Gradient Design of Spunbond-Meltblown-Hydroentanglement Composite Nonwovens for Directional Water Transport

In the realm of garment comfort of wearing clothing for healthcare workers, advancements have been made in the development of materials with waterproof breathability and moisture permeability properties. Nevertheless, the breathability and moisture permeability metrics may not adequately address the comfort needs of individuals engaged in high intensity dynamic activities. This paper introduces a three-layer degradable composite material comprising of polylactic acid (PLA) spunbond, PLA meltblown, and PLA/viscose hydroentanglement layer. The resultant composite material exhibited good waterproofing and moisture permeability characteristics, achieving a water pressure resistance of 2.52 KPa and a moisture permeability of 5821 g/(m²·d), achieving a balance between protection and comfort. Based on this, the time of dopamine hydrophilic modification on meltblown and spunbond layers was regulated to create a vertical direction wettability gradient by layering hydroentangled, meltblown, and spunbond layers with varying degrees of wettability difference. The resulting material exhibited directional water transport capability, with a positive accumulative one-way transport capacity of 607.8. However, it also showed reduced hydrostatic pressure resistance. Generally, the directional water transport material has the potential to enhance the comfort of medical protective clothing when applied in noncritical areas such as the axillary and dorsal regions.