Patent ID: 7582240

Claim:
A process comprising the steps of: (a) supplying a fluidized mixture comprising a spin agent and at least two polymers having different melting or softening temperatures at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure to a rotor spinning about an axis at a rotational speed, the rotor having at least one material-issuing nozzle comprising an opening therein along the periphery of the rotor; (b) issuing the fluidized mixture from the opening of the nozzle into an environment at atmospheric pressure to form an issued material at a material issuance speed; (c) vaporizing or expanding at least one component of the issued material to form a fluid jet; (d) transporting the remaining component(s) of the issued material away from the rotor by the fluid; (e) collecting the remaining component(s) of the issued material on a collection surface of a collection belt concentric to the axis of the rotor to form a collected material, the collection belt moving in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor at a collection belt speed; and (f) maintaining the temperature of the collected material at a temperature greater than the temperature of the lowest melting or softening temperature polymer for a sufficient time to render the lowest melting or softening temperature polymer tacky.