US20020144384A1 - Thermally bonded fabrics and method of making same - Google Patents

Thermally bonded fabrics and method of making same Download PDF

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US20020144384A1
US20020144384A1 US10/013,875 US1387501A US2002144384A1 US 20020144384 A1 US20020144384 A1 US 20020144384A1 US 1387501 A US1387501 A US 1387501A US 2002144384 A1 US2002144384 A1 US 2002144384A1
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bond
fabric
percent
areas
engraved pattern
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Rexford Maugans
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Dow Global Technologies LLC
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Dow Chemical Co
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
    • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
    • D04H1/54—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
    • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
    • D04H1/54—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving
    • D04H1/542—Adhesive fibres
    • D04H1/544—Olefin series
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
    • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
    • D04H1/42—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties characterised by the use of certain kinds of fibres insofar as this use has no preponderant influence on the consolidation of the fleece
    • D04H1/4282—Addition polymers
    • D04H1/4291—Olefin series
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H3/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length
    • D04H3/08—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating
    • D04H3/14—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating with bonds between thermoplastic yarns or filaments produced by welding

Definitions

  • This invention relates to nonwoven fabrics formed from polyolefin polymers and methods of making the fabrics.
  • Fabrics made from fibers include both woven and nonwoven fabrics.
  • Nonwoven fabrics are used for sanitary and medical uses including hospital gowns, diaper linings, and sanitary wipes.
  • the bonded regions may be formed autogenously, i.e., the fibers of the web are melt fused at least in the pattern areas, or with the addition of an adhesive.
  • the advantages of thermally bonded nonwoven fabrics include low energy costs and speed of production.
  • Nonwoven fabrics also can be made by a number of other methods, e.g., spunlacing or hydrodynamically entangling (as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,706 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,016); by carding and thermally bonding staple fibers; by spunbonding continuous fibers in one continuous operation; or by melt blowing fibers into fabric and subsequently calendering or thermally bonding the resultant web.
  • spunlacing or hydrodynamically entangling as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,706 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,016
  • carding and thermally bonding staple fibers by spunbonding continuous fibers in one continuous operation; or by melt blowing fibers into fabric and subsequently calendering or thermally bonding the resultant web.
  • Nonwoven fabrics determine the suitability of nonwoven fabrics for different applications.
  • Nonwoven fabrics can be engineered to have different combinations of properties to suit different needs.
  • Variable properties of nonwoven fabrics include liquid handling properties such as wettability, distribution, and absorbency, strength properties such as tensile strength and tear strength, softness properties, durability properties such as abrasion resistance, and aesthetic properties.
  • Polypropylene has been the primary polymer for nonwovens because of its cost, high strength, and processability. However, polypropylene nonwovens generally do not have a soft, cotton-like feel. As such, polyethylene nonwovens have gained interest. Polyethylenes produce softer fabrics but may have relatively low tensile strength and abrasion resistance.
  • nonwoven fabric properties such as liquid handling properties, strength properties, softness properties and durability properties
  • the appearance and feel of nonwoven fabrics are often critical to the success of a nonwoven fabric product.
  • the appearance and feel of nonwoven fabrics is particularly important for nonwoven fabrics which form exposed portions of products. For example, it is often desirable that the outer covers of nonwoven fabric products have a cloth-like feel and a pleasing decorative design.
  • the invention relates to a method for producing a nonwoven fabric with increased tensile strength, elongation, abrasion resistance, flexural rigidity, and/or softness.
  • the method comprises passing a fiber web through a pair of rollers to obtain a thermally bonded fabric with a high percentage of bond areas.
  • the high percentage of bond areas is formed by an engraved pattern on at least one of the rollers.
  • the engraved pattern has a high percentage of bond point areas and/or wide bond point angles.
  • the percentage of bond areas of the fabric is at least about 16 percent, at least about 20 percent, or at least about 24 percent.
  • the bond point angel is about 20° or higher, about 35° or higher, about 37° or higher, about 42° or higher, or about 46° or higher.
  • the engrave pattern has at least about 1.55 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter, at least about 2.31 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square, at least about 3.1 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter, at least about 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter, at least about 4.6 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter, or at least about 4.65 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter.
  • the fiber web may comprise polyethylene, which may be a homopolymer of ethylene or a copolymer of ethylene and a comonomer.
  • the polyethylene may be obtained in the presence of a single site catalyst, such as a metallocene catalyst or a constrained geometry catalyst.
  • the invention relates to a non-woven fabric made by the method described herein.
  • the non-woven fabric comprises a polymer and is characterized by a high percentage of bond area and a high abrasion resistance.
  • the polymer is polyethylene, which may be a homopolymer of ethylene or a copolymer of ethylene and a comonomer.
  • the polyethylene may be obtained in the presence of a single site catalyst, such as a metallocene catalyst or a constrained geometry catalyst.
  • the percentage of bond areas of the fabric is at least about 16 percent, at least about 20 percent, or at least about 24 percent.
  • FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a process for producing fabrics for use in embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 2A is a fragmentary elevation view of the embossing roll illustrating one arrangement of the bond points.
  • FIG. 2B is a simplified view of a nonwoven fabric produced from the process of FIG. 1 and the engraved roll of FIG. 2A.
  • FIGS. 3 A- 3 I are schematics of bond patterns for use in embodiments of the invention on an arbitrary scale.
  • FIGS. 4 A- 4 I are micrographs of nonwoven fabrics produced from the bond patterns in FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for PE1 resin used in Example 1.
  • FIG. 5 is a graph of normalized peak loads vs. temperature for fabrics produced from the bond patterns in FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for PE1 resin.
  • FIG. 6 is a graph of percent elongation vs. temperature for fabrics produced from the bond patterns in FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for PE2 resin used in Example 1.
  • FIG. 7 is a graph of typical stress-strain curves for three fabrics produced in Example 1.
  • FIG. 8 is a graph of abrasion resistance vs. temperature for fabrics produced from the bond patterns in FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for PE1 resin.
  • FIG. 9 is a graph of flexural rigidity vs. temperature for fabrics produced from the bond patterns in FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for PE1 resin.
  • FIGS. 10 A- 10 I are scanning electron microscope micrographs, at 80 ⁇ magnification, of bond points of nonwoven fabrics produced from bond patterns in FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for PE1 resin.
  • FIGS. 11 A- 11 C are scanning electron microscope micrographs of tensile test fracture sites of nonwoven fabrics produced from bond patterns in FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for various resins.
  • FIGS. 12 A- 12 B are scanning electron microscope micrographs of abraded bond sites of nonwoven fabrics produced from bond patterns in FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for various resins.
  • Embodiments of the invention provide a method for producing a non-woven fabric by thermal bonding.
  • the fabric has a high percentage of bond areas which are produced by passing a fiber web through a pair of rolls, with at least one of the rolls having an engraved pattern with a high percentage of bond point areas along with wide bond point angles.
  • nonwoven as used herein means a web or fabric having a structure of individual fibers or threads which are randomly interlaid, but not in an identifiable manner as is the case for a knitted fabric.
  • bonding refers to the application of force or pressure (separate from or in addition to that required or used to draw fibers to less than or equal to 50 denier) to fuse molten or softened fibers together. In some embodiments, the bond strength is greater than or equal to about 1,500 grams results.
  • thermal bonding is used herein refers to the reheating of fibers and the application of force or pressure (separate from or in addition to that required or used to draw fibers to less than or equal to 50 denier) to effect the melting (or softening) and fusing of fibers. In some embodiments, the bond strength is greater than or equal to about 2,000 grams results. Operations that draw and fuse fibers together in a single or simultaneous operation or prior to any take-up roll (for example, a godet), for example, spunbonding, are not considered to be a thermal bonding operation.
  • FIG. 1 A thermal bonding process for producing a non-woven fabric is illustrated in FIG. 1.
  • Such a process or variations thereof is described, for example, in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,888,438; 5,851,935; 5,733,646; 5,654,088; 55,629,080; 5,494,736; 4,770,925; 4,635,073; 4,631,933; 4,564,553; 4,315,965, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. All such disclosed processes may be utilized in embodiments of the invention with or without modifications.
  • a web forming system 10 such as a carding system, is employed to initially form a fibrous web 12 .
  • the fibers are aligned predominantly in the machine direction of web formation, as indicated by arrow 13 .
  • a spunbond system could be used to produce more random orientation of the fibers.
  • the web 12 may be directed through a preheating station 14 .
  • the preheated web is then passed to the pressure nip of a bonding station provided by opposed rolls 20 and 22 .
  • the roll 20 is a metal engraved roll and is heated to a temperature near the melting point of the fibers.
  • the backup roll (i.e., smooth roll) 22 is heated in a controlled manner to a temperature near the melting point of the fibers, preferably below the stick point of such fibers.
  • the engraved pattern comprises circles, although other shapes, such as ovals, squares, and rectangulars, may be used.
  • the engraved roll as illustrated in FIG. 2A contains areas, bond points, that are in intimate, compressed contact with a flat roll. These areas induce melting and create bond areas.
  • the size of these areas determines the number of fibers bonded at a single point and also the total area of the fabric that contains non-fibrous integrity.
  • the number of fibers connected at one bond point can influence its overall strength, but also can contribute to its overall stiffness.
  • the engraved pattern on the roll is produced via bond points. These points extend from the engraved roll and when in contact with the flat roll, produce a bonded area. Generally the bond points produce a pattern on the nonwoven fabric, such as seen in FIG. 2B. The bond points of an engraved pattern are generally expressed in terms of bond points per square area.
  • the engraved pattern has about 1.55 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter (100 bond points per square inch), preferably about 2.31 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter (149 bond points per square inch), more preferably about 3.10 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter (200 bond points per square inch), or about 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter (222 bond points per square inch), or about 4.60 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter (297 bond points per square inch), or about 4.65 ⁇ 10 5 bond points per square meter (300 bond points per square inch).
  • Higher bond points per square meter such as 5.42 ⁇ 10 5 , 6.20 ⁇ 10 5 , 7.75 ⁇ 10 5 , 9.30 ⁇ 10 5 , or more, (per square inch, such as 350, 400, 500, 600, or more) also may be feasible.
  • the bond point is made up of a bond point angle and bond area. Referring to FIGS. 3 A-I, various bond point patterns of different bond point angles and bond areas are shown.
  • Bond point angle refers to the angle at which the bond point extends from the engraved roll.
  • the bond point angle is about 20 degrees or higher, preferably about 35 degrees or higher, more preferably about 37 degrees or higher, most preferably about 42 degrees or higher, and still most preferably about 46 degrees or higher.
  • 3A is for bond pattern 1 having a 46° angle, 20 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 7.62 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.03 inch).
  • 3B is for bond pattern 2 having a 20° angle, 16 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 6.86 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.027 inch).
  • 3C is for bond pattern 3 having a 20° angle, 24 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 8.38 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.033 inch).
  • 3D is for bond pattern 4 having a 20° angle, 20 percent bond area, 2.31 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (149 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 9.30 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.0366 inch).
  • 3E is for bond pattern 5 having a 20° angle, 20 percent bond area, 4.60 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (297 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 6.60 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.026 inch).
  • 3F is for bond pattern 6 having a 42° angle, 16 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 6.86 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.027 inch).
  • 3G is for bond pattern 7 having a 37° angle, 24 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 8.38 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.033 inch).
  • 3H is for bond pattern 8 having a 46° angle, 20 percent bond area, 2.31 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (149 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 9.3 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.0366 inch).
  • 3I is for bond pattern 9 having a 35° angle, 20 percent bond area, 4.60 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (297 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 6.60 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.026 inch).
  • Bonded areas and unbonded areas make up the nonwoven fabric.
  • Bonded areas may be defined as the percentage of the surface area of the nonwoven fabric that is covered by a bond produced by the bond point
  • the bond area in embodiments of the invention is preferably at least 16 percent, more preferably at least 20 percent and most preferably at least 24 percent, 30 percent, 35 percent, 40 percent, 45 percent, 50 percent or more.
  • a web forming system generally includes processes for producing fibers which can be thermally bonded to form fabrics include dry laid, wet laid, and polymer laid or any other processes.
  • the fibers are produced by spunbond, meltblown or carded staple processes. These processes are further described in the following United States Patents, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,338,992; 3,341,394; 3,276,944; 3,502,538; 3,978,185; and 4,644,045.
  • the spunbond process uses a high powered vacuum chamber to increase the velocity of the fibers in order to decrease the fiber's diameters to produce a continuous fiber.
  • the meltblown process blows air down from above and uses surface forces to drag the fibers to higher velocities to produce very low denier non-continuous fibers.
  • spunbond processes are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,825,379; 4,813,864; 4,405,297; 4,208,366; and 4,334,340 all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
  • the spunbonding process is one which is well known in the art of fabric production.
  • continuous fibers are extruded, laid on an endless belt, and then bonded to each other, and often times to a second layer such as a melt blown layer, often by a heated calendar roll, or addition of a binder.
  • An overview of spunbonding may be obtained from L. C. Wadsworth and B. C.
  • meltblown is used herein to refer to fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic polymer composition through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into converging high velocity gas streams (e.g. air) which function to attenuate the threads or filaments to reduced diameters. Thereafter, the filaments or threads are carried by the high velocity gas streams and deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly dispersed meltblown fibers with average diameters generally smaller than 10 microns.
  • high velocity gas streams e.g. air
  • spunbond is used herein to refer to fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic polymer composition as filaments through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries of a spinneret with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced and thereafter depositing the filaments onto a collecting surface to form a web of randomly dispersed spunbond fibers with average diameters generally between about 7 and about 30 microns.
  • Nonwovens can be produced by numerous methods. Most methods include substantially the same basic procedures: (1) material selection; (2) web formation; (3) web consolidation; and (4) web finishing. Material selection provides the properties suitable for the application. The web is formed from fibers of the selected materials. The web is then bonded to form a fabric and the fabric is finished to produce the final product for cutting and folding.
  • the diameter of the fiber affects properties of the fabric including strength and flexural rigidity. Fiber diameter can be measured and reported in a variety of fashions. Generally, fiber diameter is measured in denier per filament. Denier is a textile term which is defined as the grams of the fiber per 9000 meters of that fiber's length. Monofilament generally refers to an extruded strand having a denier per filament greater than 15, usually greater than 30. Fine denier fiber generally refers to fiber having a denier of about 15 or less. Microdenier (i.e., microfiber) generally refers to fiber having a diameter not greater than about 100 micrometers. For the fibers disclosed herein, the diameter can be widely varied, with little impact upon the fiber's elasticity.
  • the fiber denier can be adjusted to suit the capabilities of the finished article and as such, would preferably be: from about 0.5 to about 30 denier/filament for melt blown; from about 1 to about 30 denier/filament for spunbond; and from about 1 to about 20,000 denier/filament for continuous wound filament.
  • One can convert the fiber diameter in denier to meter according to the equation: fiber ⁇ ⁇ diameter ⁇ ⁇ ( meter ) 11.89 ⁇ 10 - 6 ⁇ fiberdiamter ⁇ ⁇ ( denier ) fiberdensity ⁇ ⁇ ( g ⁇ / ⁇ cc ) .
  • Fiber properties that influence the fabric's final properties include the fiber's orientation, crystallinity, diameter and cooling rates.
  • the strength of the bond is a limiting factor in nonwoven fabric strength.
  • Lower fiber orientation allows for greater amounts of melting during bonding, causing stronger bonding regions.
  • high amounts of orientation induced by drawing a polymer causes high amounts of shrinkage during thermal bonding making processability difficult.
  • Crystalline portions of a fiber are particularly of interest to the thermal bonding process due to the melting that occurs.
  • the degree of melting and flow significantly impacts the bond strength. Less stable crystals melt first; followed by the more stable or oriented crystals if enough heat is transferred to the polymer. Because of the short duration of heat transfer to the bond area, only a fraction of the crystals melt.
  • Web consolidation provides strength and rigidity to the fabric. Ways to consolidate the web include mechanical, chemical, and thermal bonding. Mechanical consolidation is accomplished by entangling fibers at various points in the web, including needle punching, stitch bonding, spunlacing, or any other mechanical consolidation process. Chemical bonding involves spraying or saturating the web with an adhesive such as latex. Thermal bonding of the web is a common bonding technique and include point-calender, ultrasonic and radian-heat bonding. In some embodiments, point-calender bonding is used and comprises passing the web through two heated rolls that are in intimate contact. One roll is male-patterned engraved and the other is a flat roll. The fibers melt and flow over one another. Upon cooling, the fabric is formed.
  • thermomechanical processes of different magnitudes that occur. These processes include: conductive heat transfer; heat of deformation; flow of melted polymer; diffusion; and the Clapeyron effect.
  • F(s)ds is the force exerted on the web over a distance ds
  • a is the fraction of mechanical work converted to heat
  • V is the volume of the web
  • ⁇ is the crystallinity
  • f is the fraction of crystals that melt.
  • the first term on the right side is the amount of heat used to increase the temperature and the second term describes the amount of heat that melts the polymer crystals.
  • R is the penetration distance
  • t is the time
  • D is the self-diffusion coefficient.
  • most polymers have a diffusion coefficient of a magnitude of 10 ⁇ 15 and spend 10 to 40 milliseconds under the bond pins. Using these rough numbers it is calculated that the penetration distance is only between 45 ⁇ and 100 ⁇ .
  • the fibers used in thermal bonding are about 20 microns in diameter, the fibers only diffuse 0.00000225 percent of their total diameter. Therefore, the mechanical interlocking of the polymer melt around the fibers in the bonding area is likely to be the dominating force holding the fibers together at the bond point.
  • the increased pressure under the bond pins leads to an increase in melting temperature otherwise known as the Clapeyron Effect.
  • the effect of pressure increases the melting point of polypropylene 38 K/kbar or 0.38° C./Mpa.
  • polypropylene's melting point increases about 10° C.
  • Polyethylene's melting temperature increases only about 5° C. under typical bonding pressures.
  • the speed and diameter of the bond roll affect the total time of heat transfer to the web. Larger bond roll diameters allow for more intimate contact with the heated rolls than do smaller rolls. Hence there is more heat transferred to the web. In the same manner, slow spinning rolls have more contact time then fast spinning rolls.
  • the amount of time a fabric spends in the nip may be expressed as:
  • C O is the original web thickness
  • C N is the thickness between the bond rolls
  • C R is the thickness after compression in the bond roll.
  • the shape of the fiber is not limited and can be any suitable shape.
  • typical fiber have a circular cross sectional shape, but sometimes fibers have different shapes, such as a trilobal shape, or a flat (i.e., “ribbon” like) shape.
  • Important fabric properties include strength, elongation, peak load, abrasion and flexural rigidity.
  • the strength or tenacity and elongation of a nonwoven fabric is important to both post production processes and the consumer. The more strength and elasticity a fabric has, the faster it can be combined with other materials into a final consumer product.
  • Another property of a nonwoven fabric is its ability to resist abrasion. When an abrasive surface is applied to a nonwoven fabric, fibers are pulled from the surface and cause fuzz or pilling to form on the surface. As such, high abrasion resistance is desirable for nonwoven fabrics.
  • Still another important property of a material that is worn by humans and placed against the skin is its stiffness. This property can be measured by flexural rigidity or handfeel evaluations.
  • any fiber-forming polymers may be used in embodiments of the invention.
  • suitable polymers include, but are not limited to, ⁇ -olefin homopolymers and interpolymers comprising polypropylene, propylene/C 4 -C 20 ⁇ -olefin copolymers, polyethylene, and ethylene/C 3 -C 20 ⁇ -olefin copolymers
  • the interpolymers can be either heterogeneous ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin interpolymers or homogeneous ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin interpolymers, including the substantially linear ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin interpolymers.
  • aliphatic ⁇ -olefins having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms and containing polar groups.
  • Suitable aliphatic ⁇ -olefin monomers which introduce polar groups into the polymer include, for example, ethylenically unsaturated nitriles such as acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, ethacrylonitrile, etc.; ethylenically unsaturated anhydrides such as maleic anhydride; ethylenically unsaturated amides such as acrylamide, methacrylamide etc.; ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids (both mono- and difunctional) such as acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, etc.; esters (especially lower, e.g.
  • alkyl esters of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids such as methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, hydroxyethylacrylate, n-butyl acrylate or methacrylate, 2-ethyl-hexylacrylate, or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers etc.; ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid imides such as N-alkyl or N-aryl maleimides such as N-phenyl maleimide, etc.
  • monomers containing polar groups are acrylic acid, vinyl acetate, maleic anhydride and acrylonitrile.
  • Halogen groups which can be included in the polymers from aliphatic ⁇ -olefin monomers include fluorine, chlorine and bromine; preferably such polymers are chlorinated polyethylenes (CPEs).
  • CPEs chlorinated polyethylenes
  • Heterogeneous interpolymers are differentiated from the homogeneous interpolymers in that in the latter, substantially all of the interpolymer molecules have the same ethylene/comonomer ratio within that interpolymer, whereas heterogeneous interpolymers are those in which the interpolymer molecules do not have the same ethylene/comonomer ratio.
  • the term “broad composition distribution” used herein describes the comonomer distribution for heterogeneous interpolymers and means that the heterogeneous interpolymers have a “linear” fraction and that the heterogeneous interpolymers have multiple melting peaks (i.e., exhibit at least two distinct melting peaks) by DSC.
  • the heterogeneous interpolymers have a degree of branching less than or equal to 2 methyls/1000 carbons in about 10 percent (by weight) or more, preferably more than about 15 percent (by weight), and especially more than about 20 percent (by weight).
  • the heterogeneous interpolymers also have a degree of branching equal to or greater than 25 methyls/1000 carbons in about 25 percent or less (by weight), preferably less than about 15 percent (by weight), and especially less than about 10 percent (by weight).
  • the heterogeneous polymer component can be an ⁇ -olefin homopolymer preferably polyethylene or polypropylene, or, preferably, an interpolymer of ethylene with at least one C 3 -C 20 ⁇ -olefin and/or C 4 -C 18 dienes.
  • Heterogeneous copolymers of ethylene, and propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene and 1-octene are especially preferred.
  • Linear low density polyethylene is produced in either a solution or a fluid bed process.
  • the polymerization is catalytic.
  • Ziegler Natta and single-site metallocene catalyst systems have been used to produce LLDPE.
  • the resulting polymers are characterized by an essentially linear backbone. Density is controlled by the level of comonomer incorporation into the otherwise linear polymer backbone.
  • Various alpha-olefins are typically copolymerized with ethylene in producing LLDPE.
  • the alpha-olefins which preferably have four to eight carbon atoms, are present in the polymer in an amount up to about 10 percent by weight.
  • the most typical comonomers are butene, hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, and octene.
  • the comonomer influences the density of the polymer. Density ranges for LLDPE are relatively broad, typically from 0.87-0.95 g/cc (ASTM D-792).
  • Linear low density polyethylene melt index is also controlled by the introduction of a chain terminator, such as hydrogen or a hydrogen donator.
  • the melt index measured according to ASTM D-1238 Condition 190° C./2.16 kg (formerly known as “Condition E” and also known as “I 2 ”), for a linear low density polyethylene can range broadly from about 0.1 to about 150 g/10 min.
  • the LLDPE should have a melt index of greater than 10, and preferably 15 or greater for spunbonded filaments.
  • Particularly preferred are LLDPE polymers having a density of 0.90 to 0.945 g/cc and a melt index of greater than 25.
  • linear low density polyethylene polymers examples include the linear low density polyethylene polymers available from Dow Chemical Company, such as the ASPUNTM series of fibergrade resins, Dow LLDPE 2500 (55 MI, 0.923 density), Dow LLDPE Type 6808A (36MI, 0.940 density), and the EXACTTM series of linear low density polyethylene polymers from Exxon Chemical Company, such as EXACTTM 2003 (31 MI, density 0.921).
  • the homogeneous polymer component can be an ⁇ -olefin homopolymer preferably polyethylene or polypropylene, or, preferably, an interpolymer of ethylene with at least one C 3 -C 20 ⁇ -olefin and/or C 4 -Cl 8 dienes.
  • Homogeneous copolymers of ethylene, and propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene and 1-octene are especially preferred.
  • the homogeneous interpolymers useful for forming fibers described herein have homogeneous branching distributions. That is, the polymers are those in which the comonomer is randomly distributed within a given interpolymer molecule and wherein substantially all of the interpolymer molecules have the same ethylene/comonomer ratio within that interpolymer.
  • the homogeneity of the polymers is typically described by the SCBDI (Short Chain Branch Distribution Index) or CDBI (Composition Distribution Branch Index) and is defined as the weight percent of the polymer molecules having a comonomer content within 50 percent of the median total molar comonomer content.
  • the CDBI of a polymer is readily calculated from data obtained from techniques known in the art, such as, for example, temperature rising elution fractionation (abbreviated herein as “TREF”) as described, for example, in Wild et al, Journal of Polymer Science, Poly. Phys. Ed ., Vol. 20, p. 441 (1982), in U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,081, or as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,204, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • the technique for calculating CDBI is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,728 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,783 or in U.S. Pat. No.
  • SCBDI or CDBI for the homogeneous interpolymers used in the present invention is preferably greater than about 30 percent, especially greater than about 50 percent, 70 percent or 90 percent.
  • the homogeneous interpolymers used in this invention essentially lack a measurable “high density” fraction as measured by the TREF technique (i.e., the homogeneous ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin interpolymers do not contain a polymer fraction with a degree of branching less than or equal to 2 methyls/1000 carbons).
  • the homogeneous interpolymers also do not contain any highly short chain branched fraction (i.e., they do not contain a polymer fraction with a degree of branching equal to or more than 30 methyls/1000 carbons).
  • substantially linear ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin polymers and interpolymers are also homogeneous interpolymers but are further herein defined as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,236, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,872, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.
  • Such polymers are unique however due to their excellent processability and unique rheological properties and high melt elasticity and resistance to melt fracture. These polymers can be successfully prepared in a continuous polymerization process using the constrained geometry metallocene catalyst systems.
  • substantially linear ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin interpolymer means that the polymer backbone is substituted with about 0.01 long chain branches/1000 carbons to about 3 long chain branches/1000 carbons, more preferably from about 0.01 long chain branches/1000 carbons to about 1 long chain branches/1000 carbons, and especially from about 0.05 long chain branches/1000 carbons to about 1 long chain branches/1000 carbons.
  • Long chain branching is defined herein as a chain length of at least one carbon more than two carbons less than the total number of carbons in the comonomer, for example, the long chain branch of an ethylene/octene substantially linear ethylene interpolymer is at least seven (7) carbons in length (i.e., 8 carbons less 2 equals 6 carbons plus one equals seven carbons long chain branch length).
  • the long chain branch can be as long as about the same length as the length of the polymer back-bone.
  • Long chain branching is determined by using 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and is quantified using the method of Randall ( Rev. Macromol. Chem. Phys ., C29 (2&3), p.
  • Long chain branching is to be distinguished from short chain branches which result solely from incorporation of the comonomer, so for example the short chain branch of an ethylene/octene substantially linear polymer is six carbons in length, while the long chain branch for that same polymer is at least seven carbons in length.
  • Examples of commercial fiber-forming polyethylene include ASPUNTM 6806A (melt index: 105.0 g/10min.; density: 0.930 g/cc), ASPUNTM 6842A (melt index: 30.0 g/10 min.; density: 0.955 g/cc), ASPUNTM 681A (melt index: 27.0 g/10min.; density: 0.941 g/cc), ASPUNTM 6830A (melt index: 18.0 g/10min.; density: 0.930 g/cc), ASPUNTM 6831A (melt index: 150.0 g/10min.; density: 0.930 g/cc), and ASPUNTM 8635A (melt index: 17.0 g/10min.; density: 0.950 g/cc), all available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.
  • These linear low density polyethylene may be blended with a homogeneous substantially linear ethylene polymer, such as AFFINITYTM resin from The Dow Chemical Company.
  • Examples of commercial fiber-forming polypropylene include homopolypropylene designated as 5A10 (melt flow rate: 1.4 g/10min.; flexural modulus: 1585 MPa (230,000 psi)); 5A28 (melt flow rate: 3.0 g/10min.; flexural modulus:: 1585 MPa (230,000 psi)); 5A66V (melt flow rate: 4.6 g/10min.; flexural modulus: 1654 MPa (240,000 psi)); 5E17V (melt flow rate: 20.0 g/10min.; flexural modulus: 1344 MPa (195,000 psi)); 5E40 (melt flow rate: 9.6 g/10min.; flexural modulus: 1378 MPa (200,000 psi)); NRD5-1258 (melt flow rate: 100.0 g/10min.; flexural modulus: 1318 MPa (191,300 psi)); NRD5-1465 (melt flow rate: 20.0 g/10/10/10,
  • melt flow rate is measured according to ASTM D 1238 (230° C./2.16 kg), and flexural modulus according to ASTM D 790A. It should be understood that resins from other companies, such as Exxon, Bassel, Mitsui, etc., also may be used.
  • Additives such as antioxidants (e.g., hindered phenolics such as IRGANOXTM 1010 or IRGANOXTM 1076 supplied by Ciba Geigy), phosphites (e.g., IRGAFOSTM 168 also supplied by Ciba Geigy), cling additives (e.g., PIB), pigments, colorants, fillers, and the like, can also be included in the fiber materials disclosed herein.
  • antioxidants e.g., hindered phenolics such as IRGANOXTM 1010 or IRGANOXTM 1076 supplied by Ciba Geigy
  • phosphites e.g., IRGAFOSTM 168 also supplied by Ciba Geigy
  • cling additives e.g., PIB
  • pigments e.g., colorants, fillers, and the like
  • the polymers disclosed herein can be admixed with other polymers to modify characteristics such as elasticity, processability, strength, thermal bonding, or adhesion, to the extent that such modification does not adversely affect the desired properties.
  • Some useful materials for modifying the polymers include, other substantially linear ethylene polymers as well as other polyolefins, such as high pressure low density ethylene homopolymer (LDPE), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), ethylene-carboxylic acid copolymers, ethylene acrylate copolymers, polybutylene (PB), ethylene/.alpha.-olefin polymers which includes high density polyethylene (HDPE), medium density polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene interpolymers, ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE), as well as graft-modified polymers involving, for example, anhydrides and/or dienes, or mixtures thereof.
  • LDPE high pressure low density ethylene homopolymer
  • EVA ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer
  • PB polybutylene
  • PB polybutylene
  • ethylene/.alpha.-olefin polymers which includes high density polyethylene (HDPE), medium density
  • Still other polymers suitable for modifying the polymers include synthetic and natural elastomers and rubbers which are known to exhibit varying degrees of elasticity.
  • AB and ABA block or graft copolymers (where A is a thermoplastic endblock such as, for example, a styrenic moiety and B is an elastomeric midblock derived, for example, from conjugated dienes or lower alkenes), chlorinated elastomers and rubbers, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EDPM) rubbers, ethylene-propylene rubbers, and the like and mixtures thereof are examples of known prior art elastic materials contemplated as suitable for modifying the elastic materials disclosed herein.
  • EDPM ethylene propylene diene monomer
  • Polypropylene can be blended with a lower melting polymer such as polyethylene to increase the strength in the bond region.
  • a lower melting polymer such as polyethylene
  • LLDPE low melting/low density polyethylene
  • the initial chemical structure of the polymer used to produce nonwovens has an affect on the fabric properties.
  • a polymer's chemical structure impacts the polymer's density/crystallinity, viscosity, and molecular weight distribution.
  • addition of two or more polymers to make a blend can have a significant impact on the nonwoven properties.
  • Fabric strength increases with increasing molecular weight distribution.
  • the increase in MWD decreases the orientation of the fibers in the spinning process, causing greater melting during calendering.
  • nonwoven fabrics in accordance with embodiments of the invention have utility in a variety of applications. Suitable applications include, but are not limited to, disposable personal hygiene products (e.g. training pants, diapers, absorbent underpants, incontinence products, feminine hygiene items and the like), disposable garments (e.g. industrial apparel, coveralls, head coverings, underpants, pants, shirts, gloves, socks and the like) and infection control/clean room products (e.g. surgical gowns and drapes, face masks, head coverings, surgical caps and hood, shoe coverings, boot slippers, wound dressings, bandages, sterilization wraps, wipers, lab coats, coverall, pants, aprons, jackets, bedding items and sheets).
  • disposable personal hygiene products e.g. training pants, diapers, absorbent underpants, incontinence products, feminine hygiene items and the like
  • disposable garments e.g. industrial apparel, coveralls, head coverings, underpants, pants, shirts, gloves, socks and the like
  • nonwoven fabrics also may be used in manners taught in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 6,316,687; 6,314,959; 6,309,736; 6,286,145; 6,281,289; 6,280,573; 6,248,851; 6,238,767; 6,197,322; 6,194,532; 6,194,517; 6,176,952; 6,146,568; 6,140,442; 6,093,665; 6,028,016; 5,919,177; 5,912,194; 5,900,306; 5,830,810; and 5,798,167, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
  • a HAAKE twin screw extruder was used to produce polymer blends.
  • the extruder has the following characteristics:
  • Torque 3.44 ⁇ 10 7 Pa (5000 psi)
  • Quench air (slightly above room temperature (about 24° C.) is used to help the melt spun fibers cool.
  • the quench air is located just below the spinneret and blows air across the fiber line as it is extruded.
  • the quench air flow rate is low enough so that it can barely be felt by hand in the fiber area below the spinneret.
  • the fibers are collected on godet rolls having a diameter of about 0.152 m (6 inches).
  • the godet roll's speed is adjustable, but for the experiments demonstrated herein, the godet's speed is about 1500 revolutions/minute.
  • the godet rolls are located about 3 meters below the spinneret die. Immediately following the spinning process, all fibers are cut into fibers of 0.0381 m (1.5 inches) in length.
  • Nonwoven fabric samples were produced on a laboratory calender equipped with a hardened, chromed engraved steel roll according to the procedures described herein.
  • An engraved pattern contains a 20 percent total bonding area and 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 bonding points per square meter (222 bonding points per square inch).
  • FIGS. 3 A- 3 I schematically show various bonding patterns along with their dimensions that were used in embodiments of the invention.
  • Bottom (smooth) roll temperature from about 110° C. (230° F.) to about 121.1° C. (250° F.), which is about 4° C. higher than the top roll to avoid sticking to the top roll.
  • Hydraulic pressure from about 4.82 ⁇ 10 6 Pa (700 psi) to about 1.03 ⁇ 10 7 Pa (1500 psi).
  • Roll Speed/dial setting from about 3 to about 5 m/min.
  • ⁇ is the angle of the fiber and F p is the orientation parameter is which a value of 0 corresponds to random orientation and a value of 1 corresponds to perfect alignment in one direction.
  • Flexural rigidity was measured according to the design specifications of ASTM method D 1388-64. A leveling bubble was placed on the horizontal platform before measurements were taken to ensure consistency. The length of overhang and the basis weight of the fabric was then used to calculate flexural rigidity.
  • the cantilever test is a way to easily measure the stiffness of all fabrics, it is important to be able to correlate the results with consumer opinion. The feel of a fabric in a persons hand may have different properties than that found in a mechanical test. In addition, the surface of the fabric should have a soft feel to the touch as well.
  • Polyethylene (PE) polymers were obtained from The Dow Chemical Company.
  • the polyethylene polymers have varying density and melt indices.
  • a polypropylene (PP) polymer also was obtained from The Dow Chemical Company.
  • the properties of the polymers are given in Table 1.
  • Polyethylene that is representative of PE1 include ASPUNTM 6842A available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.
  • Polyethylene that is representative of PE2 include ASPUNTM 6811 available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.
  • Polyethylene that is representative of PE3 include ASPUNTM 6835A available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.
  • Polyethylene that is representative of PE4 include AFFINITYTM EG8100 available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.
  • Polypropylene that is representative of PP1 include H500-35 available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich. Four samples were formulated from the polyethylene polymers. Three homopolymers and a 95 percent/5 percent blend of PE1 and PE4 were tested. Compounding for the blend was as described above.
  • Fibers were produced using the spinning conditions given in Table 2 and the process described above. TABLE 2 Spinning Conditions for Various Fibers Predicted Total Extruder Godet Godet Fiber Mass of Temp. Speed Speed Diameter Sample Fiber Polymer (° C.) (rpm) (m/min) (microns) (g) 1 PE1 190 1800 900 21 540 2 PE2 190 1800 900 21 180 3 PE3 190 1800 900 21 180 4 PE1 + PE4 190 1800 900 21 180 5 PP1 230 1800 900 21 180
  • Fabrics were produced from the above described processes using the fibers produced in Table 1 and were coded in the following manner. A series of three numbers was assigned to each sample. The first number indicated the polymer used. The second number indicated the bond pattern number and the third number indicated the bonding temperature. Refer to Table 2 for reference to the polymer number and FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for reference to bond pattern numbers. For convenience, this labeling system is used to identify samples.
  • FIG. 3A is for bond pattern 1 having a 46° angle, 20 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 7.62 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.03 inch).
  • FIG. 1 is for bond pattern 1 having a 46° angle, 20 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 7.62 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.03 inch).
  • 3B is for bond pattern 2 having a 20°angle, 16 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 6.86 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.027 inch).
  • 3C is for bond pattern 3 having a 20° angle, 24 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 8.38 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.033 inch).
  • 3D is for bond pattern 4 having a 20° angle, 20 percent bond area, 2.31 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (149 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 9.30 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.0366 inch).
  • 3E is for bond pattern 5 having a 20° angle, 20 percent bond area, 4.60 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (297 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 6.60 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.026 inch).
  • 3F is for bond pattern 6 having a 42° angle, 16 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 6.86 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.027 inch).
  • 3G is for bond pattern 7 having a 37° angle, 24 percent bond area, 3.44 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (222 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 8.38 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.033 inch).
  • 3H is for bond pattern 8 having a 46° angle, 20 percent bond area, 2.31 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (149 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 9.3 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.0366 inch).
  • 3I is for bond pattern 9 having a 35° angle, 20 percent bond area, 4.60 ⁇ 10 5 pts/m 2 (297 pts/in 2 ), base width of 1.7 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 3 m (0.067 inch), base height of 4.32 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.017 inch), and a point width of 6.60 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 4 m (0.026 inch).
  • FIGS. 4 A- 4 I are micrographs at 20 ⁇ magnification of nonwovens produced from resin 6824A at 119.4° C. (247° F.) which show the differences in the fabrics visually.
  • the dark diamond areas are the bond areas of the fabrics, while the lighter areas are unbonded fibers.
  • FIGS. 4A, 4F, 4 G, 4 H and 4 I show that a side wall angle of 20° produces a smaller bond area than that of patterns that contain a larger side wall angle.
  • Measurements of the bond site areas of the fabric are given in Table 3. The data show a greater percent bond area than the roll pattern that produced the fabric in bond patterns 1, 6, 7 and 8. This is due to the melt flow of polymer from under the bond pin and also the increased heat transfer due to compaction of fibers in the void areas between the bond pins. The fibers contain less free space and heat transfer via conduction is higher. All patterns containing 20° side wall angles show a fabric percent bond area less than that of the roll pattern.
  • the 20° side wall angle patterns also appear to have fibers that are less compacted together or a higher porosity.
  • Bond patterns 4, 5, 7 and 8 have the same percent bond area, but different concentrations of points per square meter. The distance between each bond point is greater for the patterns with the lower concentration of points per square meter.
  • FIGS. 4 A- 4 I are micrographs of varying bond patterns of PE1 resin at 119.4° C. (247° F.) that were also used to evaluate fiber orientation.
  • a study of the figures show most of the fibers arranged in one direction (up and down). This is the machine direction (MD) of the fibers.
  • MD machine direction
  • Most spunbond and meltdown fabrics contain more of a random arrangement of fibers so that the fabric contains cross direction (CD) strength as well as machine direction strength.
  • CD cross direction
  • An evaluation of randomly selected fabrics showed that fabric orientation (f p ) values for a commercial spunbond fabric were much lower than that of the samples produced and tested in these examples.
  • the commercial spunbond fabric was made from polypropylene at TANDEC. The results are given in Table 5.
  • Tables 6 through 9 show various properties of the nonwoven fabrics for each polymer fiber tested using various bond patterns at various temperatures. A series of three numbers was assigned to each sample. The first number indicates the polymer used. The second number indicates the bond pattern number and the third number indicates the bonding temperature in ° F. Refer to Table 2 for reference to the polymer number and FIGS. 3 A- 3 I for reference to bond pattern numbers. For convenience, this labeling system is used to identify samples. For example, 1-1-116.1 stands for fabric made of PE1 resin using bond pattern 1 (FIG. 3A) at a bonding temperature of 116.1° C. (241° F.).
  • Peak load values ranged from 800 g to as high as 2400 g. These values are much less than a typical PP sample. Using pattern 2 at 136.6° C. (278° F.), PP1 produces a peak load of 4875 g. In general, the normalized peak load increases with an increase in temperature, bond area, and bond angle. For resin PE2 and the blend of 95 percent PE1 and 5 percent PE4 the peak load decreased when increasing the temperature from 114.4° C. (238° F.) to 116.1° C. (241° F.) for PE2 and from 117.7° C. (244° F.) to 119.4° C. (247° F.) for the blend. This may be contributed to a change in the fracture mechanism.
  • FIG. 5 is a graph of normalized peak load versus temperature of PE2 resin at different temperatures and using various bond patterns.
  • the peak load was linearly normalized to a basis weight of 33 g/m 2 (1 oz/yd 2 ) because peak load is a strong function of basis weight.
  • FIG. 6 is a graph of percent elongation versus temperature for resin PE2 at different temperatures using various bond patterns.
  • the elongation of PE nonwovens ranged from 10 percent to as high as 95 percent.
  • pattern 2 at 136.6° C. (278° F.)
  • the elongation of PP only reached 31 percent and 37 percent was the highest value reached at any process condition.
  • a decrease in the concentration of bond points increases the elongation significantly.
  • resin PE2 almost doubled its elongation at 114.4° C.
  • FIG. 7 Three examples of typical stress-strain curves for resin PE1 are given in FIG. 7.
  • the samples were manufactured using PE1 resin using bond pattern 3 at temperatures of 116.1° C. (241° F.), 117.7° C. (244° F.), and 119.4° C. (247° F.). As the temperature increases so does the peak load. At the highest temperature of 119.4° C. (247° F.), the elongation of the fabric decreases. Also the initial modulus of the fabric produced at 119.4° C. (247° F.) is higher than those produced at lower temperatures. This is typical of all the fabric samples.
  • FIG. 8 is a typical graph of abrasion versus temperature for resin PE1.
  • the data show that elongation is a function of all processing variables. An increase in bond area and bond angle which are interrelated increases the elongation of the fabric.
  • the abrasion resistance is mostly a function of temperature, although significant differences can be seen between bond patterns. This may be explained by its fracture mechanism. As the surface is abraded, the fibers are pulled from the bond points. Because of the fracture mechanism for abrasion, the amount of fuzz on the surface depends on bond strength more than the size of the bond.
  • the values for abrasion ranged from 0.48 mg/cm 2 to greater than 1 mg/cm 2 .
  • a PP sample using bond pattern 2 at 136.6° C. (278° F.) has an abrasion value of 0.15 mg/cm 2 , over 3 times less than that of PE.
  • FIG. 9 A plot of flexural rigidity (“FR”) vs. temperature is shown as FIG. 9 for resin PE2. This is a typical plot and represents the trends found in the other resins.
  • a high length of overhang indicates a stiff fabric.
  • a high basis weight contributes to an increase in stiffness since the fabric supports a larger weight as it hangs over the edge.
  • An average of the fabric's overhang with the engraved roll side facing up and facing down was considered the total overhang for an individual piece of fabric. An average of each was taken. This is thought to better represent the overall stiffness of the fabric since the fabric bends in both directions during wear. Four measurements were taken for each sample in this manner.
  • Arial views and cross-section views were obtained using the following procedure:
  • the effect of this is not nearly as noticeable with the PE1 resin as it is in the other resins, probably due to its high melt index.
  • the patterns with the small side wall angle produce a bond that contains a smaller flat area and, geometrically, a more rounded bond point. Because the shape of the bond point produced with a 20 degree side wall angle is rounded and covers less surface area as shown previously, then the space between each bond point is larger. This larger space gives the fabric its softer feel due to the increase in exposure area of the fibers. This correlates well with the handfeel evaluation data. Conversely, the small bond point surface coverage produces less entangled fibers and decreased the fabric strength. This was seen previously in tensile data.
  • FIGS. 11 A-C shows examples of the failure mechanisms during tensile failure. Notice that most processing conditions cause the polyethylene fabric to fail by the fibers pulling away from a weak bond point. In some cases at higher temperatures it was evident that the bonds were strong enough to cause fiber breakage at the bond perimeter. The addition of 5 percent the PE4 resin to the PE1 resin increased the bond strength enough at 119.4° C. (247° F.) to cause some fibers to break at the bond perimeter. There was evidence of two fracture mechanisms at this point including fibers pulling away from the bond and fibers breaking at the perimeter.
  • FIGS. 12 A-B show two examples of a fractured bond point caused by abrasion.
  • the thin ribbon-like strips are remnants of the previously thermally bonded point. Even those samples that failed in tensile tests by brittle fiber failure at the bond perimeter did not show the same fracture mechanism. After abrasion the fabric failed by destruction of the bond point. This phenomena may explain why abrasion resistance does not reach a peak value and then decrease as the processing temperature is increased as does the tenacity and elongation. The abrasion resistance is dependent only on the bond strength.
  • embodiments of the invention provide a nonwoven fabric which has relatively increased tensile strength, elongation, abrasion resistance, flexural rigidity, and/or softness. Additional characteristics and advantages provided by embodiments of the invention are apparent to those skilled in the art.
  • the fabric composition need not be a mixture within the compositions given above. It can comprise any amount of components, so long as the properties desired in the fabric composition are met. It should be noted that the application of the fabric composition is not limited to sanitary articles; it can be used in any environment which requires a thermally bonded nonwoven fabric. The appended claims intend to cover all such variations and modifications as falling within the scope of the invention.

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US9408761B2 (en) 2011-03-25 2016-08-09 The Procter & Gamble Company Article with nonwoven web component formed with loft-enhancing calendar bond shapes and patterns
US10028866B2 (en) 2011-03-25 2018-07-24 The Procter & Gamble Company Article with nonwoven web component formed with loft-enhancing calender bond shapes and patterns
USD714560S1 (en) 2012-09-17 2014-10-07 The Procter & Gamble Company Sheet material for an absorbent article
US20150143653A1 (en) * 2013-11-27 2015-05-28 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Nowoven Tack Cloth for Wipe Applications
US10463222B2 (en) * 2013-11-27 2019-11-05 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Nonwoven tack cloth for wipe applications
US12064070B2 (en) 2013-11-27 2024-08-20 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Nonwoven tack cloth for wipe applications

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KR20030060114A (ko) 2003-07-12
EP1354091A2 (fr) 2003-10-22
AU2002228966A1 (en) 2002-06-24
JP2004515664A (ja) 2004-05-27
DE60116897D1 (de) 2006-04-13
CN100441766C (zh) 2008-12-10
PL361854A1 (en) 2004-10-04
WO2002048440A3 (fr) 2003-02-20
EP1354091B1 (fr) 2006-01-25
WO2002048440A8 (fr) 2003-11-27
BR0116061A (pt) 2004-03-02
HUP0400649A2 (en) 2004-07-28
DE60116897T2 (de) 2006-09-28
TWI244520B (en) 2005-12-01
WO2002048440A2 (fr) 2002-06-20
ATE316591T1 (de) 2006-02-15
CN1479819A (zh) 2004-03-03

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