HYDROENTANGLED ELASTIC FILAMENT-BASED, STRETCH-BONDED COMPOSITES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME
A stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite that is absorbent to both water and oil includes a machine-direction, elastic filament-based, stretch-bonded laminate layer and a hydrophilic fibrous layer that is hydroentangled with all layers of the elastic filament-based, stretch-bonded laminate layer. The laminate layer includes a middle elastic filament-based layer sandwiched between two inelastic nonwoven layers.
1 . A process for making a stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite includes the steps of:
a) providing a machine direction elastic, web or filament-based, stretch-bonded nonwoven laminate layer, itself having a web or filament-based elastic layer and at least one inelastic layer;
b) stretching the stretch-bonded nonwoven laminate layer in the machine direction such that the at least one inelastic layer is in a generally flattened configuration, and no rupture of the inelastic layer occurs;
c) providing a hydrophilic fibrous layer on the stretched, stretch-bonded nonwoven laminate layer, the fibrous layer including either staple fibers, substantially continuous fibers, pulp fibers or a combination thereof;
d) hydroentangling the fibers of the hydrophilic fibrous layer into the stretched, stretch-bonded nonwoven laminate layer to produce a hydroentangled stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite that is absorbent to both aqueous and oil-based liquids;
e) allowing the hydroentangled stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite to dry and relax;
f) storing said hydroentangled stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite or moving said composite to a further product manufacturing process.
2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein said machine direction elastic web or filament-based stretch-bonded laminate layer includes either an elastic meltblown layer or an elastic, substantially parallel filament layer.
3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein said machine direction, elastic web or filament-based stretch-bonded nonwoven laminate layer itself includes two inelastic layers, one of each inelastic layer bonded to a separate side of a middle elastic layer, wherein the elastic layer is comprised of an elastic meltblown web layer or filament-based layer.
4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the stretching step is accomplished by a series of progressively faster moving rolls.
5 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the stretching step is accomplished by a pair of rolls in an S-wrap arrangement in which the ratio of speeds between the second roll farthest from the stretch-bonded elastic laminate layer source and the first roll closest to the source is between about 1.1:1 and 5:1.
6 . The process of claim 5 , wherein the ratio of speeds is between about 1.5:1 and 3:1.
7 . The process of claim 6 , wherein the ratio of speeds is between about 2.3:1 and 2.3:1.5.
8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic fibrous layer is cellulosic based.
9 . The process of claim 8 , wherein the hydrophilic fibrous layer is present initially, before hydroentanglement in a basis weight range of between about 2 and 200 gsm.
10 . A stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite that is absorbent to both aqueous and oil-based liquids made from the method of claim 1 .
11 . A wipe, medical product or personal care product made from the stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite of claim 10 .
12 . A stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite that includes a machine-direction, elastic filament-based, stretch-bonded laminate layer and a hydrophilic fibrous layer that is hydroentangled with all layers of the elastic filament-based, stretch-bonded laminate layer.
13 . The stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite of claim 12 , wherein said elastic filament-based, stretch-bonded laminate layer includes three layers, those being a middle layer of elastic filaments and two inelastic layers sandwiching said middle layer.
14 . The stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite of claim 13 , wherein said inelastic layers are selected from the group consisting of spunbond, meltblown and BCW webs.
15 . The stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite of claim 14 , wherein said inelastic layers are spunbond webs having basis weights of between about 5 and 50 gsm.
16 . The stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite of claim 12 , wherein said hydrophilic fibrous layer includes cellulosic fibers.
17 . The stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite of claim 12 , wherein said hydrophilic fibrous layer has a basis weight of between about 2 and 200 gsm.
18 . The stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite of claim 17 , wherein said hydrophilic fibrous layer has a basis weight of between about 30 and 50 gsm.
19 . The stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite of claim 12 , wherein said composite is both aqueous-based liquid absorbent and oil-based liquid absorbent.
20 . The stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite of claim 12 , wherein said composite is incorporated into either a wipe, personal care absorbent article, or medical covering.
21 . The process of claim 1 , in which said hydroentangled stretch-bonded elastic nonwoven composite is produced without adhesive.