Buying questions
What does a hydrophilic finish do?
Polypropylene repels water by nature. A hydrophilic finish lowers surface tension so liquid spreads and passes through, which is what a top sheet or an acquisition layer needs.
At a glance
Specification at a glance
| Property | Untreated PP | Hydrophilic PP |
|---|---|---|
| Strike through | Slow, droplets sit | Under 3 seconds typical |
| Surface tension | About 30 mN/m | Raised above 40 mN/m |
| Wicking | Poor | Continuous along fibre |
| Durability | Not applicable | Finish dependent, test after ageing |
| Cost | Base | Adds a finishing step |
Where it is used
Diaper top sheets, acquisition layers, medical drapes that must not pool liquid, and any wipe where the web is polypropylene rather than viscose. The finish is applied during or after bonding, and the amount and uniformity decide the result.
The durability question
A finish that passes on day one and fades after storage is a specification failure. Ask for strike through after accelerated ageing, not only on a fresh sample, and state the storage condition the product will see.
Send the question with your specification
Tell us the product, the weight you run now and the market it sells into. We answer with the grade, the test values and the documents you will need.
Questions
Common questions
Is a hydrophilic finish permanent?
It is durable, not permanent. Performance depends on the chemistry, the add-on level and the storage conditions, so the ageing test matters.
Does it affect strength?
Little at normal add-on levels. High add-on can plasticise the web slightly.
Can it be applied to spunlace?
Yes, though viscose blends are already absorbent, so the finish is usually applied for a specific strike through target.