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Abstract:
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The automotive industry currently uses latex-coated needled nonwoven material in
the manufacture of moldable trunk liners. The molding process involves high
temperatures and pressure in conforming the needled fabric to the desired shape.
These extreme conditions may cause the needled fabric to rupture during molding,
resulting in wasted materials and lost production time.
The purpose of this research was to optimize nonwoven fabric properties through
manipulation of three variables: needlepunch density, needle penetration depth, and
blend ratios of reclaimed polyester and reclaimed nylon 6,6 within the back layer of a
two-ply fabric. Physical testing was performed to determine each variable's impact on
abrasion resistance, fabric stiffness, heated bursting strength, and tensile properties at
ambient and molding temperatures. Statistical analyses identified interactive effects
among variables responsible for fabric behavior.
Increasing needlepunch density and needle penetration depth resulted in greater
fabric stiffness, heated bursting strength, ambient and heated tensile strength, as well as
lowered elongation and fabric toughness at ambient and molding temperatures. Blend
ratio was a significant factor in all tensile properties studied, demonstrating a
curvilinear relationship with increasing proportions of reclaimed nylon 6,6 in most
fabric characterization tests. Stiffness was reduced and heated bursting strength peaked
with increasing proportions of nylon.
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