Nonwoven fibrous structures including ionic reinforcement material, and methods

Abstract

Nonwoven fibrous structures and related media with ionic reinforcement material and methods of forming the same includes bonding at least a portion of the population of fibers together with an ionic reinforcement material. Nonwoven fibrous structures can be utilized as a mat, a web, a sheet, a scrim, or a combination thereof. Methods of making nonwoven fibrous structures and related media with ionic reinforcement material made according to the methods, are also disclosed.

1 . A method of making a nonwoven fibrous structure, comprising:
 introducing a plurality of fibers into a forming chamber;   dispersing the fibers within the forming chamber to form a population of individual fibers suspended in a gas;   collecting the population of fibers as a nonwoven fibrous structure on a collector; and   bonding at least a portion of the population of fibers together with an ionic reinforcement material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying an ionic liquid material to the population of fibers, optionally wherein bonding at least the portion of the population of fibers together comprises curing the applied ionic liquid material to form the ionic reinforcement material. 
     
     
         3 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the applied ionic liquid material further comprises at least one binder resin, optionally wherein the applied ionic liquid material acts as a plasticizer for the at least one binder resin, optionally wherein the at least one binder resin is selected from the group consisting of a phenolic resin, a bio-based resin, a thermoplastic (meth)acrylic (co)polymer resin, an epoxy resin, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the ionic liquid material comprises at least one cation and at least one anion. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one cation is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen containing heterocyclic cations, ammonium, phosphonium, or sulfonium; and further wherein the at least one anion is selected from the group consisting of halogen anions, fluorine containing anions, alkyl sulfate anions, alkyl phosphate anions, acetate, dicyanamide (N(CN) 2 ), or thiocyanate (SCN). 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein applying the ionic liquid material consists of spraying the ionic liquid material, roll coating the ionic liquid material, dip coating the ionic liquid material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A nonwoven fibrous structure comprising:
 a population of randomly oriented fibers bonded together at a plurality of intersection points with an ionic reinforcement material.   
     
     
         21 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the ionic reinforcement material is comprised of an ionic plasticizer. 
     
     
         22 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the ionic reinforcement material is comprised of an ionic liquid and a binder selected from the group consisting of a (meth)acrylic (co)polymer binder, a styrene-butadiene latex binder, a bio-based binder, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 22 , comprising from 1 to 40 wt. % of the ionic liquid. 
     
     
         24 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 22 , wherein the ionic liquid comprises water, one or more cations, and one or more anions. 
     
     
         25 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , exhibiting at least one distinguishing characteristic selected from the group consisting of a fire retardant characteristic, an antistatic characteristic, an antibacterial characteristic, an antimicrobial characteristic, an antifungal characteristic, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         26 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the population of fibers includes fibers selected from the group consisting of mono-component fibers, multi-component fibers, crimped fibers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the population of fibers includes fibers selected from the group consisting of staple fibers, melt blown fibers, natural fibers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the population of fibers includes thermoplastic (co)polymer fibers further comprising a (co)polymer selected from poly(propylene), poly(ethylene), poly(butane), poly(ethylene) terephthalate, poly(butylene) terephthalate, poly(ethylene) napthalate, poly(amide), poly(urethane), poly(lactic acid), poly(vinyl)alcohol, poly(phenylene) sulfide, poly(sulfone), liquid crystalline polymer, poly(ethylene)-co-poly(vinyl)acetate, poly(acrylonitrile), cyclic poly(olefin), poly(oxymethylene), poly(olefinic) thermoplastic elastomers, recycled fibers containing any of the preceding thermoplastic (co)polymers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the population of fibers includes natural fibers selected from cotton, wool, jute, agave, sisal, coconut, soybean, hemp, viscose, bamboo, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the nonwoven fibrous structure includes a population of particulates bonded to the nonwoven fibrous structure, further wherein the particulates are selected from the group consisting of abrasive particulates, detergent particulates, anti-bacterial particulates, adsorbent particulates, absorbent particulates; or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the population of particulates exhibits a median particle diameter of from 0.1 micrometer to 1,000 micrometers. 
     
     
         34 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the population of fibers exhibits a median fiber diameter of from 1 micrometer to 50 micrometers. 
     
     
         35 . The nonwoven fibrous structure of  claim 20 , wherein the nonwoven fibrous structure is a structure selected from the group consisting of a mat, a web, a sheet, a scrim, or a combination thereof.