Process for making three-dimensional foam-laid nonwovens

A method for making a high topography nonwoven substrate, the method comprising:

• generating a foam including water and synthetic binder fibers;
• depositing the foam on a planar surface;
• disposing a template form on the foam opposite the planar surface to create a foam/form assembly;
• heating the foam/form assembly to dry the foam and bind the synthetic binder fibers;
• and
• removing the template from the substrate after heating the foam/form assembly, wherein the substrate includes synthetic binder fibers, wherein the fibers of the substrate are entirely synthetic binder fibers;
• a planar base layer having an X-Y surface and a backside surface opposite the X-Y surface;
• and
• a plurality of projection elements integral with and protruding in a Z-direction from the X-Y surface, wherein each projection element has a height, a diameter or width, a cross-section, a sidewall, a proximal end where the projection element meets the base layer, and a distal end opposite the proximal end, wherein the projection elements are distributed in both the X- and Y-directions, wherein the shape of a cross-section of a projection element at the proximal end of the projection element is the same as the shape of a cross-section of a projection element at the distal end of the projection element, and wherein the density of a projection element is the same as the density of the base layer.

A method for making a high topography nonwoven substrate, the method comprising:

• generating a foam including water and synthetic binder fibers;
• depositing the foam on a planar surface;
• disposing a template form on the foam opposite the planar surface to create a foam/form assembly;
• heating the foam/form assembly to dry the foam and bind the synthetic binder fibers;
• and
• removing the template from the substrate after heating the foam/form assembly, wherein the substrate includes synthetic binder fibers, wherein the fibers of the substrate are entirely synthetic binder fibers, the substrate including a planar base layer having an X-Y surface and a backside surface opposite the X-Y surface;
• and
• a plurality of projection elements integral with and protruding in a Z-direction from the X-Y surface, wherein each projection element has a height, a diameter or width, a cross-section, a sidewall, a proximal end where the projection element meets the base layer, and a distal end opposite the proximal end, wherein the projection elements are distributed in both the X- and Y-directions, wherein each projection element has a uniform density, wherein the height of a projection element is greater than the width or diameter of that projection element, and wherein the density of a projection element is the same as the density of the base layer.