Avintiv Specialty Materials Inc.

Ahlstrom Corporation

Rongguo Zhao

Nyle Bishop

Rahul Dharmadhikary

Mithun A Shah

Breathable multilayer films suitable for a wide variety of uses (e.g., protective apparel, surgical gowns, surgical drapes, aprons, roofing material, house wrap, etc.) are disclosed. The breathable multilayer film may include a monolithic core layer. The monolithic core layer may comprise at least one highly breathable polymer. The breathable multilayer film may also include at least one skin layer. The skin layer or layers may comprise at least one highly breathable polymer, a filler, and a non-breathable material. An exemplary structure of the breathable multilayer film provides a monolithic core layer, a first skin layer on one side of the monolithic core layer, and a second skin layer on the other side of the monolithic core layer. An exemplary construction of one or both of the skin layers includes one or more highly breathable polymers, a filler, and a non-breathable material. The filler, for example, may comprise calcium carbonate.

Monolithic breathable film and composite manufactured therefrom

Articles comprising an outer fabric layer and a laminate are provided. The laminate may include a barrier film layer and an inner fabric layer, in which the outer fabric layer at least partially encircles and overlies the laminate. The outer fabric layer comprises an outer fabric layer seal and the laminate comprises a laminate seal that is separate and distinct from the outer fabric seal. The articles may be devoid of any bonds between the outer fabric layer and the laminate.

Barrier laminates and methods of making the same

Nonwoven fabrics suitable for a wide variety of applications (e.g., healthcare, filtration, industrial, packaging, etc.) are provided. In one aspect, the nonwoven fabric includes a plurality of segmented fibers. Each of the plurality of segmented fibers may comprise a fiber axis and a plurality of alternating larger diameter and smaller diameter segments along the fiber axis. The plurality of segmented fibers may be substantially aligned in a first direction.

Nonwovens having aligned segmented fibers

A glazing method for improving abrasion resistance using a heated smooth roll to melt the lower-melting-point portion of bicomponent fibers as the spunbond web passes over the heated smooth roll. Because there is no external pressure exerted in a nip by an opposing second roller, as in calendering, the outer surface of the web which does not contact the heated smooth roll remains essentially unchanged and the nonwoven fabric exhibits no compression as a result of the glazing process. The roll temperature and dwell time (roll diameter, wrap angle and line speed) are controlled for the purpose of surface treating only one side of the nonwoven fabric to improve abrasion resistance while allowing the air permeability and web thickness to remain essentially unchanged.

Method of making glazed nonwoven fabric

A method of manufacturing a nonwoven fabric including at least one nonwoven web material layer having thermoplastic polymer filaments and an initial thickness Ts, wherein the method includes embossing the nonwoven web material layer to form in the layer an embossed portion having a compressed thickness Tc that is less than Ts and an expanded portion of the layer having a thickness Te that is greater than Ts.

Growing community of inventors

Mooresville, NC, United States of America

Rongguo Zhao