Nonwoven fabric; pouched product and related methods
The present invention provides a nonwoven fabric comprising a non-fibrous binder having certain solubility characteristics. It also provides a pouched product, the fabric and contents of which have certain solubility characteristics. Related methods are also disclosed.
1 . A nonwoven fabric for forming a pouched product, the nonwoven fabric comprising a chemically bonded web of staple fibres;
wherein the web includes a non-fibrous binder with Hansen solubility parameters meeting the following requirements: 17.5≤δ d (MPa 0.5 )≤19.0; 4.8≤δ p (MPa 0.5 )≤6.0; 7.0≤δ h (MPa 0.5 )≤10.0; and R 0 ≤5.0.
2 . The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 , wherein the web is composed of a plurality of carded layers of the staple fibres.
3 . The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 , wherein the non-fibrous binder comprises polybutylene succinate (PBS) or a polyurethane (PU).
4 . The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 , wherein the non-fibrous binder is present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount greater than or equal to 30 wt % based on a dry weight of the nonwoven fabric.
5 . The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 , wherein the non-fibrous binder is present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount less than or equal to 50 wt % based on a dry weight of the nonwoven fabric.
6 . The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 , wherein the staple fibres are present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount greater than or equal to 50 wt % based on a dry weight of the nonwoven fabric.
7 . The nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 , wherein the fabric density is greater than 140 g/mm.
8 . The nonwoven fabric of claim 7 , wherein the fabric density is less than or equal to 170 g/mm.
9 . A pouched product comprising a pouch formed from a nonwoven fabric comprising a chemically bonded web of staple fibres and a non-fibrous binder; wherein the pouch encloses a substance having at least one component;
wherein the relative energy difference RED calculated in the Hansen space for the non-fibrous binder and said component is greater than 0.8.
10 . The pouched product according to claim 9 , wherein said component is a liquid phase or a suspension.
11 . The pouched product according to claim 9 , wherein the relative energy difference RED calculated in the Hansen space for the non-fibrous binder and said component is greater than 1.0.
12 . The pouched product according to claim 9 , wherein the non-fibrous binder comprises polybutylene succinate (PBS) or a polyurethane (PU).
13 . The pouched product according to claim 9 , wherein the non-fibrous binder is present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount greater than or equal to 30 wt % based on a dry weight of the nonwoven fabric.
14 . The pouched product according to claim 9 , wherein the non-fibrous binder is present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount less than or equal to 50 wt % based on a dry weight of the nonwoven fabric.
15 . The pouched product according to claim 9 , wherein the staple fibres are present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount greater than or equal to 50 wt % based on a dry weight of the nonwoven fabric.
16 . The pouched product according to claim 9 , wherein the nonwoven fabric has a basis weight greater than 25 g/m 2 .
17 . The pouched product according to claim 9 , wherein said component comprises at least one selected from water, glycerol, propylene glycol, d-limonene, methyl salicylate, L-menthol, menthone, carvone, cinnamaldehyde and vanillin, and preferably comprises methyl salicylate.
18 . A method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric suitable for forming a pouched product, the method comprising:
forming a consolidated web by combining a plurality of layers of staple fibres; and
applying a non-fibrous binder to the consolidated web to bond the staple fibres together in a nonwoven fabric,
wherein the non-fibrous binder has Hansen solubility parameters meeting the following requirements: 17.5≤δ d (MPa 0.5 )≤19.0; 4.8≤δ p (MPa 0.5 )≤6.0; 7.0≤δ h (MPa 0.5 )≤10.0; and R 0 ≤5.0.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of forming a consolidated web comprises:
discharging a dry loose fibre web of the staple fibres; and
carding the loose fibre webs to form the each of the plurality of layers of staple fibres.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of applying the non-fibrous binder comprises:
impregnating the consolidated web with a non-fibrous binder solution; and
drying the impregnated consolidated web to form the nonwoven fabric.
21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the non-fibrous binder comprises polybutylene succinate (PBS) or a polyurethane (PU).