Hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics with improved properties

Abstract

Hydroentangled fibrous webs containing wood pulp and synthetic fibers having improved properties are prepared by impacting a fibrous web with water jets on a flattened woven plastic or metal support, or a combination of flattened and round woven supports to entangle the wood pulp and fibers.

1 . A nonwoven fabric, comprising wood pulp and synthetic fibers, made by a hydroentangling process using at least one woven support member comprising substantially round strands having knuckle areas at the intersection of warp and weft, wherein the knuckle areas are conditioned to achieve a flattened land area, wherein the fabric has an increase in each of tensile strength, hydrohead and abrasion resistance compared to a substantially equal fabric made by a hydroentangling process using a support member wherein the knuckle areas have not been conditioned to achieve a substantially flattened land area.  
   
   
       2 . A nonwoven fabric having a top surface and a bottom surface, comprising wood pulp and synthetic fibers and the fabric is made by a hydroentangling process using at least one woven support member comprising substantially round strands having knuckle areas at the intersection of warp and weft, wherein the knuckle areas are conditioned to achieve a flattened land area, and wherein the bottom surface has a larger percentage of wood pulp relative to the top surface of the fabric compared to a substantially equal fabric made by a hydroentangling process using a support member wherein the knuckle areas have not been conditioned to achieve a substantially flattened land area.  
   
   
       3 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the strands are selected from the group consisting of metal and plastic.  
   
   
       4 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 3 , wherein the knuckle areas of the metal strands are flattened by grinding.  
   
   
       5 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 3 , wherein the knuckle areas of the plastic strands are flattened by calendering.  
   
   
       6 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 4 , wherein the percentage of diameter removed of the strands is at least about 20%.  
   
   
       7 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 5 , wherein the maximum aspect ratio of the strands is about 0.75.  
   
   
       8 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the synthetic fiber is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyolefin and polyamide.  
   
   
       9 . The nonwoven fabric of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is made by pre-consolidating a synthetic fiber web on a round belt followed by positioning a wood pulp layer on the top of the synthetic fiber web and hydroentangling the wood pulp layer and the web on a flattened belt.  
   
   
       10 . The nonwoven of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is made by pre-consolidating a synthetic fiber web on a first flattened belt followed by positioning a wood pulp layer on the top of the synthetic fiber web and hydroentangling the wood pulp layer and the web on a second flattened belt.