Entangled substrate of short individualized bast fibers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201239-A1
Application number	US-201414912289-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Aug 16, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Nonwoven textile fabrics in accordance with the present invention include a web of entangled polymeric fibers with substantially pectin-free, individualized bast fibers having a mean length less than 9 millimeters (mm). A method of making a nonwoven fabric includes forming a web of polymeric fibers, forming a randomly arrayed fiber web of the substantially individualized bast fibers having a mean length less than 9 mm, disposing the web of the substantially individualized bast fibers onto the web of polymeric fibers, and entangling the polymeric fibers with the substantially individualized bast fibers to form the nonwoven fabric. In addition, laminates include the nonwoven fabric, a film, and an adhesive disposed between the fabric and the film to bond the nonwoven fabric to the film.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A nonwoven fabric comprising a web of entangled polymeric fibers with substantially pectin-free, individualized bast fibers having a mean length less than 9 millimeters (mm).

2 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fiber is a polypropylene fiber, a polyester fiber, a reconstituted cellulose fiber, a rayon fiber, or any combination thereof.

3 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric further comprises wood pulp fibers or natural fibers.

4 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are staple fibers.

5 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are bi-component fibers.

6 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are a continuous filament substrate.

7 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 6 , wherein the continuous filament substrate is a spunbond web.

8 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the bast fibers are flax fibers, hemp fibers, jute fibers, ramie fibers, nettle fibers, Spanish broom fibers, kenaf plant fibers, or any combination thereof.

9 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the bast fibers have less than 10% by weight of the pectin content of the naturally occurring fibers from which the substantially pectin-free fibers are derived.

10 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the bast fibers have less than 15% by weight of the pectin content of the naturally occurring fibers from which the substantially pectin-free fibers are derived.

11 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the bast fibers have less than 20% by weight of the pectin content of the naturally occurring fibers from which the substantially pectin-free fibers are derived.

12 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the bast fibers have a mean length in a range between about 5 mm and about 8 mm.

13 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the bast fibers have a mean length in a range between about 3 mm and about 7 mm.

14 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is a wet wiper, a dry wiper, an impregnated wiper, a sorbent, a medical supply product, a personal protective fabric, an automotive protective covering, a personal care article, a fluid filtration product, a home furnishing product, a thermal insulation product, an acoustic insulation product, an agricultural application product, a landscaping application product, or a geotextile application product.

15 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is a baby wipe, a cosmetic wipe, a perinea wipe, a disposable washcloth, a kitchen wipe, a bath wipe, a hard surface wipe, a glass wipe, a mirror wipe, a leather wipe, an electronics wipe, a lens wipe, a polishing wipe, a medical cleaning wipe, a disinfecting wipe, a surgical drape, a surgical gown, a wound care product, a protective coverall, a sleeve protector, a diaper, a feminine care article, a nursing pad, an air filter, a water filter, an oil filter, or a furniture backing.

16 . A method of making a nonwoven fabric, the method comprising:
forming a web of polymeric fibers; forming a randomly arrayed fiber web of substantially individualized bast fibers having a mean length less than 9 mm; disposing the web of substantially individualized bast fibers onto the web of polymeric fibers; and entangling the polymeric fibers with the substantially individualized bast fibers to form the nonwoven fabric.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the web of polymeric fibers are a continuous filament substrate.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising forming the continuous filament substrate by spunbonding.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising bonding the continuous filament substrate.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein bonding is thermal point bonding.

21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the randomly arrayed fiber web of the substantially individualized bast fibers is formed by carding.

22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the polymeric fiber is a polypropylene fiber, a polyester fiber, a rayon fiber, a reconstituted cellulose fiber, or any combination thereof.

23 . The method of claim 16 , wherein entangling is hydroentangling.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein hydroentangling is patterned hydroentangling.

25 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the substantially individualized bast fibers are formed by chemically treating naturally occurring bast fibers to substantially remove pectin.

26 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the substantially individualized bast fibers are formed into individualized bast fibers having a mean length of less than 9 mm by chopping or cutting.

27 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the randomly arrayed fiber web of substantially individualized bast fibers is formed on the web of polymeric fibers.

28 . A laminate comprising the nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , a film, and an adhesive disposed between the fabric and the film to bond the nonwoven fabric to the film.

29 . The laminate of claim 28 , wherein the polymeric fiber of the nonwoven fabric is a polypropylene fiber, a polyester fiber, a reconstituted cellulose fiber, a rayon fiber, or any combination thereof.

30 . The laminate of claim 28 , wherein the individualized bast fibers of the nonwoven fabric are staple fibers.

31 . The laminate of claim 30 , wherein the staple fibers are present in a range between about 70 wt. % andabout 90 wt. % based on the total laminate weight.

32 . The laminate of claim 28 , wherein polymeric fibers of the nonwoven fabric are bi-component fibers.

33 . The laminate of claim 28 , wherein the film is a polyethylene polymer, a polyethylene copolymer, a polypropylene polymer, a polypropylene copolymer, a polyurethane polymer, a polyurethane copolymer, a styrenebutadiene copolymer, or any combination thereof.

34 . The laminate of claim 28 , wherein the film is linear low density polyethylene.

35 . The laminate of claim 28 , wherein the adhesive is a sprayable latex, a polyalphaolefin, or an ethylene vinyl acetate.

36 . The laminate of claim 28 , wherein the film is a breathable film.

37 . A method of making the laminate of claim 28 , the method comprising:
disposing an adhesive onto either a support surface of the nonwoven fabric or the film; disposing the film onto the support surface of the nonwoven fabric; and nipping to form the laminate.

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the film is a polyethylene polymer, a polyethylene copolymer, a polypropylene polymer, a polypropylene copolymer, a polyurethane polymer, a polyurethane copolymer, a styrenebutadiene copolymer, or any combination thereof.

39 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the film is linear low density polyethylene.

40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the adhesive is a sprayable latex, a polyalphaolefin, or an ethylene vinyl acetate.

41 . A laminate comprising a first nonwoven fabric and another fabric bonded to the first nonwoven fabric, the first nonwoven fabric being the nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , the another fabric being at least one of a second nonwoven fabric or a woven

Assignees

• Georgia Pacific Consumer Prod

Inventors

• Baer Samuel C
• Wright Alan E
• Lerch Micheal S

Classifications

• D04H1/495

  for formation of patterns, e.g. drilling or rearrangement · CPC title

• B32B2255/02

  on fibrous or filamentary layer · CPC title

• D04H5/03

  by fluid jet · CPC title

• D04H1/425 Primary

  Cellulose series · CPC title

• B32B5/022

  Non-woven fabric · CPC title