Water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric

Abstract

The present invention provides a water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric having a high strength and flexibility. The water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric includes fibers mechanically entangled with one another and adapted to be disentangled from one another when it is stirred in water. 10 to 50% by mass of the fibers is occupied by ultrafine thermoplastic synthetic fibers each having a fineness of 0.01 to 0.5 dtex and a fiber length of 3 to 10 mm. 90 to 50% by mass of the fibers is occupied by at least one of chemical fibers each having a fineness of 1 to 2 dtex and a fiber length of 5 to 20 mm and pulp fibers having a freeness of 600 to 770 cc.

1 . A water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric comprising fibers mechanically entangled with one another and adapted to be disintegrated from one another when the water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric is stirred in water, the water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric being characterized in that:
 10 to 50% by mass of the above-mentioned fibers is occupied by ultrafine thermoplastic synthetic fibers each having a fineness of 0.01 to 0.5 dtex and a fiber length of 3 to 10 mm; and   90 to 50% by mass of the above-mentioned fibers is occupied by at least one of chemical fibers each having a fineness of 1 to 2 dtex and a fiber length of 5 to 20 mm and pulp fibers having a freeness of 600 to 770 cc.   
     
     
         2 . The water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric defined by  claim 1 , wherein the ultrafine thermoplastic synthetic fibers are formed by splitting split fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric defined by  claim 1 , wherein the water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric contains a water-soluble binder in 3 to 10% by mass. 
     
     
         4 . The water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric defined by  claim 1 , wherein the water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric is obtained by taking the following steps of mixing the ultrafine thermoplastic synthetic fibers with at least one of the chemical fibers and the pulp fibers to prepare a slurry, injecting high pressure water jets to a web formed from a slurry and thereafter drying the web. 
     
     
         5 . The water-disintegrable nonwoven fabric defined by  claim 4 , wherein the slurry contains therein a water-soluble binder.