Extrusion bonded laminates for absorbent articles

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a topsheet;

an outer cover;

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and outer cover;

wherein the outer cover comprises an extrusion bonded laminate, the extrusion bonded laminate comprising:

a multi-layer coextruded elastomeric film, comprising a core layer, a first outer layer, and a second outer layer, wherein the core layer is between the first and second outer layers;

a nonwoven consisting of fibers and/or filaments;

wherein the first outer layer is joined to the nonwoven via extrusion coating, such that the first outer layer is a tie layer between the core layer and the nonwoven;

wherein the second outer layer is joined to the core layer, such that the second outer layer is a skin layer;

wherein the first and second outer layers comprise polyolefin elastomers (POEs);

wherein the first and second outer layers comprise a blend of two ethylene-rich copolymers, wherein ethylene is between 10% and 97%;

wherein the extrusion bonded laminate is mechanically activated using intermeshing gears;

wherein the nonwoven has a high chemical affinity for the first outer layer;

wherein the first outer layer has a low chemical affinity for the core layer;

wherein the first outer layer comprises an amount of draw down polymer greater than 45wt %; and wherein the activated laminate has a % engineering strain at 1 N/cm force, as measured by the tensile test, of about 50% to about 140%.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the outer cover is substantially free of holes having a diameter of greater in size than about 1 mm.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first and second outer layers have a fusion index from about 10% to about 40%.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven comprises bicomponent fibers, the fibers comprising a core and a sheath.

5. The absorbent article of claim 4 , wherein the first outer layer comprises at least 45% of a polymer comprising more than 10 w % ethylene.

6. The absorbent article of claim 4 , wherein the sheath comprises polyethylene and the core comprises polypropylene.

7. The absorbent article of claim 6 , wherein the laminate bond strength is from about 1.0 to about 3.5 N/cm, as measured by the Tensile Test (Mode II).

8. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the core layer of the elastomeric film is selected from the group consisting of an ethylene copolymer having a fusion index from about 5% to about 20%, a propylene copolymer having a fusion index from about 5% to about 20%, and combinations thereof.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the multi-layer coextruded elastomeric film has a basis weight from about 10 gsm to about 40 gsm.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the extrusion bonded laminate has a basis weight from about 30 gsm to about 70 gsm.

11. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the outer cover activated laminate has a basis weight from about 20 gsm to about 100 gsm.

12. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the extrusion bonded laminate further comprises an adhesive.

13. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven comprises fibers that are not round in cross section.

14. The absorbent article of claim 1 , further comprising a second nonwoven joined to the second outer layer.

15. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the second outer layer has a blocking force from 0.07 to 0.4 N/cm.

16. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the extrusion bonded laminate is adhesive free.

17. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric film comprises at least 50%, by weight, of a polyolefinic elastomer.

18. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric film comprises:

at least one olefin-based elastomeric polymer; and

at least one draw down polymer;

wherein the elastomeric film has a permanent set of no more than 15% as measured by the Two-Cycle Hysteresis Test Method using 100% maximum engineering strain.

19. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first and second outer layers are compositionally identical.

20. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the outer cover has an ultimate tensile strength from 3 N/cm to 5.3 N/cm.

21. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the percent engineering strain at break of the outer cover activated laminate is from 100% to 625%.

22. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the permanent set of the outer cover activated laminate is from 6 to 15% as measured by the Two-Cycle Hysteresis Test Method using 130% maximum engineering strain.

23. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the force relaxation of the outer cover activated laminate is less than 40% as measured by the Two-Cycle Hysteresis Test Method using 130% maximum engineering strain.

24. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the Cycle 1 unload force at 50% engineering strain of the outer cover activated laminate is greater than about 0.10 N/cm as measured by the Two-Cycle Hysteresis Test Method using 130% maximum engineering strain.

25. An absorbent article comprising:

a topsheet;

an outer cover;

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and outer cover;

wherein the outer cover comprises an extrusion bonded laminate, the extrusion bonded laminate comprising:

a multi-layer coextruded elastomeric film, comprising a core layer, a first outer layer, and a second outer layer, wherein the core layer is between the first and second outer layers;

a nonwoven consisting of fibers and/or filaments;

wherein the first outer layer is joined to the nonwoven via extrusion coating such that the first outer layer is a tie layer between the core layer and the nonwoven;

wherein the second outer layer is joined to the core layer, such that the second outer layer is a skin layer;

wherein the first and second outer layers comprise polyolefin elastomers (POEs);

wherein the first and second outer layers comprise a blend of two ethylene-rich copolymers, wherein ethylene is between 10% and 97%

wherein the extrusion bonded laminate is mechanically activated using intermeshing gears;

wherein the nonwoven has a high chemical affinity for the first outer layer;

wherein the first outer layer has a low chemical affinity for the core layer;

wherein the first outer layer comprises an amount of draw down polymer greater than 75 wt %;

wherein the activated laminate has a % engineering strain at 1 N/cm force, as measured by the tensile test, of about 50% to about 140%; and

wherein the multi-layer coextruded elastomeric film has a basis weight from 10 gsm to 40 gsm.