Wet laid bonded fibrous web containing bicomponent fibers including LLDPE

A thermally bonded fibrous wet laid web consisting essentially of a bicomponent fiber comprising a first component of polyester or polyamide;

• and a second component consisting essentially of linear low density polyethylene copolymer having a density in the range of 0.88 to 0.945 g/cc and grafted high density polyethylene, HDPE, having initially a density in the range of 0.94 to 0.965 g/cc, which has been grafted with maleic acid or maleic anhydride, thereby providing succinic acid or succinic anhydride groups grafted along the HDPE polymer claim;
• and a matrix fiber selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate fibers, glass fibers, polyester fibers, metal fibers, mineral wool fibers, polyamide fibers and other naturally occurring fibers.

A thermally bonded fibrous wet laid web comprising a bicomponent fiber comprising a core of a polyester or polyamide;

• and a sheath consisting of linear low density polyethylene copolymer having a density in the range of 0.88 g/cc to 0.945 g/cc and grafted high density polyethylene, HDPE, having initially a density in the range of 0.94 to 0.965 g/cc, which has been grafted with maleic acid or maleic anhydride thereby providing succinic acid or succinic anhydride groups grafted along the HDPE polymer chain wherein the bicomponent fiber has a length to diameter ratio between about 100 and about 2,000;
• and a matrix fiber selected from the group consisting essentially of cellulose acetate fibers, glass fibers, polyester fibers, ceramic fibers, wool fibers, polyamide fibers, and other naturally occurring fibers.

A method of forming a thermally bonded fibrous wet laid web by wet laying fibers on paper making equipment or wet lay nonwoven equipment, the web comprising bicomponent fibers comprising a first component of polyester or polyamide, and a second component consisting essentially of linear low density polyethylene copolymer having a density in the range of 0.88 to 0.945 g/cc and grafted high density polyethylene, HDPE, having initially a density in the range of 0.94 to 0.965 g/cc, which has been grafted with maleic acid or maleic anhydride, thereby providing succinic acid or succinic anhydride groups grafted along the HDPE polymer;

• and matrix fibers wherein the steps of forming a fiber furnish by dispersion of said bicomponent fibers and matrix fibers in a carrier medium consisting essentially of water and a dispersant and a thickener, and supplying the fiber furnish at a consistency in the range of 0.01 to 0.5 weight percent fibers to the wire of a machine forming a fibrous web an then heating the fibrous web to melt the second component and thermally bond the fibrous web.