Analysis of the effect of production parameters on sound absorption and abrasion resistance performance of needlepunched nonwovens for automotive carpet applications using Taguchi method

In this study, sound absorption and abrasion resistance performance of needlepunched nonwovens produced from blend of round polyethylene terephthalate/hexaflower polyethylene terephthalate/low melt polyethylene terephthalate fibers with various weight ratios, i.e. 50/40/10, 40/40/20, 70/20/10, 50/30/20, were reported. The carded webs were bonded by needlepunching at two punch densities, i.e. 400–500 punches/cm² and penetration depths, i.e. 11-6-6 and 13-8-8 mm, then passed through an through-air thermal bonding oven to melt low melt polyethylene terephthalate fibers within the samples. Design of experiments was planned according to Taguchi method, and an optimum sample, produced according to optimum production levels, was determined. In order to further improve the sound absorption and abrasion resistance performance, as a first approach, a low denier nonwoven top layer was combined with the optimum sample. As a second method, samples were back coated with a styrene butadiene resin and the changes in sound absorption were analyzed. The effect of production parameters on sound absorption and abrasion resistance was analyzed using a Minitab statistical software. As a result, fiber blend ratio, penetration depth, and areal density significantly affected sound absorption and abrasion resistance performance of nonwoven samples. On the other hand, punch density was found to be statistically insignificant over sound absorption and abrasion resistance. The optimum sample reached to a sound absorption coefficient value of 0.273 at 2000 Hz, and showed a fiber loss percentage of 1.55% and was found to be a suitable facing material for automotive carpet applications.