Raw materials, properties of medical non-woven fabrics, and differences from ordinary non-woven fabrics!

Medical non-woven fabric is a widely used type of non-woven fabric in the medical field, featuring sterility, breathability, good barrier properties, and single-use. Its raw materials and performance designs are all centered around the hygiene, safety, and functional requirements of medical scenarios.

I. Main raw materials of medical non-woven fabrics

The core raw materials of medical non-woven fabrics are mainly chemical fibers, with some combined with natural fibers. Common types include:

Polypropylene (PP) fiber: The most commonly used raw material, accounting for the vast majority of medical non-woven fabrics. Its advantages lie in:

It has a relatively low cost and is suitable for large-scale production of disposable medical supplies.

It has good air permeability and certain liquid barrier properties (such as preventing blood and body fluid penetration).

It has strong chemical stability and is not prone to react with disinfectants or liquid medicines.

After processing, it can meet the sterile standard and is non-allergenic.

It is often used to make masks (inner and outer layers), protective suits, surgical caps, isolation gowns, etc.

Polyester (PET) fiber: It is of high strength, wear-resistant and heat-resistant (capable of withstanding high-temperature sterilization), and is often used in combination with PP fiber to enhance the structural stability of non-woven fabric. It is mostly used in scenarios such as surgical drapes and the outer layer of surgical gowns that require higher strength and resistance to disinfectants.

Viscose fiber: It belongs to regenerated cellulose fiber, has good moisture absorption and a soft hand feel. It is often used as the inner layer material of medical non-woven fabrics (such as the inner layer of masks and wet wipes) to enhance the comfort of use.

Other functional fibers: such as modified fibers with added antibacterial agents (to inhibit bacterial growth), antistatic fibers (suitable for precision environments like operating rooms), etc., further enhance the specialized performance of medical non-woven fabrics.

Ii. Key Performance Requirements for Medical Non-woven Fabrics

Sterility: It must undergo strict sterilization treatment (such as ethylene oxide sterilization, irradiation sterilization) to ensure the absence of pathogenic bacteria and prevent cross-infection.

Barrier property: It can effectively block liquids (such as blood, medicinal liquid), particles (such as droplets, dust) and microorganisms, which is the core function of masks and protective suits.

Breathability: Ensure comfort during wearing or use and avoid stuffiness (for example, the air resistance of the mask should meet the standard).

Safety: Odorless, non-irritating, does not cause allergic reactions when in contact with the skin, and chemical residues (such as sterilizing agents) must be controlled within a safe range.

Mechanical properties: It has certain tensile strength and tear strength to prevent damage during use (such as the tensile strength at the seams of protective clothing).

Iii. Common Application Scenarios

Protective items: Disposable masks (surgical masks, N95 masks), protective suits, isolation gowns, surgical caps, shoe covers, etc., for the protection of medical staff or the public.

Hygiene care category: Medical wet wipes, bed sheets, pillowcases, diapers (medical grade), etc., providing cleaning and hygiene guarantees.

Surgical auxiliary category: surgical sheets, drapes, non-woven fabrics for bandaging (replacing some uses of traditional gauze), etc., which play a role in isolation and protection during surgery.

Medical packaging category: Sterilization packaging for medical devices, featuring both barrier and breathable properties (facilitating the penetration of sterilization gases).

Iv. Differences from Ordinary Non-woven Fabrics

The production of medical non-woven fabrics must comply with stricter standards (such as China's YY/T series standards and the United States' ASTM standards), with regulations in place for all aspects from raw material selection, production environment (clean workshops) to sterilization and testing. In contrast, ordinary non-woven fabrics (such as shopping bags and agricultural fabrics) do not need to meet these medical-grade requirements.

In conclusion, medical non-woven fabric is a functional material that combines the characteristics of raw materials, process technology and strict standards, and plays an irreplaceable role in the medical and health field.

Qingdao Fu Rui Xiang Nonwoven Fabric Co., LTD : http://www.frxwfb.com/. The company specializes in the production of: polypropylene spunbond nonwoven fabric, nonwoven fabric, non-woven fabric for hygiene materials, spunbond nonwoven fabric, meltblown nonwoven fabric, etc. Stay tuned!