EP0685579B1 - Highly crimpable conjugate fibers and nonwoven webs made therefrom - Google Patents

Highly crimpable conjugate fibers and nonwoven webs made therefrom Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0685579B1
EP0685579B1 EP95107486A EP95107486A EP0685579B1 EP 0685579 B1 EP0685579 B1 EP 0685579B1 EP 95107486 A EP95107486 A EP 95107486A EP 95107486 A EP95107486 A EP 95107486A EP 0685579 B1 EP0685579 B1 EP 0685579B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
fibers
conjugate
nonwoven web
fiber
propylene polymer
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Expired - Lifetime
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EP95107486A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0685579A3 (en
EP0685579A2 (en
Inventor
Ty Jackson Stokes
Alan Edward Wright
Simon Kwame Ofosu
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Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
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Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Kimberly Clark Corp
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Publication of EP0685579A3 publication Critical patent/EP0685579A3/en
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
    • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
    • D04H1/54—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
    • D01F—CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
    • D01F6/00—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof
    • D01F6/02—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from homopolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
    • D01F6/04—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from homopolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds from polyolefins
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
    • D01F—CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
    • D01F6/00—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof
    • D01F6/28—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from copolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
    • D01F6/30—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from copolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds comprising olefins as the major constituent
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
    • D01F—CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
    • D01F8/00—Conjugated, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, artificial filaments or the like; Manufacture thereof
    • D01F8/04—Conjugated, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, artificial filaments or the like; Manufacture thereof from synthetic polymers
    • D01F8/06—Conjugated, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, artificial filaments or the like; Manufacture thereof from synthetic polymers with at least one polyolefin as constituent
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H3/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length
    • D04H3/08—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating
    • D04H3/16—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to conjugate fibers containing a high melt flow rate propylene polymer and to nonwoven webs produced therefrom.
  • Conjugate fibers having two or more of component polymers that are designed to benefit from combinations of desired chemical and/or physical properties of the component polymers are well known in the art. Methods for making conjugate fibers and fabrics made therefrom are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patents 3,423,266 to Davies et al., Reissue 30,955 to Stanistreet and European Patent Application 0 586 924.
  • conjugate fibers can be thermally crimped, especially when the fibers are produced from component polymers that are different in crystallization, shrinkage and/or solidification properties, to improve tactile properties, including "cloth-like" texture, bulk and fullness, of nonwoven webs or fabrics made from the fibers.
  • European Patent Application 0 586 924 discloses thermally crimped conjugate fibers that are dimensionally stable.
  • thermally crimping conjugate fibers are known in the art, it is also known that the process of thermally imparting crimps becomes highly onerous as the thickness of fibers gets smaller. Consequently, small denier fibers tend to form flat or dense nonwoven webs.
  • thermally crimped fine-denier conjugate fibers can be produced by significantly reducing the throughput, i.e., the amount of polymer processed through a spinneret, or by increasing the processing temperature of the polymer components, neither of the alternatives is commercially desirable. Reducing the throughput rate decreases the production rate of the fibers and increasing the polymer processing temperature creates processing difficulties, e.g., thermal degradation of the polymers, and heightens the quenching requirement of the spun fibers.
  • European Patent Application 0 395 336 discloses a soft nonwoven fabric of filaments, said filaments being composed of crimped bi-component composite filaments composed of (A) a first component composed of (a) 3 to 40 % by weight of a propylene/ethylene random copolymer having a melting point, determined from DSC main peaks of 110 to 150 °C and a melt flow rate [ASTM 0-1238 [L)] of not more than 15 g/10 minutes and (b) 97 to 60 % by weight of polyethylene having a melt flow rate [ASTM 0-1238 (E)] of at least 15 g/10 minutes, and (B) a second component comprising crystalline polypropylene having a melt flow rate [ASTM 0-1238 (L)] of at least 10 g/10 min. as a main component.
  • European Patent Application 0 269 051 discloses a method for making nonwoven fabrics comprising the steps of:
  • U.S. Patent 4,469,540 discloses a process for producing a highly bulky nonwoven fabric by the use of heat-adhesive composite fibers having three-dimensional apparent crimps and substantially no latent crimpability.
  • the present invention provides a highly crimpable conjugate fiber having an ethylene polymer component and a propylene polymer component.
  • the propylene polymer component of the conjugate fiber contains a propylene polymer having a melt flow rate equal to or higher than 45 g/ 10 min. at 230°C.
  • the conjugate fibers may be continuous spunbond filaments or staple fibers. Additionally provided is a nonwoven web fabricated from the conjugate fibers.
  • the present conjugate fibers are highly crimpable even at fine deniers, providing a soft, high loft nonwoven web.
  • the nonwoven webs produced from the conjugate fibers are highly useful as various parts for disposable articles, including diapers, sanitary napkins, incontinence products, wipes, cover materials and garment materials, and filters.
  • conjugate fibers refers to fibers containing at least two polymeric components which are arranged to occupy distinct sections for substantially the entire length of the fibers.
  • the conjugate fibers are formed by simultaneously extruding at least two molten polymeric component compositions as a plurality of unitary multicomponent filaments or fibers from a plurality of capillaries of a spinneret.
  • spunbond fiber web refers to a nonwoven fiber web of small diameter filaments or fibers that are formed by extruding or melt-spinning molten thermoplastic polymers as filaments or fibers from a plurality of capillaries of a spinneret.
  • the extruded filaments are partially cooled and then rapidly drawn by an eductive or other well-known drawing mechanism.
  • the drawn filaments are deposited or laid onto a forming surface in a random, isotropic manner to form a loosely entangled fiber web, and then the laid fiber web is subjected to a bonding process to impart physical integrity and dimensional stability.
  • Bonding processes suitable for spunbond fiber webs are well known in the art, which include calender bonding, ultrasonic bonding, hydroentangling, needlepunching and through air bonding processes. The production of spunbond webs is disclosed, for example, in U.S.
  • European Patent Application 0 586 924 discloses a particularly suitable spunbond fiber web forming process for the present invention.
  • spunbond filaments or fibers have an average diameter in excess of 10 ⁇ m and up to 55 ⁇ m or higher, although finer spunbond fibers can be produced.
  • the term "bonded carded staple fiber web" refers to a nonwoven web that is formed from staple fibers.
  • Staple fibers are conventionally produced with a melt-spinning process, in which continuous fibers or filaments are produced and then cut to a staple length, often in the range of from 2.54 cm (1 inch) to 20.32 cm (8 inches).
  • the continuous fiber-forming steps of the process are typically similar to the melt-spinning steps of a conventional spunbond fiber web-forming process.
  • the staple fibers are subsequently carded and bonded to form a nonwoven web.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a suitable process for producing the conjugate fiber and the nonwoven web of the invention.
  • the present invention provides a nonwoven fiber web of spunbond conjugate fibers or staple conjugate fibers that are highly crimpable even at fine deniers.
  • the fiber web provides improved textural properties, including softness and bulk, as well as improved physical properties, such as web uniformity and coverage.
  • the conjugate fibers of the present invention contain an ethylene polymer component and a propylene polymer component, although the conjugate fibers may contain additional polymer components that are selected from a wide variety of fiber-forming polymers. Desirably, the conjugate fibers contain from 20 wt% to 80 wt% of an ethylene polymer and from 80 wt% to 20 wt% of a propylene polymer, based on the total weight of the fibers.
  • Suitable propylene polymers for the present invention are homopolymers and copolymers of propylene, which include isotactic polypropylene, syndiotactic polypropylene and propylene copolymers containing minor amounts of one or more of other monomers that are known to be suitable for forming propylene copolymers, e.g., ethylene, butylene, methylacrylate-co-sodium allyl sulphonate, and styrene-co-styrene sulphonamide. Also suitable are blends of these polymers.
  • suitable propylene polymers are the above-mentioned propylene polymers blended with a minor amount of ethylene alkyl acrylate, e.g., ethylene ethyl acrylate; polybutylene; and/or ethylene-vinyl acetate. of these suitable propylene polymers, more desirable are isotactic polypropylene and propylene copolymers containing up to 10 wt% of ethylene.
  • suitable propylene polymers have a melt flow rate higher than conventional fiber-forming polypropylenes. The melt flow rate of a suitable propylene polymer is equal to or higher than 45 g/ 10 min.
  • the melt flow rate is between 50 and 200 g/ 10 min at 230°C; more desirably, between 55 and 175 g/ 10 min at 230°C, and most desirably, the melt flow rate is between 60 and 150 g/ 10 min at 230°C.
  • melt flow rate of the propylene polymer is lower than the specified range, it is difficult to produce highly crimped conjugate fibers of fine deniers, e.g., 2.5 grams per 9000 meters of material (2.5 denier) or less, with a conventional fiber-forming process at commercial speed, and if the melt flow rate is higher than the specified desired range, the physical incompatibility of the component polymer melts may cause fiber-spinning difficulties and produce malformed fibers or fail the fiber-spinning process altogether. To a limited extent, the difficulties in spinning a propylene polymer having a melt flow rate higher than the specified range can be alleviated by employing an ethylene polymer having a comparably high melt flow rate.
  • the present conjugate fibers containing a high melt flow rate propylene polymer can be thermally processed to contain high levels of crimps even at fine deniers and thus can be fabricated into lofty fabrics of fine denier fibers.
  • the conjugate fibers can be processed to provide a fiber web having a bulk of at least 15 ⁇ m/grams per square meter (20 mils per ounce per square yard), as measured under a 172.4 Pa (0.025 psi) load, even when the size of the fibers is reduced to 2.5 grams per 9000 meters of material (2.5 denier) or less, desirably to 2 grams per 9000 meters of material (2 denier) or less, and more desirably to about 1.5 grams per 9000 meters of material (1.5 denier).
  • Ethylene polymers suitable for the present invention are fiber-forming homopolymers of ethylene and copolymers of ethylene and one or more of comonomers, such as, butene, hexene, 4-methyl-1 pentene and octene, ethylene-vinyl acetate and ethylene alkyl acrylate, e.g., ethylene ethyl acrylate, as well as blends thereof.
  • the suitable ethylene polymers may be blended to contain a minor amount of ethylene alkyl acrylate, e.g., ethylene ethyl acrylate; polybutylene; and/or ethylene-vinyl acetate.
  • More desirable ethylene polymers include high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, low density polyethylene and blends thereof; and most desirable ethylene polymers are high density polyethylene and linear low density polyethylene.
  • Fiber-forming polymers suitable for the additional polymer components of the present conjugate fibers include polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, acetals, acrylic polymers, polyvinyl chloride and vinyl acetate-based polymers, as well as blends thereof.
  • Useful polyolefins include polyethylenes, e.g., high density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, low density polyethylene and linear low density polyethylene; polypropylenes, e.g., isotactic polypropylene and syndiotactic polypropylene; polybutylenes, e.g., poly( 1-butene) and poly(2-butene); polypentenes, e.g., poly(2-pentene), and poly(4-methyl-1-pentene); and blends thereof.
  • polyethylenes e.g., high density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, low density polyethylene and linear low density polyethylene
  • polypropylenes e.g., isotactic polypropylene and syndiotactic polypropylene
  • polybutylenes e.g., poly( 1-butene) and poly(2-butene
  • polypentenes e.g., poly(2-pentene), and poly(4-
  • Useful vinyl acetate-based polymers include polyvinyl acetate; ethylene-vinyl acetate; saponified polyvinyl acetate, i.e., polyvinyl alcohol; ethylene-vinyl alcohol and blends thereof.
  • Useful polyamides include nylon 6, nylon 6/6, nylon 10, nylon 4/6, nylon 10/10, nylon 12, hydrophilic polyamide copolymers such as caprolactam and alkylene oxide, e.g., ethylene oxide, copolymers and hexamethylene adipamide and alkylene oxide copolymers, and blends thereof.
  • Useful polyesters include polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and blends thereof.
  • Acrylic polymers suitable for the present invention include ethylene acrylic acid, ethylene methacrylic acid and ethylene methyl methacrylate, as well as blends thereof.
  • the fiber composition may further contain minor amounts of compatibilizing agents, colorants, pigments, optical brighteners, ultraviolet light stabilizers, antistatic agents, lubricants, abrasion resistance enhancing agents, crimp inducing agents, nucleating agents, fillers and other processing aids.
  • Suitable conjugate fibers for the present invention may have a side-by-side or sheath-core configuration.
  • a sheath-core configuration When a sheath-core configuration is utilized, an eccentric sheath-core configuration, i.e., non-concentrically aligned sheath and core, is more desirable since eccentric sheath-core fibers are more amenable to thermal crimping processes.
  • Suitable conjugate fibers can be produced with any known staple or continuous conjugate fiber forming process, for example, disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,423,266 to Davies et al., Reissue 30,955 to Stanistreet, 4,189,338 to Ejima et al. and European Patent Application 0 586 924.
  • crimps in conjugate fibers can be imparted before, during or after the fibers are deposited or laid to form a nonwoven web.
  • any known mechanical crimping process can also be utilized.
  • the drawing illustrates a highly suitable process 10 for producing a highly suitable nonwoven conjugate fiber web, more specifically a bicomponent fiber web.
  • a pair of extruders 12a and 12b separately extrude two polymeric compositions, which compositions are separately fed into a first hopper 14a and a second hopper 14b, to simultaneously supply molten polymeric compositions to a spinneret 18 through conduits 16a and 16b.
  • Suitable spinnerets for extruding conjugate fibers are well known in the art.
  • the spinneret 18 has a housing which contains a spin pack, and the spin pack contains a plurality of plates and dies. The plates have a pattern of openings arranged to create flow paths for directing the two polymers to the dies that have one or more rows of openings, which are designed in accordance with the desired configuration of the resulting conjugate fibers.
  • a curtain of fibers is produced from the rows of the die openings and is partially quenched by a quench air blower 20 before being fed into a fiber draw unit, or an aspirator, 22.
  • the quenching process not only partially quenches the fibers but also develops a latent helical crimp in the fibers.
  • Suitable fiber draw units or aspirators for use in melt spinning polymers are well known in the art, and particularly suitable fiber draw units for the present invention include linear fiber aspirators of the type disclosed in European Patent Application 0 586 924, published March 16, 1994.
  • the fiber draw unit 22 includes an elongate vertical passage through which the filaments are drawn by heated aspirating air entering from the side of the passage from a temperature adjustable heater 24.
  • the hot aspirating air draws the filaments and ambient air through the fiber draw unit 22.
  • the temperature of the air supplied from the heater 24 is sufficient that, after some cooling due to mixing with cooler ambient air aspirated with the filaments, the air heats the filaments to a temperature required to activate the latent crimp.
  • the temperature of the air from the heater can be varied to achieve different levels of crimp. In general, a higher air temperature produces a higher number of crimps.
  • the process line 10 further includes an endless foraminous forming surface 26 which is positioned below the fiber draw unit 22.
  • the continuous fibers from the outlet of the draw unit are deposited onto the forming surface 26 in a random fashion to produce a continuous web of uniform density and thickness.
  • the fiber depositing process can be assisted by a vacuum unit 30 placed below the forming surface 26.
  • the resulting web can be subjected to a light compacting pressure with a roller 32 to consolidate the web to impart additional physical integrity to the web before being subjected to a bonding process.
  • a through air bonder 36 includes a perforated roller 38, which receives the web, and a hood 40 surrounding the perforated roller. Heated air, which is sufficiently high enough to melt the lower melting component polymer the conjugate fiber, is supplied to the web through the perforated roller 38 and withdrawn by the hood 40. The heated air melts the lower melting polymer and the melted polymer forms interfiber bonds throughout the web, especially at the points where the fibers cross over.
  • Through air bonding processes are particularly suitable for producing a lofty, uniformly bonded spunbond web since these processes uniformly effect interfiber bonds and do not utilize intermittently placed compacting pressures to effect interfiber bonds.
  • the unbonded nonwoven web can be bonded with a calender bonder.
  • a calender bonder is typically is an assembly of two or more of abuttingly placed heated rolls that apply a combination of heat and pressure to melt fuse the fibers of a thermoplastic nonwoven web, thereby effecting bonded regions or points in the web.
  • the bonding rolls may be smooth to provide uniformly bonded nonwoven webs or contain a pattern of raised bond points to provide point bonded webs.
  • the soft, high loft nonwoven web of the present invention are highly useful as disposable medical fabrics, e.g., surgical gowns, surgical drapes and sterile wrap; cover materials, e.g., automobile and boat covers; protective garments, e.g., coveralls, uniforms and aprons; and various parts for disposable and personal care articles, e.g. diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, incontinence products and wipes.
  • coveralls e.g., coveralls, uniforms and aprons
  • various parts for disposable and personal care articles e.g. diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, incontinence products and wipes.
  • the present lofty nonwoven web that contains fine denier fibers and has a higher bulk and improved uniformity over conventional conjugate spunbond fiber webs is highly useful for filtration applications in that the web provides uniformly distributed finer interfiber pores without sacrificing the loft of the web.
  • Point bonded spunbond fiber webs of round side-by-side conjugate fibers containing 50 wt% linear low density polyethylene and 50 wt% polypropylene were produced using the process illustrated in Figure 1.
  • the bicomponent spinning die had a 0.6 mm spinhole diameter, a 6:1 L/D ratio and a 20 holes/cm (50 holes/inch) spinhole density.
  • LLDPE Linear low density polyethylene
  • the LLDPE composition was extruded to have a melt temperature of about 221°C (430°F) as the extrudate exits the extruder.
  • Polypropylene, X11029-20-1 which has a melt flow rate (MFR) of about 65 g/ 10 min. at 230°C and is available from Himont, was blended with 2 wt% of the above-described TiO 2 concentrate, and the mixture was fed into a second single screw extruder.
  • the melt temperature of the polypropylene composition was kept at 221°C (430°F) for Example 1 and 241°C (465°F) for Example 2.
  • the LLDPE and polypropylene extrudates were fed into the spinning die which was kept at about 221°C (430°F), and the spinhole throughput rate was kept at 0.7 gram/hole/minute for Example 1 and 0.5 gram/hole/minute for Example 2.
  • the bicomponent fibers exiting the spinning die were quenched by a flow of air having a flow rate of 0.5 cubic meters/minute/cm (45 SCFM/inch) spinneret width and a temperature of 18°C (65°F). The quenching air was applied about 12.7 cm (5 inches) below the spinneret.
  • the quenched fibers were drawn and crimped in the aspirating unit using a flow of air heated to about 177°C (350°F) and supplied to have a flow rate of 0.56 cubic meters/minute/cm (50.9 ft 3 /min/inch) width. Then, the drawn, crimped fibers were deposited onto a foraminous forming surface with the assist of a vacuum flow to form an unbonded fiber web.
  • the unbonded fiber web was bonded by passing the web through the nip formed by two abuttingly placed bonding rolls, a smooth anvil roll and a patterned embossing roll.
  • the raised bond points of the embossing roll covered about 15% of the total surface area and there were about 310 regularly spaced bond points per 6.45 cm 2 (square inch). Both of the rolls were heated to about 121°C (250°F) and the pressure applied on the webs was about 17.9Kg/cm (100 lbs/linear inch) of width.
  • the bonded nonwoven webs which had an average weight of about 33.91 grams per square meter (1.0 ounce per square yard) (osy), were tested for their bulk and average fiber size.
  • the crimp level of the fibers forming the nonwoven webs was indirectly measured by comparing the bulk of the webs since the bulk is directly correlated to the crimp level of the fibers, and the bulk is measured in mm (mils) under a 172 Pa (0.025 psi) load. The results are shown in Table 1.
  • Example Polypropylene MFR Throughput Rate Fiber Size Bulk (g/min) (g/hole/min) grams per 9000 meters of material (denier) mm (mil) Ex1 65 0.7 2.5 0.516 (20.3) Ex2 65 0.5 1.8 0.368 (14.5) C1 35 0.7 2.8 0.300 (11.8) C2 35 0.5 1.8 0.279 (11.0)
  • Unbonded nonwoven webs of side-by-side conjugate fibers were produced in accordance with the procedure outline in Example 1 using two different grades of polypropylene as indicated in Table 2, except the polymer throughput rate was kept at 0.7 g/hole/minute and the melt temperature of the two component polymer compositions was maintained at 221°C (430°F).
  • the size of the fibers was controlled by changing the flow rate of heated air supplied to the aspirating unit as indicated in Table 2. Both 100 melt flow rate and 65 melt flow rate polypropylene resins were obtained from Shell Chemical.
  • the unbonded nonwoven webs were then bonded by passing the webs through a through-air bonder.
  • the bonder exposed the nonwoven webs to a flow of heated air having a temperature of about 132°C (270°F) and a flow rate of about 61 m/min. (200 feet/min).
  • the average weight, fiber size and bulk of the bonded webs were measured, and the bulk was normalized to 33.91 grams per square meter (1 osy). The results are shown in Table 2.
  • Example 3 was repeated except the polypropylene employed was the 35 melt flow rate polypropylene disclosed in Control 1. The results are shown in Table 2.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Multicomponent Fibers (AREA)
  • Spinning Methods And Devices For Manufacturing Artificial Fibers (AREA)
  • Cleaning Implements For Floors, Carpets, Furniture, Walls, And The Like (AREA)
  • Collation Of Sheets And Webs (AREA)
  • Filtering Materials (AREA)
  • Artificial Filaments (AREA)
EP95107486A 1994-06-03 1995-05-16 Highly crimpable conjugate fibers and nonwoven webs made therefrom Expired - Lifetime EP0685579B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US25387694A 1994-06-03 1994-06-03
US253876 1994-06-03

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EP0685579A2 EP0685579A2 (en) 1995-12-06
EP0685579A3 EP0685579A3 (en) 1996-07-31
EP0685579B1 true EP0685579B1 (en) 1998-12-23

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EP (1) EP0685579B1 (es)
JP (1) JP3850901B2 (es)
KR (1) KR100335729B1 (es)
AU (1) AU693536B2 (es)
BR (1) BR9502630A (es)
CA (1) CA2136575A1 (es)
CO (1) CO4440450A1 (es)
DE (1) DE69506784T2 (es)
ES (1) ES2126806T3 (es)

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US20090324947A1 (en) * 2007-02-13 2009-12-31 Es Fibervisions Co., Ltd. Fiber for wetlaid non-woven fabric

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US5810954A (en) * 1996-02-20 1998-09-22 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Method of forming a fine fiber barrier fabric with improved drape and strength of making same
US5667562A (en) * 1996-04-19 1997-09-16 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Spunbond vacuum cleaner webs
JPH09313417A (ja) * 1996-05-28 1997-12-09 Daiwabo Co Ltd ワイピングクロス
JP3748572B2 (ja) * 1996-11-29 2006-02-22 チッソ株式会社 繊維および、それを用いた繊維成形体
US5876840A (en) * 1997-09-30 1999-03-02 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Crimp enhancement additive for multicomponent filaments
US6528439B1 (en) * 1998-09-30 2003-03-04 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Crimped polymeric fibers and nonwoven webs made therefrom with improved resiliency
US6454989B1 (en) 1998-11-12 2002-09-24 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Process of making a crimped multicomponent fiber web
DE10360845A1 (de) * 2003-12-20 2005-07-21 Corovin Gmbh Weiches Vlies auf Basis von Polyethylen
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DE69506784T2 (de) 1999-05-20
AU693536B2 (en) 1998-07-02
EP0685579A3 (en) 1996-07-31
EP0685579A2 (en) 1995-12-06
JP3850901B2 (ja) 2006-11-29
KR960001222A (ko) 1996-01-25
BR9502630A (pt) 1996-01-02
CO4440450A1 (es) 1997-05-07
CA2136575A1 (en) 1995-12-04
DE69506784D1 (de) 1999-02-04
KR100335729B1 (ko) 2002-11-22
JPH0827625A (ja) 1996-01-30
AU2042595A (en) 1995-12-14
ES2126806T3 (es) 1999-04-01

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