Chemical ageingaging of a polyester nonwoven membrane used in aerosol and drainage filter

The filter media in polyester is one of the most geotextile materials used in aerosol and drainage filtration, particularly for soil reinforcement in civil engineering due to its appropriate properties and its low cost. However, the current understanding of the durability and stability of this material in real service conditions, especially under severe long-term conditions are completely limited. This work presents an investigation of the chemical aging of a commercial nonwoven polyester membrane under different temperatures and pH environments in relation to its morphology, mechanical properties and molar mass. The results showed a significant reduction of mechanical properties in term of tensile strength, puncture resistance and tearing forces of the membrane after aging process due to the chemical degradation. The molar mass and mechanical properties changes with temperature and pH showed a complex dependence of material properties on environmental conditions. Based on the obtained results, the lifetime of the material at different temperatures was determined by the use of the Arrhenius model. These results provide useful information to a better understanding of phenomena occurring during chemical aging of the polyester nonwoven membranes and may help to predict the service lifetime of this material in conditions of use encounteredin service.