Patent ID: 7858157
Filing Date: 2010-12-28
Classification: A61F,D06M,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for making a hydrophilic nonwoven from a plurality of treated fibers, comprising: providing a plurality of fibers; providing an aqueous solution comprising hydrophilic monomers, radical polymerization initiators, and agent molecules, wherein the amount of radical polymerization initiator molecules is less than 2 wt % of the monomer molecules and at least three times the amount of the agent molecules by weight based on the weight of the solution; contacting the plurality of fibers with the aqueous solution; exposing the plurality of fibers to UV radiation such that hydrophilic polymers are chemically grafted to the surface of at least a part of the plurality of fibers by way of reactive radicals formed from at least one of (i) a reaction between a monomer molecule and a radical polymerization initiator molecule and (ii) a reaction between the fiber surface and a radical polymerization initiator molecule; forming the fibers into a nonwoven, wherein the nonwoven has a liquid strike through time of less than 5 seconds for a fifth gush of liquid and wherein the nonwoven provides a surface tension measurement of at least 65 mN/m according to the Determination of Surface Tension method; and incorporating the nonwoven into a disposable absorbent article wherein the add-on level of the hydrophilic polymer is from 0.3 wt % to 10 wt % based on the weight of the fibers.