CHANGES IN WEB DIMENSIONS DURING FLUID UPTAKE AND THE IMPACT ON ABSORBENCY

The authors measured absorbent characteristics of a series of webs con taining blends of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers prepared using ai r laying techniques with a gravimetric absorbency testing system using several different environmental pressures. The absorbency device allo wed simultaneous measurement of the changes in web thickness during th e wicking process. Results led to an explanation of absorbency phenome na using modification of classical equations by considering the change s in structure that accompany absorption.