Water-responsive, biodegradable compositions and films and articles comprising a blend of polylactide and polyvinyl alcohol and methods for making the same
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsJames H. Wang, David M. Schertz
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Abstract
The present invention is a water-responsive blend of a polylactide and a polyvinyl alcohol. The present invention includes films and personal care articles comprising a blend of a polyvinyl alcohol and a polylactide and includes a method of making such films and articles and a method of varying the water responsiveness of such films and articles. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions, films and articles comprise a blend of polyvinyl alcohol and modified polylactide. The compositions and films described herein are useful as a component in flushable and degradable articles.
Claims22
A personal care article comprising a film or a nonwoven fabric, said film nonwoven fabric comprising a melt blend of poly(vinyl alcohol) and a polylactide, wherein said polylactide is grafted with a polar monomer, oligomer, polymer or a combination thereof.
A personal care article comprising a melt blend of a poly(vinyl alcohol) and a modified polylactide comprising a polylactide backbone with a plurality of polar monomers, oligomers, polymers or a combination thereof grafted onto said polylactide backbone.
A method of varying the water responsiveness of a composition comprising the steps of:
- a) selecting a specific amount of a poly(vinyl alcohol) and a specific amount of a graft modified polylactide, wherein said polylactide is grafted with a polar monomer, oligomer, polymer or a combination thereof;
- b) melt blending the specific amount of poly(vinyl alcohol) with the specific amount of graft modified polylactide;
- and
- c) forming a personal care article or a component of the personal care article from the melt blend.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.