Microstructural analysis of non-woven fabrics using scanning electron microscopy and image processing. Part 2: application to hydroentangled fabrics

The image analysis techniques developed in Part 1 to study microstructural changes in nonwoven fabrics are applied to measure the bre orientation distribution and bre length distribution of hydroentangled fabrics. The results are supported by strength and modulus measurements using samples from the same fabrics. It is shown that the techniques developed can successfully be used to assess the degree of entanglement of hydroentangled fabrics regardless of their thickness.