Microtextured films with improved tactile impression and/or reduced noise perception

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10975230-B2
Application number	US-201715661033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2017
Priority date	May 12, 2014
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A film layer having a micro-textured surface is provided. The film layer has a continuous phase with one or more thermoplastic polymers, wherein at least one of the thermoplastic polymers is a low-modulus polymer having a 2% secant modulus of less than or equal to 140 MPa, and the film has from 10 wt % to 100 wt % of the low modulus thermoplastic polymer. The film layer also has a discrete phase with from 5 wt % to 45 wt % of a thermoplastic starch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A film layer having a micro-textured surface, the film layer comprising a film layer composition comprising:
(a) a continuous phase comprising:
(i) 20% to 35%, by weight of the film layer composition, of a low-modulus polymer having a 2% secant modulus of less than or equal to 140 MPa; and
(ii) 30% to 50%, by weight of the film layer composition, of a high-modulus polymer having a 2% secant modulus of greater than 140 MPa; and

(b) a discrete phase comprising 5% to 45%, by weight of the film layer composition, of a thermoplastic starch.

2. The film layer according to claim 1 , wherein the low-modulus thermoplastic polymer is a very low density polyethylene.

3. The film layer according to claim 1 , wherein the low modulus thermoplastic polymer has a density from about 0.855 g/cm 3 to about 0.915 gm/cm 3 .

4. The film layer according to claim 1 , wherein the film layer further comprises from 0.1% to 0.3%, by weight of the film layer composition, of a surface migratory agent by weight of the film layer.

5. The film layer according to claim 4 , wherein the surface migratory agent (SMA) is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic acid amides, aliphatic acid esters, waxes, hydrogenated soy bean oil (HSBO), hydrogenated castor oil (HCO), tristearin, silicone oils, metal soaps, and combinations thereof; preferably wherein said surface migratory agent (SMA) is selected from the group consisting of long-chain fatty acids, long-chain fatty acid amides, primary mono-unsaturated long-chain carboxylic acid amides, and combinations thereof; more preferably wherein said surface migratory agent is a primary mono-unsaturated long-chain carboxylic acid amide selected from the group consisting of erucamide, oleamide, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof; and most preferably wherein said surface migratory agent is erucamide.

6. The film layer according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic starch is formed from corn starch and a plasticizer comprising glycerol and sorbitol.

7. The film layer according to claim 1 , wherein the film layer is formed by a blowing operation and the micro-textured surface is formed in situ.

8. The film layer according to claim 1 , wherein the film layer has an ultimate strength in the MD direction greater than 30 MPa.

9. The film layer according to claim 1 , wherein the film layer has a 2% secant modulus in the MD direction greater than 140 MPa.

10. The film layer according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-textured surface is substantially free of mechanical embossing.

11. A multi-layer film comprising two or more layers, wherein at least one layer is formed from a film layer according to claim 1 .

12. An absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet joined to the topsheet and an absorbent core positioned at least partially intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the backsheet is formed from a film layer according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Broyles Norman Scott
• Brown April Renae
• Ashraf Arman
• Gilbertson Gary Wayne
• Grothaus Jeffrey Thomas

Classifications

• C08J5/18 Primary

  Manufacture of films or sheets · CPC title

• B29C49/0005

  characterised by the material · CPC title

• C08L3/02 Primary

  Starch; Degradation products thereof, e.g. dextrin · CPC title

• B32B27/32

  comprising polyolefins {(comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30)} · CPC title

• B32B27/22

  using plasticisers · CPC title