Hydrophilic modification of ultrafine fibres produced by melt differential electrospinning device

The polypropylene (PP) blending ultrafine fibres with self-made melt differential electrospinning apparatus and hydrophilic modification of the blending ultrafine fibres were produced in the present study. Two different hydrophilic agents, as additives and coating respectively, were mixed with PP, and the mixtures were spun under the same spinning conditions. In addition, the modification effect of the different hydrophilic modification methods was studied. The results show that the method of melt differential electrospinning can produce mass blending ultrafine fibres with considerable production efficiency (effective output is,9 g h 21), and diameters of the fibres mainly range from 2 to 6 mm. In addition, after adding or coating with hydrophilic agents, the contact angles decrease in different extent and hydrophilic effect is obviously enhanced. Adding additives alone, the blending fibres including 5% Arstar-7008 shows the best hydrophilic effect: its water absorption capacity is 6.15 g (15 min); water absorption rate is 1130%; water delivery rate is 4.03 g min(-1) g(-1); wicking height is 0. The PP blending fibres with coatings only have good wicking heights, and those immersing in aqueous solution containing 10% TF-629 (white) have the best hydrophilic effect: its water absorption capacity is 5.83 g (15 min); water absorption rate is 1066%; water delivery rate is 2.07 g min(-1) g(-1); wicking height is 6.5 cm. However, when different proportions of additives and coating are both mixed with PP fibres, water absorption rate and water delivery rate do not change significantly, but the wettability enhanced drastically.