Hydroengorged spunmelt nonwovens
View Patent ↗A hydroengorged spunmelt nonwoven formed of thermoplastic continuous fibers and a pattern of fusion bonds. The nonwoven has either a percentage bond area of less than 10 percent, or a percentage bond area of at least 10% wherein the pattern of fusion bonds is anisotropic.
1. A process of producing a hydroengorged spunmelt nonwoven comprising:
providing a fusion bonded spunmelt nonwoven; and
imparting hydraulic energy from hydraulic jets to said nonwoven, thereby increasing the caliper and softness of said nonwoven.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein said hydraulic energy is imparted directly to said nonwoven.
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven exhibits an increase of at least 50% in caliper after said hydraulic energy is imparted relative to said nonwoven before said hydraulic energy is imparted.
4. The process of claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven exhibits an increase in softness of at least 10% after said hydraulic energy is imparted relative to said nonwoven before said hydraulic energy is imparted.
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven exhibits a tensile strength after said hydraulic energy is imparted of at least 75% of the tensile strength exhibited by said nonwoven before said hydraulic energy is imparted.
6. The process of claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven exhibits an increase of at least 10% in density after said hydraulic energy is imparted relative to said nonwoven before said hydraulic energy is imparted.
7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the pressure applied by the hydraulic jets is between about 180 to 280 bar.
8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the pressure applied by the hydraulic jets is about 240 bar.
9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the travel speed of said nonwoven past said hydraulic jets is about 400 meters per minute.
10. The process of claim 1 , wherein hydraulic energy is imparted to both sides of said nonwoven.
11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the spunmelt nonwoven comprises thermoplastic continuous fibers.
12. The process of claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven has one of
a positive percentage fusion bond area of less than 10%, and
a percentage fusion bond area of at least 10% wherein said bonding pattern of fusion bonds is anisotropic.
13. The process of claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven has a percentage bond area of at least 10% wherein said bonding pattern of fusion bond points is anisotropic.
14. The process of claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven is orthogonally differentially bonded with fusion bond points.
15. The process of claim 1 , wherein said bonds have a maximum dimension d, and a maximum bond separation of at least 4d.
16. The process of claim 1 having a basis weight of 5-50 gsm.
17. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
finishing said nonwoven to modify the surface energy thereof.
18. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
finishing said nonwoven to increase the condrapable nature thereof.