| Abstrakt: |
Melt blown nonwovens were constructed from milkweed, cotton, polypropylene and polyester and exposed to three environmental conditions: 160 AFUs of xenon light, 160 AFUs of artificial weathering, and 16 weeks of composting. As expected, composting proved the most degrading environment, followed by artificial weathering, then xenon light exposure. Nonwovens containing milkweed proved about as susceptible to photodegradation as those containing cotton. However, milkweed proved somewhat more resistant to biodegradation than cotton in the composting environment. Milkweed floss reportedly is relatively resistant to degradation, presumably because of its higher lignin content than cotton. Milkweed's cellulosic content is reported as 35 to 60 percent compared with cotton's cellulosic content of over 90 percent. In general, nonwovens containing cellulosic fibers decreased in strength during light exposure and weathering more than nonwovens made entirely from manufactured fibers. Some nonwovens composed entirely of manufactured fibers actually increased in strength during the course of light exposure and weathering. Incorporation of cellulosic fibers in amounts exceeding 50 percent was required in order to enhance the degradability of nonwovens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
