Nonwoven Webs Made from Multicomponent Filaments and Process for Forming Nonwoven Webs
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsLaura E. Keck, Jeffrey Krueger
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Abstract
Disclosed are nonwoven webs formed from the fibers having two or more polymer containing components, and processes for forming such nonwoven webs. The fibers contain a rapid crystallization additive which can increase the crystallization and/or solidification rate of the respective polymer containing component. The use of the rapid crystallization additive in one of the polymeric components of the multicomponent filaments allows low temperature polymers, generally necessary for imparting softness, to be reduced or eliminated, while maintaining softness and strength of the nonwoven.
Claims21
A nonwoven web, comprising:
- a multicomponent fiber, the multicomponent fiber comprising
- a first polymer containing component and a second polymer containing component, wherein the second polymer containing component comprises a rapid crystallization additive, and has a solidification and/or crystallization rate that is at least about 10% or more than a solidification and/or crystallization rate of the first polymer containing component, and wherein the first polymer component and/or the second polymer component comprises one or more polymers having a melting temperature of at least about 130° C. or greater;
- wherein the nonwoven web exhibits a TS7 softness value of about 6 or less, measured as an output of an EMTEC Tissue Softness Analyzer (“TSA”).
A method for forming a nonwoven web comprising:
- spinning a fiber having at least a first polymer containing component and a second polymer containing component, wherein the second polymer containing component comprises a rapid crystallization additive, and has a solidification and/or crystallization rate that is at least about 10% or more than a solidification and/or crystallization rate of the first polymer containing component;
- drawing the fibers;
- depositing the fibers onto a forming surface;
- and
- subjecting the fibers to a high temperature bonding treatment of about 130° C. or more.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.