Hollow Porous Polypropylene Fibers with Polyvinyl Alcohol by Melt Spinning

Abstract

Polypropylene/Polyvinyl alcohol blended fiber was melting spun using a water soluble polyvinyl alcohol as a micro-porous agent. By the hot water reduction method, micro-voids were generated inside and on the surface of fiber. Making use of these voids could improve the moisture adsorption of polypropylene fiber. We found that the polyvinyl alcohol could be moved mostly at a reduction time of 60 minutes. From the analysis of moisture adsorption, the moisture content was beyond 5 %. In this study, the moisture adsorption of conventional polypropylene fiber was effectively improved; water was applied as a solvent to move polyvinyl alcohol material, which is a potential reduction method in environment protection.