Elastomeric yarns or tapes and articles containing such yarns or tapes

Abstract

The present invention relates to extruded thread-like elements, in particular rectangular or elongated threads or tapes, the material of which is at least partially composed of a non-crosslinked or substantially non-crosslinked elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer TPE, which in particular constitutes 60% to 100% by weight of the element, in particular 60% to 95% by weight of the element. The invention relates to extruded thread-like elements, the strain of which at 300% elongation 300% is the strain at 100% elongation 100% More than four times higher, especially at 100% elongation 100% 5 to 10 times the strain at 100% elongation. 100% It is characterized in that the temperature is 5 to 8 times higher than that of the conventional method.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to extruded filamentary elements, in particular threads or tapes, whose material consists at least in part of an elastomeric material, to spools comprising such extruded filamentary elements, to methods for producing such elements or spools, and to articles, in particular absorbent articles, comprising such extruded filamentary elements. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in absorbent articles, such as tape diapers or diaper pants, threads or tapes are found in the waistband area, for example to form hook-and-loop closure tabs, and further near the legs to seal and secure the absorbent portion against the body of the diaper wearer to prevent leakage.

[0003] Traditionally, in prior art absorbent articles, the threads or tapes used to secure the article to the wearer's body or another element are made from elastane (also known by some trade names as Spandex or Lycra®), which is not a thermoplastic material.

[0004] However, these prior art absorbent articles do not fit well to the wearer's contours. When donned and stretched for wear, the articles tend to either be too tight against the user's skin, causing redness, or not tight enough, returning to a position that allows leakage of liquids and / or solids that are intended to be absorbed by the article. Furthermore, due to the small dimensions of elastic yarns, they are very sensitive to changes in tension on diaper and other manufacturing lines, which can cause significant variations in their properties and therefore undesirably affect performance in certain applications.

[0005] EP 0 892 831 B1 and EP 0 906 456 disclose making fibers from thermoplastic elastomers comprising a mixture of crosslinked or cured EPDM rubber and a thermoplastic resin. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an extruded filamentary element, in particular a thread or tape, having a material at least partially consisting of an elastomeric material, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer, which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art and makes it possible, in particular when included in an article intended to be elastically fixed to another element, in particular an absorbent article, such as a diaper, incontinence pad or the like, to obtain an article that fits better to the contours of the other element, in particular to the contours of the body of the wearer of the article. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, extruded filamentary elements, in particular oblong or elongated threads or tapes, the material of which at least partly consists of an elastomer, in particular a non-crosslinked or substantially non-crosslinked elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer TPE, in particular constituting 60% to 100% by weight of the element, in particular constituting 60% to 95% by weight of the element, have a strain, which is the permanent set, also called tensile strain, of the element at 300% elongation. 300% is the permanent strain at 100% elongation 100% More than four times higher, especially at 100% elongation 100% 5 to 10 times the strain at 100% elongation. 100% 5 to 8 times the strain 100% is preferably strain 300% is characterized in that it is measured before

[0008] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements do not have one or more of the following materials: EPDM and / or crosslinking / curing and / or crosslinkable / curable materials, and / or one or more crosslinking agents such as peroxides or phenolic resins, and / or TPV (thermoplastic vulcanizates), and / or curing or curable rubber, and / or crosslinking / curing or crosslinkable / curable raw materials, and / or vulcanized or vulcanizable rubber.

[0009] In the present application, a substantially non-crosslinked elastomer means an elastomer in which less than 4 wt.%, preferably less than 3 wt.%, even more preferably less than 2 wt.%, even more preferably less than 1 wt.% is crosslinked, and in particular more than 96 wt.%, preferably more than 97 wt.%, even more preferably more than 98 wt.%, even more preferably more than 99 wt.% of the elastomer may be extracted with a solvent, for example boiling xylene in the case of EPDM (see in this respect in particular the method described in US 4,311,628). According to one embodiment, a non-crosslinked or substantially non-crosslinked elastomer is not or substantially not crosslinkable.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the invention, which is independent of the first aspect but which may advantageously be combined therewith, extruded filamentary elements, in particular rectangular or elongated threads or tapes, the material of which consists at least in part of a non-crosslinked or substantially non-crosslinked elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer TPE, in particular constituting 60 wt.% to 100 wt.% of the element, in particular constituting 60 wt.% to 95 wt.% of the element, have an elastic stability index IE of at least partly equal to or greater than 100 wt.% of the element, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer TPE, which has a specific elastic stability index IE of at least partly equal to or greater than 100 wt.% of the element, in particular ...

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[0011] According to the present invention, the elastic recovery, i.e. the amount of recovery relative to the elongation, is substantially proportional to the elongation, which means that the elasticity of the yarn can be well adjusted and therefore the article can better fit to other elements, in particular the body of the wearer. In particular, it is believed that this effect is obtained due to the resulting at least partly reduced forces, in particular the forces exerted on the body contours of the wearer of the article, although this cannot be stated with certainty and does not bind the inventors of the present invention.

[0012] Preferably, according to an aspect of the invention which can be implemented independently of the above but advantageously in combination with them, the material of the extruded filamentary elements is - 70% to 100% by weight of one or more preferably non-crosslinked or substantially non-crosslinked thermoplastic olefins copolymerized using a metallocene catalyst (E), which may be replaced by one or more thermoplastic elastomers (E') other than those obtained using a metallocene catalyst (E), in particular styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers TPE-S, having an ethylene content of 5% to 25% by weight, in particular 10% to 20% by weight, even more particularly 13% to 17% by weight of the elastomeric or thermoplastic olefin copolymerized using a metallocene catalyst (E), in particular a thermoplastic olefin having an ethylene content of 10% to 50% by weight, in particular 10% to 35% by weight, and 0% to 30% by weight of one or more polyolefins (P), for example propylene-based and / or ethylene-based polymers, or 80 wt.% to 100 wt.% of one or more thermoplastic copolyesters, such as TPC and / or TPE-E, and 0 to 20 wt.% of one or more thermoplastic resins and / or one or more thermoplastic elastomers different from the materials E, E' and P and / or different from the thermoplastic copolyesters Contains any of the following.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the material of the extruded filamentary elements may further comprise one or more additives selected from pigments or dyes, heat stabilizers, UV absorbers as stabilizers, processing aids such as wetting agents, crosslinking agents, antistatic agents, nucleating agents and similar additives, each in a proportion of a few percent by weight, in particular 0 to 5 wt.%, not exceeding 20 wt.% in total.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the material of the extruded filamentary elements may further comprise fillers and / or plasticizers in a total proportion of 0-20 wt.%.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cross-section of the extruded filamentary elements has an aspect ratio or width-to-height ratio of 1:1 to 20:1, the aspect ratio or width-to-height ratio being defined as the ratio of the maximum width to the maximum height of said cross-section, and further, the extruded filamentary elements extend over a very long length, in particular over a maximum of 100 to 500 times the two dimensions of width and height.

[0016] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements are extruded yarns, the cross section of which has an aspect ratio or width to height ratio of 1:1 to 3:1, in particular 1:1 to 1.9:1.

[0017] The cross section of the extruded yarn may include a plurality of segments, at least one of which is straight and / or at least one of which is curved, but may take the general shape of a number of different shapes, such as a circle, a square, an oval, an ellipse, a triangle, a star, a trefoil, a horizontal figure eight, or a combination of these shapes.

[0018] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements are tapes, the cross section of which has an aspect ratio or width to height ratio greater than 2:1, in particular greater than 3:1, and / or less than 1:30, in particular less than 1:20.

[0019] The extruded filamentary elements may consist of one or more materials, in particular two materials, in particular one of the materials forming the outer skin of the element.

[0020] The extruded filamentary elements may be comprised of one or more strands made of one or more materials, for example, connected and / or entangled, or unconnected and / or unentangled, multiple materials.

[0021] Preferably, the cross section perpendicular to the length of the element lies within a circle having a diameter of 100 micrometers to 5,000 micrometers, in particular 100 micrometers to 3,000 micrometers, even more particularly 100 micrometers to 1,000 micrometers, preferably 300 micrometers to 900 micrometers. In particular, the element in the form of a thread is not a fiber or a filament.

[0022] Preferably, the element is a yarn, the yarn having a fineness of 300 to 60,000 dtex, in particular 300 to 10,000 dtex, preferably 300 to 4,000 dtex, more preferably 800 to 3,500 dtex, even more significantly 800 to 3,000 dtex, dtex being the standard unit defined as the mass in grams per 10,000 m of yarn (also called decitex or dTex).

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the extruded filamentary elements have a strain at 300% elongation. 300% (or permanent strain) is 20% to 250%.

[0024] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements have an Elastic Recovery after 100% Elongation (RE) of 0.15 to 0.50, preferably 0.30 to 0.50, especially 0.36 to 0.50. 100% ) and / or the extruded filamentary elements have an Elastic Recovery after 200% Elongation (RE) of 0.15 to 0.66, preferably 0.30 to 0.66, in particular 0.36 to 0.60. 200% ) and / or the extruded filamentary elements have an Elastic Recovery after 300% Elongation (RE) of 0.15 to 0.70, preferably 0.30 to 0.65, in particular 0.36 to 0.62. 300% ) and / or the extruded filamentary elements have an Elastic Recovery after 400% Elongation (RE) of 0.15 to 0.70, preferably 0.30 to 0.65, in particular 0.30 to 0.62. 400% )

[0025] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements have a working stress at 100% elongation and / or 200% elongation and / or 300% elongation and / or 400% elongation of 0.5 to 10 MPa, in particular 0.5 to 8 MPa, especially 0.5 to 3.7 MPa at 200% elongation.

[0026] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements have a working stress at 100% elongation of more than 3 MPa, in particular more than 3.5 MPa, in particular more than 4 MPa, and / or less than 15 MPa, in particular less than 8 MPa, in particular less than 8.5 MPa.

[0027] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements have a working stress at 200% elongation of greater than 4.0 MPa, in particular greater than 4.2 MPa, in particular greater than 4.7 MPa, and / or less than 20 MPa, in particular less than 9.5 MPa, in particular less than 8.5 MPa.

[0028] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements have a working stress at 300% elongation of more than 4 MPa, in particular more than 7 MPa, in particular more than 7.5 MPa, and / or less than 25 MPa, in particular less than 15 MPa, in particular less than 10 MPa.

[0029] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements have a working stress at 400% elongation of greater than 5 MPa, particularly greater than 10 MPa, particularly greater than 10.5 MPa, in some cases greater than 11 MPa, and / or less than 27 MPa, particularly less than 20 MPa, especially less than 17 MPa.

[0030] Preferably, the material of the extruded filamentary elements is free of solvent residues (or is "solvent-free").

[0031] Preferably, the material of the extruded filamentary elements is not from a solvent solution.

[0032] In one embodiment, the extruded filamentary elements comprise a material that includes, for example, primarily an olefin block copolymer.

[0033] In one embodiment, the extruded filamentary elements comprise a material that includes a propylene copolymer and / or an ethylene copolymer.

[0034] In another embodiment, the material of the extruded filamentary elements does not include an olefin block copolymer.

[0035] In one embodiment, the extruded filamentary elements comprise one or more styrenic materials, such as SIS and / or SBS and / or SEBS and / or SIBS and / or SEEPS.

[0036] In one embodiment, the extruded filamentary elements comprise one or more thermoplastic materials of the thermoplastic polyurethane TPE-U type and / or thermoplastic polyamide TPE-A type and / or thermoplastic polyolefin TPE-O type and / or thermoplastic copolyester type, usually referred to as TPE-E and / or TPC and / or COPE, in particular thermoplastic ether ester elastomers (TEEE) and / or polyether-ester block copolymer thermoplastic elastomers.

[0037] According to one example, the thermoplastic copolyester may be a block copolymer of alternating hard and soft segments, the hard segments containing ester linkages and the soft segments containing ester, ether or carbonate linkages or mixtures thereof, as defined in the standard ISO 18064 of April 2022.

[0038] The present invention also relates to a spool comprising extruded filamentary elements according to the present invention.

[0039] The present invention also relates to absorbent articles, e.g. diapers, comprising one or more extruded filamentary elements according to the present invention, e.g. for waste barrier and / or leg cuff applications, in particular in the waistband region and / or at the ends intended to encircle a part of the body of the user of the article, in particular the legs, in particular the thighs.

[0040] The present invention also relates to protective articles, such as disposable protective articles, articles for protecting hair and / or clothing and / or bedding, comprising one or more extruded filamentary elements according to the invention, in particular in the waistband region and / or in the ends intended to encircle parts of the body of the user of the article, in particular the legs and / or thighs and / or arms and / or wrists and / or head and / or ankles.

[0041] The present invention also relates to an assembly comprising an object and an article comprising one or more extruded filamentary elements according to the present invention, wherein the article has at least a portion elastically fixed to the object, and the object may be all or part of an article of clothing, a shoe, or a mattress cover, according to non-limiting examples of the present invention.

[0042] The present invention also relates to a method for producing extruded filamentary elements, in particular extruded filamentary elements according to the invention, in particular rectangular or elongated threads or tapes, wherein the material of the extruded filamentary elements consists at least in part of an elastomer, in particular a non-crosslinked or substantially non-crosslinked elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer TPE, in particular constituting 60% to 100% by weight of the element, in particular constituting 60% to 95% by weight of the element, and wherein the method uses a melt-spinning technique, in which the material from which the elements are formed is conveyed and heated above its melting point using an extruder having an extrusion head, in particular a single-screw or twin-screw extruder, in order to be converted into a molten and / or liquid state, and from which an extrudate emerges, which is then cooled, in particular by moving, in particular dropping, into a fluid tank, in particular a cryogenic fluid tank, in particular a cryogenic fluid tank.

[0043] Preferably, the components are mixed prior to the conveying and heating step, especially in a mechanical mixer.

[0044] Preferably, the extrudate travels to a cryogenic fluid tank and upon exiting the cryogenic fluid tank travels to an intermediate device where it is stretched and dried before being sent to a winding station.

[0045] Preferably, the cryogenic fluid tank is provided with a rotating cylinder for directing the filamentary elements formed by the extrudate within the tank.

[0046] Preferably, an intermediate device located between the outlet of the cryogenic fluid tank and the winding station stretches the extruded yarn by 5 to 40%, preferably 5 to 30%, but less than 20%, even more preferably less than 10%, before the yarn is fed to the winding station.

[0047] In some cases, an intermediate device arranged between the outlet of the fluid tank, in particular the cryogenic fluid tank, and the winding station stretches the extruded filamentary elements by 45% to 700%, preferably 55% to 450%, or more than 60%, even more preferably more than 70%, e.g., to adapt the diameter of the extruded filamentary elements to requirements.

[0048] Preferably, an intermediate device located between the outlet of the cryogenic fluid tank and the winding station stretches the extruded filamentary elements by 250% to 350% to obtain a good balance between adapting the diameter of the extruded yarn and maintaining sufficient elastic performance for the desired application.

[0049] In particular, an advantage of this method is that no chemical solvents are required to process the mixture prior to extrusion and / or to form the filamentary elements.

[0050] The method may include treating the filamentary elements to modify their surface appearance to simplify winding or unwinding on a manufacturing line for the article, particularly an absorbent or protective article.

[0051] Treating the filamentous elements to modify their surface appearance to simplify winding or unwinding on the article production line may be done by adding an anti-blocking agent to the fluid tank.

[0052] The method may include a step of winding the extruded filamentary elements to form a spool, and a subsequent step of unwinding the extruded filamentary elements, for example, in a manufacturing line for articles, in particular absorbent or protective articles. After the unwinding step, the method may include a step of stretching the extruded filamentary elements by 45% to 700%, preferably 55% to 450%, or more than 60%, even more preferably more than 70%, for example, to adapt the diameter of the extruded filamentary elements to requirements. This stretching may be carried out during a step of laminating the extruded filamentary elements with a support layer, for example a nonwoven layer, or between at least two support layers, for example two nonwoven layers, to produce a laminate in which one or both support layers form contours relative to the extruded filamentary elements.

[0053] Preferably, the extruded filamentary elements are stretched 250% to 350% to achieve a good balance between adapting the diameter of the extruded filamentary elements and maintaining sufficient elastic performance for the desired application. This stretching may be performed during a process in which the extruded filamentary elements are laminated with a support layer, such as a nonwoven layer, or between at least two support layers, such as two nonwoven layers, to produce a laminate in which one or both support layers form a contour relative to the extruded filamentary elements. Stretching of 250% to 350% is particularly suitable for achieving a support layer with a suitable contour, i.e., a contour that is neither so large that it tends to flatten when the laminate is packaged, nor so small that it could significantly and rapidly reduce the ability of the extruded filamentary elements to stretch for the desired application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0054] Example: Yarns were produced containing the material compositions shown in the following two tables.

[0055] [Table 1]

[0056] The following ingredients are mixed in a mechanical mixer in the proportions by weight specified below, after which the mixture is heated to a point where it is in a molten or liquid state using a single-screw or twin-screw extruder 1 with an extrusion head 2, which forms an extrudate that falls into a rotating cylinder 7 with a smooth or textured surface with different roughness levels Rz (12 to 100 micrometers). For cooling, the cylinder is placed in a tank 3 containing water or another cryogenic fluid, in particular at a temperature between 40°C below ambient and 40°C above ambient, in some cases between 5°C and 30°C, in particular between 5°C and 20°C. The extrudate then moves to an intermediate device 4, which stretches the extrudate by squeezing it between two rotating rollers 6 with smooth or textured surfaces with different roughness levels Rz (12 to 100 micrometers) (particularly to reduce slippage of the filamentary elements). The extrudate is then conveyed to a winding station (not shown) for packaging the yarn and / or tape on a mandrel using a plurality of, e.g., three or more, temperature-controlled rollers 5 (particularly at temperatures between 40°C below ambient and 40°C above ambient, in some cases 5°C to 30°C, particularly 5°C to 20°C) rotating at a constant or steady speed adjusted depending on the desired stretching goal. Between the intermediate device 4 and the winding station, a slight overspeed is used to control the tension and distribute the extrudate at a specific angle, ensuring that the product is held on the mandrel and formed into a spool for easy unwinding in the production line for assembly with other elements. The yarn on the spool is oriented in a direction different from the direction formed by the perpendicular to the axis of the mandrel, in particular at an angle of approximately 40° to the perpendicular to the axis of the mandrel. The yarn on the spool is arranged on the spool at angles formed alternately to the left and right of the perpendicular to the axis of the mandrel. Drying by a drying station (not shown) may take place in the intermediate device 4. The installation is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, and variants with respect to the drive are shown in Figures 2 to 4.Thus, as shown in Figures 2 or 3, the intermediate device may not include a pinch roller and may be formed from only a single roller (Figure 2) or multiple rollers (Figure 3). According to yet another embodiment shown in Figure 4, the intermediate device may include one or more temperature-controlled belts (the temperature of which is controlled directly and / or indirectly by belt support elements, e.g., rollers), which have a textured surface with a smooth or different roughness level Rz and a constant or stable speed. The intermediate device 4, in particular the rotating roller 6, is also temperature-controlled to a temperature equal to that of roller 5. In alternative embodiments, depending, for example, on the selected material or the shape of the filamentary elements, the method for producing extruded filamentary elements may not include the intermediate device 4 (two rollers 6), which may be replaced by one temperature-controlled roller 5, for example, to prevent deformation of the extruded filamentary elements, at the expense of an increased risk of slippage of the extruded filamentary elements.

[0057] In an alternative embodiment to that shown in Figure 4, the extruded filamentary elements may be placed on one of the belts or dropped directly onto it without first passing through rollers. According to yet another variant of the different embodiments shown in the figures, the extruded filamentary elements may be cooled by a series of chambers with a temperature gradient. Preferably, in Figure 1, the rotating cylinder 7 has a diameter advantageously between 20 and 350 mm, in particular between 25 and 250 mm, in order to increase the contact time with the fluid, and in some cases said diameter is smaller than the diameter of the rollers of the intermediate device 4 and / or rollers 5.

[0058] Preferably, in Figures 2 and 3, the rotating cylinder has a diameter that is advantageously larger than the diameter of the rollers of the intermediate device 4 and / or rollers 5, in particular larger than 250 mm, more particularly larger than 350 mm, and in some cases larger than 400 mm.

[0059] Preferably, in FIG. 1, each roller 5 has an axis of rotation interconnected by at least two different linear straight lines, in particular horizontal lines, in a plane perpendicular to said axis, and the extruded filamentary elements pass sequentially above and below each roller. Such an arrangement can reduce slippage of the extruded filamentary elements. Also, such an arrangement of the rollers 5 allows a larger feeding area of ​​the extruded filamentary elements on each roller, thus allowing for more effective cooling of the extruded filamentary elements.

[0060] Preferably, in Fig. 3, the rollers 5 each have an axis of rotation that are interconnected by the same linear, in particular horizontal, line in a plane perpendicular to said axis, and the extruded filamentary elements pass over and under each of the rollers in turn. Such an arrangement reduces slippage of the extruded filamentary elements, while also allowing the overall size of the apparatus to be reduced compared to that of Fig. 1.

[0061] In particular, the die contains one or more holes through which the molten resin is extruded, and the shape of the holes may or may not be regular, for example, circular, elliptical, polygonal, such as hexagonal or octagonal, triangular, square, etc. The maximum cross section may in particular be at least 0.2 mm (this is the diameter d of the smallest circle enclosing the cross section), or from 0.4 mm to 6 mm or less, in particular 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 mm. The height h may preferably be 5 to 200 mm, in particular 5 to 100 mm, in particular 5 to 50 mm, and the length of the extrudate moving into the cryogenic fluid may be 0 cm to 3 m, in particular 30 cm to 3 m, in particular 80 cm to 2 m. [Example]

[0062] Example 1 76.2 wt.% of an olefin-based elastomer produced using a metallocene catalyst and having an ethylene content of 15 wt.%, available from ExxonMobil under the reference Vistamaxx® 6202FL; 19 wt.% of a polypropylene random copolymer available from LyondellBasell under the reference Moplen RP261S; and 4.8 wt.% of a polymer consisting mainly of isotactic propylene repeat units with randomly distributed ethylene, produced using a metallocene catalyst and having an ethylene content of 6 wt.%, available from ExxonMobil under the reference Vistamaxx® 8880. A 1410 dtex yarn was produced, the diameter of the yarn at rest was 446 micrometers, the extrusion line speed was 60 m / min, and the die had a circular opening with a diameter of 1.5 mm.

[0063] Example 2 66.7 wt.% olefinic elastomer produced using a metallocene catalyst and having an ethylene content of 15 wt.%, available from ExxonMobil under the reference designation Vistamaxx® 6202FL; 19 wt.% polypropylene random copolymer available from LyondellBasell under the reference designation Moplen RP261S; 9.5 wt.% SEBS polymer elastomer having a polystyrene content of 12-14 wt.%, available from Kraton Corporation under the reference designation Kraton® G1646V (formerly MD1646V); and 4.8 wt.% polymer consisting primarily of isotactic propylene repeat units with randomly distributed ethylene, produced using a metallocene catalyst and having an ethylene content of 6 wt.%, available from ExxonMobil under the reference designation Vistamaxx® 8880. A yarn of 1667 dtex was produced, the diameter of the yarn at rest was 482 micrometers, the speed of the extrusion line was 60 m / min and the die had a circular opening of 1.5 mm diameter.

[0064] Example 3 85.7 wt.% elastomer consisting primarily of isotactic propylene repeat units with randomly distributed ethylene, produced using a metallocene catalyst, with an ethylene content of 13 wt.%, available from ExxonMobil under the reference Vistamaxx® 7050BF; 9.5 wt.% polypropylene random copolymer available from LyondellBasell under the reference Moplen RP261S; and 4.8 wt.% polymer consisting primarily of isotactic propylene repeat units with randomly distributed ethylene, produced using a metallocene catalyst, with an ethylene content of 6 wt.%, available from ExxonMobil under the reference Vistamaxx® 8880. A yarn of 1477 dtex was produced, the yarn diameter at rest was 459 micrometers, the extrusion line speed was 60 m / min, and the die had a circular opening with a diameter of 1.5 mm.

[0065] Example 4 The materials used were: 70 wt.% olefinic elastomer produced using a metallocene catalyst and having an ethylene content of 15 wt.% available from ExxonMobil under the reference designation Vistamaxx® 6202FL; 20 wt.% polypropylene random copolymer available from LyondellBasell under the reference designation Moplen RP261S; and 10 wt.% SEBS polymer elastomer having a polystyrene content of 12-14 wt.% available from Kraton Corporation under the reference designation Kraton® G1646V (formerly MD1646V). A 1553 dtex yarn was produced, with a resting yarn diameter of 484 micrometers. The extrusion line speed was 60 m / min, and the die had a circular opening with a diameter of 1.5 mm.

[0066] Example 4-1 The materials used were: 70 wt.% olefinic elastomer produced using a metallocene catalyst and having an ethylene content of 15 wt.% and available from ExxonMobil under the reference designation Vistamaxx® 6202FL; 20 wt.% polypropylene random copolymer available from LyondellBasell under the reference designation Moplen RP261S; and 10 wt.% SEBS polymer elastomer having a polystyrene content of 12-14 wt.% and available from Kraton Corporation under the reference designation Kraton® G1646V (formerly MD1646V). A yarn of 5532 dtex was produced, the resting yarn diameter was 924 micrometers, the extrusion line speed was 60 m / min, and the die had a circular opening with a diameter equal to 1.5 mm.

[0067] [Table 2]

[0068] Example A Biodegradable ester-based thermoplastic elastomer TPE-E 100 wt.% available from Trinseo under the reference Apinat® DP1888-75. A yarn of 2033 dtex was produced, the yarn diameter at rest was 469 micrometers, the extrusion line speed was 61 m / min and the die had a circular opening with a diameter of 1.5 mm. Example B Biodegradable ester-based thermoplastic elastomer TPE-E 85 wt.% available from Trinseo under the reference Apinat® DP1888-75, and biodegradable thermoplastic TPC 15 wt.% available from Trinseo under the reference Apinat® DP1888 / 90. A yarn of 1855 dtex was produced, the yarn diameter at rest was 479 micrometers, the extrusion line speed was 61 m / min, and the die had a circular opening with a diameter of 1.5 mm. Example B1 % biodegradable ester-based thermoplastic elastomer TPE-E available from Trinseo under the reference Apinat® DP1888-75, and 15 wt.% biodegradable thermoplastic TPC available from Trinseo under the reference Apinat® DP1888 / 90. A yarn of 763 dtex was produced, the diameter of the yarn at rest was 291 micrometers, the speed of the extrusion line was 176 m / min, and it had a die with a circular opening with a diameter equal to 1.5 mm.

[0069] Example C Biodegradable ester-based thermoplastic elastomer TPE-E 75 wt.% available from Trinseo under the reference Apinat® DP1888-75, and biodegradable thermoplastic TPC 25 wt.% available from Trinseo under the reference Apinat® DP1888 / 90. A yarn of 1821 dtex was produced, the yarn diameter at rest was 443 micrometers, the extrusion line speed was 60 m / min, and the die had a circular opening with a diameter of 1.5 mm.

[0070] Comparative Example 1 Elastane or Lycra® yarns with a yarn diameter of 490 micrometers (diameter calculated based on the dimensions of the rectangular cross section of the multi-strand assembly) and 793 dtex were produced and tested under the same conditions as in the above examples.

[0071] Comparative Example 2 100 wt.% polypropylene random copolymer thermoplastic available from LyondellBasell under the reference Moplen RP261S. A yarn of 1750 dtex was produced, the diameter of the yarn at rest was 495 micrometers, the speed of the extrusion line was 61 m / min and it had a die with a circular opening with a diameter equal to 1 mm.

[0072] According to the invention, an elastomeric material is a material that, after an element made from it has been stretched by a stretching force, returns to a state intermediate between the stretched state and its initial state when the stretching force is released. By way of example, an element, in particular a filamentary element, after being stretched to 50% elongation (having its length changed from the initial length L0 to 1.5xL0), returns to a length of 1.4xL0 or less when released. Regarding the elastomeric material, in particular one thermoplastic elastomeric material or a mixture containing one such material can be used, in particular recyclable polyolefin elastomeric materials based, for example, on polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), such as the Vistamaxx range from Exxon or the Infuse, Engage and Versify ranges from Dow Chemical, which can be interconnected or linked to other polyolefins depending on the desired performance of the application.For example, propylene elastomers, in particular the Vistamaxx range from EXXONMOBIL with the references 6000 and / or 6102 and / or 6102FL and / or 6202 and / or 6202FL and / or 6502, 7050BF and / or 7810, and / or olefin block copolymers, in particular the Infuse range from DOW CHEMICAL with the references 9000 and / or 9007 and / or 9010 and / or 9077 and / or 9100 and / or 9107, and / or polyolefin elastomers, in particular DOW CHEMICAL with the references 8402 and / or 8401 and / or 8411 and / or 8407 and / or 8137 and / or 8200 and / or 8207. Use may be made of the Engage range from DOW CHEMICAL, and / or propylene ethylene copolymers, in particular the Versify range from DOW CHEMICAL under the references 3200 and / or 3300 and / or 3401 and / or 4200, and / or thermoplastic elastomers (TPE-E, copolyesters), such as APINAT DP1888-75CV or APINAT DP1888-75 from TRINSEO, and / or in particular NP-EL208-65 from NaturePlast, and / or urethane thermoplastic elastomers (TPE-U) and / or amide thermoplastic elastomers (TPE-A) and / or styrenic thermoplastic elastomers (TPE-S), and / or polyesters more broadly having a hardness of less than 90 Shore A, in particular between 50 and 90 Shore A.

[0073] To measure the strain of an element such as a yarn or tape, for example at 100%, 200%, 300%, and 400%, the method may be carried out as follows using a dynamometer, for example a 2.5 Kn Zwicki ZwickRoell Z2.5 dynamometer including testXpert III operating software, with a point acquisition frequency of 10 Hz or 100 Hz, a 100 N power cell, and, for example, 8195 type grips with a maximum force of 100 N.

[0074] Sample preparation: Step 0a: The element, for example a thread or tape, is packaged for 24 hours under normal atmosphere at a temperature of 23° C. (+ / - 2° C.) and a relative humidity of 50% (+ / - 5%). Step 0b: Cut out five 60 mm long samples with a 50 mm gap between the grips.

[0075] After the test (hereinafter referred to as hysteresis test), the upper grip is moved vertically and the lower grip is fixed in place, and the product is stretched to a stretch level of, for example, 100%, 200%, 300% or 400% elongation, where the strain is measured, at a speed of, for example, 508 mm / min. After the product is held in place for 30 seconds, it is returned to its initial position (50 mm between the grips, i.e., L0) at a constant speed and left there for 60 seconds (end of the first cycle). Then, the product is again stretched to 100%, 200%, 300% or 400%, held for 30 seconds, and then returned to its initial position (50 mm between the grips, i.e., L0) (end of the second cycle). This results in a curve plotting the stretching force as a function of the elongation in % units, and the force is calculated according to the following formula: Strain = L1-L0 (In the formula, L0 is the point of intersection with the axis of X (elongation in %) at the start of the test, i.e., the beginning of the first cycle; L1 is the intersection with the X (% elongation) axis at the start of the second cycle after returning to the initial position and waiting for 60 seconds. The hysteresis allows the permanent set (also called tensile set) to be determined.

[0076] The method described above may also be carried out at stretch values ​​different from those indicated above, provided that the stretch used at the time the strain is measured is not less than the previous stretch of the product / sample. To perform the strain measurements, five yarns were positioned between grips spaced 50 mm apart for each measurement, three measurements were taken for each example, and the average of the three measurements was calculated and taken as the result.

[0077] The following results were obtained: [Table 3] [Table 4]

[0078] FIG. 5 shows an example of an absorbent product in the form of a diaper comprising threads F or tapes according to the invention.

[0079] To measure the elongation stress of a product or element, the method may be carried out as follows.

[0080] Before stressing the product or element, the diameter of the product is measured and / or a cross-section is obtained at rest by encapsulation or microtomography, and the diameter and / or cross-section is observed and measured, for example, using a digital microscope available from Keyence Corporation under the reference VHX 6000, at a magnification appropriate to the size of the product or element, e.g., yarn or tape, and then the cross-section is calculated. The measurements are obtained using the image analysis software of the digital microscope. The force data (for 5 yarns) obtained at the desired elongation during the hysteresis test is used to divide this force by the number of yarns tested (e.g., 5 yarns or 5 tapes in the above example) and then divided by the average cross-section of the sample yarn to obtain the results (in MPa) shown in the table above.

[0081] In an alternative to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the extruded filamentary elements can also fall directly onto the belt.

[0082] However, the present invention is not limited to said disposable absorbent products, but is applicable to any type of product of the same type, such as incontinence pads, pull-on pants, etc.

[0083] The filamentous elements, in particular yarns, according to the invention can also be used in existing applications for elastane, such as masks, disposable gowns, disposable / reusable garments, e.g. protective clothing, bed protectors such as mattress covers or protective gear, in particular reusable and / or compostable products.

[0084] Another example according to the present invention is the following composition: NP EL208-65A 85%, a biodegradable TPE-E available from NaturePlast, and GDH-B1FA 15 wt.%, a blend of starch (PLA), TPU, and plasticizer available from Green Dot Bioplastics under the (registered) trademark Terratek Flex; 80% NP EL208-65A, a biodegradable TPE-E available from NaturePlast, and 20 wt.% GDH-B1FA, a blend of starch (PLA), TPU, and plasticizers available from Green Dot Bioplastics under the (registered) trademark Terratek Flex. It has.

Claims

1. Extruded filamentary elements, in particular rectangular or elongated threads or tapes, the material of which at least partially comprises a non-crosslinked or substantially non-crosslinked elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), in particular constituting 60 wt. % to 100 wt. % of the element, in particular constituting 60 wt. % to 95 wt. % of the element, and a strain that is the permanent set of the element at 300% elongation ３００％ is the permanent strain at 100% elongation １００％ More than four times higher, especially at 100% elongation １００％ 5 to 10 times the strain at 100% elongation, more specifically １００％ It is 5 to 8 times the strain １００％ However, preferably strain ３００％ Measured before extrusion of filamentary elements.

2. The elastic stability index IE is calculated by the formula [Equation 1] (In the formula, [Equation 2] That is, [Equation 3] 【number】 where X is the elongation (in percent) and strain ｘ％ (in percent) is the strain measured for X% elongation) 2. Extruded filamentary elements according to claim 1, characterized in that they have an elastic stability index IE, defined according to:

3. 3. The extruded filamentary elements according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the cross-section of the extruded filamentary elements has an aspect ratio or width-to-height ratio of 1:1 to 20:1, the aspect ratio or width-to-height ratio being defined as the ratio of the maximum width to the maximum height of said cross-section, and further characterized in that the extruded filamentary elements extend over a very long length, in particular 100 to 500 times the maximum of the two dimensions of width and height.

4. 10. An element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the extruded filamentary element is an extruded yarn, the cross-section of which has an aspect ratio or width to height ratio of 1:1 to 3:1, in particular 1:1 to 1.9:

1.

5. 10. The extruded filamentary element according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross section perpendicular to the length of the thread or tape lies within a circle having a diameter of 100 micrometers to 3,000 micrometers, preferably 100 micrometers to 1,000 micrometers, preferably 300 micrometers to 900 micrometers.

6. 10. Extruded filamentary elements according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elements are yarns, the yarns having a fineness of 300 to 60,000 dtex, in particular 300 to 10,000 dtex, preferably 300 to 4,000 dtex, more preferably 800 to 3,500 dtex, even more advantageously 800 to 3,000 dtex.

7. Strain at 300% elongation ３００％ 10. The extruded filamentary element according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tensile strength is between 20% and 250%.

8. Elastic recovery after 100% elongation (RE) of 0.15 to 0.50, preferably 0.30 to 0.50, and particularly 0.36 to 0.50 １００％ ) and / or an Elastic Recovery after 200% elongation (RE) of 0.15 to 0.66, preferably 0.30 to 0.66, especially 0.36 to 0.

60. ２００％ ) and / or an Elastic Recovery after 300% elongation (RE) of 0.15 to 0.70, preferably 0.30 to 0.65, especially 0.36 to 0.

62. ３００％ ) and / or an Elastic Recovery after 400% elongation (RE) of 0.15 to 0.70, preferably 0.30 to 0.65, especially 0.30 to 0.

62. ４００％ 10. The extruded filamentary element according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a

9. 10. The extruded filamentary element according to claim 1, characterized in that the working stress at 100% elongation and / or 200% elongation and / or 300% elongation and / or 400% elongation is 0.5 to 10 MPa, in particular 0.5 to 8 MPa, in particular at 200% elongation is 0.5 to 3.7 MPa.

10. The material of the extruded filamentary elements is - 70 wt. % to 100 wt. % of one or more preferably non-crosslinked or substantially non-crosslinked thermoplastic olefins copolymerized using a metallocene catalyst (E), which may be replaced by one or more thermoplastic elastomers (E') different from those obtained using a metallocene catalyst (E), in particular styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers TPE-S, having an ethylene content of 5 wt. % to 25 wt. %, in particular 10 wt. % to 20 wt. %, even more particularly 13 wt. % to 17 wt. % of the thermoplastic olefin copolymerized using a metallocene catalyst, in particular 10 wt. % to 50 wt. %, in particular 10 wt. % to 35 wt. %, and 0 wt. % to 30 wt. % of one or more polyolefins (P), for example propylene-based and / or ethylene-based polymers, or 80 wt. % to 100 wt. % of one or more thermoplastic copolyesters, such as TPC and / or TPE-E, and 0 to 20 wt. % of one or more thermoplastic resins and / or one or more thermoplastic elastomers different from the materials E, E' and P and / or different from the thermoplastic copolyesters; 10. Extruded filamentary element according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises any of:

11. 10. An absorbent article, such as a diaper, comprising one or more extruded filamentary elements according to any of the preceding claims, in particular in the region of the waistband and / or in the ends intended to encircle a part of the body of a user of the article, in particular the legs, in particular the thighs.

12. 11. An assembly comprising an object and an article comprising one or more extruded filamentary elements according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the article has at least a portion that is elastically fixed to the object.

13. 11. A method for producing extruded filamentary elements, in particular rectangular or elongated threads or tapes, according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the material of the extruded filamentary elements consists at least in part of a non-crosslinked or substantially non-crosslinked elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer (E) TPE, in particular constituting 60% to 100% by weight of the element, in particular constituting 60% to 95% by weight of the element, and wherein the method uses a melt-spinning technique, in which the material from which the elements are to be formed is conveyed and heated above its melting point using an extruder (1) having an extrusion head (2), in particular a single-screw or twin-screw extruder, so as to be converted into a molten and / or liquid state, and the extrudate emerges from the extrusion head (2) and is then cooled, in particular by a fluid, in particular a cryogenic fluid, by moving, in particular dropping, into a fluid tank, in particular a cryogenic fluid tank.

14. 14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the extrudate is transferred to a cryogenic fluid tank and, on leaving the cryogenic fluid tank, to an intermediate device (4) where it is stretched and dried, before being sent to a winding station.

15. A spool comprising the extruded filamentary elements of any of claims 1 to 10.

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