Non-woven based on exploded or splittable multicomponent fibers

Abstract

A hydro-entangled non-woven based on multi-component fibers, either exploded or splittable by hydro-entangling, and a process for the obtaining of the same is described: the thus obtained non-woven has improved softness, resistance and appearance and increases the productive potential of a future industrial line.

1 . A process for the production of a non-woven, comprising the following manufacturing steps; 
 a) preparing at least one layer (T 1 ) of splittable multi-component polymer fibers;    b) hydro-entangling said at least one layer such as to obtain a non-woven where the multi-component polymer fibers are split into mono-component micro-fibers entangling with one another.    
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises: 
 preparing at least one layer (T 1 ) of splittable multi-component polymer fibers;    laying at least one layer of fibers of absorbent material (T 3 ) on said at least one layer (T 1 ),    whereby the hydro-entangling step b) takes place such as to obtain a non-woven where the multi-component polymer fibers which are split into mono-component micro-fibers entangle both with one another and the fibers of the absorbent material.    
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises: 
 preparing at least one layer (T 1 ) of splittable multi-component polymer fibers;    laying at least one layer of fibers of absorbent material (T 3 ) on said at least one layer (T 1 );    laying at least one further layer (T 2 ) of splittable multi-component polymer fibers on said at least one layer of fibers of absorbent material,    whereby the hydro-entangling step b) takes place such as to obtain a multi-layer non-woven where the multi-component polymer fibers are split into individual mono-component micro-fibers entangling both with one another and the fibers of the absorbent material.    
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said step a) is made through separate extrusion of at least two polymers by a suitable spinneret ( 5 , 7 , 11 , 15 ) below which said at least two polymer components are linked such as to form a single splittable multi-component fiber.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 4 , wherein said splittable multi-component fiber is obtained by spinning and subsequently linking up to 16 continuous threads of different polymers.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer fibers derive from at least two threads of a single polymer up to 16 threads of different polymers, be they homopolymers, copolymers or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 6 , wherein said polymers are selected from polyesters, polyamides, polyolefins, polyurethane, polyester modified with additives, polypropylene, polyethylene, polypropylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate.  
     
     
         8 . The process for the production of a non-woven, comprising the following manufacturing steps; 
 i) preparing at least one layer (T 1 ) of exploded polymer fibers;    ii) hydro-entangling said at least one layer such as to obtain a non-woven where the polymer fibers are exploded into micro-fibers entangling with one another.    
     
     
         9 . The process for the production of a non-woven according to  claim 8 , wherein step i) comprises: 
 preparing at least one layer (T 1 ) of exploded polymer fibers;    laying at least one layer of fibers of absorbent material (T 3 ) on said at least one layer (T 1 ),    whereby the hydro-entangling step ii) takes place such as to obtain a non-woven fiber where the polymer fibers exploded into micro-fibers entangle both with one another and the fibers of the absorbent material.    
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein step i) comprises: 
 preparing at least one layer (T 1 ) of exploded polymer fibers;    laying at least one layer of fibers of absorbent material (T 3 ) on said at least one layer (T 1 );    laying at least one further layer (T 2 ) of exploded polymer fibers on said at least one layer of fibers of absorbent material,    whereby the hydro-entangling step ii) takes place such as to obtain a multi-layer non-woven in which the polymer fibers exploded into individual micro-fibers entangle both with one another and the fibers of the absorbent material.    
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein the exploded polymer fibers are obtained through the passage of polymer fibers through a Laval nozzle.  
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein the polymers of the exploded fibers are selected from natural or synthetic polymers.  
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 12 , wherein the natural polymers are selected from cellulose, Lyocell and PLA, whilst the synthetic polymers are selected from polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide and polyester.  
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein said laying of absorbent material fibers takes place with cellulose pulp fibers.  
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein said laying of absorbent material fibers takes place with cellulose pulp fibers.  
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising a drying step after the hydro-entangling step.  
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising a drying step after the hydro-entangling step.  
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 16 , further comprising a step of winding the non-woven fabric onto a roller after said drying step.  
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 17 , further comprising a step of winding the non-woven fabric onto a roller after said drying step.  
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 2 , further comprising a pre-hydro-entangling step after said step of preparing at least one layer (T 1 ) of polymer fibers.  
     
     
         21 . The process according to  claim 9 , further comprising a pre-hydro-entangling step after said step of preparing at least one layer (T 1 ) of polymer fibers.  
     
     
         22 . The process according to  claim 20 , further comprising a drying step after said pre-hydro-entangling step.  
     
     
         23 . The process according to  claim 21 , further comprising a drying step after said pre-hydro-entangling step.  
     
     
         24 . The process according to  claim 16 , further comprising a dewatering step simultaneous or subsequent to said drying step.  
     
     
         25 . The process according to  claim 17 , further comprising a dewatering step simultaneous or subsequent to said drying step.  
     
     
         26 . The process according to  claim 18 , further comprising a thickening step before the winding step.  
     
     
         27 . The process according to  claim 19 , further comprising a thickening step before the winding step.  
     
     
         28 . The process according to  claim 26 , wherein said thickening step takes place through calendering or hydro-entangling.  
     
     
         29 . The process according to  claim 27 , wherein said thickening step takes place through calendering or hydro-entangling.  
     
     
         30 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein air is sucked at a temperature equal to or lower than room temperature through said polymer fibers in order to cool and cure them.  
     
     
         31 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein air is sucked at a temperature equal to or lower than room temperature through said polymer fibers in order to cool and cure them.  
     
     
         32 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein said exploded fibers are humidified before being hydro-entangled.  
     
     
         33 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising a non-woven finishing step.  
     
     
         34 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising a non-woven finishing step.  
     
     
         35 . The process according to claims  1 , further comprising a multicolor printing step of the non-woven.  
     
     
         36 . The process according to claims  8 , further comprising a multicolor printing step of the non-woven.  
     
     
         37 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein each preparation step of the polymer fibers and laying of the fibers of absorbent material is made on a support (S) having a surface comprising sections with a profile substantially perpendicular to the vertical laying flow of the fibers interspaced by sections with an inclined profile of 10°-50° in relation to said vertical flow.  
     
     
         38 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein each preparation step of the polymer fibers and laying of the fibers of absorbent material is made on a support (S) having a surface comprising sections with a profile substantially perpendicular to the vertical laying flow of the fibers interspaced by sections with an inclined profile of 10°-50° in relation to said vertical flow.  
     
     
         39 . A hydro-entangled single- or multi-layer non-woven which is obtainable according to the process in accordance with  claim 1 .  
     
     
         40 . A hydro-entangled single- or multi-layer non-woven which is obtainable according to the process in accordance with  claim 8 .  
     
     
         41 . The non-woven fabric according to  claim 39 , comprising at least one micro-fiber layer.  
     
     
         42 . The non-woven fabric according to  claim 40 , comprising at least one micro-fiber layer.  
     
     
         43 . The non-woven fabric according to  claim 41 , wherein said micro-fibers have a diameter of between 0.1 dTex and 0.9 dTex.  
     
     
         44 . The non-woven fabric according to  claim 42 , wherein said micro-fibers have a diameter of between 0.1 dTex and 0.9 dTex.  
     
     
         45 . The non-woven according to  claim 43 , wherein said micro-fibers have a diameter of between 1 and 5 micron.  
     
     
         46 . The non-woven according to  claim 44 , wherein said micro-fibers have a diameter of between 1 and 5 micron.  
     
     
         47 . The non-woven according to  claim 45 , wherein the weight in grams per meter is between 50 and 70, the tensile strength in the machine direction expressed in Newton per 5 cm (N/5 cm) is between 50 and 150, whereas in the cross-direction of between 20 and 75, the elongation calculated as a percentage in relation to the length in a relaxed state is between 35% and 85% in machine direction (MD), whereas it is between 70% and 100% in the cross-direction (CD), the final content of the cellulose pulp fiber is between 50% and 75% by weight of the total weight of the non-woven, the absorption power calculated as a percentage of the total weight of the weight of the dry non-woven is between 600% and 700%.  
     
     
         48 . The non-woven according to  claim 46 , wherein the weight in grams per meter is between 50 and 70, the tensile strength in the machine direction expressed in Newton per 5 cm (N/5 cm) is between 50 and 150, whereas in the cross-direction of between 20 and 75, the elongation calculated as a percentage in relation to the length in a relaxed state is between 35% and 85% in machine direction (MD), whereas it is between 70% and 100% in the cross-direction (CD), the final content of the cellulose pulp fiber is between 50% and 75% by weight of the total weight of the non-woven, the absorption power calculated as a percentage of the total weight of the weight of the dry non-woven is between 600% and 700%.  
     
     
         49 . The non-woven according to  claim 45 , wherein said non-woven is of a three-layer type having a total weight in grams of between 48 and 65, a weight of the upper layer in grams per square meter of between 11 and 13, a weight of the inner layer of cellulose pulp fiber of between 26 and 39 grams per square meter, a weight of the lower layer in grams per square meter of between 11 and 13, a MD tensile strength of between 18 and 27 N/5 cm, a CD tensile strength of between 7 and 14 N/5 cm and a thickness of between 0.40 and 0.65 mm.  
     
     
         50 . The non-woven according to  claim 46 , wherein said non-woven is of a three-layer type having a total weight in grams of between 48 and 65, a weight of the upper layer in grams per square meter of between 11 and 13, a weight of the inner layer of cellulose pulp fiber of between 26 and 39 grams per square meter, a weight of the lower layer in grams per square meter of between 11 and 13, a MD tensile strength of between 18 and 27 N/5 cm, a CD tensile strength of between 7 and 14 N/5 cm and a thickness of between 0.40 and 0.65 mm.  
     
     
         50 . Use of splittable or exploded multi-component polymer fibers for the production of a single- or multi-layer non-woven.  
     
     
         51 . The use according to  claim 50 , wherein said multi-layer non-woven comprises one layer of absorbent material fibers between two layers of split or exploded multi-component polymer fibers.