Oven Curing and Binder Crosslinking Systems
topic
Nonwoven binder curing ovens use hot air impingement, infrared, or combination heating to raise the binder-impregnated web to the crosslinking temperature of the specific binder chemistry at 120 to 180 degrees Celsius, with curing time at temperature governed by binder chemistry kinetics that determine the degree of crosslinking achieved before the web exits the oven, with undercure leaving tacky binder and overcure causing binder embrittlement.
Role
Converts the water-borne latex or resin binder from the applied aqueous form into a crosslinked polymer network that provides permanent fibre bonding and wet strength through thermal curing that simultaneously evaporates water and cures the binder polymer, with oven temperature profile and residence time being the primary process variables controlling binder cure degree that governs bond strength, wet strength retention, and chemical resistance.