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.
Claims22
A nonwoven fabric comprising a plurality of fibers that are bonded to each other to form a coherent web, wherein the fibers comprise a polymeric blend of a biobased aliphatic polyester and a secondary alkane sulfonate, wherein the amount of secondary alkane sulfonate in the polymeric blend is from about 0.0125 to 2.5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the blend, and wherein the nonwoven fabric exhibits a machine direction Index of Toughness that is from about 2,000 to 7,500 N-%.
A spunbond nonwoven fabric comprising a polarity of filaments comprised of a bio-based polymer and wherein the filaments are air through bonded.
A process for preparing a nonwoven fabric, the process comprising:
- blending a biobased aliphatic polyester and a secondary alkane sulfonate, under heat and pressure, to form a stream of molten or semi-molten resin comprised of a blend of the biobased aliphatic polyester and the secondary alkane sulfonate;
- forming a plurality of filaments from said stream;
- depositing the plurality of filaments onto a collection surface;
- exposing the deposited plurality of filaments to ions provided by a first ionization source;
- and
- bonding the plurality of filaments to form the nonwoven fabric.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.