Chisso Corporation

Sei Ishizawa

Masayasu Suzuki

Hirokazu Terada

Melt-adhesive composite fibers; non-woven fabrics from the composite fibers fused at intersectional points of the fibers; and surface materials for medical supplies such as sanitary napkins and paper diapers are disclosed. The composite fibers have a polypropylene as the first component and a polymer mainly composed of a polyethylene as the second component which is continuously present on at least a part of the fiber surface in the lengthwise direction of the fiber; have three-dimensional crimps of 4 to 16/inch; have a filamentary denier of 1.0 to 2.0, and have an apparent cut length of 20 to 40 mm. The composite fibers can be produced by extruding a polypropylene and a polymer mainly comprising a polyethylene through a spinneret for composite spinning to form unstretched composite filaments having such structure as mentioned above, stretching the unstretched composite filaments at a temperature of higher than 90.degree. C., but lower than 130.degree. C. at a stretching ratio of 0.60 to 0.85 time the maximum stretching ratio, cooling the stretched filaments to a temperature lower than a preheating temperature, subjecting the filaments to a crimping treatment, and subjecting the filaments to an annealing at a temperature of higher than 80.degree. C., but lower than 120.degree. C.

Melt-adhesive composite fibers, process for producing the same, and

Melt-adhesive composite fibers; non-woven fabrics from the composite fibers fused at intersectional points of the fibers; and surface materials for medical supplies such as sanitary napkins and paper diapers are disclosed. The composite fibers have a polypropylene as the first component and a polymer mainly composed of a polyethylene as the second component which is continuously present on at least a part of the fiber surface in the lengthwise direction of the fiber; have three-dimensional crimps of 4 to 16/inch; have a filamentary denier of 1.0 to 2.0, and have an apparent cut length of 20 to 40 mm. The composite fibers can be produced by extruding a polypropylene and a polymer mainly comprising a polyethylene through a spinneret for composite spinning to form unstretched composite filaments having such structure as mentioned above, stretching the unstretched composite filaments at a temperature of higher than 90.degree. C., but lower than 130.degree. C. at a stretching ratio of 0.60 to 0.85 time the maximum stretching ratio, cooling the stretched filaments to a temperature lower than a preheating temperature, subjecting the filaments to a crimping treatment, and subjecting the filaments to an annealing at a temperature of higher than 80 .degree. C., but lower than 120.degree. C.

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Moriyama, Japan

Sei Ishizawa