NONWOVENS FABRICS PRODUCED FROM MULTICOMPONENT FIBERS COMPRISING SULFOPOLYESTERS

• Main Authors: GUPTA RAKESH KUMAR, KLOSIEWICZ DANIEL WILLIAM, GEORGE SCOTT ELLERY
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Korean
• Published: 11.09.2009
• Subjects: APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBONFILAMENTS; BRAIDING; CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS,THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; COTTON-WOOL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS,NON-WOVEN FABRICS; KNITTING; LACE-MAKING; MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARYMATERIAL; NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL THREADS OR FIBRES; NON-WOVEN FABRICS; SPINNING; TEXTILES; TRIMMINGS; WADDING

A process for making a nonwoven fabric is provided comprising: (A) collecting multicomponent fibers to form a non-woven web; wherein the multicomponent fiber comprises at least one water dispersible sulfopolyester and at least one water non-dispersible polymer; wherein said multicomponent fiber has a plurality of domains comprising the water non-dispersible polymer; wherein the domains are substantially isolated from each other by the water dispersible sulfopolyester intervening between the domains; (B) contacting the non-woven web with water at a sufficient temperature and pressure to remove a portion of the water dispersible sulfopolyester thereby forming a microfiber web; and (C) hydroentangling the microfiber web to produce the nonwoven fabric. A process is also provided wherein steps (B) and (C) are combined. Fibrous articles utilizing the nonwoven fabrics are also provided.