Nonwoven fabrics comprised of individualized bast fibers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926654-B2
Application number	US-201313835194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Sep 5, 2012
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

Nonwoven textile fabrics in accordance with the present invention are formed primarily of individualized bast fibers substantially free of pectin. The nonwoven fabric can include staple fibers to a lesser extent than the individualized bast fibers. Individualized bast fibers include fibers derived from the flax and hemp plants. The nonwoven textile fabric is formed into a web while in a dry state and subsequently bonded to produce a nonwoven fabric.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nonwoven fabric comprising a majority of full length natural individualized fibers which are substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, and substantially pectin-free and have a mean length greater than 6 millimeters (mm).

2. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free fibers are bast fibers.

3. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free fibers are fibers extracted from flax, hemp, jute, ramie, nettle, Spanish broom, kenaf plants, or any combination thereof.

4. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free 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.

5. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free 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.

6. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free 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.

7. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free fibers have a mean length of at least 7 mm.

8. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free fibers have a mean length of at least 8 mm.

9. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free fibers have a mean length of at least 9 mm.

10. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free fibers have a mean length of at least 10 mm.

11. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the substantially straight, plant-based, smooth and elongated, substantially pectin-free fibers have a mean length greater than 12 mm.

12. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , further comprising crimped or straight staple fibers.

13. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , further comprising crimped or straight man-made cellulosic fibers, thermoplastic fibers, or any combination thereof.

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. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric has thermoplastic fibers substantially dispersed among the individualized fibers and the nonwoven fabric has a pattern present on at least one surface.

17. A method of making the nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , the method comprising:
chemically treating naturally occurring fibers to substantially remove pectin and form substantially individualized fibers;
carding the substantially individualized fibers to form a randomly arrayed fiber web; and
bonding the randomly arrayed fiber web to form the nonwoven fabric.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising adding thermoplastic fibers to the individualized fibers and thermal bonding the nonwoven fabric.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein bonding is hydroentangling.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein bonding is mechanical needle punching.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein bonding is passing a heated air stream through the web.

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

23. The laminate of claim 22 , wherein the film comprises a polyethylene polymer, a polyethylene copolymer, a polypropylene polymer, a polypropylene copolymer, a polyurethane polymer, a polyurethane copolymer, or a styrenebutadiene copolymer.

24. The laminate of claim 22 , wherein the film comprises linear low density polyethylene.

25. The laminate of claim 22 , wherein the adhesive is a sprayable latex, a polyalphaolefin, or an ethylene vinyl acetate.

26. The laminate of claim 22 , wherein the film is a breathable film.

27. A method of making the laminate of claim 22 , the method comprising:
chemically treating naturally occurring fibers bundled with pectin to substantially remove pectin and form substantially individualized fibers;
carding the substantially individualized fibers to form a randomly arrayed fiber web;
bonding the randomly arrayed fiber web to form the nonwoven fabric having a support surface;
disposing the adhesive onto either the support surface of the nonwoven fabric or a surface of the film;
disposing the film onto the support surface of the nonwoven fabric; and
nipping to form the laminate.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the film comprises a polyethylene polymer, a polyethylene copolymer, a polypropylene polymer, a polypropylene copolymer, a polyurethane polymer, a polyurethane copolymer, or a styrenebutadiene copolymer.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the film comprises linear low density polyethylene.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the adhesive is a sprayable latex, a polyalphaolefin, or an ethylene vinyl acetate.

31. 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 fabric, the second nonwoven fabric optionally being an additional nonwoven fabric of claim 1 .

32. The laminate of claim 31 , wherein the another fabric is bonded to the first nonwoven fabric with an adhesive.

33. A nonwoven fabric comprising a majority of full length natural individualized fibers which are substantially straight, non-cotton, plant-based, smooth and elongated, and substantially pectin-free and are un-cut with a distribution of fiber lengths and a mean length greater than 10 mm.

34. The nonwoven fabric of claim 33 , wherein the non-cotton, plant-based, smooth and elongated, and substantially pectin-free fibers are bast fibers.

35

Assignees

• Georgia Pacific Consumer Products Lp
• Gpcp Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Baer Samuel Charles
• Lerch Micheal Shea
• Wright Alan Edward

Classifications

• B01D39/1615

  of natural origin · CPC title

• B32B2305/188

  Woven fabrics · CPC title

• B32B2262/02

  Synthetic macromolecular fibres · CPC title

• B32B7/12

  using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties · CPC title

• D04H1/50

  by treatment to produce shrinking, swelling, crimping or curling of fibres (in combination with needling D04H1/482) · CPC title