Method of making laminate structures for mechanical activation

Abstract

A method for producing a stretch laminate includes forming an intermediate stretch laminate. Forming the intermediate stretch laminate includes providing a first substrate and attaching an elastic film to a surface of the first substrate via an adhesive. The first substrate and the elastic film are in a face to face orientation. The intermediate stretch laminate has a residual energy of greater than or equal to 50% at a predetermined applied strain. The method of forming the stretch laminate further includes mechanically activating the intermediate stretch laminate at a strain rate of at least 100 s −1 .

1 . A method of producing a stretch laminate the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) forming an intermediate stretch laminate, wherein forming the intermediate stretch laminate comprises the steps of: 
 i) providing a first substrate;  
 ii) attaching an elastic film to a surface of the first substrate via an adhesive, such that the first substrate and the elastic film are in a face to face orientation,  
 wherein the intermediate stretch laminate has a residual energy of greater than about 46% at a predetermined applied strain; and  
   b) mechanically activating the intermediate stretch laminate at a strain rate of at least about 100 s −1 .    
   
   
       2 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined applied strain is greater than or equal to about 100%.  
   
   
       3 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined applied strain is greater than or equal to about 200%.  
   
   
       4 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined applied strain is greater than or equal to about 300%.  
   
   
       5 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the strain rate is greater than or equal to about 500 s −1 .  
   
   
       6 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of mechanically activating the first substrate at a first temperature T 1 , the adhesive at a second temperature T 2 , and the film at a third temperature T 3 .  
   
   
       7 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 6 , wherein the second temperature T 2  is greater than the first temperature T 1 , and wherein the first temperature T 1  is greater than the third temperature T 3 .  
   
   
       8 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is a nonwoven.  
   
   
       9 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 7 , wherein the nonwoven comprises fibers which are selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, nylon, cellulose, polyamide, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic film comprises at least one of the following: block co-polymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-styrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the step of forming an intermediate stretch laminate further comprises the steps of: 
 iii) providing a second substrate; and    iv) attaching the elastic film to a surface of the second substrate via an adhesive, such that the second substrate and the elastic film are in a face to face orientation.    
   
   
       12 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined applied strain is greater than or equal to about 100%.  
   
   
       13 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined applied strain is greater than or equal to about 200%.  
   
   
       14 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined applied strain is greater than or equal to about 300%.  
   
   
       15 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of mechanically activating the first substrate and the second substrate at a first temperature T 1 , the adhesive at a second temperature T 2 , and the film at a third temperature T 3 .  
   
   
       16 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 15 , wherein the second temperature T 2  is greater than the first temperature T 1 , and wherein the first temperature T 1  is greater than the third temperature T 3 .  
   
   
       17 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 11 , wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are nonwovens.  
   
   
       18 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 17 , wherein the nonwovens comprise fibers which are selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, nylon, cellulose, polyamide, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       19 . The method of producing a stretch laminate of  claim 11 , wherein the elastic film comprises at least one of the following: block co-polymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-styrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       20 . An intermediate stretch laminate comprising: 
 a first nonwoven;    an elastic film attached to the first nonwoven via an adhesive such that the elastic film and the first nonwoven are in a face to face orientation; and    a second nonwoven attached to the elastic film via an adhesive, wherein the second nonwoven is attached to the elastic film opposite the first nonwoven such that the second nonwoven and the elastic film are in a face to face orientation,    wherein the intermediate stretch laminate has a residual energy which is greater than about 46%.