Patent ID: 6174826
Filing Date: 2001-01-16
Classification: D21H,H01M,Y02E,Y10T

Abstract:
A nonwoven web made by a process comprising the following steps:creating a fiber furnish having the following fiber composition: 10 to 97 wt. % of polypropylene staple fibers having a polyvinyl alcohol surface and 3 to 90 wt. % of fibers selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyethylene/polypropylene bicomponent fibers and polypropylene staple fibers, wherein the amount of polyvinyl alcohol fibers does not exceed 10 wt. %;laying said fiber furnish on a papermaking machine to form a wet-laid web;removing water from said wet-laid web; andthermal bonding said wet-laid web after said water removing step, said thermal bonding being performed at a temperature such that said polyvinyl alcohol surfaces at least partially melt without causing said polypropylene fibers to melt to form the nonwoven web having air permeability values ranging from 25 to 200 cfm.