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Process to produce nonwoven fabrics with totally or partially hydrophilic areas and hydrophobic areas

a technology of hydrophilic areas and nonwoven fabrics, applied in the field of nonwoven fabrics, can solve the problems of high handling and treatment costs, energy consumption, and the inability to store and reuse solutions, and achieve the effect of producing hydrophilic characteristics, greater uniformity and flexibility

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-05-24
TESALCA 99
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a nonwoven fabric with hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas on its surface. The hydrophilic areas have a specific geometry. The invention also provides a process to produce this fabric and its use in applications of hygiene or sanitary sector."

Problems solved by technology

Nevertheless, the use of solutions with liquid hydrophilic agents has some drawbacks:
This represents high handling and treatment costs.
As the nonwoven fabric is treated with a solution, this involves the subsequent drying of the water and, therefore, energy consumption.
The solutions cannot be stored and reused due to the risk of bacteriological contamination and the solution should be exhaustively cleaned from the system when changing from one agent to another.
This all represents an added cost and a risk from possible bacteriological contamination.

Method used

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  • Process to produce nonwoven fabrics with totally or partially hydrophilic areas and hydrophobic areas
  • Process to produce nonwoven fabrics with totally or partially hydrophilic areas and hydrophobic areas
  • Process to produce nonwoven fabrics with totally or partially hydrophilic areas and hydrophobic areas

Examples

Experimental program
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first embodiment

[0060] In a first embodiment, the plasma is projected from several individual heads, each one of which projects in a certain area, defining a certain geometry on the nonwoven fabric. These heads have an on / off-type frequency controller and enable partially hydrophilic areas to be produced.

second embodiment

[0061] In a second embodiment the plasma is projected from a single head positioned across the nonwoven fabric and, between said head and the substrate to treat, there is a sheet of stainless steel, aluminum or another material provided with holes. Said holes can have varied geometries and can be distributed on the surface of the sheet in very different ways, so that the nonwoven fabric produced will have hydrophilic areas with a geometry defined by the projection of plasma through the holes in the sheet.

third embodiment

[0062] A third embodiment comprises a single head positioned throughout the fabric and incorporates software that permits defining the number of plasma pulsations per time unit. This permits the intermittent application of plasma on the nonwoven fabric which will be displaced under the head producing previously defined hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas in the end product.

[0063] Another group of solutions will focus on the treatment subsequent to the plasma treatment. This treatment consists of a deposition of a vaporized monomer together with hydrophilic groups. This gives properties that last with time, as the anchoring of the functional groups is much stronger.

[0064] The use of plasma as pre-treatment means the activation of the nonwoven fabric's fibers for subsequent coating treatment by deposition of a vaporized monomer with philic functional groups. Said deposition is performed in the areas of the nonwoven fabric previously treated with plasma. It is necessary to provide the s...

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Abstract

A nonwoven fabric with totally or partially hydrophilic areas and hydrophobic areas which have a certain geometry and, optionally, a hydrophilic gradient is provided. The process to manufacture the fabric includes a treatment stage thereof with a plasma, whether in a vacuum or at atmospheric pressure. By controlling the plasma generation and application parameters, the particular area and the quantity of hydrophilic groups incorporated in the fabric surface is controlled. The fabric can be used in applications of the hygiene and sanitary sector to manufacture nappies, incontinence products and feminine hygiene products, for example.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to Spanish Application No. 200502891, filed Nov. 23, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. DESCRIPTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention belongs to the field of nonwoven fabrics manufactured with polyolefins which, by their very nature, are hydrophobic, i.e. they have a degree of water repellency. More specifically, it relates to a process to produce nonwoven fabrics which have totally or partially hydrophilic areas and hydrophobic areas with a certain geometry and, optionally, with a hydrophilic gradient. Said fabrics can be used as the top sheet in different hygiene products as they have advantages with respect to a feeling of dryness and comfort. [0004] 2. Background of the Invention [0005] Many applications from the hygiene sector need a hydrophilic fabric. Thus, in most nappies, incontinence products and feminine hygiene products currently manufactured, the part called top sheet,...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): D04H5/00D04H13/00D04H3/00D04H1/56D04H3/16D04H1/00
CPCA61L15/24A61L31/048C08L23/10D06B11/0056D06B19/00D06M10/025D06M23/16C08L23/12Y10T442/608Y10T442/68Y10T442/681Y10T442/696
Inventor TRILLAS, XAVIER CONILLERAGARCIA PANO, ROBERTGUASCH RIERA, ROSA
Owner TESALCA 99
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