Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Walter B Sandison

Gregg A Patnode

Denise R Rutherford

Dietmar Schlei

John E Bruno

Aqueous-alkali disposable articles are disclosed. The articles are made from films or non-woven webs or composites of films and webs where the film or nonwoven web comprises a hydrolytically degradable polymer and preferably also comprises a water soluble polymer. Multilayer microfibers of at least one layer of a hydrolytically degradable polymer and at least one layer of a water soluble polymer are particularly disclosed. The articles have water resistance during preparation, storage, and use with mammals but are dispersible when submersed in water at conditions of elevated temperature, elevated pH, and during a single commercial laundry cycle. The articles solve both the problem of solid waste disposal prevalent with single use garments and the problem of repeated cleansing and recycling of multiple use garments. Contamination associated with the articles of the invention after their use will be disinfected during the commercial laundry cycle that is utilized to disperse the article.

Dispersible compositions and articles and method of disposal for such

Aqueous-alkali disposable articles are disclosed. The articles are made from films or non-woven webs or composites of films and webs where the film or non-woven web comprises a hydrolytically degradable polymer and preferably also comprises a water soluble polymer. Multilayer microfibers of at least one layer of a hydrolytically degradable polymer and at least one layer of a water soluble polymer are particularly disclosed. The articles have water resistance during preparation, storage, and use with mammals but are dispersible when submersed in water at conditions of elevated temperature, elevated pH, and during a single commercial laundry cycle. The articles solve both the problem of solid waste disposal prevalent with single use garments and the problem of repeated cleansing and recycling of multiple use garments. Contamination associated with the articles of the invention after their use will be disinfected during the commercial laundry cycle that is utilized to disperse the article.

Method of disposing aqueous-alkali disposable articles is disclosed. The articles are made from films or non-woven webs or composites of films and webs where the film or non-woven web comprises a hydrolytically degradable polymer and preferably also comprises a water soluble polymer. Multilayer microfibers of at least one layer of a hydrolytically degradable polymer and at least one layer of a water soluble polymer are particularly disclosed. The articles have water resistance during preparation, storage, and use with mammals but are dispersible when submersed in water at conditions of elevated temperature, elevated pH, and during a single commercial laundry cycle. The articles solve both the problem of solid waste disposal prevalent with single use garments and the problem of repeated cleansing and recycling of multiple use garments. Contamination associated with the articles of the invention after their use will be disinfected during the commercial laundry cycle that is utilized to disperse the article.

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St. Louis Park, MN, United States of America

Walter B Sandison