Let's Talk About The

Since the outbreak of the epidemic, enterprises have responded to the government's call to switch to the production of masks and other anti epidemic materials, and the production capacity of masks has increased significantly. However, consumers generally report that masks are still unavailable, and masks are still in a situation where "covers" are hard to find. Why can't everyone buy masks? Today, let's take a look at one of the key factors restricting the production of masks: meltblown non woven fabric.

1. What is meltblown non woven fabric?

When we cut the medical mask with scissors, we can see that the mask is divided into three layers: the inner water absorption layer, the middle filter layer, and the outer waterproof layer. The inner layer is a skin friendly moisture absorbing layer (spunbonded non woven fabric, which is mainly used to absorb moisture), and the middle layer is an isolation filter layer (a meltblown non woven fabric material that has undergone electret treatment, which is mainly used to block bacteria, viruses and small particles). The outer layer is a spunbond water repellent layer (spunbond non woven material, which acts as a barrier to droplets). Through the different materials and properties of the three layer materials, we can clearly understand that the intermediate isolation filter layer plays a decisive role in blocking bacteria, viruses and tiny particles, and the material of the isolation filter layer is meltblown non woven fabric.

Meltblown non woven fabric, commonly known as the "heart" of the mask, is a film made of polypropylene with a high melt index and laminated in random directions by many crisscross fibers. The fiber diameter ranges from 0.5 to 10 microns. About one thirtieth of a hair. Although the size of the new coronavirus is very small, about 0.1 microns, it seems to be smaller than its fiber diameter, but don't forget that the virus cannot exist independently, and its transmission routes mainly include secretions and droplets from sneezing. The size is about 5 microns. It is essentially a fibrous filter. When the droplets containing the virus approach it, they will be electrostatically adsorbed on the surface and cannot pass through, thereby isolating the virus.

2. Why is meltblown non woven fabric so hard to buy?

Since meltblown non woven fabric is so important, can the company increase its production capacity? The answer is: it's not that simple. It is understood that due to the long delivery cycle of production equipment and high technical requirements for personnel operation, it is difficult to rapidly increase its production capacity in a short period of time. There are not many large scale manufacturers that can produce it in China, and the industry as a whole presents a small and scattered situation. The industry has previously lacked attention and has been showing a tepid trend. Its production principle is clear, but the actual production process is relatively complex, involving many disciplines such as polymer science, fluid mechanics, pneumatics, spinning, etc., and the requirements for equipment manufacturing are relatively high. The price of its production equipment often exceeds one million yuan, and special training for staff is required, so the industry threshold is relatively high. The supply cycle of foreign manufacturers is as long as eight months, and the domestic manufacturers are also more than half a year, and key components rely on imports. Many factors, such as long cycle, high cost, high industry threshold, and high risk of return, have become the main reasons for restricting its market expansion.

The number of meltblown non woven fabric is limited, and there are fewer meltblown non woven fabric that meet medical standards. As a result, the current merchants who have it have rare goods and drive up prices. The original price of about 20,000 yuan/ton has skyrocketed all the way. Current statistics show that it has reached as high as 300,000 yuan per ton, an increase of 15 times, and it has to be snapped up by many parties. This is the key factor for the increase in the price of finished masks and the limited production capacity.

With the development of the epidemic, the meltblown cloth as the "heart" of the mask has also received widespread attention. In order to break the dilemma that a "cover" is hard to find, it is also necessary to solve the problem of meltblown non woven fabric.