Multicomponent fibers and microdenier fabrics prepared by fibrillation thereof
AssigneeNorth Carolina State University
InventorsBehnam Pourdeyhimi, Stephen R. Sharp
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Abstract
Multicomponent fibers and fabrics made therefrom are provided. The fibers include a multilobal sheath fiber component surrounding a core fiber component, wherein the fibers can be fibrillated to provide a plurality of intertwined microdenier fiber components. Methods of providing such fabrics are also disclosed.
Claims55
A multicomponent fiber comprising:
- a contiguous core fiber component completely enwrapped by a multilobal sheath fiber component such that the sheath fiber component forms the entire outer surface of the multicomponent fiber, wherein the core fiber component and the lobes of the multilobal sheath fiber component are each microdenier sized, and wherein the multicomponent fiber is configured to fibrillate into a plurality of intertwined microdenier fiber components when mechanical energy is introduced to the multicomponent fiber.
A nonwoven fabric comprising a plurality of intertwined microdenier fiber components, the intertwined microdenier fiber components being in the form of fibrillated multicomponent fibers that included a contiguous core fiber component completely enwrapped by a multilobal sheath fiber component such that the sheath fiber component forms the entire outer surface of the multicomponent fiber prior to fibrillation, wherein the core fiber component and the lobes of the multilobal sheath fiber component are each microdenier sized.
A method of producing a nonwoven fabric in the form of a web suitable for use in forming a nonwoven article, comprising:
- spinning a set of multicomponent fibers comprising a contiguous core fiber component completely enwrapped by a multilobal sheath fiber component such that the sheath fiber component forms the entire outer surface of the multicomponent fiber, wherein the core fiber component and the lobes of the multilobal sheath fiber component are each microdenier sized;
- positioning said set of multicomponent fibers onto a web;
- fibrillating the multicomponent fibers positioned on the web by introduction of mechanical energy to the set of multicomponent fibers, the fibrillating step causing the lobes of the multilobal sheath fiber component to separate from and expose the core fiber component and intertwine with the core fiber component to form a web of entangled fiber components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.