The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 2020
Filed:
Aug. 13, 2010
Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Appleton, WI (US);
Peiguang Zhou, Appleton, WI (US);
Gregory J. Wideman, Menasha, WI (US);
Tom Eby, Greenville, WI (US);
Ryan J. Mceneany, Appleton, WI (US);
Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Appleton, WI (US);
Peiguang Zhou, Appleton, WI (US);
Gregory J. Wideman, Menasha, WI (US);
Tom Eby, Greenville, WI (US);
Ryan J. McEneany, Appleton, WI (US);
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Abstract
Polylactic acid fibers formed from a thermoplastic composition that contains polylactic acid and a polymeric toughening additive are provided. The present inventors have discovered that the specific nature of the components and process by which they are blended may be carefully controlled to achieve a composition having desirable morphological features. More particularly, the toughening additive can be dispersed as discrete physical domains within a continuous phase of the polylactic acid. These domains have a particular size, shape, and distribution such that upon fiber drawing, they absorb energy and become elongated. This allows the resulting composition to exhibit a more pliable and softer behavior than the otherwise rigid polylactic acid. Through selective control over the components and method employed, the present inventors have discovered that the resulting fibers may thus exhibit good mechanical properties, both during and after melt spinning.