Extrusion bonded laminates for absorbent articles

1. An absorbent article comprising:

a topsheet;

an outer cover;

an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the 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 non-adhesively 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 non-adhesively 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, and wherein ethylene is between 10% and 97%;

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

wherein the outer cover is elastic at 50% engineering strain;

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 laminate bond strength is from 1 N/cm to 3.5 N/cm; and

wherein the core layer comprises at least one thermoplastic elastomeric polymer.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric polymer is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers based on multi-block copolymers, thermoplastic elastomers based on polyurethanes, polyesters, polyether amides, elastomeric polyolefins, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, elastomeric polyolefin blends, and combinations thereof.

3. The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomers based on multi-block copolymers are copolymerized rubber elastomeric blocks with polystyrene blocks, selected from the group consisting of styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, and styrene-butadiene/isoprene-styrene, including their hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated forms, and combinations thereof.

4. 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.

5. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the first and second outer layers have a fusion index from 10% to 20%.

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

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

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

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

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

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

13. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric film comprises at least about 20% to about 80%, by weight, of a styrenic block copolymer elastomer resin.

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

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

at least one olefin-based elastomeric polymer;

at least one styrene block copolymer elastomer resin; and

at least one draw down polymer;

wherein the elastomeric film has a permanent set from 8 to 15%, as measured by the Two-Cycle Hysteresis Test Method using 100% maximum engineering strain.

16. The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the level of stretch of the activated laminate (% engineering strain at 1 N/cm force, as measured by the tensile test) is about 50% to about 144%.

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

18. An absorbent article comprising an extrusion bonded laminate, wherein the extrusion bonded laminate is at least a portion of one or more components of the absorbent article, the components selected from the group consisting of a backsheet, an outer cover, a side panel, a waistband, a front ear, a back ear, and combinations thereof;

wherein the extrusion bonded laminate comprises:

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 non-adhesively 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 non-adhesively 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, and wherein ethylene is between 10% and 97%;

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

wherein the component comprising the extrusion bonded laminate is elastic at 50% engineering strain;

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 laminate bond strength is from 1 N/cm to 3.5 N/cm; and

wherein the core layer comprises at least one thermoplastic elastomeric polymer.

19. The absorbent article of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the components of the absorbent article comprising the extrusion bonded laminate has apertures.

20. The absorbent article of claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric polymer is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers based on multi-block copolymers, thermoplastic elastomers based on polyurethanes, polyesters, polyether amides, elastomeric polyolefins, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, elastomeric polyolefin blends, and combinations thereof; and

wherein the thermoplastic elastomers based on multi-block copolymers are copolymerized rubber elastomeric blocks with polystyrene blocks, selected from the group consisting of styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, and styrene-butadiene/isoprene-styrene, including their hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated forms, and combinations thereof.