The fiber type of cleanroom wipes is the core factor that determines their cleaning ability and durability. The physical properties, structural morphology and surface properties of different materials will directly affect the actual performance of wipes in precision environments. The following is based on the basic characteristics of fiber types and combined with industry application scenarios to analyze the specific impact mechanism on cleaning efficiency and wear resistance.
Polyester fiber is one of the most commonly used materials in cleanroom wipes. It has a stable molecular structure and a tough texture. In terms of cleaning efficiency, it has good adsorption and wrapping capabilities for non-polar oils and dirt (such as lubricating oils and fingerprint grease on the surface of equipment), which is suitable for removing such pollutants in electronic manufacturing. Because the fiber surface is relatively smooth, it has moderate physical grasping ability for particles such as dust and is often used in daily cleaning scenarios. In terms of wear resistance, polyester fiber has a certain strength and can withstand multiple wipes without breaking easily. It is suitable for environments that require repeated use, such as equipment maintenance in ordinary electronic workshops. However, it has poor hygroscopicity and is prone to static electricity in a dry environment. This problem may need to be improved through process treatment.
Nylon fiber (nylon) is known for its high wear resistance. It is soft and extremely tough. It is not easy to pill or break when wiped repeatedly. It is especially suitable for high-frequency and high-intensity cleaning tasks, such as long-term cleaning of precision mechanical parts. In terms of cleaning efficiency, the surface of nylon fiber has a slightly fine texture, and it has a strong adsorption capacity for neutral particles such as dust and metal debris, and can effectively capture pollutants through physical contact. However, it has weak light resistance and chemical corrosion resistance. It is easy to age when exposed to strong corrosive detergents or exposed to sunlight for a long time. Therefore, it is more suitable for use with neutral detergents. It is common in scenes with high wear resistance requirements but mild environments, such as daily wiping of laboratory instruments.
Ultrafine fibers are usually made of polyester and nylon composites. The fiber diameter is extremely fine, forming a dense microporous structure, which greatly improves the cleaning efficiency. Its surface area is large, and its surface is like countless tiny "straws". It can not only capture micron-sized dust, bacteria and other particles through electrostatic adsorption, but also quickly absorb liquid pollutants (such as chemical residues and water stains). It is especially suitable for disinfection wiping in medical sterile rooms or trace stain removal of precision electronic components. Because the fiber is delicate and soft, it will not scratch sensitive surfaces when wiping, and is suitable for precision equipment such as optical instruments and display screens. However, the structure of ultrafine fibers may clog pores due to fiber entanglement after long-term use, affecting the cleaning effect, so it is more suitable for high-cleanliness scenes that are used once or infrequently.
In order to balance cleaning efficiency and wear resistance, polyester and nylon blended wiping cloths are commonly seen on the market. This combination combines the strength of polyester fiber and the flexibility of nylon. Polyester provides support, making the wiping cloth less likely to deform; nylon enhances elasticity and reduces resistance during wiping. For example, in electronic assembly workshops, blended wiping cloths can not only effectively remove solder residues and fingerprint grease on circuit boards, but also withstand multiple wiping without damage. The surface properties of blended fibers are also more diverse, and can adapt to the cleaning needs of polar and non-polar pollutants at the same time, and are suitable for complex polluted environments, such as equipment surfaces with both liquid stains and particulate impurities. In addition, by adjusting the cross-sectional shape of the fiber (such as cross shape, Y shape), the surface roughness can be further increased to enhance the ability to capture particles.
Adding conductive materials (such as carbon nanotubes) to ordinary fibers can effectively release static electricity and prevent microelectronic components from adsorbing dust or being damaged due to static electricity. It is suitable for static-sensitive scenarios such as semiconductor chip manufacturing.
The antibacterial function of the fiber is given by coating technology, which can inhibit the reproduction and transfer of microorganisms during the wiping process, meet the strict requirements of the pharmaceutical and food industries for biological contamination control, and are often used for equipment cleaning in sterile workshops.
The use of special materials (such as aramid) blended with ordinary fibers allows the wiping cloth to withstand high temperature environments, which is suitable for the cleaning of high-temperature equipment such as engine parts in the aerospace field, and avoids the pollution of ordinary fibers due to high-temperature carbonization.
The fabric is formed by a coil structure, which is soft and elastic, suitable for scenes that require gentle wiping (such as the surface of precision instruments), but the pores between the fibers are large, the wear resistance is relatively weak, and it is suitable for low-frequency use.
Using high-pressure water flow to entangle the fibers, no chemical adhesive is required, high cleanliness, suitable for high-level clean rooms (such as Class 100), but the fiber arrangement direction may cause slight differences in wear resistance in different directions.
The ultra-fine fiber net is formed by high-speed airflow, with a fluffy structure, high porosity, strong filtration and adsorption capacity, and is often used for disposable high-cleanliness wipes, but the strength is low and it is not suitable for repeated forceful wiping.
With the development of material technology, more new fibers (such as photocatalytic fibers with self-cleaning function) will be used to promote the further improvement of cleanroom wipes in cleaning efficiency and durability, so as to meet the higher requirements for clean environment in high-end fields such as semiconductors and biopharmaceuticals.
