Process for making a nonwoven, porous fabric from polymer composite materials
US6071451A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 31, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jun 6, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 31, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC08J2323/06
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is a method for producing a nonwoven fabric from a water modifiable polyolefin-containing film. In order to produce the fabric where polyethylene is the minority constituent, a polymer blend is formed with the polyethylene as the dispersed phase and polyethylene oxide as the continuous phase. In another embodiment wherein the polyethylene is the majority constituent and the polyethylene oxide is the minority constituent of the film, a reactive blend created during processing exhibits an inverse phase morphology so that the polyethylene oxide becomes the continuous phase and the polyethylene becomes the dispersed phase. In either embodiment, the film is then treated with an aqueous solvent to remove the polyethylene oxide to produce the nonwoven, porous fabric. The resulting nonwoven, porous fabric has a silk-like hand and shine ideal for disposable personal hygiene articles, and is flushable through waste water disposal systems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.