US2006147689A1PendingUtilityA1

Absorbent composites containing biodegradable reinforcing fibers

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Assignee: WALLAJAPET RAJPriority: Dec 30, 2004Filed: Dec 30, 2004Published: Jul 6, 2006
Est. expiryDec 30, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Raj WallajapetKatie VeithRichard Warren Tanzer
Y10T428/2913A61L 15/60Y10T428/249924A61L 15/26Y10T428/2922
40
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

An absorbent composite contains a superabsorbent material and thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers, and may also contain pulp fibers. The superabsorbent material may be biodegradable, providing a biodegradable absorbent composite. The superabsorbent material may have a gel strength from about 500 dynes/cm 2 to about 80,000 dynes/cm 2 . The biodegradable reinforcing fibers may contain fibers of a polyester such as poly(lactic acid). The biodegradable reinforcing fibers may be wettable, reducing or eliminating the need for treating the surface of the fibers with a wetting agent such as a surfactant, and may provide desirable performance without being bonded to the other components.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An absorbent composite, comprising: 
 a biodegradable superabsorbent material; and    a plurality of thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers.    
   
   
       2 . The absorbent composite of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers comprise poly(hydroxyalkanoate) fibers.  
   
   
       3 . The absorbent composite of  claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers comprise poly(lactic acid) fibers.  
   
   
       4 . The absorbent composite of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers are un-bonded.  
   
   
       5 . The absorbent composite of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers are wettable.  
   
   
       6 . The absorbent composite of  claim 5 , wherein the composite is free of wetting agents.  
   
   
       7 . The absorbent composite of  claim 1 , further comprising pulp fibers.  
   
   
       8 . The absorbent composite of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable superabsorbent material comprises carboxymethyl cellulose.  
   
   
       9 . The absorbent composite of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable superabsorbent is present in a loading from about 10 wt % to about 70 wt %.  
   
   
       10 . The absorbent composite of  claim 7 , wherein the pulp fibers are present in a loading from about 25 wt % to about 85 wt %.  
   
   
       11 . The absorbent composite of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers are present in a loading from about 5 wt % to about 30 wt %.  
   
   
       12 . The absorbent composite of  claim 1 , wherein the gel strength of the superabsorbent is from about 500 dynes/cm 2  to about 80,000 dynes/cm 2 .  
   
   
       13 . An absorbent composite, comprising: 
 a superabsorbent material having a gel strength from about 500 dynes/cm 2  to about 80,000 dynes/cm 2 ; and    a plurality of thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers.    
   
   
       14 . The absorbent composite of  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers comprise poly(hydroxyalkanoate) fibers.  
   
   
       15 . The absorbent composite of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers comprise poly(lactic acid) fibers.  
   
   
       16 . The absorbent composite of  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers are un-bonded.  
   
   
       17 . The absorbent composite of  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers are wettable.  
   
   
       18 . The absorbent composite of  claim 17 , wherein the composite is free of wetting agents.  
   
   
       19 . The absorbent composite of  claim 13 , wherein the superabsorbent material comprises carboxymethyl cellulose.  
   
   
       20 . The absorbent composite of  claim 13 , wherein the superabsorbent is present in a loading from about 10 wt % to about 70 wt %.  
   
   
       21 . The absorbent composite of  claim 13 , further comprising pulp fibers.  
   
   
       22 . The absorbent composite of  claim 21 , wherein the pulp fibers are present in a loading from about 25 wt % to about 85 wt %.  
   
   
       23 . The absorbent composite of  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic biodegradable reinforcing fibers are present in a loading from about 5 wt % to about 30 wt %.  
   
   
       24 . An absorbent composite, comprising: 
 from about 10 wt % to about 70 wt % of a biodegradable superabsorbent material;    from about 25 wt % to about 85 wt % of pulp fibers; and    from about 5 wt % to about 30 wt % of poly(lactic acid) reinforcing fibers.    
   
   
       25 . The absorbent composite of  claim 24 , wherein the poly(lactic acid) reinforcing fibers are un-bonded.  
   
   
       26 . The absorbent composite of  claim 24 , wherein the poly(lactic acid) reinforcing fibers have a length from about 2 mm to about 60 mm.  
   
   
       27 . The absorbent composite of  claim 24 , wherein the poly(lactic acid) reinforcing fibers have a diameter from about 1.5 denier to about 6 denier.  
   
   
       28 . The absorbent composite of  claim 24 , wherein the poly(lactic acid) reinforcing fibers have from about 0 crimps per inch to about 12 crimps per inch.  
   
   
       29 . The absorbent composite of  claim 24 , wherein the composite has a permeability of at least 10 darcies.  
   
   
       30 . The absorbent composite of  claim 24 , wherein the composite has a density from about 0.09 grams per cubic centimeter to about 0.3 grams per centimeter.  
   
   
       31 . The absorbent composite of  claim 24 , wherein the composite is free of wetting agents.  
   
   
       32 . The absorbent composite of  claim 24 , wherein the weight ratio of pulp fibers to poly(lactic acid) reinforcing fibers is from about 1:1 to about 5:1; and the weight ratio of biodegradable superabsorbent material to poly(lactic acid) reinforcing fibers is from about 1:1 to about 4:1.  
   
   
       33 . A method of forming an absorbent composite, comprising: 
 combining a superabsorbent material and a plurality of biodegradable reinforcing fibers into a mixture; and    compressing the mixture in a dry state into a composite having a density from about 0.09 grams per cubic centimeter to about 0.3 grams per centimeter;    wherein the biodegradable reinforcing fibers remain un-bonded.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the biodegradable reinforcing fibers comprise poly(hydroxyalkanoate) fibers.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the biodegradable reinforcing fibers comprise poly(lactic acid) fibers.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the composite is free of wetting agents.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the combining comprises air-forming the superabsorbent material with the biodegradable reinforcing fibers.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the combining further comprises combining pulp fibers with the superabsorbent material and the biodegradable reinforcing fibers.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the combining comprises air-forming the superabsorbent material with the biodegradable reinforcing fibers and the pulp fibers.

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