Fibers of Polymer-Wax Compositions

Abstract

Disposable article that include fibers formed from compositions comprising thermoplastic polymers and waxes are disclosed, where the wax is dispersed throughout the thermoplastic polymer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A disposable article comprising:
 fibers that are produced by melt spinning a composition comprising an intimate admixture of
 (a) a thermoplastic polymer; and 
 (b) a wax having a melting point greater than 25° C. 
   
     
     
         2 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polyolefin, a polyester, a polyamide, copolymers thereof, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The disposable article of  claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polypropylene co-polymer, polyethylene co-polymer, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polyamide-6, polyamide-6,6, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         5 . The disposable article of  claim 4 , wherein the polypropylene has a weight average molecular weight of about 20 kDa to about 400 kDa. 
     
     
         6 . The disposable article of  claim 4 , wherein the polypropylene has a melt flow index of greater than 5 g/10 min. 
     
     
         7 . The disposable article of  claim 6 , wherein the polypropylene has a melt flow index of greater than 10 g/10 min. 
     
     
         8 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , comprising about 5 wt % to about 40 wt % of the wax, based upon the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         9 . The disposable article of  claim 8 , comprising about 10 wt % to about 20 wt % of the wax, based upon the total weight of the composition 
     
     
         10 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , wherein the wax comprises a lipid. 
     
     
         11 . The disposable article of  claim 10 , wherein the lipid comprises a monoglyceride, diglyceride, triglyceride, fatty acid, fatty alcohol, esterified fatty acid, epoxidized lipid, maleated lipid, hydrogenated lipid, alkyd resin derived from a lipid, sucrose polyester, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , wherein the wax comprises a mineral wax. 
     
     
         13 . The disposable article of  claim 11 , wherein the mineral wax comprises a linear alkane, a branched alkane, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , wherein the wax is selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated soy bean oil, partially hydrogenated soy bean oil, epoxidized soy bean oil, maleated soy bean oil, tristearin, tripalmitin, 1,2-dipalmitoolein, 1,3-dipalmitoolein, 1-palmito-3-stearo-2-olein, 1-palmito-2-stearo-3-olein, 2-palmito-1-stearo-3-olein, 1,2-dipalmitolinolein, 1,2-distearo-olein, 1,3-distearo-olein, trimyristin, trilaurin, capric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , wherein the wax is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogenated plant oil, a partially hydrogenated plant oil, an epoxidized plant oil, a maleated plant oil, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The disposable article of  claim 15 , wherein the plant oil is soy bean oil, corn oil, canola oil, palm kernel oil, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , wherein the wax is dispersed within the thermoplastic polymer such that the wax has a droplet size of less than 2 μm within the thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         18 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , further comprising an additive. 
     
     
         19 . The disposable article of  claim 18 , wherein the additive is a perfume, dye, pigment, surfactant, nanoparticle, antistatic agent, filler, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The disposable article of  claim 1 , wherein said article is a disposable absorbent article comprising a liquid pervious layer, a liquid impervious layer and an absorbent core disposed between said liquid pervious layer and said liquid impervious layer.