Process for preparing a non-woven fibrous web
Disclosed is a fibrous web which includes a microencapsulated material, such as a microencapsulated phase change material, adhered to the web. Preferably, the web is prepared in a melt-blowing or spun-bonding process. In the melt-blowing process, cooling water containing the microcapsules is used to cool melt blown fibers prior to collection on a collector. In the spun-bonding process, microcapsules are applied in liquid suspension or in dry form to a heated web, for instance, after the web has been calendared. The fibrous webs thus prepared have numerous uses, and are particularly suited to the manufacture of clothing.
1 . A fibrous web, prepared by a process comprising:
providing a polymeric melt comprising a thermoplastic polymer;
melt-blowing a body of fibers from said melt, said body comprising a plurality of fibers, said fibers being at a temperature sufficient to render said fibers tacky;
contacting said body with discrete plural particles of an adherent, whereby at least some of said particles adhere to said body; and
collecting said body on a collector thereby forming a web.
2 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 1 , said polymeric melt comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, and polylactic acid.
3 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 1 , said polymeric melt comprising a nylon.
4 . A fibrous web, prepared by a process comprising:
providing a polymeric melt comprising a thermoplastic polymer;
melt-blowing a body of fibers from said solution, said body comprising a plurality of fibers, said fibers being at a temperature sufficient to render said fibers tacky;
cooling said body with a cooling medium, said cooling medium including a cooling fluid and discrete plural particles of an adherent, whereby at least some of said discrete plural particles adhere to said body; and
collecting said body on a collector thereby forming a web.
5 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 4 , said body of fibers being sufficiently permeable to said cooling medium such that said at least some of said particles of adherent adhere to fibers within said body.
6 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 5 , said cooling fluid comprising water.
7 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 5 , said polymeric melt comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, and polylactic acid.
8 . A fibrous web, prepared by a process comprising:
withdrawing a body of fibers from a spinarette, said body comprising a plurality of fibers of a thermoplastic material;
heating said body of fibers to a temperature at which said fibers become tacky;
contacting said body with discrete plural particles of an adherent, whereby at least some of said discrete plural particles adhere to said body; and
collecting said body on a collector thereby forming a web.
9 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 8 , said heating comprising heating via a hot nip operation.
10 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 8 , said heating comprising introducing said body to radiant heat from a source of radiant heat.
11 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 8 , said heating comprising contacting said body with a hot gas.
12 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 8 , said adherent being at least substantially dry.
13 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 8 , said body of fibers being sufficiently permeable such that at least some of said particles of adherent adhere to fibers within said body.
14 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 8 , said particles being applied by contracting said body with a cooling medium comprising said particles and a cooling fluid.
15 . A fibrous web prepared according to claim 14 , said cooling fluid comprising water.
16 . A non-woven substrate, said non-woven substrate comprising a plurality of fibers, said fibers being composed of a thermoplastic material, prepared by the process for adhering a microencapsulated material to said substrate:
heating said substrate to a temperature at which said fibers become tacky; and
contacting said fibers with discrete plural microcapsules, each microcapsule comprising a core material bounded by a wall material, whereby at least some of said microcapsules adhere to said fibers.
17 . A non-woven substrate prepared according to claim 16 , said substrate being sufficiently permeable such that at least some of said microcapsules adhere to fibers within said body.
18 . A non-woven substrate prepared according to claim 16 , said heating comprising heating via a hot nip operation.
19 . A non-woven substrate prepared according to claim 16 , said heating comprising introducing said body to radiant heat from a source of radiant heat.
20 . A non-woven substrate prepared according to claim 16 , said heating comprising contacting said body with a hot gas.