Abstract
As recovered silk fiber(RSF) has good hygroscopicity and warmth, its application would be valuable for production of highloft insulation, padding, and sleeping bag. In our work, the RSF was scoured and then blended with crimped binder fibers to facilitate carding process for the web manufacturing and to increase inter-fiber contact points for the bonding process. Low melting polyester(LMPET) and polypropylene(PP) were used as binder fibers and blended with RSF (1:1 wt. ratio). Three different types of bonding techniques that ar thermofusion (Perforated belt line system), heat calendering, and chemical spray bonding process were employed. The techniques are widely used in the production of fibrous assemblies with highoft and good warmth. Optimum conditions for the bonding process were determined considering the binder fiber melting condition on th surface of calender roller, poor handle, and yellowing appearance of fibrous assemblies. The physical properties of the bonded fibrous assemblies were characterized in terms of loft factor, thermal transmittance, compressional and mechanical properties.