The Procter & Gamble Cellulose Company

The Proter & Gamble Cellulose Company

Robert M Bourbon

Howard Leon Schoggen

Jeffrey T Cook

Danny R Moore

James W Owens

Walter L Dean

John J Ryan, Jr

Individualized, crosslinked fibers made by (a) defibrating moistened, cellulosic fibers and at least partially drying the fibers under substantially unrestrained conditions, i.e., in the substantial absence of interfiber bonds (b) contacting the fibers with a crosslinking agent, (c) reacting the crosslinking agent with the fibers in the substantial absence of interfiber bonds, to form intrafiber crosslink bonds, (d) subjecting the fibers, while in a moistened condition, to a second defibration step, and then at least partially drying the fibers under substantially unrestrained conditions.

Process for making individualized, crosslinked fibers and fibers thereof

A process for making wet-laid structures containing individualized, stiffened fibers. The wet-laid structures are obtained by: providing a slurry containing individualized, crosslinked fibers; depositing the slurry of fibers on a foraminous forming wire; directing at least one stream of fluid upon the fibers such that the fluid disperses flocculations of fibers and also inhibits the formation of additional flocculations of the fibers; and setting the fibers into a sheeted form while the fibers are in a substantially unflocculated condition. The step of setting the fibers into sheeted form may be performed by pressing the fibers against the forming wire with a screened roll, such as a cylindrical Dandy Roll. Preferably, a plurality of streams of fluid having sequentially decreasing volumetric flow rates are directed upon the fibers. The individualized, stiffened fibers may also be mixed with conventional, stiffened fibers or highly refined, stiffened fibers while in slurry form.

Process for making wet-laid structures containing individualized

Individualized, crosslinked fiber, and process for making such fibers. The individualized, crosslinked fibers have between about 0.5 mole % and about 3.5 mole % crosslinking agent, calculated on a cellulose anhydroglucose molar basis, reacted with fibers in the form of intrafiber crosslink bonds, wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 dialdehydes, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 dialdehyde acid analogues having at least one aldehyde functionality, and oligomers of such C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 dialdehydes, and dialdehyde acid analogues. Preferably, the crosslinking agent is glutaraldehyde, and between about 0.75 mole % and about 2.5 mole % crosslinking agent react to form the intrafiber crosslink bonds. The individualized crosslinked fibers are useful in a variety of absorbent structure applications.

Individualized crosslinked fibers and process for making said fibers

Growing community of inventors

Memphis, TN, United States of America

Robert M Bourbon