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Thermal bonding of nonwoven textiles containing cellulose acetate fibers

a technology of cellulose acetate fibers and nonwoven textiles, which is applied in the direction of fibre treatment, filament/thread forming, coatings, etc., can solve the problems of limited fabric bonding methods for rayon fibers, limited natural cellulosic bonding methods, and thermal bonding is not a method for bonding webs comprised of cellulose fibers

Pending Publication Date: 2020-09-24
EASTMAN CHEM CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes methods for making fabrics using nonwoven webs that are wetted with water and / or water and a plasticizer, and then thermally bonded to create a fabric. The fabric can be made using cellulose ester fibers and with or without the use of adhesives or solvents. The resulting fabric has various properties such as a high break force and toughness. The technical effects of this patent involve improved processes for making fabrics with improved properties.

Problems solved by technology

However, thermal bonding is not a method for bonding webs comprised of cellulose fibers as native state cellulose (e.g., wood pulp, cotton) and reconstituted cellulose (e.g., viscose rayon, Tencel® rayon) do not exhibit thermoplastic properties.
This limits fabric bonding methods for rayon fibers to either fiber to fiber friction (hydroentangling), adhesive applications (e.g., EVA emulsion), thermoplastic powder binder addition such as polyethylene (PE) powder, or the use of polypropylene / PE and PET / PE bicomponent fibers.
The same bonding method limitations apply to natural cellulosics such as cotton, wood pulp, flax, and hemp fibers.

Method used

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  • Thermal bonding of nonwoven textiles containing cellulose acetate fibers
  • Thermal bonding of nonwoven textiles containing cellulose acetate fibers
  • Thermal bonding of nonwoven textiles containing cellulose acetate fibers

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0241]Variant #1 “Dry”: The fibers and nonwoven web made from the fibers are not modified prior to being fed into the thermal embossing rolls

example 2

[0242]Variant #2 “Triacetin Pre-Treated”: Prior to formation into a nonwoven web, the cellulose acetate fibers are topically treated with an 5% aqueous solution of Triacetin and then dried. The amount of triacetin added to the cellulose acetate fibers is 9 wt. %, based on the weight of the cellulose acetate fibers. (Separate laboratory analysis has shown that the addition of 10 wt. % triacetin to this grade of cellulose acetate fiber reduces the Tg from 190° C. to about 162° C.) When the treated cellulose acetate fibers are later blended with an equal amount of the rayon fibers, the aggregate concentration of triacetin is 4.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the nonwoven web. The carded nonwoven web is needle tacked and fed dry into the set of thermal emboss rolls without further modification.

example 3

[0243]Variant #3 “Water Only Spray”: A web identical to the Variant #1 material is sprayed with water at an amount of 1-gram water / 1-gram web. The web is then passed through the thermal emboss rolls exactly five minutes after completion of spraying. The five-minute wait time was designed to approximately simulate the application of water to the fiber blend at the fiber opening step of the fabric production process; the web was still damp when fed to the bonding rolls.

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Abstract

Nonwoven fabrics and textiles containing cellulose ester fibers particularly cellulose acetate fibers are thermally bonded. An aqueous plasticizing solution is applied to the surface of a nonwoven web and thereafter the web is thermally bonded to create a thermally bonded nonwoven textile. Alternatively, water can be applied to the dry surface of a nonwoven web containing organic plasticizer treated cellulose ester fibers to create the moistened nonwoven web and thereafter thermally bonding the moistened nonwoven web to make a thermally bonded nonwoven textile. The fabrics exhibit an increase in tensile strength and toughness greater than the individual contributions of water and plasticizer alone and greater than the additive contributions of water and plasticizer alone.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62 / 821,514 filed on Mar. 21, 2019, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Fibers comprised of the naturally occurring polymer cellulose have properties that are very desirable and useful for many nonwoven textiles particularly those utilized in disposable applications. Cellulosic nonwoven webs can readily absorb and wick aqueous fluids which is necessary for personal hygiene products such as diapers. Cellulose fibers are preferred for cleaning most contaminants from skin or hard surfaces particularly in conjunction with a solvent. In addition to aqueous absorbency, cellulose fiber webs have a high capacity for non-polar liquids such as motor or vegetable oil which makes cellulosic wipes also desirable for industrial and restaurant wipes respectively. In recent decades the plant based (hence carbon...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): D04H3/14D04H3/013
CPCD04H3/14D04H3/013D04H1/4258D04H1/485D04H1/49D04H1/552D04H1/551D04H1/43835B29C48/78B05D7/24B05D2401/20C09D7/63C09D5/00D01D5/22D04H1/488
Inventor BAER, SAMUEL CHARLESSTEACH, JEREMY KENNETH
Owner EASTMAN CHEM CO