Biodegradable non-woven fabric and method for producing the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biodegradable non-woven fabrics for disposable wipes, such as spunlace materials, face challenges with low material strength and high cost due to the use of expensive fibers like viscose and tencel, and issues with pulp fibers not contributing to mechanical strength, leading to clumping under liquid or mechanical stress.
Innovation Solution
Applying a biodegradable binder in-line between the spunlace unit and dryer, allowing it to move to entangling points and create bonding points between fibers, increasing surface friction and inter-fiber bonding, thereby enhancing mechanical strength and resiliency without fully soaking the web.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If expensive biodegradable fibers like viscose and tencel are used for spunlace materials, then biodegradability is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the fiber blend by incorporating thermoplastic biodegradable fibers (PLA, PBS, PHB) alongside natural fibers (cotton, viscose, tencel). This parameter change allows the material to achieve biodegradability while reducing cost through the use of cheaper thermoplastic components that can be processed more economically
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fiber blend combining thermoplastic biodegradable fibers with natural biodegradable fibers. The thermoplastic component provides structural integrity and bonding capability, while the natural fibers maintain biodegradability. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by achieving both biodegradability and cost reduction through synergistic material combination
2Quantity of substance
If pulp fibers are increased in content to achieve higher mechanical strength, then fiber content increases, but material strength remains low because pulp fibers are too short and stiff to be entangled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thermoplastic biodegradable fibers as an intermediary component that bridges the gap between short stiff pulp fibers and the hydroentangling process. These thermoplastic fibers can be entangled effectively and provide bonding points that anchor the pulp fibers, allowing the pulp content to increase without sacrificing mechanical strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the fiber blend by incorporating thermoplastic fibers with different entanglement characteristics. These fibers have parameters (length, flexibility, melting point) that are optimized for hydroentangling, enabling effective entanglement while maintaining high pulp fiber content for cost reduction
3Ease of manufacture
If pulp fibers are used in the structure, then material cost decreases, but fibers move and clump together after exposure to liquid and mechanical stress, destroying the textile structure
Solution Approach 1:
The thermoplastic biodegradable fibers act as intermediary bonding elements that connect pulp fibers to each other and to the hydroentangled fiber matrix. These intermediaries prevent pulp fiber movement and clumping by creating a stable network structure that maintains textile integrity during liquid exposure and mechanical stress
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the bonding mechanism parameters by introducing thermoplastic fibers that can form thermal bonds during the hydroentangling process. This parameter change in bonding mechanism prevents fiber movement and maintains structural stability while allowing high pulp fiber content for cost reduction
4Ease of manufacture
If basis weight is reduced to save material cost, then manufacturing cost decreases, but mechanical strength and resiliency are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite thermoplastic-natural fiber blends that provide enhanced mechanical properties per unit weight. The thermoplastic component contributes to inter-fiber bonding and structural integrity, allowing reduced basis weight while maintaining or improving mechanical strength and resiliency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material composition parameters to include thermoplastic biodegradable fibers that provide superior mechanical performance. This parameter change allows the fabric to achieve required mechanical strength at lower basis weight, reducing material cost while maintaining performance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases the mechanical strength and resiliency of biodegradable non-woven fabrics, allowing for reduced basis weight and cost savings, enabling the use of more expensive biodegradable fibers while maintaining softness and bulkiness, and ensuring the materials remain compostable.
Implementation Method 1
the binder may preferably move to the entangling points of the spunlace material especially if the excessive water is removed from the web after the spunlace section prior to applying the binder and drying/curing the web. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, the present inventor assumes that this preferred movement of the binder to the entangling points may be via capillary force due to the condensed structure (lower pore size) in the entangling points
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a biodegradable non-woven fabric, a method for producing a biodegradable non-woven fabric and a wipe. The biodegradable non-woven fabric comprises biodegradable fibers. At least a part of the biodegradable fibers is entangled with each other, such that individual biodegradable fibers are in contact with each other at entangling points. At least a part of the entangling points is provided with a biodegradable binder.