FIBRILLATED POLYOLEFIN FOAM

• Main Authors: MACHELSKI, SUSAN, MARIE, VANSUMEREN, MARK, W, STOCKTON, LUTHER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 24.10.2012
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F,C08G; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; WORKING-UP

A method for generating a thermoplastic foam from an aqueous dispersion, the aqueous dispersion comprising a thermoplastic resin, water, and a dispersion stabilizing agent, the method including: adding at least one froth stabilizing surfactant to the aqueous dispersion to form a mixture; adding a fiber to the mixture; and frothing the mixture to create a froth, removing at least a portion of the water in the froth to create a foam, wherein the foam generated has a non-cellular fibrillated morphology. In another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a foam having a thermoplastic-based, fibrillated, non-cellular structure, wherein the foam has an average density of about 0.02 g/cm 3 to about 0.07 g/cm 3 . In certain embodiments, the foam may be used in an absorbent article.