Development of polyethylene fibers using extrusion for the projection of its implementation on textiles

Abstract

The global textile industry faces significant challenges due to unsustainable practices, including extensive resource consumption and substantial waste generation. This thesis investigates the development of polyethylene (PE) fibers using extrusion techniques to address the demand for durable, lightweight, and sustainable fibers. The choice of PE is driven by its favorable optical properties, availability, and compatibility with textile production requirements. This research optimized extrusion parameters—screw speed, heating zone temperature, cooling rate, and collection speed—to produce fibers with a target diameter of 15 μm, achieving final diameters of up to 8 μm. A coextrusion approach was utilized, creating core-shell fibers with PE as the core and polylactic acid (PLA) as the shell, enabling precise diameter control. The PLA shell was removed through chloroform dissolution. Fibers with and without the shell were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate their composition and structural integrity. The fibers were woven into textiles using a table loom, tested for wicking properties, and compared against existing textile alternatives. SEM analysis provided detailed structural insights into the woven samples. Results demonstrate the potential of these fibers as a sustainable alternative to conventional textiles, with promising performance in wicking tests. Further optimization and exploration of production methods are necessary to enhance their viability for industrial applications.