Hydrophilic microfibrous absorbent webs
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsAllen D. Early, David W. Cawlfield, Trevor Walker, Paul T. Weisman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fibrous absorbent webs having a low density (about 0.01 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.15 g/cm.sup.3) and comprising at least about 50% hydrophilic microfibers, such as cellulose microfibers, having a diameter of from about 0.01 microns to about 15 microns possess superior absorption properties, especially under typical usage conditions. Hydrophobic microfibers may also be used, provided such fibers are hydrophilized before or after web formation.
Claims24
A fibrous absorbent web comprising at least about 50% of hydrophilic microfibers having a diameter of from about 0.01 microns to about 15 microns, said web having a density of from about 0.01 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.15 g/cm.sup.3.
A fibrous absorbent web consisting essentially of hydrophillic microfibers having a diameter of from about 0.5 micron to about 10 microns said web having a density of from about 0.04 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.10 g/cm.sup.3.
A fibrous absorbent web comprising at least about 50% of hydrophilic microfibers of a thermoplastic material, said microfibers having a diameter of from about 0.5 microns to about 10 microns, and said web having a density of from about 0.04 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.10 g/cm.sup.3.
A process for making a fibrous absorbent web comprising the steps of
- selecting a fiber mixture comprising at least about 50% of microfibers having a diameter of from about 0.01 microns to about 15 microns;
- forming the fibers into a web which has a density of from about 0.01 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.15 g/cm.sup.3 ;
- immersing the web in a solution of a cellulose ester;
- and
- hydrolyzing the cellulose ester to cellulose.
A process for making a fibrous absorbent web comprising the steps of
- selecting a fiber mixture comprising at least about 50% of microfibers having a diameter of from about 0.01 microns to about 15 microns;
- forming the fibers into a web which has a density of from about 0.01 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.15 g/cm.sup.3 ;
- immersing the web in a colloidal silica solution;
- and
- immersing the web in a solution of a wet-strength resin selected from the group consisting of the melamine formaldehyde resins, the urea formaldehyde resins and the polyvinylamide resins.
A process for making a fibrous absorbent web comprising the steps of:
- selecting a fiber mixture comprising at least about 50% of cellulose microfibers having a diameter of from about 0.01 microns to about 15 microns;
- and
- forming the fibers into a web which has a density of from about 0.01 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.15 g/cm.sup.3.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.