INNOVATIVE ARTIFICIAL GRASS AND METHODS FOR MAKING IT

Abstract

Artificial turfs are described herein having a nonwoven backing layer and a plurality of turf fibers extending through the nonwoven backing layer such that a portion of the front side of the turf fibers extends from the front side of the nonwoven backing layer and a portion of the back side of the turf fibers extends from the back side of the nonwoven backing layer, wherein at least a portion of the back side portion of the turf fibers are bonded to themselves. Methods for making these turfs are also described herein.

Description

INNOVATIVE ARTIFICIAL GRASS AND METHODS FOR MAKING IT CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to the pending United States Patent Application under serial number 62 / 723,650 filed on August 28, 2018. The full description of the aforementioned patent application is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates generally to novel artificial turf products and methods for manufacturing them. In general terms, the present description relates to artificial turf structures that incorporate performance attributes of turf. More specifically, the present description relates to methods for replacing conventional woven fabrics used as primary backings for structures comprising nonwoven or three-dimensional (3D) substrates that support the turf fibers in a vertical position, provide adequate support and impact attenuation and drainage, potentially eliminating even the need to construct a drainage sub-base beneath the artificial turf. The present invention also relates to artificial turf products comprising short fibers gravitationally positioned on a nonwoven substrate. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Artificial turf surfaces have become increasingly popular as a replacement for grass in stadiums, golf courses, playgrounds, and sports fields. Artificial turf is also widely used in areas where grass is difficult or impossible to grow, but is desired for physical or aesthetic reasons. For example, artificial turf can be laid as landscaping turf in low-traffic areas between roads and highways to eliminate maintenance and discourage wildlife, or in locations where additional erosion control is required. Artificial turf surfaces require less maintenance than grass surfaces and do not require water, chemicals, or sunlight for satisfactory performance and sustainability. The environmental impact of artificial turf surfaces is considered lower than that of an equivalent grass surface, primarily due to reduced water and maintenance requirements.The versatility of artificial turf allows it to be installed in completely dry regions, regions with high rainfall, extreme heat, and cold regions. It does not require sunlight and can be installed indoors. It can even be made portable; installed and removed as needed. However, currently available artificial turfs function primarily as a fabric for aesthetic reasons. The performance of the turf system, such as drainage, support, and impact attenuation, comes from components beneath the fabric (shock pad, drainage sub-base, geotextile fabrics) or above the artificial turf carpet (particulate infill). Therefore, there is still a need for an artificial turf structure that inherently provides all the aforementioned performance parameters. Also, due to the increasing popularity of artificial turf, there is a need for better and more cost-effective artificial turf products. There is a need for a new artificial turf product that is 100% recyclable according to the "cradle-to-cradle" design principle, uses non-woven substrates, and, in some aspects, even allows for the removal of the primary woven backing. There is also a need for an artificial turf product with a non-woven substrate that results in a cushioned structure. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present description relates to an artificial turf, comprising: a non-woven backing layer having a front side and a back side, and a plurality of turf fibers extending through the non-woven backing layer such that a portion of the front side of the turf fibers extends from the front side of the non-woven backing layer and a portion of the back side of the turf fibers extends from the back side of the backing layer, wherein at least a portion of the back side portion of the turf fibers are bonded to themselves. In additional aspects, the present description describes a method for manufacturing artificial turf, comprising: inserting a plurality of turf fibers into a non-woven backing layer having a front side and a back side such that the plurality of turf fibers extend through the non-woven backing layer and a portion of the front side of the turf fibers extends from the front side of the non-woven backing layer and a portion of the back side of the turf fibers extends from the back side of the backing layer; and bonding at least a portion of the back side portion of the turf fibers to themselves. Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth, in part, in the detailed description, figures, and claims that follow, and in part will be derived from the detailed description or can be learned through the practice of the invention. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely illustrative and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention as described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 represents an illustrative schematic of an artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 2 represents a side view photograph of an illustrative artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 3 represents a photograph showing the back side of the non-woven backing layer and turf fibers of an illustrative artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. pQcznn / Lznz / E / Yii Figure 4 represents a photograph of an illustrative artificial turf without primary backing woven according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 5 shows a photograph depicting the appearance of the face of an illustrative artificial turf without primary backing woven according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 6 represents a side view photograph of an illustrative artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 7 represents a side view photograph of an illustrative artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 8 represents a side view photograph of an illustrative artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 9 represents a side view photograph of an illustrative artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 10 represents a side view photograph of an illustrative artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 11 represents a side view photograph of an illustrative artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 12 represents a photograph of an illustrative metal mesh used as a backing layer. Figure 13 represents a photograph showing a back side of a foam and grass fiber backing layer of an illustrative artificial turf according to aspects of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention can be more easily understood by reference to the following detailed description, examples, drawings, and claims, and their preceding and following descriptions. However, before the present articles, systems, and / or methods are described, it should be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific or illustrative aspects of the articles, systems, and / or methods described unless otherwise specified, as these may, of course, vary. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is intended to describe only particular aspects and is not intended to be limiting. The following description of the invention is provided as an enabling instruction of the invention in its now-known best form. To this end, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects of the invention described herein while still achieving the beneficial results of the present invention. It will also be evident that some of the desired benefits of the present invention can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the present invention without using other features. Accordingly, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations of the present invention are possible and may even be desirable in certain circumstances and are part of the present invention.Therefore, the following description is again provided as illustrative of the principles of the present invention and not as a limitation thereof. DEFINITIONS In this descriptive report and in the claims that follow, reference will be made to a series of terms, which will be defined with the following meanings: Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word “comprises” and other forms of the word, such as “comprising” and “includes,” means that it includes, among others, and is not intended to exclude, for example, other additives, components, wholes, or steps. Furthermore, it should be understood that the terms “comprising,” “comprising,” and “include,” as they relate to different aspects, also encompass the more limited aspects of “essentially consisting of” and “consisting of.” As used in this description, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, the reference to a “fiber wadding” includes items that have two or more such fiber waddings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The intervals in this description may be expressed as ranging from “approximately” a particular value and / or to “approximately” another particular value. When such an interval is expressed, “another aspect” includes the range from one particular value and / or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values ​​are expressed as approximations, using the antecedent “approximately,” the particular value is understood to form “another aspect.” It should also be understood that the endpoints of each interval are significant both in relation to the other endpoint and independently of it. As used in this description, the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that the event or circumstance described below may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where such event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not. References in the specification and final claims to parts by weight of a particular element or component in a composition or article denote the weight ratio between the element or component and any other element or component in the composition or article for which a part by weight is expressed. Therefore, in a composition or a selected portion of a composition containing 2 parts by weight of component X and 5 parts by weight of component Y, X and Y are present in a weight ratio of 2:5, and are present in that ratio regardless of whether the composition contains additional components. A weight percentage of a component, unless specifically stated otherwise, is based on the total weight of the formulation or composition in which the component is included. As used herein, and unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term “carpet” is used generically to include roll carpet, carpet tiles, rugs, and artificial turf (or grass). For this purpose, the term “roll carpet” refers to a textile flooring product manufactured and intended for use in roll form. The term “carpet tile” refers to a modular floor covering, conventionally manufactured in squares of “18 x 18”, “24 x 24”, or “36 x 36”, but other sizes and shapes are also within the scope of the present invention.The artificial turf product as described herein may be manufactured in roll form or, alternatively, may be a modular turf panel, conventionally manufactured in 1215 feet by any length from 20 feet to 200 feet, but other sizes and shapes are also within the scope of the present invention or for a turf in roll form. As used herein, “reclaimed carpet material” generally refers to any material obtained from a previously manufactured carpet product. The previously manufactured carpet product may be a post-consumer product, such as, for example, post-residential, post-commercial, post-industrial carpet or reclaimed artificial turf. Where the reclaimed carpet material comprises artificial turf, the reclaimed artificial turf may be collected from any field, for example, an indoor, outdoor, or gymnasium, after any amount of use. As used herein, “reclaimed synthetic turf material” generally refers to any material obtained from a previously manufactured synthetic turf product. The previously manufactured synthetic turf product may be a post-use or post-consumer product recovered from an original installation point.Alternatively, the reclaimed carpet material may be a pre-consumer product, such as manufacturing scraps or quality control defects. In cases where the reclaimed carpet material is reclaimed artificial turf, the artificial turf may also be a pre-consumer product. The term “fiber,” as used herein, includes fibers of extreme or indefinite length (i.e., filaments) and fibers of short length (i.e., short fibers). As used herein, the term “recovered fiber” includes fiber recovered from a new product, a pre-consumer product, a post-industrial product, or a post-consumer product. For illustrative purposes, and as described above, such products include carpets, carpet tiles, or artificial turf. As used herein, the term “polyester” refers to a category of polymers containing the ester functional group in their main chain. The polyesters described herein include naturally occurring chemicals, such as those found in the cutin of plant cuticles, as well as synthetic polyesters produced by step-growth polymerization. A non-limiting example of polyesters includes any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85 wt% of an ester of a substituted aromatic dicarboxylic acid, including, but not limited to, substituted terephthalic units, p(-RO-CO-CehL-CO-O-)*, and para-substituted hydroxybenzoate units, p(-RO-CO-CaH4-O-)x.In certain examples, polyesters comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) homopolymers and copolymers, polypropylene terephthalate (PPT) homopolymers and copolymers, polytrimethylene terephthalate homopolymers and copolymers, and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) homopolymers and copolymers and the like, including those containing comonomers such as cyclohexanedimethanol, cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, isophthalic acid and the like. The term “polyamide,” as used herein, is defined as any long-chain polymer in which the linking functional groups are amide bonds (-CO-NH-). The term polyamide is further defined to include copolymers, terpolymers, and the like, as well as homopolymers; it also includes mixtures of two or more polyamides. In some respects, the plurality of polyamide fibers comprises one or more of nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 10, nylon 612, nylon 12, nylon 11, or any combination thereof. In other respects, the plurality of polyamide fibers comprises nylon 6 or nylon 66. In yet another respect, the plurality of polyamide fibers is nylon 6. In a further respect, the plurality of polyamide fibers is nylon 66. As defined in this description, the term “polyolefin” refers to any class of polymers produced from a simple olefin (also called an alkene with the general formula CnH2n) as a monomer. In some respects, polyolefins include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene (both homopolymers and copolymers), poly(l-butene), poly(3-methyl-1-butene), poly(4-methyl-1-pentene), and similar compounds, as well as combinations or mixtures of two or more of the above. As defined in the present description, the term “polyurethane” refers to any class of polymers composed of a chain of organic units linked by carbamate bonds (urethane, R1-O-CO-NR2-R3, wherein R1, R2 and R3 are the same or different). As defined herein, the term “polystyrene” refers to any class of synthetic polymers produced from simple styrene as a monomer. The term “polystyrene” is understood to include both atactic and syndiotactic polystyrenes. In some specific aspects, copolystyrenes are also described, including high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN), or styrene-maleic acid copolymer (SMA). As used herein, the term “nonwoven material” refers to materials made of short and / or long fibers bonded together by any means known in the art. For illustrative purposes, the fibers of nonwoven materials may be bonded by chemical treatment, mechanical treatment, heat treatment, or solvent treatment. For other illustrative purposes, nonwoven materials may be densified or reinforced. As used in this description, the term “woven material” refers to any material formed by weaving. Warp and weft are terms for the two basic components used in weaving to turn yarn or thread into fabric. The longitudinal warp threads are held stationary under tension on a frame or loom while the transverse weft (sometimes called the loom) is passed and inserted over and under the warp. As used in the present description, the term “punching” generally refers to a nonwoven process by which fibers are mechanically intertwined to produce a nonwoven fabric by the repeated penetration of barbed needles through a preformed fibrous fabric, resulting in mechanically intertwined fibers. ARTIFICIAL GRASS In certain aspects, this description outlines various backing layers that can be used to replace conventional woven fabrics. These conventional woven fabrics, commonly used as the primary backing, are replaced by 3D structures that can support the grass fibers in an upright position. The backing layers described herein can provide adequate support and shock absorption, drainage, and potentially even eliminate the need for a drainage sub-base beneath the artificial turf. Such layers may include nonwoven wadding, a spaghetti mat-like structure, open-cell foams, rigid rib structures, and so forth. Some illustrative backing layers are shown in Figure 2-3 and Figure 5-11. Figure 1 shows an illustrative artificial turf (100), comprising: a non-woven backing layer (102) having a front side (102a) and a back side (102b), and a plurality of turf fibers extending through the non-woven backing layer such that a portion of the front side of the turf fibers (104) extends from the front side of the non-woven backing layer and a portion of the back side of the turf fibers (106) extends from the back side of the non-woven backing layer, wherein at least a portion of the back side portion of the turf fibers are joined together (108). In some respects, the nonwoven backing layer comprises a fiber wadding. In some respects, the fiber wadding can be formed from gravity-laid fibers. In other respects, the fiber wadding comprises mechanically bonded fibers. In other respects, the fiber wadding comprises thermally bonded fibers. In some respects, the wadding can be formed by gravity-laid fibers and mechanically interlacing them. In other respects, the wadding is semipermeable. In other respects, the wadding is impermeable. In some respects, the nonwoven backing layer is perforated by needle punching. Furthermore, the nonwoven backing layer can be further compressed to achieve predetermined strength, density, and resilience. It is understood that a person skilled in the art would determine the specific strength, density, and resilience of the nonwoven backing layer depending on the intended application. For example, a fabric strength of 150 pounds in each direction (warp / weft) may be required to produce turf suitable for sports applications. It is understood that in other applications, such as civil engineering or landscaping turf, the fabric strength may be less than 150 pounds. For example, in turf used as a roofing membrane, the fabric strength may be approximately 90 pounds (as tested in a wind load test). In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer is substantially homogeneous. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer is homogeneous. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer is substantially uniform. In some respects, the backing layer is heterogeneous. In other respects, the backing structure may be layered. In some respects, the backing layer comprises one or more layers. In other respects, each of the layers may comprise the same or different material. In other respects, each of the layers may have the same or different density. In other respects, the backing layers may be porous. Furthermore, the nonwoven backing layer may comprise one or more layers of fiber wadding. Furthermore, if more than one fiber wadding layer is present, each layer may have the same or different thicknesses. Furthermore, if more than one fiber wadding layer is present, each layer may have the same or different densities. Furthermore, if more than one fiber wadding layer is present in the nonwoven backing layer, the fiber wadding layers may differ from one another in a number of characteristics. For example, and without limitation, characteristics that may differ between different fiber wadding layers include one or more of the following: mass per unit area, fiber type, fiber length, fiber cross-sectional size, fiber cross-sectional shape, fiber tenacity, fiber crimp, and proportions of fibers of different polymer types.A fiber composition (including, but not limited to, polymer versus natural fiber, a specific type of polymer used in the composition, and the types and quantities of additives that may be optionally included in the composition to provide desirable characteristics), ultraviolet radiation resistance, color, resilience (i.e., elasticity), a sheet orientation (e.g., top-up or bottom-up, where top and bottom refer to the sides of the sheets when manufactured in a substantially horizontal configuration), a sheet thickness, a degree of interlacing of the polymer fibers, and the like. In certain aspects, where more than one fiber wadding is present in the nonwoven backing layer, the fiber waddings may be bonded together. In certain aspects,The fiber wadding present in the nonwoven backing layer can be bonded together by interlacing the fibers of the different wadding layers. Furthermore, the fiber wadding present in the nonwoven backing layer can be bonded together by interlacing the fibers of the different wadding layers using needle punching technology or a similar technology. Furthermore, the fiber wadding present in the nonwoven backing layer can be bonded together by interlacing the fibers of the different wadding layers using hydro-interlacing technology or a similar technology. Furthermore, the fiber wadding present in the nonwoven backing layer can be bonded together by interlacing the fibers of the different wadding layers using air-laying technology or a similar technology. Furthermore,The fiber wadding present in the nonwoven backing layer can be bonded together by interlacing the fibers of the different wadding layers using spinning or similar technology. Alternatively, the fiber wadding present in the nonwoven backing layer can be bonded together by a process involving heating. Furthermore, the fiber wadding present in the nonwoven backing layer can be bonded together by a process involving the application of pressure. Finally, the fiber wadding present in the nonwoven backing layer can be bonded together by a process involving calendering. In some respects, the nonwoven backing layer does not comprise any additional binder or adhesive used to lock the fibers in the fiber batting. In such respects, the term “additional binders or adhesives” denotes binders or adhesives that are not part of, or inherent to, the fibers of the fiber batting. In other respects, the arrangement and contact of the fibers may lock the fibers in a specific position through mechanisms comprising physical interlacing of the fibers, friction between the fibers, and / or inherent fiber bonding. In such respects, the term “inherent fiber bonding” denotes bonding that is based on the properties of the fibers, rather than on additional bonding or the presence of binding materials.For example, and without limitation, adhesion between fibers may be considered an inherent bond if they adhere due to heat (and / or pressure) treatment, which allows them to bond to one another due to the fibers' properties; however, it should not be considered an inherent bond if they adhere due to a resin or other bonding material that is not part of the fibers. Fiber contact should be considered to include contact in regions where the fibers are fused or welded together, so that fused or welded (but still distinguishable) fibers are considered to be in contact with one another. In some respects, fiber wadding can be formed using a cross-lap and card system, an airlay system, or a combination thereof. In other respects, fiber wadding can be formed by calendering. It is understood that, in some respects, after the fibers are gravity-laid, the formed fiber wadding can be further perforated by punching. In still other respects, the formed fiber wadding can be further treated with heat and pressure to increase its density. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer may comprise any fiber known to the art. In some respects, the fibers are polymeric fibers. In other respects, the fibers are natural fibers. In other respects, the fibers are biodegradable fibers. In some respects, the fibers are degradable fibers. In other respects, the fibers may comprise polyester fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, polyurethane fibers, acrylic fibers, or any other fiber known to the art. In some respects, the nonwoven backing material is composed of fibers comprising at least one of the following: nylon, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, cotton, kenaf, jute, or any combination thereof. Where the fiber comprises nylon, it is understood that conventional nylon fibers, for example, and without limitation, comprise one or more nylon 6 / 6 fibers, nylon 6 fibers, nylon 10 fibers, nylon 10 / 10 fibers, nylon 10 / 11 fibers, or nylon 11 fibers and the like. Where the fiber comprises polyester, it is understood that conventional polyester fiber, for example, and without limitation, comprises one or more polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers, polypropylene terephthalate (PPT) fibers, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) fibers, or polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) fibers. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer may comprise different fiber blends. In some respects, the fibers present in the nonwoven backing layer may have the same or different melting points. In certain respects, the nonwoven backing layer may comprise low-melting-point fibers and high-melting-point fibers. It is understood that, as used herein, low-melting-point fibers define fibers that have a melting point between approximately 100 °C and approximately 180 °C. In certain respects, the melting point of the low-melting-point fiber is approximately 110 °C, approximately 120 °C, approximately 130 °C, approximately 140 °C, approximately 150 °C, approximately 160 °C, or approximately 170 °C. In other respects, low-melt fiber may include, for example, and without limitation, low-melt polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, copolyester, nylon copolymers, engineering olefins, conjugated linear low-density polyethylene filament, acrylics, low-melt nylon, and the like. As one skilled in the relevant art will appreciate, if the nonwoven backing layer is heated to thermally bond the fibers, the heating of the low-melt fiber in the described nonwoven backing layer may create globules of the low-melt polymer at the crossing points where the fibers intersect. In other respects, the low-melting-point fibers present in the nonwoven backing layer may comprise a bicomponent fiber having a portion of a high- or standard-melt material and a portion of a low-melt polymer. In such respects, the bicomponent fiber configuration may be, for example, and without limitation, islands in the sea, side by side, core-cladding, and the like. As one skilled in the relevant art will appreciate, bicomponent fibers can maintain their original structural integrity while allowing each fiber to bond to adjacent fibers. It is envisaged that any known material having appropriate melting characteristics may be used to form the bicomponent fibers. It is further understood that both virgin and post-consumer or post-industrial fibers may be used. In aspects where post-consumer or post-industrial fibers are used, the fibers may be obtained from any textile known in the art. In certain aspects, the fibers are obtained from post-consumer or post-industrial carpets, carpet tiles, or artificial turf. According to aspects of this invention, the fibers may be obtained from the various components of the previously manufactured carpet product; for example, and without limitation, they may be obtained from a face layer, an adhesive layer, a backing layer, a secondary backing layer, an underlay, a padding material, a reinforcing layer, or gauze, or any combination thereof. In other aspects, the fiber used in the nonwoven backing of the invention may comprise a mixture of virgin and recycled fibers.In some aspects, recycled fibers may be present in any quantity from 0% to 100% by weight, including illustrative values ​​of approximately 1% by weight, approximately 5% by weight, approximately 10% by weight, approximately 20% by weight, approximately 30% by weight, approximately 40% by weight, approximately 50% by weight, approximately 60% by weight, approximately 70% by weight, approximately 80% by weight, and approximately 90% by weight. It is further understood that any of the aforementioned materials may undergo multiple recycling cycles before use in the described nonwoven backing layers. In other respects, the fibers of the fiber wadding of the invention may comprise any type of fibers. In some respects, the fibers are tape fibers. In other respects, the fibers are cut film fibers. In other respects, the fibers are spun fibers. In other respects, the fiber wadding may comprise air-entangled yarns. According to certain aspects, the fibers present in the nonwoven backing layer may exhibit substantially uniform size, including substantially uniform linear density measured in denier units and substantially uniform fiber lengths. However, in alternative aspects, the fibers present in the nonwoven backing layer may have non-uniform linear densities and non-uniform fiber lengths. In certain aspects, the nonwoven backing layer is composed of fibers that have a length of approximately 1 to approximately 8 inches, including illustrative values ​​of approximately 1.2 inches, approximately 1.5 inches, approximately 1.8 inches, approximately 2 inches, approximately 2.2 inches, approximately 2.5 inches, approximately 2.8 inches, approximately 3 inches, approximately 3.2 inches, approximately 3.5 inches, approximately 3.8 inches, and approximately 4 inches.0 inches, approximately 4.2 inches, approximately 4.5 inches, approximately 4.8 inches, approximately 5 inches, approximately 5.2 inches, approximately 5.5 inches, approximately 5.8 inches, approximately 6 inches, approximately 6.2 inches, approximately 6.5 inches, approximately 6.8 inches, approximately 7 inches, approximately 7.2 inches, approximately 7.5 inches, and approximately 7.8 inches. In other respects, the fiber lengths can have any value between any two of the above length values. As a person skilled in the art can understand, and as described herein, the backing layers of the present invention may also comprise various meshes, foams, elastic structures, and the like. In such aspects, the fibers may comprise plastic or metallic materials. In certain aspects, the backing layers may also comprise wires. In other respects, where the backing layer is the nonwoven backing layer, this nonwoven backing layer may be composed of fibers having a denier ranging from approximately 2 to less than approximately 20,000 denier per filament (DPF), which includes illustrative values ​​of approximately 10 DPF, approximately 50 DPF, approximately 100 DPF, approximately 200 DPF, approximately 500 DPF, approximately 800 DPF, approximately 1,000 DPF, approximately 1,500 DPF, approximately 2,000 DPF, approximately 2,500 DPF, pocznn / Lznz / B / Yi approximately 3,000 DPF, 12 approximately 3,500 DPF, approximately 4,000 DPF approximately 4,500 DPF, approximately 5,000 DPF, approximately 5,500 DPF approximately 6,000 DPF, approximately 6,500 DPF, approximately 7,000 DPF approximately 7,500 DPF, approximately 8,000 DPF, approximately 8,500 DPF approximately 9,000 DPF, approximately 9,500 DPF, approximately 10,000 DPF approximately 10,500 DPF, approximately 11,000 DPF, approximately 11,500 DPF approximately 12,000 DPF, approximately 12,500 DPF, approximately 13,000 DPF approximately 13,500 DPF, approximately 14,000 DPF, approximately 14,500 DPF 15,000 DPF, approximately 15,500 DPF, approximately 16,000 DPF, approximately 16,500 DPF, approximately 17,000 DPF, approximately 17,500 DPF, approximately 18,000 DPF, approximately 18,500 DPF, approximately 19,000 DPF pocznn / Lznz / B / Yi approximately 19,500 DPF and less than 20,000 DPF. In other respects, the fibers can have any denier value between any two of the above denier values. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer is composed of polymer fibers that are approximately 1 to approximately 4 inches long and have a denier ranging from approximately 2 DPF to less than approximately 20,000 DPF. In any additional aspect, the nonwoven backing layer is composed of fibers that are approximately 1 to approximately 4 inches long and have a denier ranging from approximately 2 to approximately 1,000 DPF. In other respects, the nonwoven backing may also comprise at least one additive material distributed therein. In certain respects, at least one additive material comprises at least one of the following: rubber crumb, wood chips, sand, grass seed, foam chips, and an inorganic filler. In certain respects, the inorganic fillers may be any suitable filler, including, for example, aluminum oxide trihydrate (alumina), calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, or mixtures thereof. The fillers may comprise virgin filler, waste material, or even reclaimed fillers. Examples of recycled fillers include coal fly ash and calcium carbonate. It is understood that the additives may comprise virgin and / or recycled materials. In some aspects, the recycled material may be present in any quantity from 0% to 100% by weight, including illustrative values ​​of approximately 1% by weight, approximately 5% by weight, approximately 10% by weight, approximately 20% by weight, approximately 30% by weight, approximately 40% by weight, approximately 50% by weight, approximately 60% by weight, approximately 70% by weight, approximately 80% by weight, and approximately 90% by weight. In certain aspects, to increase the stability of the artificial turf of the invention, the non-woven backing layer may comprise grass seeds that allow the grass to grow through the installed product. In such aspects, the artificial turf of the invention is a hybrid turf comprising both synthetic and natural grass. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer may also comprise any additive, coating, or waste material known in the art. In certain aspects, the nonwoven backing layer may also comprise a number of infill materials commonly used in turf. In such illustrative aspects, the reclaimed materials may comprise a number of silica sand, rubber granules, organic components, dirt, or any combination thereof. In other aspects, when more cushioning is required for specific turf applications, the nonwoven backing layer can be a cushioned backing layer. In some aspects where the nonwoven backing layer is a cushioned backing layer, the nonwoven backing layer exhibits a maximum compression fit of approximately 25%, measured in accordance with ASTM D1617, which includes illustrative values ​​of approximately 5%, approximately 10%, approximately 15%, and approximately 20%. In certain aspects, the nonwoven backing layer may have a thickness between approximately 1 / 16 inch and approximately 2.5 inches, including illustrative values ​​of approximately 1 / 8 inch, approximately 1 / 4 inch, approximately 1 / 2 inch, approximately 3 / 4 inch, approximately 1 inch, approximately 1.2 inches, approximately 1.5 inches, approximately 1.7 inches, approximately 2 inches, approximately 2.2 inches, and approximately 2.4 inches. It is understood that the nonwoven backing layer may have any thickness value between the above values. pocznn / Lznz / B / Yi In other respects, the non-woven backing layer can have a density of approximately 3 lbs / ft3 to approximately 30 lbs / ft3, which includes illustrative values ​​of approximately 4 lbs / ft3, approximately 5 lbs / ft3, approximately 6 lbs / ft3, approximately 7 lbs / ft3, approximately 8 lbs / ft3, approximately 9 lbs / ft3, approximately 10 lbs / ft3, approximately 11 lbs / ft3, approximately 12 lbs / ft3, approximately 13 lbs / ft3, approximately 14 lbs / ft3, approximately 15 lbs / ft3, approximately 16 lbs / ft3, approximately 17 lbs / ft3, approximately 18 lbs / ft3, approximately 19 lbs / ft3, approximately 20 lbs / ft3, approximately 21 lbs / ft3, approximately 22 lbs / ft3, approximately 23 lbs / ft3, approximately 24 lbs / ft3, approximately 25 lbs / ft3, approximately 26 lbs / ft3, approximately 27 pounds / ft3, approximately 28 lb / ft³ and approximately 29 lb / ft³. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer can have any density value between the above values. For example, and without limitation, the nonwoven backing layer can have a density between 4 lb / ft³ and 7 lb / ft³, between 8 lb / ft³ and 10 lb / ft³, between 10 lb / ft³ and 17 lb / ft³, or between 18 lb / ft³ and 30 lb / ft³. In other respects, the non-woven backing layer can have a thickness of approximately 1 / 16 inch to approximately 2.5 inches and a density of approximately 3 pounds / ft3 to approximately 30 pounds / ft3. In other respects, the non-woven backing layer may be further covered with a mesh, gauze, or felt. The mesh, gauze, or felt may be optionally added to the front and / or back side of the non-woven backing layer. In other respects, the artificial turf may also comprise a secondary backing. In such respects, the secondary backing may be bonded to the non-woven backing layer on the front and / or back side of the non-woven backing layer. In other respects, the secondary backing may be bonded by any method known in the art, including, for example, by coating, laminating, extrusion, and the like. In some respects, the secondary backing may comprise different layers and coatings. Such illustrative backings may include extruded polymer sheets, laminated films, calendered adhesives and hot melts, latex, crosslinked polyurethanes, woven layer(s), meshes and gauzes, or any combination thereof. In other respects, the secondary backing may comprise a film that can be laminated to the back side of the nonwoven backing layer to thermally bond the turf fibers to themselves. In some respects, the described non-woven backings can be used for various applications. In some respects, they can provide a 3D matrix that anchors the grass blades (fibers). In others, they can be used on their own, even without artificial turf fibers. In still others, they can be used in hybrid turf systems. In such systems, natural grass can be grown within the backings alongside the artificial turf. Furthermore, these non-woven backings can be used for soil stabilization and erosion control in various areas, including, but not limited to, roadside verges, slopes, mining areas, and so on.Furthermore, the described non-woven backings can be used for landfill closures, preventing wind from getting under the tarpaulin and lifting or tearing it. Additionally, these backings can be used in agricultural applications as a weed barrier, allowing only the desired plant to grow. Finally, the non-woven backings described herein can improve the playability and performance of turf, for example, by providing cushioning or a drainage layer. As described herein, artificial turf comprises a plurality of grass fibers. In certain aspects, the plurality of grass fibers are gravity-deposited onto the front side of the nonwoven backing layer and subsequently perforated by punching through the grass fibers to enable a more grass-like appearance. In such aspects, where the plurality of grass fibers are added to the nonwoven backing layer, the denier of the fibers present in the nonwoven backing layer may be from approximately 2 denier to approximately less than 20.0 denier, including illustrative values ​​of approximately 10 denier, approximately 50 denier, approximately 100 denier, approximately 200 denier, approximately 500 denier, approximately 800 denier, approximately 1,000 denier, and approximately 1,500 denier. approximately 2,000 denier, approximately 2,500 denier, approximately 3,000 denier, approximately 3,500 denier, approximately 4,000 denier, approximately 4,500 denier, approximately 5,000 denier, approximately 5,500 denier, approximately 6,000 denier, approximately 6,500 denier, approximately 7,000 denier, approximately 7,500 denier, approximately 8,000 denier, approximately 8,500 denier, approximately 9,000 denier, approximately 9,500 denier, approximately 10,000 denier, approximately 10,500 denier, approximately 11,000 denier, approximately 11,500 denier, approximately 12,000 denier, approximately 12,500 denier, approximately 13,000 denier, approximately 13,500 denier, approximately 14,000 denier, approximately 14,500 denier, approximately 15,000 denier, approximately 15,500 denier, approximately 16,000 denier, approximately 16,500 denier, approximately 17,000 denier, approximately 17,500 denier, approximately 18,000 denier, approximately 18,500 denier, approximately 19,000 denier, approximately 19,500 denier and, less than 20,000 denier. In other respects, the fibers may have any denier value between any two of the above denier values. It is understood that, in some illustrative respects, grass fiber may be characterized as a bulge of multifilaments. In other illustrative respects, grass fiber may be characterized as a single filament. The plurality of turf fibers is understood to comprise any fiber known to the art and conventionally used in artificial turf. In other respects, the plurality of turf fibers comprises tufted fibers. In other respects, the plurality of turf fibers comprises short fibers. In other respects, the plurality of turf fibers consists of cut film fibers, monofilaments, or textured fibers.Furthermore, the plurality of grass fibers present in the artificial turf of the invention may have any length predetermined by a person skilled in the art and based on the specific application. In other respects, the plurality of grass fibers may have a length from approximately 0.25 inches to approximately 6 inches, including illustrative values ​​of approximately 0.5 inches, approximately 0.75 inches, approximately 1 inch, approximately 1.25 inches, approximately 1.5 inches, approximately 1.75 inches, approximately 2 inches, approximately 2.25 inches, approximately 2.5 inches, approximately 2.75 inches, approximately 3 inches, approximately 3.25 inches, approximately 3.5 inches, approximately 3.75 inches, approximately 4 inches, approximately 4.25 inches, approximately 4.5 inches, approximately 4.75 inches, approximately 5 inches, and approximately 5.25 inches, approximately 5.5 inches, and approximately 5.75 inches. It is understood that the plurality of grass fibers may have any length value between any two of the above values. In other respects, the plurality of grass fibers present in the artificial turf of the invention can have any denier predetermined by a person skilled in the art and based on the specific application. In some respects, the plurality of grass fibers can have a denier value from approximately 3 denier to approximately 20,000 denier, including illustrative values ​​of approximately 5 denier, approximately 10 denier, approximately 20 denier, pQcznn / ίζηζ / B / γι approximately 30 denier, approximately 40 denier, approximately 50 denier, approximately 60 denier, approximately 70 denier, approximately 80 denier, approximately 90 denier, approximately 100 denier, approximately 200 denier, approximately 300 denier, approximately 400 denier, approximately 500 denier, approximately 600 denier, approximately 700 denier, approximately 800 denier, approximately 900 denier, approximately 1,000 denier, approximately 1,500 denier, approximately 2,000 denier, approximately 2,500 denier, approximately 3,000 denier, approximately 3,500 denier, approximately 4,000 denier, approximately 4,500 denier, approximately 5,000 denier, approximately 5,500 denier, approximately 6,000 denier, approximately 6,500 denier, approximately 7,000 denier, approximately 7,500 denier, approximately 8,000 denier, approximately 8,500 denier, approximately 9,000 denier, approximately 9,500 denier, approximately 10,000 denier, approximately 10,500 denier, approximately 11,000 denier, approximately 11,500 denier, approximately 12,000 denier, approximately 12,500 denier, approximately 13,000 denier, approximately 13,500 denier, approximately 14,000 denier, approximately 14,500 denier, approximately 15,000 denier, approximately 15,500 denier, approximately 16,000 denier, approximately 16,500 denier, approximately 17,000 denier, approximately 17,500 denier, approximately 18,000 denier, Approximately 18,500 denier, approximately 19,000 denier, approximately 19,500 denier, and less than 20,000 denier. In other aspects, the fibers may have any denier value between any two of the above denier values. For example, and without limitation, in aspects where cut film fibers are present, the fiber denier is approximately 100 denier to approximately 15,000 denier. In other illustrative aspects where monofilament fibers are present, the fiber denier is approximately 3 denier to approximately 3,000 denier. In certain illustrative aspects, small denier fibers of approximately 3 denier to approximately 500 denier may act as bonding fibers, to add cushioning, or to provide support along the base of the cut film fibers to help them stand upright rather than lie on the nonwoven backing layer. The plurality of turf fibers may comprise any material conventionally used in the manufacture of artificial turf, individually or in combination with other similar materials. For example, and without limitation, the plurality of turf fibers may be synthetic, such as, for instance, a material comprising one or more of conventional nylon, polyester, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene terephthalate (PPT), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), or any combination thereof. In other respects, the plurality of turf fibers may comprise polymeric fibers comprising at least one of nylon, polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene.In some illustrative aspects, the plurality of turf fibers may comprise one or more biodegradable materials, including, for example, but not limited to, polylactic acid (PLA). In other aspects, the plurality of turf fibers may comprise a combination of any of the aforementioned materials. In other respects, the artificial turf described herein comprises a portion of the backing turf fibers bonded to themselves with an adhesive coating. In such respects, the adhesive coating may be any adhesive coating known in the art. In certain respects, the adhesive coating may comprise different polyolefin materials such as, for example and without limitation, ethylene acrylic acid (EAA), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polypropylene, or polyethylene (for example, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), or substantially linear ethylene polymer, or mixtures thereof). In some respects, the adhesive coating may comprise latex.It is further contemplated that the adhesive coating may be selected from a group comprising, without limitation, an EVA hot melt, an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) emulsion, a carboxylated styrene-butadiene latex copolymer (XSB), a styrene-butadiene latex resin (SBR), a BDMMA latex, an acrylic latex, an acrylic copolymer, a styrene copolymer, a butadiene acrylate copolymer, a polyolefin hot melt, polyurethane and / or emulsions, and any combination thereof. In other respects, the pre-coating composition comprises latex. In other respects, where the adhesive coating comprises the latex composition, the latex further comprises a carboxylated styrene-butadiene latex copolymer (XSB), a styrene-butadiene resin (SBR) latex, a BDMMA latex, an acrylic latex, an acrylic copolymer, a styrene copolymer, or a combination thereof. In other respects, the artificial turf described herein comprises the portion of the turf fibers on the back side bonded to themselves by mechanical bonding. In other respects, the artificial turf described herein comprises the portion of the turf fibers on the back side bonded to themselves by thermal bonding. Furthermore, a portion of the back side of the grass fibers is also bonded to the back side of the nonwoven backing layer. Furthermore, the grass fibers and the nonwoven backing are each composed of the same polymeric material. Furthermore, the grass fibers and the nonwoven backing layer are each composed of a different polymeric material. The artificial turf of the invention may optionally comprise a primary backing disposed between the plurality of turf fibers and the non-woven backing layer. Where a primary backing is present, the primary backing comprises a polyolefin, a polyester, a polyamide, or a combination thereof. In such aspects, the primary backing may be woven or nonwoven. In certain aspects, the primary backing may comprise nonwoven fabrics or spunbond materials. In some aspects, the primary backing may comprise a combination of woven and nonwoven materials. In some aspects, the primary backing comprises a polyolefin polymer. In other aspects, the polyolefin polymer comprises polypropylene. In still other aspects, the primary backing is a slit-film polypropylene sheet, such as that sold by Propex or Synthetic Industries, owned by Shaw Industries. In still other aspects, the primary backing may comprise polyester. In yet another aspect, the primary backing may comprise polyamide.In other respects, the primary backing may comprise a combination of polyamide and polyester. In some respects, the polyamide is nylon. In some other respects, the primary backing may comprise woven polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In still other respects, the primary backing may comprise woven PET that has post-consumer and / or post-industrial content. In some respects, the primary backing is a spun primary backing. In some respects, the spun primary backing component may comprise a two-component coating-core filament. In some respects, the polymer core component may have a higher melting point than the polymer coating component. In some respects, the polymer core component may comprise polyester, aliphatic polyamides, polyphenylene oxide, and / or copolymers or blends thereof. In other respects, the polyester may comprise polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, or polyparaphenylene terephthalamide. In other respects, the polymer core comprises polyethylene terephthalate. In additional respects, the coating polymer may comprise a polyamide, polyethylene, or polyester. In other respects, the coating polymer comprises nylon.Furthermore, the primary backing component of the lining core comprises polyester as the core component and nylon as the lining component. The illustrative lining core primary backing is commercially available from Bonar. Furthermore, an illustrative non-woven polyester primary backing is commercially available from Freudenberg. Furthermore, this primary backing provides additional stability to the product. Furthermore, the inventive artificial turf described herein is permeable to moisture. Additionally, the artificial turf is fully recyclable. In other respects, the artificial turf of the invention can be provided in any form known in the art. In some respects, the artificial turf of the invention can be provided in the form of panels. In such respects, the panels can be installed in any selected orientation. In other respects, the artificial turf of the invention has a continuous length and is wound into a roll. In such respects, the roll can be unwound at the installation site. In other respects, the artificial turf of the invention can have any use.In certain aspects, it can be used as a buffer, a turf for single-use events, a temporary ground cover in construction zones, a wind control system for environmental and civil industries, a dust control system, a drainage control system, a filter control system, an erosion control system, a soil stabilization system, or, in some illustrative aspects, a roof stabilization system. An illustrative artificial turf of the invention is shown in Figure 2. It can be seen that the turf fibers 202 are inserted into the non-woven backing layer 204. Figure 3 shows both turf fibers 302 and the back side of the non-woven backing layer 304, wherein the back-side portion 306 of the turf fibers are bonded to themselves by thermal bonding. METHODS The present description further provides a method for manufacturing artificial turf, comprising: inserting a plurality of turf fibers into a non-woven backing layer having a front side and a back side such that the plurality of turf fibers extend through the non-woven backing layer and a front-side portion of the turf fibers extends from the front side of the non-woven backing layer and a back-side portion of the turf fibers extends from the back side of the backing layer; and bonding at least a portion of the back-side portion of the turf fibers to themselves. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer is a fiber wadding composed of gravity-laid fibers. In some respects, the gravity-laid process can be carried out using a cross-lap and card system, an airlay system, or a combination thereof. In other respects, it can be carried out by calendering. In other respects, after the fibers are gravity-laid, they are mechanically bonded. In other respects, after the fibers are gravity-laid, they are thermally bonded. Any mechanical and thermal bonding method can be used to join the gravity-laid fibers of the nonwoven backing layer. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer is perforated by needle punching. In other respects, the nonwoven backing can be further treated with heat and pressure to form a nonwoven backing of a predetermined density. The nonwoven backing layer prepared by the methods described herein may be composed of any fiber described herein. In some respects, the nonwoven backing layer may comprise at least one of nylon, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, cotton, kenaf, jute, or any combination thereof. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer prepared by the methods described may comprise fibers having any length or denier described in detail above. In other respects, the nonwoven backing layer may have at least one additive material distributed within it. The distribution of the additive materials may be carried out by any method known in the art and at any stage of the manufacture of the artificial turf of the invention. At least one additive material distributed within the nonwoven backing layer may comprise any of the materials described in detail above. By way of illustration, at least one additive material comprises at least one of the following: rubber crumb, wood chips, sand, grass seed, and inorganic fillers. pocznn / Lznz / B / Yi Furthermore, the non-woven backing layer can be formed within the shock absorber. It is understood that the non-woven backing layers can have any of the thicknesses and densities described in detail above. In other respects, the plurality of grass fibers present in the artificial turf of the invention can be inserted into the non-woven backing by a process comprising gravitationally placing the grass fibers on the front side of the non-woven backing and perforating the gravity-placed grass fibers on the non-woven backing by punching. Similarly, the process of gravitationally placing the grass fibers can comprise a cross-overlay and card system, an airlay system, or a combination thereof. In some aspects, the plurality of grass fibers can be inserted into the nonwoven backing layer by tufting. Any conventional tufting apparatus can be used to insert the plurality of grass fibers into the nonwoven backing layer. In some aspects, to improve the tufting process, longer tines can be used on the tines roller to fully grip the nonwoven. In other aspects, a fabric, mesh, or carrier layer can be provided to the nonwoven backing layer to facilitate its pulling through the process. In other respects, the plurality of grass fibers may comprise any plurality of grass fibers described herein. In some respects, the plurality of grass fibers consists of short fibers. In other respects, the plurality of grass fibers consists of staple film fibers. The plurality of grass fibers may have any length and denier described in detail above. In other respects, the plurality of grass fibers may comprise any material described in detail above. In certain illustrative respects, the plurality of grass fibers may comprise polymeric fibers comprising at least one of the following: nylon, polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene. It is further understood that the plurality of grass fibers and the nonwoven backing layer may each be composed of the same polymeric material.In other aspects, the plurality of grass fibers and the non-woven backing layer can each be composed of different polymeric materials. In other respects, the step of bonding at least a portion of the back side of the turf fibers to themselves comprises applying an adhesive coating. It is understood that any adhesive material described herein may be applied. It is further understood that any method known in the art may be used to apply the adhesive material. By way of illustration, the adhesive material may be applied by spraying, powder dispersion, as a hot melt, by extrusion, lamination, and similar methods. In other aspects, the step of joining at least a portion of the back-side portion of the turf fibers to themselves comprises a mechanical bond. For illustrative purposes, the mechanical bond is provided by punching. In other aspects, the mechanical bond may comprise a source of high-pressure air and / or water. In these aspects, the source of high-pressure air and / or water may provide jets of air and / or water that have sufficient energy to move the strands of the turf fibers so that the dispersed strands are pushed toward adjacent strands to make fibrous mechanical connections. In additional aspects, the mechanical bond may comprise threads that can be sewn at the edges to secure the turf fibers. Still in other aspects, the mechanical bond may comprise ultrasonic pegs to secure the turf fibers to the edge.In other aspects, mechanical bonding may include mechanical combing of the turf fibers. In other aspects, mechanical bonding may include vacuum combing behind the edge of the turf fibers. In additional aspects, mechanical bonding may include hot air jets. In these aspects, hot air jets may be used to move and fuse the turf fibers at the edge. In other respects, the step of joining at least a portion of the back-side portion of the turf fibers to themselves comprises a heat bond. In some illustrative aspects, the heat bond may comprise a heated rod and / or a heated shoe. In these aspects, the heated rod and / or the heated shoe can be used to hot-fuse the turf filaments / fibers at the edge. In some illustrative aspects, lamination can be used to thermally bond the fibers to themselves. In certain aspects, a film having a thickness of approximately 1 mil to approximately 10 mil, including illustrative values ​​of approximately 2 mil, approximately 3 mil, approximately 4 mil, approximately 5 mil, approximately 6 mil, approximately 7 mil, approximately 8 mil, and approximately 9 mil, can be laminated to the back surface of the nonwoven backing layer to thermally bond the turf fibers to themselves. In certain aspects, the artificial turf of the invention can be fed through a film laminator without adding additional films to ensure the thermal bonding of the fibers to themselves. In other aspects, the method described herein further comprises bonding at least a portion of the back side of the turf fibers to the back side of the nonwoven backing layer. In other respects, artificial turf prepared using the methods described in this description is permeable to moisture. EXAMPLES The following examples are presented to provide those skilled in the art with a complete description of how the compounds, compositions, articles, devices, and / or methods claimed herein are prepared and evaluated. They are intended to be purely illustrative and are not intended to limit the description. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy with respect to numbers (e.g., quantities, temperature, etc.), but some errors and deviations should be expected. Unless otherwise stated, parts are parts by weight, temperature is in °F or at room temperature, and pressure is at or near atmospheric pressure. Samples were prepared to evaluate the technical capabilities of tufting on an illustrative nonwoven backing layer as described herein. The width of the nonwoven material was 150 3 / 4 inches unwound, 149 3 / 8 inches at the tufting bar, and 149 1 / 2 inches after repair. Needle penetration, needle travel and clearance, tufting speed, and tufting bar integrity were evaluated. No undesirable behavior was observed for needle penetration and travel, or tufting bar integrity, throughout the process at a maximum tufting speed of 302 RPM. An illustrative tufted artificial turf is shown in Figure 4.As can be seen in Figure 4, the tufting machine 410 can produce an artificial turf 400 having a plurality of turf fibers 402 inserted directly into the non-woven backing layer 404 without the use of conventional woven primary backing material. It was found that the primary woven backing is not necessary and can be used as an optional layer. In some instances, it was found that a difference in tension between the woven and non-woven backing can result in undesirable wrinkling. It was also shown that the pile height loss of the artificial turf of the invention, which does not comprise a primary backing, due to the thickness of the non-woven backing layer, was approximately 6 / 32 inch. Figure 5 shows an illustrative example of the artificial turf of the invention, formed by the methods described herein, with an exceptional pile-face appearance. Although certain illustrative aspects of the invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that different changes and modifications can be made that will achieve some or even all of the advantages of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An artificial turf, comprising: a non-woven backing layer having a front side and a back side, and a plurality of turf fibers extending through the non-woven backing layer such that a portion of the front side of the turf fibers extends from the front side of the non-woven backing layer and a portion of the back side of the turf fibers extends from the back side of the non-woven backing layer, wherein at least a portion of the back side portion of the turf fibers are bonded to themselves.

2. The artificial turf according to claim 1, wherein the non-woven backing layer comprises a fiber wadding.

3. The artificial turf according to claim 2, wherein the fiber wadding comprises mechanically bonded fibers.

4. The artificial turf according to claim 2, wherein the fiber wadding comprises thermally bonded fibers.

5. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the non-woven backing layer is perforated by punching.

6. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the non-woven backing layer is composed of fibers comprising at least one of nylon, polyester, polyethylene and polypropylene, cotton, Kenaf, jute or any combination thereof.

7. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-6, wherein the non-woven backing layer is composed of fibers having a length of approximately 1 to 8 inches and a denier ranging from approximately 2 DPF to less than approximately 20,000 DPF.

8. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-7, wherein the non-woven backing comprises at least one additive material distributed therein, and wherein at least one additive material comprises at least one of the following: rubber crumbs, wood chips, sand, grass seeds, foam chips, and an inorganic filler.

9. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-8, wherein the non-woven backing layer is a cushioned backing layer having a thickness between approximately 1 / 16 inch and approximately 2.5 inches.

10. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-9, wherein the plurality of turf fibers are gravitationally positioned and perforated by punching.

11. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-10, wherein the plurality of turf fibers are tufted fibers.

12. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-11, wherein the plurality of turf fibers is composed of short fibers.

13. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-12, wherein the plurality of turf fibers is composed of cut film fibers, monofilaments or textured fibers.

14. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-13, wherein the plurality of turf fibers has a length of from 0.25 inches to approximately 6 inches.

15. The artificial turf according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of turf fibers has a denier of approximately 100 DPF to approximately 20,000 DPF.

16. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-15, wherein the portion of the turf fibers on the back side are bonded together by means of an adhesive coating.

17. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-16, wherein the portion of the turf fibers on the back side is joined to itself by mechanical bonding.

18. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-17, wherein the portion of the turf fibers on the back side is bonded to itself by thermal bonding.

19. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-18, wherein a portion of the backside portion of the turf fibers is bonded to the backside of the non-woven backing layer.

20. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-19, wherein the plurality of turf fibers comprises polymeric fibers comprising at least one of nylon, polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

21. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-20, wherein the non-woven backing and the plurality of turf fibers are each composed of the same polymeric material.

22. Artificial turf according to any of claims 1-21, wherein the turf is permeable to moisture.

23. A method for manufacturing artificial turf, comprising: inserting a plurality of turf fibers into a non-woven backing layer having a front side and a back side such that the plurality of turf fibers extend through the non-woven backing layer and a portion of the front side of the turf fibers extends from the front side of the non-woven backing layer, and a portion of the back side of the turf fibers extends from the back side of the backing layer; and bonding at least a portion of the back side portion of the turf fibers to themselves.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the non-woven backing layer is a fiber wadding composed of gravity-laid fibers.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the gravitationally positioned fibers are mechanically joined. pocznn / Lznz / B / Yi 26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the gravity-placed fibers are thermally bonded.

27. The method according to any of claims 23-26, wherein the non-woven backing layer is perforated by punching.

28. The method according to any of claims 23-27, wherein the plurality of grass fibers is inserted into the non-woven backing by a process comprising gravitationally placing the grass fibers on the front side of the non-woven backing and punching the gravity-placed grass fibers into the non-woven backing.

29. The method according to any of claims 23-27, wherein the plurality of grass fibers is inserted into the non-woven backing layer by tufting.

30. The method according to any of claims 23-29, wherein the step of joining at least a portion of the backside portion of the turf fibers to themselves comprises applying an adhesive coating.

31. The method according to any of claims 23-29, wherein the step of joining at least a portion of the backside portion of the turf fibers to themselves comprises a mechanical joining.

32. The method according to any one of claims 23-29, wherein the step of joining at least a portion of the backside portion of the grass fibers to themselves comprises a thermal bond.

33. The method according to any of claims 23-32, further comprising joining at least a portion of the backside portion of the grass fibers to the backside of the nonwoven backing layer.

Images