Multicomponent fibers comprising starch and polymers

Abstract

The present invention is directed to multicomponent fibers. The fibers may be in a side-by-side, sheath-core, segmented pie, islands-in-the-sea configuration, or any combination of configurations. Each component of the fiber will comprise destructurized starch and/or a thermoplastic polymer. The present invention is also directed to nonwoven webs and disposable articles comprising the multicomponent fibers. The nonwoven webs may also contain other synthetic or natural fibers blended with the multicomponent fibers of the present invention.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A multicomponent fiber having a configuration selected from the group consisting of sheath-core, islands-in-the-sea, ribbon, segmented pie, side-by-side, and combination thereof; wherein each component of the multicomponent fiber comprises a material selected from group consisting of destructurized starch, thermoplastic polymer having a molecular weight of less than 500,000 g/mol, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         2 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1  wherein one component comprises: 
 a. destructurized starch,  
 b. a thermoplastic polymer having a molecular weight of less than about 500,000, and  
 c. a plasticizer.  
 
     
     
         3 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1  wherein one component comprises destructurized starch and a second component comprises a thermoplastic polymer having a molecular weight of less than about 500,000 g/mol.  
     
     
         4 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1  wherein the fiber has a diameter of less than 200 micrometers.  
     
     
         5 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1  where the fiber is splittable.  
     
     
         6 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1  wherein the fiber is thermally bondable.  
     
     
         7 . A nonwoven web comprising the multicomponent fibers of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         8 . A nonwoven web wherein the multicomponent fibers of  claim 6  are blended with other synthetic or natural fibers and bonded together.  
     
     
         9 . A disposable article comprising the nonwoven web of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         10 . A nonwoven web comprising multicomponent fibers having a configuration selected from the group consisting of sheath-core, islands-in-the-sea, ribbon, segmented pie, side-by-side, and combination thereof; wherein each component of the multicomponent fiber comprises a material selected from group consisting of destructurized starch, thermoplastic polymer having a molecular weight of less than 500,000 g/mol, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A nonwoven web wherein the multicomponent fibers of  claim 9  are blended with other synthetic or natural fibers and bonded together.  
     
     
         12 . A disposable article comprising the nonwoven webs of  claim 9 .  
     
     
         13 . A bicomponent fiber having a sheath-core configuration wherein the sheath comprises destructurized starch and a plasticizer and the core comprises a thermoplastic polymer having a molecular weight of less than 500,000 g/mol.  
     
     
         14 . A bicomponent fiber having a sheath-core configuration wherein the sheath comprises a thermoplastic polymer having a molecular weight of less than 500,000 g/mol and the core comprises destructurized starch and a plasticizer.