Abstract:
The present invention provides a method for producing a continuous filament nonwoven fabric under conditions which modify the surface characteristics of the filament and the fabric formed by the process. A blend of thermoplastic polymers, wherein at least one is a polyolefin polymer and containing a majority polymer component of low MFR, is extruded through a heated die under conditions which are responsible for controlled oxidation of the filament surface of at least one component so that they are capable of efficient bonding. During spinning, the continuous filaments display good drawability and good filament distribution on the collection surface. Preferably, the filaments are drawn to a fine denier (i.e., 5 or less). The corresponding continuous filament fabric possesses desirable strength properties, as a result of high interfilamentary bond strength.
Abstract:
The present invention provides composite nonwoven fabric laminates and processes for producing such. The fabric (10) is comprised of a web (11) of thermoplastic filaments laminated to at least one other web. Preferably, the filaments are spunbonded continuous polyolefin filaments which have an oxidatively degraded outer sheath portion to promote better interfilamentary bonding and improved fabric laminate strength. In a preferred embodiment, two outer nonwoven webs (11, 13) comprise oxidatively degraded spunbonded filaments and are positioned around and laminated to a web (12) of meltblown microfibers thus forming an spunbond/meltblown/spunbond fabric. Additionally, a stretch compatible fabric may be formed in which a web of oxidatively degraded filaments is laminated to an elastic web. The fabrics of the invention may be advantageously used in numerous applications such as medical garments and disposable absorbent products.
Abstract:
A multilayer thermally bonded nonwoven fabric which is particularly useful as a liner in an absorbent product is described. The fabric includes at least two prebonded nonwoven webs having a multiplicity of intralaminar bonds bonding the fibers of the prebonded nonwoven webs together. The prebonded webs are secured together to form the fabric of the invention by a plurality of interlaminar thermal bonds formed of discrete areas of compressed and fused fibers of the prebonded webs.
Abstract:
The invention provides composite elastic nonwoven fabrics and the process of making them. The elastic nonwoven composite fabrics of the invention are formed from the combination of a plurality of cooperative elastic layers including an elastomeric meltblown web and an elastomeric spunbonded web. The elastomeric layers are joined together in a unitary elastic fabric structure to provide a composite having a desirable combination of elastic and barrier properties.
Abstract:
A composite nonwoven fabric (10) having at least one hydrophobic microporous layer (12) and at least one other layer formed of multicomponent fibers (11). The multicomponent fibers comprise a lower melting thermoplastic resin component and one or more higher melting thermoplastic resin components, wherein a substantial proportion of the surfaces of the multicomponent fibers consists of the lower melting thermoplastic resin component. The microporous layer is composed in substantial part of at least one thermoplastic resin which is thermally miscible with and adherent, upon thermal activation, to the lower melting thermoplastic resin component of the multicomponent fibers. The layers are laminated together such that the lower melting thermoplastic resin component of the layer of multicomponent fibers is thermally bonded to the thermally miscible thermoplastic resin component of the hydrophobic microporous layer to form a unitary, cohesive bond combining the layers, and wherein at least one of the higher melting thermoplastic resin components retains a fiber-like integrity in the multicomponent fibers to impart strength to the laminated nonwoven fabric.
Abstract:
The invention provides elastic fabrics which are substantially non-extensible in the machine direction and have substantial elastic properties in the cross-machine direction. The process stable fabrics of the invention include a net and a fibrous layer which are secured together. The net is composed of a plurality of continuous machine direction strands and a plurality of cross-direction strands. The machine direction strands are substantially non-extensible and the cross-direction strands are substantially elastic. The fabrics of the invention can be manufactured and processed more readily than fabrics which are elastic in both the machine direction and the cross-machine direction.
Abstract:
Antistatic spunbonded nonwoven fabrics are provided. The fabrics of the invention include a plurality of substantially continuous electrically nonconductive filaments formed of a thermoplastic polymer, a plurality of electrically conductive filaments distributed among the electrically nonconductive filaments throughout the fabric, and a multiplicity of discrete bond sites bonding together the electrically nonconductive and the electrically conductive filaments to form a coherent fabric.
Abstract:
The invention provides elastic fabrics which exhibit low extensibility in the machine direction and have substantial elastic properties in the cross-machine direction. The fabrics of the invention include an elastic layer (20) and a fibrous layer (12, 26) which are combined together. The fibrous layer is composed of a plurality of thermally activated binder fibers or filaments oriented substantially in the machine-direction of the fibrous web. The fabrics of the invention can be manufactured and processed more readily than fabrics which are elastic in both the machine direction and the cross-machine direction.
Abstract:
A process for producing nonwoven webs having improved strength properties at high throughputs is provided. In the process, a non-uniform blend of a polyolefin and a prodegradant is formed. The non-uniform blend is then rapidly heated to cause the substantially immediate thermal degradation of the prodegradant, thus providing a non-uniformly degraded polyolefin having a fraction substantially reduced in molecular weight and a fraction substantially unaffected in molecular weight as compared to the starting polyolefin.
Abstract:
A process for producing a fiber at high spinning speeds is disclosed. The process includes the step of forming a molten blend of at least two different, immiscible thermoplastic polymers having a dominant phase and at least one phase dispersed therein and meltspinning the blend through a spinneret having a plurality of capillaries. Each capillary has a diameter of about 0.15 to about 0.3 millimeters. The polymer is meltspun at polymer throughput rate of about 0.2 to about 2 grams of polymer per minute per capillary.