NatureWorks is now in full commercial production of two new Ingeo high performance biopolymer grades designed for fibres and nonwovens applications.

“These grades are the result of intensive research and development and significant long-term investments in state-of-the-art production processes. These new grades are the first of a number of next generation solutions,” commented Robert Green, Fibres and Nonwovens Industry Global Segment Manager, NatureWorks.

According to the company, new products are designed to broaden the application window for Ingeo use in the production of personal care and hygiene products, filtration media, medical fabrics, civil engineering fabrics, geotextile and agricultural fabrics. Both are said to deliver lower shrinkage, faster crystallisation and higher melting points across the broad range of manufacturing processes.

Key features

Ingeo 6100D is a mid viscosity grade designed for spunbond nonwoven and conventional staple fibre/filament melt spinning applications. Another grade, Ingeo 6260D, is a low viscosity grade designed primarily for melt blown nonwoven applications.

These grades deliver increased hydrolysis resistance, and offer about 30% higher stiffness (modulus) at temperatures above their glass transition temperature, NatureWorks reports.

Both are said to be capable of higher heat set temperatures, leading to higher melting/sticking points during processing and use.

Spunbond and fibres performance

When compared to the existing Ingeo grade 6202D, one of the most often applied grades for fibres and spunbond nonwovens, new Ingeo 6100D showed the following results:

• Peak melting point increased by 8°C from 164° to 172°
• Melting shoulder increased by 15°C
• Fibre crystallinity increased by about 20%
• Quiescent crystallisation rate increased three to four times
• Lower stress required for stress induced crystallisation

Meltblown performance

New 6260D grade for melt blown applications can generally produce fibres in the 2-7 micron diameter range with desirable attributes for a broad range of applications and products.

According to the manufacturer, resultant fibre characteristics can be translated into attributes such as low pressure drop for filtration media or softness for hygiene applications.

Nonwovens shrinkage in melt blown fabric applications is expected to be about 80% less than what was previously achievable.

NatureWorks

NatureWorks is jointly owned by Thailand’s largest chemical producer, PTT Global Chemical, and Cargill, an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial, and industrial products and services.

NatureWorks offers a family of commercially available, low-carbon-footprint Ingeo lactides and biopolymers derived from 100% annually renewable resources.

According to the company, its performance and economics compete with oil-based intermediates, plastics, and fibres.

www.natureworksllc.com