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Fibers comprising starch and polymers

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-04-14
BOND ERIC BRYAN +5
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, because of costs, the difficultly in processing, and end-use properties, there are only a limited number of options.
Useful fibers for nonwoven articles are difficult to produce and pose additional challenges compared to films and laminates.
For spinning very fine fibers, small defects, slight inconsistencies, or non-homogeneity in the melt are not acceptable for a commercially viable process.
Modified starch (alone or as the major component of a blend) has been found to have poor melt extensibility resulting in difficulty in successfully production of fibers, films, foams or the like.
Additionally, starch fibers are difficult to spin and are virtually unusable to make nonwovens due to the low tensile strength, stickiness, and the inability to be bonded to form nonwovens.
Selection of a suitable polymer that is acceptable for blending with starch is challenging.
These requirements make selection of a thermoplastic polymer to produce starch-containing fibers very difficult.

Method used

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  • Fibers comprising starch and polymers

Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

example 1

Fibers were produced by melt spinning a composition comprising 67 parts low density polyethylene, 19 parts StarDri 100 starch, 10 parts PCL and 4 parts glycerol. The blend is compounded by adding each ingredient concurrently to an extrusion system where they are mixed in progressively increasing temperatures. This procedure minimizes the thermal degradation to the starch that occurs when the starch is heated above 180° C. for significant periods of time. This procedure also allows the starch to be fully destructured before intimate mixing with the thermoplastic materials.

example 2

Fibers were produced by melt spinning a composition comprising 66 parts polypropylene, 20 parts StarDri 100, 9 parts PCL, and 5 parts glycerol.

example 3

The blend was compounded according to Example 1 with 10 parts Dow Primacor 59801, 70 parts StarDri 100, and 30 parts sorbitol. Acceptable spinning behavior was observed.

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Abstract

The present invention is directed to highly attenuated fibers produced by melt spinning a composition comprising destructurized starch, a thermoplastic polymer, and a plasticizer. The present invention is also directed to highly attenuated fibers containing microfibrils which are formed within the starch matrix. Nonwoven webs and disposable articles comprising the highly attenuated fibers are also disclosed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to highly attenuated fibers comprising starch and polymers, processes of making the fibers, and specific configurations of the fibers, including microfibrils. The fibers are used to make nonwoven webs and disposable articles. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There have been many attempts to make nonwoven articles. However, because of costs, the difficultly in processing, and end-use properties, there are only a limited number of options. Useful fibers for nonwoven articles are difficult to produce and pose additional challenges compared to films and laminates. This is because the material and processing characteristics for fibers is much more stringent than for producing films, blow-molding articles, and injection-molding articles. For the production of fibers, the processing time during structure formation is typically much shorter and flow characteristics are more demanding on the material's physical and Theological characteristics...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): D01F9/00D01F6/46D01F6/50D01F6/52D01F6/90D01F6/92D04H1/42
CPCD01F6/46D01F6/50D01F6/52D01F6/90Y10T428/2913D04H1/42Y10T428/2969Y10T428/2927D01F6/92Y10T428/24994Y10T442/60Y10T428/249924
Inventor BOND, ERIC BRYANAUTRAN, JEAN-PHILIPPE MARIEMACKEY, LARRY NEILNODA, ISAOO'DONNELL, HUGH JOSEPHPHAN, DEAN VAN
Owner BOND ERIC BRYAN
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