Non-woven fiber assemblies

1. A non-woven fiber assembly comprising one or more fibers wherein each fiber contains:

a hydrophilic component; and

an elastomeric component, and

wherein the non-woven fiber assembly further comprises an adhesive component, and wherein the assembly is capable of adhering to a dry substrate and is not capable of adhering to a wet substrate.

2. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly forms a component of a medical dressing.

3. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive component is selected from homo- and co-polymers of acrylates, silicones, polyvinylpyrrolidones, and mixtures thereof.

4. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric component is selected from polyurethanes, polyesters, polyanhydrides, polyamides, polyimides, and mixtures and co-polymers thereof.

5. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic component is selected from linear poly(ethylenimine), grafted cellulosics, poly(ethylene oxide), polyvinylpyrrolidone, polypropylene-oxides, polyurethanes, poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate), and mixtures and co-polymers thereof.

6. A non-woven fiber assembly comprising one or more fibers wherein each fiber contains:

a hydrophilic component; and

an elastomeric component, and

wherein the non-woven fiber assembly further comprises an adhesive component, and wherein the composition of the one or more fibers at a first surface of the assembly is different from the composition of the one or more fibers at a second surface of the assembly.

7. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fiber has a diameter of between about 3 nanometers and about 3000 nanometers.

8. A method of making a non-woven fiber assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one fiber-forming material; and

forming at least one fiber from the at least one fiber-forming material, and

wherein the at least one fiber forming material comprises a hydrophilic component, an elastomeric component, and optionally an adhesive component, and wherein each fiber contains a hydrophilic component and an elastomeric component, and optionally contains an adhesive component, and wherein the one or more fiber-forming materials is provided in a solvent, and wherein the solvent is selected from alcohols, ethyl acetate, acetone, and tetrahydrofuran.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the relative amounts of the adhesive component, the elastomeric component, and the hydrophilic component varies over time, thereby producing a fiber assembly in which the composition of the one or more fibers at a first surface of the dressing differs from the composition of the one or more fibers at a second surface of the dressing.

10. A method of treating a patient comprising:

applying a non-woven fiber assembly of claim 1 to a predetermined area of the patient.

11. The non-woven assembly of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive component is located on, or in proximity to, the one or more fibers.

12. A non-woven fiber assembly comprising one or more fibers wherein each fiber contains:

a hydrophilic component;

an elastomeric component; and

an adhesive component.

13. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 12 , wherein the assembly is capable of adhering to a dry substrate and is not capable of adhering to a wet substrate.

14. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 12 , wherein the assembly forms a component of a medical dressing.

15. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 12 , wherein the adhesive component is selected from homo- and co-polymers of acrylates, silicones, polyvinylpyrrolidones, and mixtures thereof.

16. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 12 , wherein the elastomeric component is selected from polyurethanes, polyesters, polyanhydrides, polyamides, polyimides, and mixtures and co-polymers thereof.

17. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 12 , wherein the hydrophilic component is selected from linear poly(ethylenimine), grafted cellulosics, poly(ethylene oxide), polyvinylpyrrolidone, polypropylene-oxides, polyurethanes, poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate), and mixtures and co-polymers thereof.

18. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 12 , wherein the composition of the one or more fibers at a first surface of the assembly is different from the composition of the one or more fibers at a second surface of the assembly.

19. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 12 , wherein the at least one fiber has a diameter of between about 3 nanometers and about 3000 nanometers.

20. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 6 , wherein the assembly is capable of adhering to a dry substrate and is not capable of adhering to a wet substrate.

21. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 6 , wherein the assembly forms a component of a medical dressing.

22. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 6 , wherein the adhesive component is selected from homo- and co-polymers of acrylates, silicones, polyvinylpyrrolidones, and mixtures thereof.

23. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 6 , wherein the elastomeric component is selected from polyurethanes, polyesters, polyanhydrides, polyamides, polyimides, and mixtures and co-polymers thereof.

24. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 6 , wherein the hydrophilic component is selected from linear poly(ethylenimine), grafted cellulosics, poly(ethylene oxide), polyvinylpyrrolidone, polypropylene-oxides, polyurethanes, poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate), and mixtures and co-polymers thereof.

25. The non-woven fiber assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least one fiber has a diameter of between about 3 nanometers and about 3000 nanometers.