Fiber and Polymer Science Lab

The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University offers deep expertise in fiber and polymer science to support your project goals.

Experts working in The Nonwovens Institute’s Fiber and Polymer Science Lab specialize in the characterization of various polymers, biopolymers and additives for melt spinning pilot research. This lab is ideal for engaging in proof-of-concept with a minimum of input material required.

Available technologies include Instron^® rheology equipment (MVR and capillary rheometer), a Hills homo-component multifilament research line, Biax 15” meltblowing labline, fiber forming Brabender^® extrusion line (meltblowing), a Hills LBS-300 bi-component line (multifilament, monofilament, spunbond aspirator and meltblowing), and a Leistritz ZSE-18HPe twin-screw compounding extruder.

The newly added compounder is capable of feeding, compounding, devolatilizing, and pelletizing polyolefins (PP, PE), polyesters (PET, PBT, PTT, r-PET), polyamides (PA6, PA6.6, etc.), elastomers and biodegradable PLA, PBS, PHA polymeric compounds/masterbatches. In-house compounding capability means NWI can run various compounds and spin fiber within a single week, while also providing full process transparency.

Lab Capabilities Include:

Melt rheology
Filament spinning
Meltblowing
Dual-beam meltblowing with particle dispersing
Mini-spunbond
Measuring fiber size and checking filament cross section
Quick denier measurements
Testing moisture content in ppm

Polymer Expertise Includes:

A full lifecycle view of polymers from structure to properties to processing to application
Polymer characterization
Polymer thermal analysis
Polymer chemical analysis
Polymer compounding and blending

Request Lab Time

Equipment Specifications

Lab Capabilities Download

If you have questions about running trials at NWI, please email us at nonwovens@ncsu.edu.

If you wish to use the pilot equipment or have some testing done, you will need to have a Fabrication & Testing Agreement in place.

NWI Fabrication Testing Services Agreement

For each pilot equipment, we provide the following guidelines and templates. The guidelines contain the specification of the relevant machinery as well as the cost of using the various options. The trial plan provides a starting point outline of important test configuration options and choices, as well as test matrix design to ensure needs are met.

Photo Gallery

NWI Fiber and Polymer Science Lab

Biax Meltblown Line in Fiber & Polymer Science Lab, The Nonwovens Institute — Running a trial on the Biax 15″ Labline meltblown system in NWI’s Fiber and Polymer Science Lab

Biax Meltblown, The Nonwovens Institute — Trial on the Biax meltblown line

Polymer mixture for the production of nonwoven materials in NWI's Fiber and Polymer Science Lab. — Polymer mixture for the production of nonwoven materials

Fiber and Polymer Science Lab Manager Eric Lawrence demonstrates the elasticity characteristics of a fiber for a tour group.

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image of a fiber. — Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image of a fiber (side view)

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image of a fiber (side view). — Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image of a fiber (front view)

Close-up visual of dual-beam meltblown process with particle dispersion. — Close-up visual of dual-beam meltblown system with particle dispersion; technology housed in NWI’s Fiber and Polymer Science Lab

Weighing a nonwoven material sample in NWI's Fiber and Polymer Science Lab. — Weighing a nonwoven material sample in NWI’s Fiber and Polymer Science Lab

Adding polymer to the Leistritz twin-screw compounding extruder housed in NWI's Fiber and Polymer Science Lab. — Adding polymer to the Leistritz twin-screw compounding extruder housed in NWI’s Fiber and Polymer Science Lab

Polymer being melted and extruded via the Leistritz twin-screw compounder in NWI's Fiber and Polymer Science Lab. — Polymer being melted and extruded via the Leistritz twin-screw compounder

Dr. Pourdeyhimi works with a training group to develop and evaluate nonwoven material samples in NWI's Fiber and Polymer Science Lab. — Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., NWI’s executive director, works with a training group to develop and evaluate nonwoven material samples produced in NWI’s Fiber and Polymer Science Lab.

Mehmet Dasdemir, Ph.D., NWI's director of product development, evaluates nonwoven materials using the high-powered Keyence digital microscope in NWI's Fiber and Polymer Science Lab. — Mehmet Dasdemir, Ph.D., NWI’s director of product development, evaluates nonwoven materials using the high-powered Keyence digital microscope in NWI’s Fiber and Polymer Science Lab.

Equipment Specifications

Filament Spinning
Hills Multifilament Research Line ▪ Extruder diameter: 1” ▪ Extruder 30:1 L/D ▪ Fiber extrusion up to 320 C ▪ Up to 4 kg/hr PET ▪ Round, hollow and trilobal cross-sections ▪ Screw includes Maddox mixing ▪ Direct connection of extruder to spin head ▪ Variable quench air flow rate, chilled ▪ Heated godets with separator rolls	Hills LBS 300 ▪ Bi-component line ▪ Extruders diameter: 3/4” ▪ Extruders 30:1 L/D ▪ Fiber extrusion up to 310 C ▪ Up to 3 kg/hr PET per extruder ▪ 2” spunbond aspirator and collector drum ▪ 4” meltblowing die and collector drum ▪ Monofilament and multifilament ▪ Plates for homo, side-by-side, sheath/core, 16 segment pie and 36 islands-in-the-sea

Melt Rheology
Instron^® Ceast MVR ▪ Measures g/10 min ▪ ASTM D-1238 A/B/C; ISO 1133 ▪ 50 C-450 C range ▪ 2.16 Kg & 5 Kg weights ▪ 2.095 mm ID x 8 mm die ▪ 1.045 mm ID x 4 mm die	Instron^® Ceast SmartRheo Capillary Rheometer ▪ Measures shear vs viscosity ▪ 2 load cells capacity: 20 kN ▪ 50 C-450 C range ▪ 200-10,000/s ▪ 30:1, 20:1. 5:1 dies

Meltblowing
Biax 15” Labline ▪ Fiber extrusion up to 315 C ▪ Air temp up to 300 C ▪ Up to 4 kg/hr PET ▪ .009” x 4 row capillary die ▪ .020” x 2 row capillary die ▪ Horizontal design ▪ Mobile collector drum vacuum motor ▪ Dual-beam with particle dispersing	Brabender^® Meltblowing ▪ Fiber extrusion up to 350 C ▪ Air temp up to 300 C ▪ Up to 4 kg/hr PET ▪ 5” Biax meltblowing dies ▪ Mobile collector drum vacuum motor ▪ Dual-beam with particle dispersing

Compounding
Leistritz ZSE-18HPe Twin-Screw Extruder ▪ Screw diameter: 17.8 mm ▪ Flight depth without tolerance: 3 mm ▪ OD/ID: 1.5 ▪ Length-to-diameter ratio (L/D): 40:1 ▪ Max screw speed: 1,200 RPM ▪ Motor power: 10 kW ▪ Max torque: 71 Nm ▪ Max temperature: 350 C ▪ Feed system: 3-component K-Tron gravimetric ▪ Side stuffer: Self-wiping twin screw solids metering ▪ Strand pelletizing group: cooling belt and pelletizer

Compounding

Leistritz ZSE-18HPe Twin-Screw Extruder
▪ Screw diameter: 17.8 mm
▪ Flight depth without tolerance: 3 mm
▪ OD/ID: 1.5
▪ Length-to-diameter ratio (L/D): 40:1
▪ Max screw speed: 1,200 RPM
▪ Motor power: 10 kW
▪ Max torque: 71 Nm
▪ Max temperature: 350 C
▪ Feed system: 3-component K-Tron gravimetric
▪ Side stuffer: Self-wiping twin screw solids metering
▪ Strand pelletizing group: cooling belt and pelletizer

If you have questions about NWI or our service offering, please contact us at nonwovens@ncsu.edu.