Multicomponent Filament Crimp via Additive-Induced Crystallization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing nonwoven fabrics with desirable combinations of softness, strength, and absorbency face challenges in creating naturally crimped multicomponent filaments, especially for fine filaments, as they often require separate mechanical crimping processes or heat treatments, which are inefficient and difficult to achieve.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a crimp enhancement additive, such as a polyolefin homopolymer, into one of the polymeric components of multicomponent filaments to induce inherent crimping during solidification and crystallization, allowing for the production of highly crimped filaments without additional crimping treatments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If separate mechanical crimping processes or heat treatments are used to create crimped multicomponent filaments, then the desired crimp structure is achieved, but the production complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating a crimp enhancement additive into one of the polymeric components during filament manufacturing. This additive pre-prepares the filament structure to undergo inherent crimping during solidification and crystallization, eliminating the need for subsequent mechanical crimping processes or heat treatments. The crimp structure is thus achieved through the initial material composition rather than through complex post-processing equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the crimping function from separate mechanical processes and integrates it into the material composition itself. By removing the need for dedicated crimping machinery and heat treatment equipment, the invention simplifies the production system while maintaining the desired crimp structure through the chemical composition of the multicomponent filament.
2Shape
If separate mechanical crimping processes are used to produce crimped filaments, then the crimp structure is achieved, but production time and efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the crimping function with the filament manufacturing process itself. The crimp enhancement additive is incorporated during the extrusion and solidification stages, combining multiple functions (material formation and crimp structure development) into a single integrated process. This eliminates sequential operations and significantly improves production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
By pre-incorporating the crimp enhancement additive during filament manufacturing, the patent enables crimping to occur automatically during the solidification and crystallization phases. This preliminary preparation of the material composition allows the crimp structure to form as an inherent property during normal production, rather than requiring additional time-consuming post-processing steps.
3Strength
If multicomponent filaments are used to achieve desirable combinations of softness and strength, then fabric properties are improved, but recycling becomes impractical or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the compositional parameters of the multicomponent filament by incorporating a crimp enhancement additive into one of the polymeric components. This modification maintains the desirable strength and softness properties through the multicomponent structure while potentially improving recyclability by creating a more uniform composite material that can be processed as a single entity rather than requiring separation of distinct polymer components.
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 results in nonwoven webs with enhanced bulk, softness, and fluid management properties, achieving a high degree of crimping and improved fabric density, while reducing production costs and energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The second polymeric component has a faster solidification and/or crystallization rate than the first polymeric component
Implementation Method 2
The second polymeric component has a faster solidification and/or crystallization rate than the first polymeric component
Data Source
AI summary
Multicomponent filaments, nonwoven webs made from the multicomponent filaments, and processes for forming nonwoven webs are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, the multicomponent filaments contain a crimp enhancement additive. Specifically, the crimp enhancement additive is added to a polymeric component and increases the crystallization and/or solidification rate of that polymeric component. The use of the crimp enhancement additive in one of the polymeric components of the multicomponent filaments allows the multicomponent filaments to inherently crimp without the use of any post-crystallization/solidification heat treatment. The process produces webs with improved fabric density and softness properties. The crimp enhancement additive incorporated into the filaments is a polyolefin homopolymer, in particular a polypropylene homopolymer.