Nonwoven Science and Engineering

Units: 3

This course introduces the fundamentals of nonwoven structures, process, and products. It provides performance criteria, raw materials, manufacturing methods, and market outlooks of major nonwoven application segments including hygiene, wipes, filters, medical, automotive, and geotextile. Emphasis is placed on building basic understandings of process/structure/property relationship in nonwoven product and the economic justification for process and production.

Offered in Fall and Spring

Units: 3

Fundamentals of raw material used in nonwoven processes. Raw material production, chemical and physical properties of nonwoven raw materials and assessment of material properties. Introduction of structure/property relationships for these materials and how these relationships influence end use applications.

Offered in Fall and Spring

Units: 3

Experimental results and theoretical considerations of physical properties of fibers and fiber-forming polymers. Electrical, thermal, optical, frictional and moisture properties of these materials. Influence of chemical and molecular fine structure on these properties.

Offered in Spring Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Years

Units: 3

Mechanisms used in the production of nonwoven materials. Design and operation of these mechanisms. Process flow, optimization of process parameters, influence of process parameters on product properties.

Offered in Spring Only

Units: 3

Fundamentals of methods used in evaluating properties and performance of nonwovens. Assessment of thermal, mechanical, moisture transport and barrier properties of nonwovens. Reliability and interpretation of test results.

Offered in Spring Only

Units: 3

Fundamentals of nonwoven product development. In-depth knowledge of the materials, processes and nonwovens products. Design of a set of experiments intended for product development. Students work in teams to design, fabricate and evaluate nonwoven products.

Offered in Fall and Spring