NEW LYOCELL CELLULOSIC FIBERS FOR NONWOVENS APPLICATIONS Nick Simpson, Business Development Manager, Tencel Inc.

ABSTRACT In recent years lyocell has emerged from niche consumer applications to be the fiber of choice for many nonwoven producers worldwide. During this period an extensive development program has resulted in a family of new grades, enhancing attributes ranging from processing performance in all staple based technologies, to final fabric properties. The paper describes the unique properties of lyocell, which have been key to this success. INTRODUCTION The first commercial scale plant was built by Courtaulds in Mobile AL, and opened in 1992. After ten years there are currently two producers Acordis with plants in Mobile and Grimsby, UK and Lenzing, manufacturing in Heiligenkreuz, Austria. The initial focus was on the traditional textile apparel markets worldwide. To counteract the cyclical nature of fashion driven business, lyocell now targets equally the industrial sector, with particular emphasis on nonwovens. MANUFACTURE AND DISPOSAL Lyocell manufacture is simple to describe. The primary raw materials are purified dissolving grade wood pulp and an amine oxide solvent. The pulp is a renewable resource from FSC approved managed forests, grown on marginal land. It is dissolved directly in the solvent, filtered and extruded through spinnerets to form continuous filaments. These are washed to recover the solvent, dried, crimped, cut and baled. Lyocell can also be sold uncrimped in continuous filament, or tow form. The process was engineered from the outset to have minimal environmental impact and ensure excellent ecological credentials for the fiber. The result is a pure, 100% cellulose fiber. The long chain molecules within the fiber are arranged in a highly orientated crystalline structure, resulting in high strength, absorbency and excellent retention of mechanical properties in the wet state. The baled fiber is supplied to roll goods manufacturers and converters who make a wide range of absorbent, nonwoven products. At the end of the product life, lyocell biodegrades completely during biological treatment, such as soil burial or anaerobic digestion, into carbon dioxide and water. These natural decomposition products are released back into the atmosphere, elegantly closing the loop of the product lifecycle.

PROCESSING AND FABRIC PROPERTIES Because the staple based technologies are so diverse in machinery design, a range of fiber types must be developed. For carding based technologies, lyocell fibers are easy to open prior to carding and give uniform, nep free webs. To ensure adequate web cohesion and high speed running, higher crimp variants with cohesive finishes have been introduced. Lyocell works particularly well with hydroentanglement technology. For example, with apertured patterns, hole clarity is the best of any fiber. The fiber entangles efficiently, because cellulose plasticizes when wet. This results in very strong fabrics due to the intrinsic fiber strength. Wet strengths can be higher than dry because the fiber swells predominantly in the diameter. This causes the entangled fibers to lock together more efficiently. Consequently very soft fabrics with adequate strength can be produced, by using low water pressure. Also basis weight reductions are possible, either to achieve cost savings, or reach new markets such as coverstock. Strong fiber and efficient entanglement result in exceptionally low lint levels. High fiber modulus and relatively low fiber elongation give excellent fabric stability, which improves the efficiency of conversion from fabric to finished product. Lyocell permits an expanded range of absorbent fabric properties. The working range of water pressure is about 40 to 100 bar (compare rayon at 55 to 70). The range of consolidation is therefore greater, and capacity, wicking, bulk and softness can be engineered within a larger envelope. In needlepunching, very efficient needling is achieved with low denier fiber without fiber breakage. 1.5 denier lyocell fiber has been very successful, whereas the lowest practical denier for rayon is about 3. Again this gives basis weight reduction opportunities. The fabric attributes parallel those discussed for hydroentanglement. In latex bonding, the high fabric strength enables binder levels to be reduced by as much as 50%. This enhances both absorbency and softness. Air laying technology requires very different fibers. In this case low cohesion with short cut length is indicated. The inherently open nature of lyocell as supplied, makes it more suitable for web formation in an air stream than other cellulosic fibers. Substituting modest percentages of pulp with lyocell significantly increases softness, strength, bulk and absorbency. In wetlaying or papermaking, the high modulus of lyocell allows relatively long length fiber to be processed without dispersion problems. This results in low defect webs with excellent strength and stability. In addition, lyocell can be fibrillated at the beating stage of papermaking. Submicron diameter fibrils are generated, ideal for fine filtration.

FINISHED PRODUCT BENEFITS Much of the impressive growth of the use of lyocell in nonwovens has coincided with the equally impressive growth of the wipes sector. Lyocell is the ideal fiber for many categories of wiping. It is free of sulfurous odors, permitting fragrance free products in wet wipes. Absorbent properties can be engineered to ensure that gravitational drainage in tubs and canisters is reduced to a minimum. Because very little liquid is trapped within the fiber structure, the volume of expensive lotion required for effective wipe performance can be reduced. The low linting feature is mandatory for critical task wiping. This includes clean room, surface preparation in the automotive, aerospace and printing industries and medical wipes. Chemical purity and good regulatory history commend its use in personal hygiene and hospital products. Lyocell has excellent wet resilience. This gives improved aesthetics and efficient skin exfoliation in cosmetic wipes. High fabric strength extends the life of most wiping products. In particular, lyocell wipes stand up well to overnight bleaching, which is common in the food service industry. Lyocell is ideal for food contact use in hot oil and beverage filtration, as a result of very uniform fabrics and good regulatory clearance. Papers containing fibrillated lyocell are an economic alternative to other sources of nanofibers in high efficiency air and liquid filtration. Lyocell contributes strength, stability and uniformity to synthetic leather substrates. CONCLUSION The case for specifying lyocell fiber in nonwoven products is compelling. Priced cost effectively, with unique attributes and excellent environmental credentials, its future in absorbent nonwoven products is assured.