Nonwoven fabrics comprising polylactic acid having improved strength and toughness
AssigneesFitesa Germany GmbH, Fitesa Simpsonville, Inc.
InventorsElena Novarino, Gary Drews, Jason Hamilton, Stephen Chester, Alfredo Izzo, David D. Newkirk
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Abstract
Nonwoven fabrics having a plurality of fibers that are bonded to each other to form a coherent web, wherein the fibers comprise a blend of a polylactic acid (PLA) and at least one secondary alkane sulfonate are provided. The nonwoven fabrics exhibit increased tensile strengths, elongation and toughness.
Claims21
A nonwoven fabric comprising a plurality of fibers that are bonded to each other to form a coherent web, wherein the fibers comprise a hydrophobic polymeric blend of a biobased aliphatic polyester and at least one secondary alkane sulfonate.
A process for preparing a polylactic acid (PLA) spunbond nonwoven fabric, the process comprising:
- blending a PLA resin and at least one secondary alkane sulfonate, under heat and pressure, to form a stream of molten or semi-molten PLA resin;
- forming a plurality of PLA continuous filaments from said stream;
- depositing the plurality of PLA continuous filaments onto a collection surface;
- and
- bonding the plurality of PLA continuous filaments to form the PLA spunbond nonwoven wherein the continuous filaments comprise a hydrophobic polymeric blend of the PLA and the at least one secondary alkane sulfonate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.