Melt-blown nonwoven fabric

Abstract

A melt-blown nonwoven fabric of the present invention is formed from an ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid copolymer having a melt flow rate of 50 to 1000 g/10 min measured at 2.16 kg load and at a temperature of 190° C. in accordance with ASTM D1238, and a content of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid unit of 2 to 25 weight %. The nonwoven fabric has the sum of values of (tensile strength (g/5 cm))/(basis weight (g/m 2 )) in machine direction and cross direction of 30 to 100, and a residual strain after 50% extension of no more than 20%, and is excellent in gas permeability , elasticity and moreover moderate strength. The nonwoven fabric is suitable for elasticized fabric components, packaging materials, laminates, etc.

1 . A melt-blown nonwoven fabric formed from an ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid copolymer.  
     
     
         2 . The melt-blown nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein said ethylene (meth)acrylic acid copolymer has a melt flow rate in the range of from 50 to 1000 g/10 min, measured at 2.16 kg load at a temperature of 190° C. in accordance with ASTM D1238 and a content of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid unit in the range of from 2 to 25 weight %.  
     
     
         3 . The melt-blown nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein said ethylene (meth)acrylic acid copolymers is blended with a thermoplastic polymer selected from ethylene-α-olefin random copolymers, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-(meth)acrylate copolymers, styrene-conjugated diene-styrene block copolymers and hydrogenated styrene-conjugated diene-styrene block copolymers.  
     
     
         4 . The melt-blown nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the sum of values of (tensile strength (g/5 cm))/(basis weight (g/m 2 )) in machine direction and cross direction is in the range of from 30 to 100, and each of tensile elongation in the machine direction and the cross direction is 80% or more.  
     
     
         5 . The melt-blown nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein a residual strain after 50% extension is 20% or less, and a residual strain after 100% extension is 50% or less.  
     
     
         6 . The melt-blown nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein a basis weight is in the range of from 5 to 200 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         7 . The melt-blown nonwoven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein said melt-blown nonwoven fabric is embossed.  
     
     
         8 . An elasticized fabric component characterized by comprising a melt-blown nonwoven fabric according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 .  
     
     
         9 . A packaging material characterized by comprising a melt-blown nonwoven fabric according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 .  
     
     
         10 . A nonwoven fabric laminate characterized by comprising at least one layer of a melt-blown nonwoven fabric according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 .  
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing the melt-blown nonwoven fabric of  claims 1  to  7 , in which an ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid copolymer is melted in an extruder, directly extruded from melt-blowing dies located in a line into two flows of high-speed, high-temperature converging air streams, and then the molten copolymer is drawn, made finer and collected onto a conveying screen, wherein an amount of air flow per one kilogram of said copolymer is in the range of from 10 to 200 Nm 3  and a distance from melt-blowing dies to a collective screen is in the range of from 10 to 40 cm.