in wound pH and warn of infections) and intelligent packaging materials (which can sense food freshness).
Functional fibers have injected new vitality into the wet non-woven fabric industry, transforming and upgrading it from a “basic material” to a “high value-added material”. Despite facing challenges such as decentralization, cost, and stability, these difficulties will gradually be solved through technological innovation, process optimization, and standard construction. In the future, with the continuous emergence of multifunctional, green, and intelligent products, functional wet non-woven fabrics will play an important role in more segmented fields, providing better material choices for people’s lives and industrial development.
Have you come into contact with functional wet non-woven fabric products? What are your expectations for its performance or application? Welcome to share your views in the comment section!
Dongguan Liansheng Non woven Technology Co., Ltd. was established in May 2020. It is a large-scale non-woven fabric production enterprise integrating research and development, production, and sales. It can produce various colors of PP spunbond non-woven fabrics with a width of less than 3.2 meters from 9 grams to 300 grams.
Post time: Aug-31-2025