Influence of the Fibrous Network Architecture on the Mechanical Properties of Melt-Blown Non-Woven Thermoplastic Polyurethane Fabrics.

Abstract

Melt-blown thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) non-woven fabrics are increasingly valued in biomedical and industrial applications due to their elasticity, breathability, and skin compatibility. However, the relationship between their microscale fibrous network architecture and macroscopic properties remains insufficiently understood. This study investigates the influence of fiber diameter, porosity, and grammage on the mechanical properties of TPU non-woven fabrics through experimental characterization and finite element modeling (FEM). TPU pellets were melt-blown into fabrics with controlled structural variations, and their properties were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile testing, and air permeability measurements. Multiple linear regression (MLR) revealed that increased grammage predominantly enhances tensile strength (transverse <i>β</i> = 0.764, longitudinal <i>β</i> = 0.899), while fiber diameter and porosity affect transverse and longitudinal elongation in a different way. FEM simulations based on three-dimensional fiber networks further validated these relationships, demonstrating that increased porosity (e.g., from 85% to 92.5%) reduces tensile stress by over 50%, whereas larger fiber diameters (e.g., from 2 μm to 14 μm) decrease elongation at break by approximately 70%. By integrating experimental and computational approaches, this research provides valuable insights for optimizing TPU non-woven fabrics to meet specific performance requirements in wound dressings and other advanced applications.