High quality melt-blown webs with improved barrier properties

1. Melt-blown web comprising melt-blown fibers made of at least 95 wt % of a polypropylene composition comprising:

(A) a polypropylene homopolymer, wherein the polypropylene homopolymer comprises at least 95 wt % of the polypropylene composition, and

(B) optionally a polymeric nucleating agent,

wherein the melt-blown web shows an integral ratio [Rv], being defined as ratio of the integral value specifying the area under the peak with the chemical shift at 4.77 ppm of a 1 H NMR spectrum to the integral value specifying the area under the peak with the chemical shift at 4.70 ppm 1 H NMR spectrum, of 0.95 to 1.03, whereby the 1 H NMR spectrum was determined by solution-state 1 H-NMR spectroscopy,

wherein the polypropylene composition has been prepared by visbreaking with at least one compound (C) being capable of thermally decomposing into carbon-based free radicals of formula (I) or (II) by breaking at least one single bond:

wherein in these formulas each of

R 1 , R 2 R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 can be independently selected from hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted straight chain, branched or cyclic saturated or mono-unsaturated hydrocarbons with 1 to 12 C-atoms, substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbons with 5 to 12 C-atoms or carboxylate groups COOX, with X being a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl group,

whereby at least one of R 1 , R 2 R 3 , R 4 , R 5 or R 6 is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon with 5 to 12 C-atoms.

2. Melt-blown web according to claim 1 , having a total unsaturation, being defined as sum of terminal vinylidene and internal vinylidene, of more than 28/100000 C atoms determined by liquid-state proton-NMR spectroscopy.

3. Melt-blown web according to claim 1 ,

wherein the amount of compound(s) (C) being added to the polypropylene composition for visbreaking is in the range of 0.01 to 10 wt % based on the polypropylene composition.

4. Melt-blown web according to claim 1 , wherein the carbon-based free radicals of formula (I) or (II) being generated from one or more compounds (C) of the formula (III):

wherein each of R 1 , R 3 , R 4 and R 6 independently is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted and unsubstituted straight, branched, and cyclic, hydrocarbons with 1 to 12 C-atoms and substituted and unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbons with 5 to 12 C-atoms, and

each of R 2 and R 5 independently is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted straight, branched, and cyclic hydrocarbons with 1 to 12 C-atoms and substituted and unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbons with 5 to 12 C-atoms and wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon with 5 to 12 C-atoms.

5. Article comprising the melt-blown web according to claim 1 , wherein said article is selected from the group consisting of filtration media, diapers, sanitary napkins, panty liners, incontinence products for adults, protective clothing, breathing protection masks, surgical drapes, surgical gowns, and surgical wear.