Biodegradable nonwoven, as well as method and use of a biodegradable nonwoven

Abstract

The invention relates to a biodegradable nonwoven comprising an embossing structure for a floor cleaning cloth (4), said nonwoven comprising a first material portion composed of cellulose fibres (11) and a second material portion that is different from the first material portion, the embossing structure forming projections (13) that protrude on a cleaning side (A). According to the invention, hydrophobic fibres (9) and / or bast fibres (8) are provided as a third material component. The invention also relates to a method for producing a biodegradable nonwoven and to the use thereof.

Description

[0001] Biodegradable nonwoven process and use of a biodegradable nonwoven

[0002] Description:

[0003] The invention relates to a biodegradable nonwoven with an embossed structure for a wipe, in particular a floor wipe, comprising a first material portion made of short cellulose fibers and a second material portion different from the first material portion, in particular made of regenerated cellulose fibers, wherein the embossed structure forms projections provided on a cleaning side. The invention further relates to a method for producing a biodegradable nonwoven and to a use of a biodegradable nonwoven.

[0004] Simple hand wipers for disposable floor wipes have long been known and are sold, for example, under the brand name Swiffer®. These floor wipers, usually made of nonwoven materials, are attached to a base plate of a hand-held wiper with a handle for cleaning floor surfaces. The attachment can be achieved in various ways, either on the underside or on the top of the plate, for example, by mechanical clamping, hook-and-loop fasteners, or the like. In addition to the nonwoven materials, the floor wipers can also optionally feature other functional elements, particularly for connection.

[0005] Floor wipes can be designed for both dry and wet cleaning. For wet cleaning, the floor wipes are often pre-soaked with a ready-to-use cleaning solution. Especially for wet cleaning, the floor wipe should have sufficient capacity for the cleaning agent and absorbed dirt, while simultaneously being sufficiently stable and easy to handle.

[0006] Against this background, it is also known to provide floor wipes with an embossed structure in order to achieve improved functional properties with regard to sliding resistance and dirt absorption capacity.

[0007] Various materials can be considered for the production of a nonwoven for a floor wipe. For example, nonwoven materials made of polyolefins such as polypropylene (PP) are inexpensive to produce and their functionality can be varied widely during the manufacturing process to meet specific requirements. However, the disadvantage of such materials is that they generally use fossil raw materials, resulting in a negative carbon dioxide (CO2) balance. Furthermore, used floor wipes are generally treated as residual waste and, in particular, are then landfilled or incinerated. Recycling is generally not an option, particularly due to the amount of soil they absorb.

[0008] Against this background, it is already known to produce floor wipes from biodegradable materials, whereby the corresponding floor wipes can then decompose through a composting process, at least under controlled, specified conditions. Unlike a very durable material based on fossil raw materials, decomposition is also possible, at least over a longer period of time, if the floor wipe is not disposed of properly. Finally, biodegradable materials are generally made from renewable raw materials, which can contribute to improved environmental compatibility and a better environmental balance.

[0009] Against this background, the present invention relates to a nonwoven that is biodegradable in this sense. A generic nonwoven according to the preamble of claim 1 is known, for example, from EP 2 692 924 B1. It is proposed to combine different fiber types to achieve good functional properties in a wipe. Specifically, the combination of short cellulose fibers in the form of pulp, viscose as regenerated cellulose fibers, and further fibers made of polylactide (PLA) is proposed. Furthermore, an embossed pattern is provided to improve the functional properties.

[0010] Biodegradable nonwovens for floor wipes with a combination of different material components are also known from EP 3 715 514 A1 and DE 102021 122 041 B3.

[0011] The present invention is based on the object of improving the performance characteristics of a generic biodegradable nonwoven fabric with an embossed structure, particularly when intended as a disposable wipe, preferably as a floor wipe, for wet cleaning. Furthermore, a method and a use of the biodegradable nonwoven fabric are also to be specified.

[0012] The subject matter of the invention and the solution to the problem are a biodegradable nonwoven with an embossed structure according to patent claim 1, a method for producing a biodegradable nonwoven according to patent claim 22 and the use of a biodegradable nonwoven according to patent claim 23.

[0013] The invention thus relates to a biodegradable nonwoven with an embossed structure for a wipe, in particular a floor wipe, comprising a first material portion made of short cellulose fibers and a second material portion different from the first material portion. The embossed structure forms protrusions on a cleaning side. According to the invention, hydrophobic fibers and / or bast fibers are provided as the third material portion. The third material portion differs from the first and second material portions.

[0014] The second material portion is preferably formed from long cellulose fibers, in particular natural cellulose fibers or regenerated cellulose fibers.

[0015] In the context of the invention, cellulose fibers are generally understood to mean fibers that consist essentially of cellulose, i.e., cellulose chains. In practice, natural cellulose fibers and manufactured cellulose fibers are known. Comparatively short, industrially produced cellulose fibers can be obtained by mechanical and / or chemical decomposition of wood and other plant materials, in particular by removal of lignin. Comparably long cellulose fibers can be obtained as regenerated cellulose fibers in a spinning process. To differentiate between the different types of cellulose fibers, the invention distinguishes between short cellulose fibers with a length of less than 10 mm, in particular less than 5 mm, and long cellulose fibers with a length of more than 10 mm, in particular more than 20 mm.Short cellulose fibers are usually obtained as pulp directly from the grinding of centrifuged wood or other plant materials. Long cellulose fibers, on the other hand, are usually natural fibers such as cotton or regenerated cellulose fibers, which are generally referred to as viscose or rayon. Depending on the raw material and manufacturing process, names such as lyocell and modal are also known.

[0016] According to the present invention, it is therefore initially provided that the nonwoven has an embossed structure, whereby the sliding properties when used as a wipe, floor wipe and in particular disposable floor wipe as well as the dirt absorption capacity can be influenced to a certain extent.

[0017] The short cellulose fibers, which are available at low cost, particularly in the form of pulp, enable good absorption of liquid cleaning agents and / or liquid or moist soiling for wet cleaning.

[0018] The long cellulose fibers, in particular natural cellulose fibers or regenerated cellulose fibers, which are preferably provided as the second material component, further contribute to the stabilization of the material, whereas the short cellulose fibers alone only allow for very low strength. In principle, fibers other than long cellulose fibers can also be considered as the second material component. However, it is preferably provided that the second material component has a greater fiber length than the first material component and thus generally contributes to the stabilization of the material. In addition to long cellulose fibers, other plant-based fibers or plant fibers can also be considered. In principle, however, biodegradable polymer fibers, which can be made from, for example, polylactide (PLA), polyhydroalkanoates (PHA), or polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), can also be suitable.

[0019] The properties described can also be particularly advantageous when providing a wipe for cleaning surfaces by hand or for similar purposes. Such a wipe can be intended, for example, for cleaning furniture or smooth or textured visible surfaces.

[0020] In this context, the invention is based on the finding that handling can be significantly improved by using hydrophobic fibers and / or bast fibers as a third material component.

[0021] Hydrophobic fibers create a water-repelling effect. Hydrophobic fibers arranged at least partially on the cleaning side of the nonwoven fabric can therefore contribute to a significant reduction in sliding forces, especially during wet cleaning, because a flat, adhering water film is avoided or its effect can be reduced.

[0022] Bast fibers provide significant stabilization and, in particular, significantly greater dimensional stability of the nonwoven fabric. It is important in this context that the nonwoven fabric according to the invention has an embossed structure. It is assumed that the bast fibers, due to their stability and rigidity, also contribute significantly to maintaining the embossed structure during use and can thus also contribute to improved sliding properties.

[0023] The biodegradable nonwoven fabric is embossed, forming protrusions on the cleaning side. During cleaning, only the protrusions are in contact with the surface to be cleaned, preventing full-surface contact. This also prevents the formation of a strongly adhering, continuous film of moisture, especially during wet cleaning.

[0024] If the nonwoven fabric were too flexible overall, there would be a risk that the protrusions initially formed during production would be compressed too tightly during cleaning, and the desired separation effect would then no longer be achieved. However, the comparatively stiff bast fibers, within the scope of the invention, allow for good stability even of the embossed structure.

[0025] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the material components are distributed inhomogeneously in a thickness direction.

[0026] It can be provided that the nonwoven is formed on the basis of a multi-layer, for example three-layer structure. Corresponding layers can be placed on top of one another during the manufacturing process and connected to one another in a suitable manner, whereby a certain entanglement or mixing of the layers is also expedient. For such consolidation, fundamentally different processes can be considered, alternatively or in combination, with hydroentanglement being particularly suitable. During hydroentanglement, the various fiber components are also mixed and entangled with one another, whereby comparatively short fibers, in particular the short cellulose fibers, can be distributed in a thickness direction of the nonwoven. In conjunction with hydroentanglement, hydroembossing can also be carried out in such a way that the embossed structure is formed with projections protruding on the cleaning side.Hydro-enhancing and hydro-embossing can be performed sequentially in separate steps. While hydro-enhancing aims to achieve a uniform structure across the surface (but not in the thickness direction), hydro-enhancing creates individual contours, particularly protrusions, across the surface. However, hydro-enhancing can also result in further hardening of the material and / or a displacement of fibers within the material.

[0027] Specifically, according to a preferred embodiment, a first outer layer provided as the back side has long cellulose fibers, in particular natural cellulose fibers or regenerated cellulose fibers, as its main component, a second outer layer provided as the cleaning side has hydrophobic fibers and / or bast fibers, and a core system comprising short cellulose fibers, in particular pulp, is provided between the outer layers. These provided layers are then bonded to one another and intertwined in the manner described, for example by hydroentanglement. In particular, it can be provided that the outer layer provided as the back side is formed from at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, long cellulose fibers, in particular natural cellulose fibers or regenerated cellulose fibers, wherein the corresponding outer layer can also consist entirely of long cellulose fibers.

[0028] The core layer may preferably consist of at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, of short cellulose fibers or may also be formed entirely from short cellulose fibers.

[0029] Relative to the entire nonwoven fabric, the first material component can have a weight percentage between 30 wt.% and 80 wt.%, in particular between 50 wt.% and 70 wt.%. It should be noted that the short cellulose fibers are comparatively inexpensive and contribute significantly to the desired fluid absorption capacity.

[0030] The second material component can, in particular, have a weight fraction between 12 wt.% and 45 wt.%. The long cellulose fibers, in particular natural cellulose fibers or regenerated cellulose fibers, preferably provided as the second material component, can be intended for stabilizing and structuring the material. Biodegradable fibers, which have such properties or can contribute to stabilizing and structuring the material, are also particularly suitable for the second material component.

[0031] Within the scope of the invention, fundamentally different regenerated cellulose fibers are considered, which can differ in terms of their fineness, length, and also the manufacturing process. Further explanations can be found, for example, in the specialist book "Textile Fertigungsverfahren" (Textile Manufacturing Processes), T. Gries, D. Veit, B. Wulfhorst, 3rd ed., 2019 (ISBN 978-3-446-45684-6), pages 57 ff. Lyocell fibers are particularly preferred, which are explained in the cited specialist book under 2.2.2.2, pages 60 ff.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fibers of the second material portion have a wet strength according to ISO 5079:2020 (“breaking tenacity” according to ISO 5079:2020, measured in the wet state) of more than 30 cN / dtex, in particular more than 35 cN / dtex.

[0033] Regardless of the specific manufacturing process, the fibers of the second material portion, in particular in the form of long cellulose fibers, preferably natural cellulose fibers or regenerated cellulose fibers (6), can have a fineness between 1.3 dtex and 3.3 dtex and / or a length between 30 mm and 70 mm.

[0034] The preferably provided long cellulose fibers, in particular natural cellulose fibers or regenerated cellulose fibers (6) are expediently provided as a carded layer.

[0035] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the third material component has a weight fraction between 4 wt.% and 35 wt.%, in particular between 20 wt.% and 30 wt.%. Depending on the embodiment, the specified values ​​thus refer to hydrophobic fibers alone, to bast fibers alone, or to the sum of hydrophobic fibers and bast fibers.

[0036] Within the scope of the invention, the hydrophobic fibers may have a hydrophobic cover layer, so that the bulk material of the fibers themselves does not need to have hydrophobic properties. In particular, in the case of many plant-based fibers, plant-based fibers, or biodegradable polymer fibers, the bulk material of the fibers themselves is not hydrophobic within the meaning of the invention.

[0037] Subsequent hydrophobization of fibers can be carried out with hydrophobizing agents such as long-chain hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, siloxane- or silicone-based polymers or derivatives of fatty acids.

[0038] For example, to provide hydrophobic long cellulose fibers such as cotton fibers, processed, cleaned cotton fibers can be provided with an appropriate coating.

[0039] Furthermore, cotton fibers on a cotton plant or as a direct plant product are usually coated with a type of wax layer, which inherently imparts hydrophobic properties, which are then lost during conventional processing. In this context, cotton fibers that retain their original hydrophobic properties through appropriately gentle processing are also referred to as hydrophobic or hydrophobized cotton fibers.

[0040] Bast fibers are plant fibers that exist in the form of multicellular fiber bundles in the bast of various plant species. Bast fibers are primarily obtained from woody stems. Due to their special cell structure, bast fibers are generally characterized by high stiffness and strength. In the context of the invention, hemp fibers, flax fibers, or mixtures thereof are particularly suitable.

[0041] In particular, the bast fibers can have a modulus of elasticity between 60 GPa and 80 GPa, with corresponding properties listed, for example, in “bast and other plant fibers”, Robert R. Frank, 2005 (Table 1.1 ).

[0042] For example, bast fibers can have a length between 10 mm and 40 mm and a thickness between 15 mm and 45 mm. As is common with natural fibers, there may be some variation in length and thickness, so the values ​​given refer to an average.

[0043] Of particular importance within the scope of the invention is also the embossed structure, which is essential for setting the desired sliding forces and absorption properties and interacts with the third material component in the manner described above.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the embossed structure has projections in a pattern with a structure selected from the group wave shape, circle, ring, rectangle, triangle and rhombus, whereby this list is not exhaustive and of course different structures of the listed ones can also be combined with one another.

[0045] In preliminary tests, comparatively small-scale embossed structures with a pattern of dots or circles have proven particularly advantageous, resulting in a kind of nubby structure from the observer's perspective. Such a structure leaves free spaces between the protrusions for liquid and dirt to penetrate. This also offers the advantage that – unlike with a ribbed structure – longer bottlenecks can be avoided.

[0046] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the projections each extend over an area between 2 mm 2 and 25 mm 2 The projections may also have a kind of conical shape, whereby the specified area refers to the extension of the projections starting from a base plane.

[0047] For example, the projections can each have a height between 0.8 mm and 2 mm.

[0048] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the projections extend over a surface area between 15% and 40%. This ensures that, at least with respect to a flat floor surface or other flat surface to be cleaned, large-scale contact and adhesion are avoided. However, thanks to the projections, a water film formed between the nonwoven and the floor surface, and the sliding motion, a very effective cleaning effect can still be achieved.

[0049] For adjacent projections, a distance from the center of one projection to the center of the other can generally be determined. The center-to-center distance can range between 2 mm and 10 mm, particularly for compact projections with a circular, ring, ellipse, triangle, and diamond shape.

[0050] The projections can be arranged in such a way that continuous channels with a minimal width remain between them, which are set back from the projections. The channels can be straight, essentially straight, wavy, or zigzag. Such channels can, for example, have a minimum width of between 2 mm and 7 mm. The channels described also enable a certain amount of local liquid transport or exchange during wiping. The channels can run along a wiping or usage direction, perpendicular to it, or even at an angle. A wavy shape, a zigzag pattern, and / or an angled pattern of the channels can be useful, in order to enable the most complete cleaning possible, particularly when driving over a floor area just once.

[0051] The basis weight of the biodegradable nonwoven can, for example, be in a range of 75 g / m 2(grams per square meter) and 150 g / m 2 Especially for disposable floor wipes, despite their biodegradability, excessive surface weight should be avoided due to costs and material usage. On the other hand, a sufficient surface weight is necessary to ensure the desired strength, liquid absorption, and thus reach.

[0052] The invention also relates to a method for producing a biodegradable nonwoven with an embossed structure for a wipe, in particular a floor wipe, which is designed in particular as described above. In the method, to form a precursor, a core layer of short cellulose fibers is arranged between a first outer layer, in particular of long cellulose fibers, preferably natural cellulose fibers or regenerated cellulose fibers (6), and a second outer layer provided as the cleaning side. The second outer layer comprises hydrophobic fibers and / or bast fibers. The precursor thus formed

[0053] is subjected to hydroentanglement and hydroembossing such that an embossed structure with projections protruding on the cleaning side is formed. The invention further relates to the use of the above-described biodegradable nonwoven as a floor wiper, in particular in combination with a hand wiper having a handle and a base-side receiving plate. Suitable structures for the biodegradable nonwoven are explained below in a first example according to Table 1 and a second example according to Table 2.

[0054] Table 1

[0055]

[0056] Table 2

[0057] In both embodiments, regenerated cellulose fibers in the form of lyocell fibers are provided as a carded nonwoven layer on a first outer layer of the nonwoven, which serves as the backing side. This is followed by an aerodynamically (airlaid) core layer made of short cellulose fibers (pulp), followed by a carded second outer layer, which serves as the cleaning side. The second outer layer comprises a fiber blend that includes hemp fibers for stabilization; according to the second example, hydrophobized cotton fibers are also provided.

[0058] During the production of the biodegradable nonwoven, the layers are subjected, in particular in successive steps, to hydroentanglement and hydroembossing, whereby an embossed structure with projections protruding from the cleaning side is formed. For example, it can be provided that hydroentanglement is first performed against a smooth

[0059] A substrate, for example in the form of a substantially smooth drum, is used, followed by water jet embossing against a structured substrate, for example in the form of a structured drum. In order to form the described projections on the cleaning side, the water jets expediently act from the rear side during water jet embossing to shape the material on the cleaning side into the shape specified by the structured substrate. In the upstream water jet enhancing process, however, the water jets can also act at least partially from the cleaning side.

[0060] With an embossed pattern explained further below, the nonwovens produced in this way have balanced properties with regard to cleaning performance, sliding resistance and dirt absorption capacity when used as disposable wipes and in particular as disposable floor wipes for wet cleaning.

[0061] Table 3 shows the structure for a comparison example which was not embossed during production.

[0062]

[0063] Table 3

[0064] To compare the wiping properties, the kinetic friction (COF) in the wet state was determined using a Friction / Peel Tester 225-1 from Thwing-Albert. Samples measuring 8.5 cm x 8.5 cm were cut in the production direction (MD) and the cross direction (CD) and soaked with water until saturated. The samples were soaked in water for 1 minute, after which they were hung up to drain for 2 minutes.

[0065] Kinetic friction was measured according to the procedure specified by the measuring device, using a slide weight of 200 g and a speed of 12.7 cm / min. After a start interval of 5 s, kinetic friction was determined over a measurement interval of 5 s. The surface of the measuring device, which serves as a friction partner for the samples, is made of aluminum and is specified as follows: Anodize IAW MIL-A-8625, Type II, Class I, Clear.

[0066] While the kinetic friction value for the comparative example is 0.63, the inventive embodiments achieve values ​​of 0.40 for Example 1 and 0.36 for Example 2. In addition to significantly low friction, the inventive examples are characterized by good cleaning performance and uniform protective absorption.

[0067] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the value for the kinetic friction determined according to the method described above is less than 0.45.

[0068] The invention is further explained below with reference to the figures. They show:

[0069] Fig. 1 a hand wiper with a floor wiper attached to it,

[0070] Fig. 2 a three-layer structure for forming the floor wipe,

[0071] Fig. 3 an embossed structure on a cleaning side of the floor wipe,

[0072] Fig. 4 a detailed view of the floor wiper during floor cleaning,

[0073] Fig. 5 shows an alternative embossed structure to Figure 3.

[0074] Figure 1 shows a hand wiper 1 with a handle 2 and a base plate 3 to which a floor wipe 4 is attached. The floor wipe 4 is intended as a disposable item for single use and is impregnated with a cleaning fluid for wet cleaning. By way of example, the floor wipe 4 is mechanically clamped to an upper side of the base plate 3, although other types of attachment are also possible. The floor wipe 4 is made of a biodegradable nonwoven. Specifically, the nonwoven is intended to be made exclusively from plant-based fiber materials, whereby in addition to being biodegradable, for example through composting, the use of fossil raw materials is avoided.

[0075] Figure 2 shows a structure of several layers from which the nonwoven is subsequently formed with an embossed structure by hydroentanglement and hydroembossing.

[0076] A first outer layer 5, provided as the backing B, is formed from regenerated cellulose fibers 6 in the form of lyocell fibers. A second outer layer 7, provided as the cleaning side A, comprises different fiber types in the illustrated embodiment. Based on the second outer layer 7 alone, 30 wt.% of the fibers are bast fibers 8 in the form of hemp fibers and 70 wt.% are hydrophobic fibers 9 in the form of hydrophobic cotton fibers. The bast fibers 8 are comparatively stiff and strong and thus contribute significantly to stabilizing the nonwoven formed from the illustrated layer structure.

[0077] Between the first outer layer 5 and the second outer layer 7, a core layer 10 made of short cellulose fibers 11, in particular in the form of pulp, is provided.

[0078] The structure shown in Figure 2 is subsequently subjected to hydroentanglement and hydroentanglement. During hydroentanglement, the various fibers shown are also mixed and entangled to a certain extent. In particular, the short cellulose fibers 11 can be distributed to a certain extent throughout the nonwoven fabric and, in particular, displaced toward the cleaning side A. Across the thickness of the nonwoven fabric, this generally results in a distribution of the short cellulose fibers, with a concentration in the central region of the nonwoven fabric.

[0079] The water jet embossing is carried out in such a way that protruding projections 13 are formed on the cleaning side A. For this purpose, the nonwoven fabric can be guided with its cleaning side A over a roller provided with openings or depressions during production, whereby water jets are then applied from the opposite side and the material is thereby pressed into the depressions or openings of the roller.

[0080] Figure 3 shows an example of a suitable pattern of projections 13 in the form of dots or circles. The individual projections 13 can, in particular in such a pattern, extend over an area of ​​between 2 mm 2 and 25 mm 2 and have a height between 0.8 mm and 2 mm.

[0081] The closest distance between the projections 13 can, for example, be in a range between 2 mm and 5 mm (center-to-center distance) in a pattern of Figure 3, wherein the projections can, for example, extend over a surface area of ​​between 15% and 40%.

[0082] It is already evident from Figure 3 that a good cleaning effect can be achieved when sweeping over a surface, while at the same time 13 free spaces remain between the projections for dirt and liquid, so that

[0083] comparatively low pushing forces can be combined with good cleaning performance.

[0084] Figure 4 illustrates this in a schematic view in which the biodegradable nonwoven is guided with the cleaning side A over a floor surface 14.

[0085] The embossed pattern shown in Figure 3 has proven particularly suitable in preliminary tests, although other structures are also conceivable. Figure 5 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the projections 13 have a wave shape.

[0086] In the context of the figures, a particularly preferred embodiment as a floor wiper 4 is explained, wherein particularly advantageous properties can also be achieved with a wiper included in the invention for cleaning surfaces by hand.

Claims

Patent claims:

1. Biodegradable nonwoven with an embossed structure for a wiping cloth (4), comprising a first material portion made of short cellulose fibers (11) and a second material portion different from the first material portion, wherein the embossed structure forms protruding projections (13) on a cleaning side (A), characterized in that hydrophobic fibers (9) and / or bast fibers (8) are provided as the third material portion.

2. Biodegradable nonwoven according to claim 1, characterized in that the second material portion is formed by long cellulose fibers, in particular natural cellulose fibers or regenerated cellulose fibers (6).

3. Biodegradable nonwoven according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hydrophobic fibers (9) have a hydrophobic cover layer.

4. Biodegradable nonwoven according to claim 3, characterized in that cotton fibers with a hydrophobic cover layer are provided as hydrophobic fibers (9).

5. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the material components are inhomogeneously distributed in a thickness direction.

6. Biodegradable nonwoven according to claim 5, characterized in that the nonwoven is formed on the basis of a multi-layer, in particular three-layer structure by hydroentanglement.

7. Biodegradable nonwoven according to claim 6, characterized in that a first outer layer (5) provided as the back side (B) has long cellulose fibers, in particular regenerated cellulose fibers (6) as the main component, that a second outer layer (7) provided as the cleaning side (A) has hydrophobic cotton fibers (9) and / or bast fibers (8) and that a core layer (10) arranged between the outer layers (5, 7) with short cellulose fibers (11) as the main component is provided.

8. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first material portion has a weight proportion between 30 wt.% and 80 wt.%, in particular between 50 wt.% and 70 wt.%.

9. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the second material portion has a weight fraction between 12 wt.% and 45 wt.%.

10. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the second material portion is formed by lyocell fibers.

11. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the fibers of the second material portion have a Have a wet strength of more than 30 cN / dtex according to ISO 5079:2020.

12. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the second material portion is formed from fibers with a fineness between 1.3 and 3.3 dtex and a length between 30 mm and 70 mm.

13. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the third material component has a weight fraction between 4 wt.% and 35 wt.%, in particular between 20 wt.% and 30 wt.%.

14. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the third material portion comprises bast fibers (8) selected from the group of hemp fibers, flax fibers and mixtures thereof.

15. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the third material portion comprises bast fibers (8) with a modulus of elasticity between 60 GPa and 80 GPa.

16. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the third material portion comprises bast fibers (8) with a length between 10 mm and 40 mm and a thickness between 15 pm and 45 pm 17. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the embossed structure has projections in a pattern (13) having a structure selected from the group consisting of waveform, circle, ring, rectangle, triangle and rhombus.

18. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the projections (13) each extend over an area between 2 mm 2 and 25 mm 2 extend.

19. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the projections (13) each have a height between 0.8 mm and 2 mm.

20. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the projections (13) extend over an area proportion between 15% and 40%.

21. Biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the basis weight is between 75 g / m 2 (grams per square meter) and 150 g / m 2 amounts.

22. A method for producing a biodegradable nonwoven with an embossed structure for a wiping cloth (4), in particular according to one of claims 1 to 21, wherein, to form a precursor, a core layer (10) made of short cellulose fibers (11) is arranged between a first outer layer (5) and a second outer layer (7) provided as the cleaning side (A), wherein the second outer layer (7) comprises hydrophobic fibers (9) and / or bast fibers (8), wherein the precursor product is subjected to water jet hardening and water jet embossing in such a way that an embossed structure with projections (13) projecting on the cleaning side (A) is formed.

23. Use of a biodegradable nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 21 as a floor wiper (4), in particular in combination with a hand wiper (1) having a handle (2) and a base-side receiving plate (3).

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