Copolymers of Epsilon-Caprolactone and Glycolide for Melt Blown Nonwoven Applications
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsModesto Erneta, Dennis D. JAMIOLKOWSKI, Jianguo Jack ZHOU, Sasa ANDJELIC
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Abstract
Copolymers exhibiting the following combinations of properties, including without limitation, ε-caprolactone in an amount ranging from about 12 to about 70 mole percent, glycolide in an amount ranging from about 30 to about 88 mole percent, crystallinity ranging from about 10 to about 50% as measured by WAXD or about 10 to about 50 J/g as measured by DSC, and an inherent viscosity ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.45 dL/g as measured in a 0.1 g/dl solution of HFIP at 25° C.; a method for melt blowing such copolymers and nonwoven constructs produced therefrom are described herein.
Claims28
A copolymer for use in the production of nonwoven constructs, the copolymer comprising ε-caprolactone in an amount ranging from 12 to 70 mole percent, glycolide in an amount ranging from 30 to 88 mole percent, crystallinity ranging from 10 and 50% as measured by WAXD or 10 to 50 J/g as measured by DSC, and an inherent viscosity ranging from 0.5 to 1.45 dL/g as measured in a 0.1 g/dl solution of HFIP at 25° C.
A method of melt blowing a copolymer, comprising the steps of
- (a) providing a copolymer, the copolymer comprising ε-caprolactone in an amount ranging from 12 to 70 mole percent, glycolide in an amount ranging from 30 to 88 mole percent, crystallinity ranging from 10 and 50% as measured by WAXD or 10 to 50 J/g as measured by DSC, and an inherent viscosity ranging from 0.5 to 1.45 dL/g as measured in a 0.1 g/dl solution of HFIP at 25° C.;
- (b) extruding the copolymer through a die assembly, the die assembly having a plurality of spinnerets, to form filament strands;
- (c) attenuating the filament strands with hot air to form microfibers;
- (d) collecting the microfibers on a collector screen;
- and
- (e) cooling and solidifying the microfibers to form a nonwoven construct comprising microfibers having a diameter ranging from 1 to 8 μm.
A nonwoven construct formed by the melt blown extrusion of a copolymer, the copolymer comprising ε-caprolactone in an amount ranging from 12 to 70 mole percent, glycolide in an amount ranging from 30 to 88 mole percent, crystallinity ranging from 10 to 50%, as measured by WAXD or 10 to 50 J/g as measured by DSC, and an inherent viscosity ranging from 0.5 to 1.45 dL/g as measured in a 0.1 g/dl solution of HFIP at 25° C., and the nonwoven construct comprising microfibers having diameters ranging from 1 to 8 μm.
A nonwoven construct produced by the steps of:
- (a) providing a copolymer, the copolymer comprising ε-caprolactone in an amount ranging from 12 to 70 mole percent, glycolide in an amount ranging from 30 to 88 mole percent, crystallinity ranging from 10 and 50% as measured by WAXD or 10 to 50 J/g as measured by DSC, and an inherent viscosity ranging from 0.5 to 1.45 dL/g as measured in a 0.1 g/dL solution of HFIP at 25° C.;
- (b) extruding the copolymer through a die assembly, the die assembly having a plurality of spinnerets, to form filament strands;
- (c) attenuating the filament strands with hot air to form microfibers;
- (d) collecting the microfibers on a collector screen;
- and
- (e) cooling and solidifying the microfibers to form a nonwoven construct comprising microfibers having a diameter ranging from 1 to 8 μm.
A nonwoven construct comprising a copolymer comprising ε-caprolactone in an amount ranging from 12 to 70 mole percent, glycolide in an amount ranging from 30 to 88 mole percent, said nonwoven construct exhibiting crystallinity ranging from 10 to 50%, as measured by WAXD or 10 to 50 J/g as measured by DSC, and said nonwoven construct comprising microfibers having a diameter ranging from 1 to 8 μm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.