Water-dispersible and multicomponent fibers from sulfopolyesters

A process for producing at least one water-dispersible, nonwoven fabric, comprising:

• I. heating at least one water-dispersible polymer composition to a temperature above its flow point, wherein said water-dispersible polymer composition comprises:
• (A) at least one sulfopolyester having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 25° C., said sulfopolyester comprising:
• (i) residues of one or more dicarboxylic acids;
• (ii) about 4 to about 40 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of at least one sulfomonomer having 2 functional groups and one or more metal sulfonate groups attached to an aromatic or cycloaliphatic ring wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• (iii) one or more diol residues wherein at least 20 mole %, based on the total diol residues, is a poly(ethylene glycol) having a structure
• H—(OCH2-CH2)n-OH
• wherein n is an integer in the range of 2 to about 500;
• (iv) 0 to about 25 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of a branching monomer having 3 or more functional groups wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• (B) optionally, at least one water-dispersible polymer blended with said sulfopolyester;
• and
• (C) optionally, at least one water-nondispersible polymer blended with said sulfopolyester to form a blend with the proviso that said blend is an immiscible blend;
• II. melt spinning said water-dispersible polymer composition to produce water-dispersible fibers;
• wherein said water-dispersible fibers contain less than 10 weight percent of at least one pigment or filler, based on the total weight of said water-dispersible fibers;
• and
• III. overlapping and collecting said water-dispersible fibers of Step II to form said water-dispersible nonwoven fabric.

A process for producing at least one multicomponent fiber having a shaped cross section comprising spinning at least one water dispersible sulfopolyester having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 57° C. and at least one water-nondispersable polymer immiscible with said sulfopolyester into said multicomponent fiber, said sulfopolyester comprising:

• (i) residues of one or more dicarboxylic acids;
• (ii) about 4 to about 40 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of at least one sulfomonomer having 2 functional groups and one or more sulfonate groups attached to an aromatic or cycloaliphatic ring wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• (iii) one or more diol residues wherein at least 25 mole %, based on the total diol residues, is a poly(ethylene glycol) having a structure
• H—(OCH2—CH2)n—OH
• wherein n is an integer in the range of 2 to about 500;
• and
• (iv) 0 to about 25 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of a branching monomer having 3 or more functional groups wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• wherein said multicomponent fiber has a plurality of segments comprising said water-nondispersable polymer and said segments are substantially isolated from each other by said sulfopolyester intervening between said segments and wherein said multicomponent fiber contains less than 10 weight percent of at least one pigment or filler, based on the total weight of said multicomponent fiber.

A process for producing at least one microdenier fiber comprising:

• A. spinning at least one water dispersible sulfopolyester having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 57° C. and at least one water-nondispersable polymer immiscible with said sulfopolyester into at least one multicomponent fiber, wherein said sulfopolyester comprises:
• (i) residues of one or more dicarboxylic acids;
• (ii) about 4 to about 40 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of at least one sulfomonomer having 2 functional groups and one or more sulfonate groups attached to an aromatic or cycloaliphatic ring wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• (iii) one or more diol residues wherein at least 25 mole %, based on the total diol residues, is a poly(ethylene glycol) having a structure
• H—(OCH2—CH2)n—OH
• wherein n is an integer in the range of 2 to about 500;
• and
• (iv) 0 to about 25 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of a branching monomer having 3 or more functional groups wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• wherein said multicomponent fiber has a plurality of segments comprising said water-nondispersable polymer wherein said segments are substantially isolated from each other by said sulfopolyester intervening between said segments;
• and wherein said multicomponent fiber contains less than 10 weight percent of at least one pigment or filler, based on the total weight of said multicomponent fiber;
• and
• B. contacting said multicomponent fiber with water to remove said sulfopolyester thereby forming said microdenier fiber.

A process for producing at least one microdenier fiber web, comprising:

• A. spinning at least one water dispersible sulfopolyester having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 57° C. and at least one water-nondispersable polymer immiscible with said sulfopolyester into at least one multicomponent fiber, said sulfopolyester comprising:
• (i) residues of one or more dicarboxylic acids;
• (ii) about 4 to about 40 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of at least one sulfomonomer having 2 functional groups and one or more sulfonate groups attached to an aromatic or cycloaliphatic ring wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• (iii) one or more diol residues wherein at least 25 mole %, based on the total diol residues, is a poly(ethylene glycol) having a structure
• H—(OCH2—CH2)n—OH
• wherein n is an integer in the range of 2 to about 500;
• and
• (iv) 0 to about 25 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of a branching monomer having 3 or more functional groups wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• wherein said multicomponent fiber has a plurality of segments comprising said water-nondispersable polymer wherein said segments are substantially isolated from each other by said sulfopolyester intervening between said segments;
• and wherein said multicomponent fiber contains less than 10 weight percent of at least one pigment or filler, based on the total weight of said multicomponent fiber;
• B. overlapping and collecting said multicomponent fiber of Step A to form at least one nonwoven web;
• and
• C. contacting said nonwoven web with water to remove said sulfopolyester thereby forming said microdenier fiber web.

A process for dispersing at least one fibrous article in water, said process comprising:

• A. spinning at least one water dispersible sulfopolyester having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 57° C. and at least one water-nondispersable polymer immiscible with said sulfopolyester into at least one multicomponent fiber, said sulfopolyester comprising:
• (i) residues of one or more dicarboxylic acids;
• (ii) about 4 to about 40 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of at least one sulfomonomer having 2 functional groups and one or more sulfonate groups attached to an aromatic or cycloaliphatic ring wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• (iii) one or more diol residues wherein at least 25 mole %, based on the total diol residues, is a poly(ethylene glycol) having a structure
• H—(OCH2—CH2)n—OH
• wherein n is an integer in the range of 2 to about 500;
• and
• (iv) 0 to about 25 mole %, based on the total repeating units, of residues of a branching monomer having 3 or more functional groups wherein said functional groups are hydroxyl, carboxyl, or a combination thereof;
• wherein said multicomponent fiber has a plurality of segments comprising said water-nondispersable polymer wherein said segments are substantially isolated from each other by said sulfopolyester intervening between said segments;
• and wherein said multicomponent fiber contains less than 10 weight percent of at least one pigment or filler, based on the total weight of said multicomponent fiber;
• B. overlapping and collecting said multicomponent fiber of Step A to form at least one fibrous article;
• and
• C. contacting said fibrous article with water to remove said sulfopolyester thereby dispersing said fibrous article.