Wicking Phenomenon in Nanofiber-Coated Filament Yarns

Wicking phenomenon has been investigated in filaments and spun yarns in different studies. In comparison with conventional structures, nanofibrous structures have unique characteristics such as higher surface-to-volume ratios, smaller pores, and higher porosity. For many nanofiber applications, a good understanding of the liquid absorption and wettability of nanofibrous is crucial. In this article, a modified electrospinning process for yarn coating with nanofiber is presented. In this method, fiber direction was controlled by manipulating the conventional system of electrospining and embedded nanofibers on yarn surface. Nylon66 filament was coated with nylon 66 nanofiber. The coating morphology and capillary phenomenon were examined in different concentrations of polymer solution. The kinetics of capillary flow of colored liquid in coated yarns with nanofiber follows the Lucas-Washburn equation. Results show that coating with nanofibers increases equilibrium wicking height. In a nanofiber coating process, with a constant feeding rate, increasing the solution concentration increases the capillary rise rate.