Multi-component fibers with improved inter-component adhesion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11447902-B2
Application number	US-201816189978-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2018
Priority date	Nov 13, 2017
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

Nonwoven fabrics are provided that include at least a first nonwoven layer. The first nonwoven layer includes multi-component fibers densely arranged and compacted against one another. The multi-component fibers comprise at least a first component comprising a first polymeric material including a first polyolefin and a second component comprising a second polymeric material including a second polyolefin, in which the first polymeric material is different than the second polymeric material. The first polymeric material, the second polymeric material, or both include a compatibilizer comprising a copolymer having a comonomer content including (i) at least 10% by weight of the compatibilizer of a first monomer corresponding to the first polyolefin and (ii) at least 10% by weight of the compatibilizer of a second monomer corresponding to the second polyolefin.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A nonwoven fabric, comprising:
at least a first nonwoven layer comprising multi-component fibers densely arranged and compacted against one another to form a substantially smooth outer surface on at least a first side of the nonwoven fabric;
the multi-component fibers comprising at least a first component comprising a first polymeric material including a first polyolefin having from 50% to 100% by weight of ethylene monomer units and a first compatibilizer, and a second component comprising a second polymeric material including a second polyolefin; wherein the first polymeric material is different than the second polymeric material;
wherein the first compatibilizer consists of a copolymer having a comonomer, wherein the copolymer has a comonomer content including (i) amorphous ethylene regions in an amount from at least 10% to about 90% by weight of the first compatibilizer and (ii) crystalline polypropylene regions in an amount of at least 10% to about 90% by weight of the first compatibilizer.

2. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the multi-component fibers comprise a sheath/core configuration, a side-by-side configuration, a pie configuration, an islands-in-the-sea configuration, a multi-lobed configuration, or any combinations thereof.

3. The nonwoven fabric of claim 2 , wherein the multi-component fibers comprise bicomponent fibers having a sheath/core configuration.

4. The nonwoven fabric of claim 3 , wherein the first polymeric material defines the sheath component and has a first melting point, the second polymeric material defines the core component and has a second melting point, wherein the first melting point is lower than the second melting point.

5. The nonwoven fabric of claim 4 , wherein the second polymeric material comprises from about 50% to about 100% by weight of propylene monomer units.

6. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric material includes the first compatibilizer in an amount from about 0.1% to about 50% by weight of the first polymeric material.

7. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the copolymer has a comonomer content including (i) amorphous ethylene regions in an amount from at least 25% to about 75% by weight of the first compatibilizer of the first monomer corresponding to the first polyolefin and (ii) crystalline polypropylene regions in an amount of at least 25% to about 75% by weight of the first compatibilizer.

8. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the first compatibilizer is an olefinic random copolymer or an olefinic block copolymer.

9. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the copolymer is formed from a single-site catalyst.

10. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the multi-component fibers comprise meltspun fibers, staple fibers, or a combination thereof.

11. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises the first nonwoven layer and at least a second nonwoven layer; wherein the second nonwoven layer comprise a meltblown layer or a spunbond layer.

12. A method of forming a nonwoven fabric, comprising:
(i) forming or providing at least one nonwoven layer including a first nonwoven layer comprising multi-component fibers; the multi-component fibers comprising at least a first component comprising a first polymeric material including a first polyolefin having from 50% to 100% by weight of ethylene monomer units and a first compatibilizer, and a second component comprising a second polymeric material including a second polyolefin;
wherein the first polymeric material is different than the second polymeric material; and wherein the first compatibilizer consists of a copolymer, wherein the copolymer has a comonomer content including (i) amorphous ethylene regions in an amount from at least 10% to about 90% by weight of the first compatibilizer and (ii) crystalline polypropylene regions in an amount of at least 10% to about 90% by weight of the first compatibilizer; and
(ii) forming the nonwoven fabric comprising a step of calendaring the at least one nonwoven layer to compact the multi-component fibers against one another forming a substantially smooth outer surface in the form a microporous film that permits gas to pass therethrough while also serving as a barrier to bacteriological contamination.

13. A package, comprising:
a sealed or sealable container comprising an interior defined at least in part by a container-wall, wherein at least a portion of the sealed or sealable container comprises a breathable material through which a sterilizing gas can pass into and out of the interior of the sealed or sealable container, and wherein the breathable material comprises a nonwoven fabric including at least a first nonwoven layer comprising multi-component fibers densely arranged and compacted against one another to form a substantially smooth outer surface on at least a first side of the nonwoven fabric;
wherein the multi-component fibers comprise at least a first component comprising a first polymeric material including a first polyolefin having from 50% to 100% by weight of ethylene monomer units and a first compatibilizer, and a second component comprising a second polymeric material including a second polyolefin that is different than the first polymeric material;
wherein the first compatibilizer consists of a copolymer, wherein the copolymer has a comonomer content including (i) amorphous ethylene regions in an amount from at least 10% to about 90% by weight of the first compatibilizer and (ii) crystalline polypropylene regions in an amount of at least 10% to about 90% by weight of the first compatibilizer.

14. The package of claim 13 , further comprising a sealing film disposed on the container-wall, on a portion of the breathable material, or both; wherein the breathable material is sealed to the container wall via the sealing film.

15. The package of claim 14 , wherein the package comprises (i) a sealing film-to-container wall bond having a first bond strength and (ii) a sealing film-to-breathable material bond having a second bond strength; wherein the first bond strength is greater than the second bond strength; and wherein the package comprises (i) a flexible package and the breathable material defines a window portion of the flexible package or (ii) a rigid package and the breathable material defines a lid or flexible portion of the rigid package that can be peeled off.

16. A method of sterilizing a package, comprising:
(i) providing a package according to claim 13 ;
(ii) placing the package in an air chamber;
(iii) evacuating the air out of the air chamber and the package;
(iv) filling the air chamber and package with a sterilizing gas;
(v) allowing the sterilizing gas to remain within the air chamber and package for a predetermined period of time; and
(vi) evacuating the sterilizing gas.

17. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein
(i) the second polymeric material comprises from about 50% to about 100% by weight of propylene monomer units and defines a core component of the multicomponent fibers, and wherein the second polymeric material includes a second compatibilizer consisting of a second comonomer content including amorphous ethylene regions in an amount from 10 to 25% by weight of the second compatibilizer, and
(ii) the first polymeric material defines a sheath component of the multicomponent fibers and the first compatibilizer consists of an EP-iPP diblock polymer having an ethylene content from 40 to 60% by weight of the EP-iPP diblock polymer.

18. The nonwoven fabric of claim 17 , wherein the fir

Assignees

• Berry Global Inc

Inventors

• Mohr David Larry
• Moody Iii Ralph A

Classifications

• D04H1/4374

  using different kinds of webs, e.g. by layering webs · CPC title

• D01F1/10

  Other agents for modifying properties · CPC title

• B65D65/40

  Applications of laminates for particular packaging purposes {(B65D1/0215, B65D1/28, B65D3/22, B65D5/0281, B65D5/563, B65D9/30, B65D29/02, B65D31/02, B65D75/26, B65D77/2024, B65D81/1275, B65D81/3811, B65D81/3823, B65D81/3834, B65D81/3846, B65D81/3858, B65D81/3874, B65D81/3886, B65D81/3897 take precedence; laminates per se or laminated packages characterised by the composition or)} · CPC title

• B32B2439/80

  Medical packaging · CPC title

• D04H3/147

  Composite yarns or filaments · CPC title