New Microfiber Strand Design

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Microfibers are produced with a combination of polyester and polyamide at most common ratio of 80:20 respectively. The polyester attracts dirt and oils while the polyamide gives the structure of the fiber strand and water absorbing capability. Viewed under a microscope, the microfiber cross section looks like a star with 8 polyesters and 1 polyamide. This star shape allows the microfiber to trap micro particles inside the fiber pulling it away from surface. This is because the polyester and polyamide are made to have an air gap for trapping the particles. In order for the microfiber to collect micro particles it is very critical that there needs to be surface friction between the microfiber and the surface carrying the micro particles. But since there is nothing that can keep the polyester in the microfiber strand during surface friction, it detaches easily from the structure. A small surface contact between a certain body and microfibers results in release of a massive number of tiny bits of polyester because a single strand of micro fiber contains 8 strands polyester. As each strand of polyester is detached from the microfiber strand it becomes a big problem for the environment and the more polyester is detached from the microfiber the less effectiveness it has to trap dust, viruses or other particles. This is the first big problem in the microfiber crisis and redesigning the structure of the microfiber is solving the world's microfiber pollution.

This project is about solving the release of tiny polyester strands from microfibers by redesigning the microfiber strand structure. The new structured microfiber strand has same shape and volume of polyamide with current microfibers but the polyester is changed. Instead of using 8 separate strands of polyester in one microfiber strand, this design has 16 separate strands of polyester in the one microfiber strand with the same total volume. On this design the one segment of the polyester is half the size or volume of the one polyester strand in the current microfiber strand. One side of each segment of the polyester is attached with the one side of the polyamide to keep each strand of the polyester intact in case of any surface friction with objects while maximizing the capacity of the microfiber strand to hold and store micro particles like viruses in their structure as seen in the figure. The attachment between the polyamide and the polyester does not require any additional chemical process except omitting an oil separation method that will make them apart. This will solve the microfiber pollution caused by the detachment of polyester due to surface contact because both the polyester and polyamide will be an item and as long as the whole strand of the microfiber does not cut away, the polyester will remain in the structure of the microfiber. In order to get the desired structure of the microfiber strand, the molding structure also needs to be modified as seen in the figures.

https://hackaday.io/project/176952-new-microfiber-strand-design

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Anteneh Gashaw
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Software used for this entry:
    Catia V5
  • Patent status:
    pending