Absorbent articles with molded cellulosic webs

An absorbent article comprising:

• a backsheet;
• a liquid permeable topsheet attached to the backsheet;
• and
• an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent core including a molded fibrous web having a body-facing side including raised zones and recessed zones, an exterior-facing side, a basis weight of at least 50 grams per square meter, and an Overall Surface Depth of at least 2 millimeters, the molded fibrous web including cellulosic fibers and at least 5% by weight of thermoplastic binder material,
• wherein the topsheet has been thermally molded with the fibrous web such that the topsheet closely conforms to the body-facing side of the molded fibrous web.

An absorbent article comprising:

• a backsheet;
• a liquid pervious topsheet attached to the backsheet;
• and
• an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent core including a three-dimensional upper absorbent layer having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a body-side surface and a garment-side surface, the upper absorbent layer including a molded airlaid web that includes cellulosic fibers and a water-resistant binder material to stabilize the fibers in a three-dimensional form;
• wherein the body-side surface of the upper absorbent layer includes a plurality of molded, elevated regions including a central elevated region elongated in the longitudinal direction, and the garment-side surface of the upper absorbent layer includes a plurality of depressions corresponding to the elevated regions on the body-side surface of the upper absorbent layer thereby defining a plurality of void spaces beneath the upper absorbent layer.

An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a body-side surface and a garment-side surface, comprising a backsheet, a liquid pervious topsheet attached to the backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent core comprising:

• a) a lower absorbent layer;
• b) an upper absorbent layer comprising a molded airlaid web comprising cellulosic fibers and water-resistant binder material to stabilize the fibers in a three-dimensional form;
• the body-side surface of the upper absorbent layer having a plurality of elevated regions comprising a central elevated region having a height of about 2 mm or greater, and the garment-side surface of the upper absorbent having a plurality of depressions corresponding to the elevated regions on the body-side surface of the upper absorbent layer;
• and
• c) a wicking barrier disposed between the lower absorbent layer and the upper absorbent layer.