Nonwoven article and method of making the same

Abstract

A method comprises exposing a particle coating disposed on a nonwoven fiber web comprising thermally-softenable fibers to pulsed electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength in the range of 200 nm to 1000 nm. The particle coating comprises distinct particles that are not chemically bonded to each other, and are not retained in a binder material other than the thermally-softenable fibers. Also disclosed are nonwoven articles comprising a thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web having a particle coating disposed thereon. The particle coating comprises distinct particles that are not chemically bonded to each other and are not retained in a binder material other than the thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web. The particle coating is at least 60 percent retained after a one minute immersion in isopropanol at 22° C.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of making a nonwoven article, the method comprising exposing a particle coating disposed on a thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web to pulsed electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength in the range of 200 to 1000 nanometers, wherein the particle coating comprises loosely bound distinct particles that are not chemically bonded to each other and are not retained in a binder material other than the thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web, and wherein the pulsed electromagnetic radiation has sufficient fluence and pulse width to increase bonding force between at least a portion of the loosely bound distinct particles and the thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the particle coating comprises at least one of graphite or hexagonal boron nitride. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the particle coating consists essentially of graphite. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the pulsed electromagnetic radiation is generated using a flashlamp. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the pulsed electromagnetic radiation is generated using a pulsed laser. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the pulsed electromagnetic radiation is generated using a continuous light source and a shutter. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web comprises fibers having a higher melting core and a lower melting sheath. 
     
     
         21 . A nonwoven article made according to the method of claim  1 . 
     
     
         22 . A nonwoven article comprising a thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web having a particle coating disposed thereon, wherein the particle coating comprises distinct particles that are not chemically bonded to each other and are not retained in a binder material other than the thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web, and wherein the particle coating is at least 60 percent retained after a one minute immersion in isopropanol at 22° C. 
     
     
         23 . The nonwoven article of  claim 22 , wherein the particle coating comprises at least one of graphite or hexagonal boron nitride. 
     
     
         24 . The nonwoven article of  claim 22 , wherein the particle coating consists essentially of graphite. 
     
     
         25 . The nonwoven article of  claim 22 , wherein the particle coating is at least 90 percent retained after the one minute immersion in isopropanol at 22° C. 
     
     
         26 . The nonwoven article of  claim 22 , wherein the thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web comprises fibers having a higher melting core and a lower melting sheath.