Fluid Transport Phenomena in Fibrous Materials

Abstract Fluid transport is one of the most frequently observed phenomena in the processing and end uses of fibrous materials. Fibrous materials have a unique structure of complex geometry, characterized by system anisotropy and heterogeneity. The characterization of fibrous materials, therefore, is critical in the understanding of transport behavior through fibrous structures, and is discussed after an introductory section. Subsequent sections cover topics of various transport processes through fibrous structures, including wicking and wetting, resin impregnation in liquid composite molding, filtration and separation in geotextiles, aerosol filtration in fibrous filters, micro/nano scale transport phenomena, and biomedical applications. The fibrous structure is also known for its multi-scale pore distribution from intra-fiber to inter-fiber spaces. This multi-scale effect is even more prominent when micro or nano fibrous materials are concerned, and so multi-scale approaches to address the scale effects of transport behavior in fibrous materials are discussed. Finally, the Ising model of statistical mechanics, a robust computer-simulation tool dealing with the fluid transport problems in fibrous materials, is introduced.