Extruded thermoplastic articles with enhanced surface segregation of internal melt additive

Abstract

Disclosed herein are extruded articles such as, for example, fibers and films, containing thermoplastic polymeric compositions having a copolymeric major component and a melt processable additive treatment, wherein the melt processable additives have enhanced segregation to or expression at the surface of the article, thereby improving the effect of the desired characteristic of the additive treatment. Also disclosed are multicomponent extruded thermoplastic articles having two or more distinct components arranged in a specific geometric arrangement, wherein the thermoplastic polymeric composition of at least one geometric component includes a copolymeric major component and a melt processable additive treatment. Also disclosed are web materials including the extruded articles. Such extruded articles and multicomponent extruded thermoplastic articles are useful in a wide range of limited use and disposable products such as, for example, personal care products, mortuary and veterinary products, protective wear garments, and medical care garments and products.

1 . An extruded thermoplastic article selected from the group consisting of films, foams, staple fibers, meltblown fibers and meltblown webs, said extruded thermoplastic article comprising a thermoplastic polymeric composition, said thermoplastic polymeric composition comprising a minor component melt processable additive treatment and a major component thermoplastic copolymer.  
     
     
         2 . The extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic polymeric composition further comprises a second thermoplastic polymer or copolymer as a second minor component.  
     
     
         3 . The extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 1  wherein said major component thermoplastic copolymer is a polyolefin copolymer.  
     
     
         4 . The extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 2  wherein said major component thermoplastic copolymer is a polyolefin copolymer and wherein said second thermoplastic polymer or copolymer is a polyolefin polymer or polyolefin copolymer.  
     
     
         5 . The extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 1  wherein said extruded thermoplastic article is a meltblown fiber or a film.  
     
     
         6 . The extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 1  wherein said minor component melt processable additive treatment is a low surface tension fluid repellency additive.  
     
     
         7 . The extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 5  wherein said minor component melt processable additive treatment is a low surface tension fluid repellency additive.  
     
     
         8 . A nonwoven web comprising a plurality of the meltblown fibers of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         9 . The extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic polymeric composition comprises from about 60 percent by weight to about 98 percent by weight of said component thermoplastic copolymer.  
     
     
         10 . The extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 9  wherein said thermoplastic polymeric composition comprises from about 80 percent by weight to about 98 percent by weight of said component thermoplastic copolymer.  
     
     
         11 . The extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 4  wherein said major component thermoplastic copolymer is copolymer of propylene and an alpha-olefin and wherein said second thermoplastic polymer or copolymer is a propylene polymer or propylene copolymer.  
     
     
         12 . A multicomponent extruded thermoplastic article comprising at least a first component comprising a first thermoplastic polymeric composition and a second component comprising a second thermoplastic polymeric composition, wherein at least said first thermoplastic polymeric composition comprises a minor component melt processable additive treatment and a major component thermoplastic copolymer.  
     
     
         13 . The multicomponent extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 12  wherein said major component thermoplastic copolymer of said first thermoplastic polymeric composition is a polyolefin copolymer, and wherein said second thermoplastic polymeric composition comprises a polyolefin homopolymer or copolymer.  
     
     
         14 . The multicomponent extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 12  wherein said first thermoplastic polymeric composition is a blend of said minor component melt processable additive treatment, said major component thermoplastic copolymer, and at least one additional thermoplastic polymer or copolymer.  
     
     
         15 . The multicomponent extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 12  wherein said multicomponent extruded thermoplastic article is a spunbond fiber, a meltblown fiber or a film.  
     
     
         16 . The multicomponent extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 15  wherein said spunbond fiber or said meltblown fiber has geometric components arranged selected from sheath-core, side-by-side, eccentric sheath-core and islands in the sea component arrangements.  
     
     
         17 . The multicomponent extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 16  wherein said first component first thermoplastic polymeric composition is arranged in a surface-facing geometric component.  
     
     
         18 . The multicomponent extruded thermoplastic article of  claim 15  wherein said film is a multilayer film comprising at least one core layer and at least one skin layer, said at least one skin layer comprising said minor component melt processable additive treatment, and wherein said melt processable additive treatment is a low surface tension fluid repellency additive.  
     
     
         19 . A nonwoven web comprising a plurality of the spunbond fibers of  claim 15 .  
     
     
         20 . A meltblown web comprising a plurality of meltblown fibers of  claim 15.