Short-cut microfiber-containing mixture

Abstract

A short-cut microfiber-containing mixture is provided comprising a plurality of water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers having a fineness of 0.5 d/f or less; water; and a sulfopolyester dispersed in said water, wherein the sulfopolyester has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 40° C., and wherein the sulfopolyester exhibits a melt viscosity of less than about 12,000 poise measured at 240° C. at a strain rate of 1 rad/sec.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A short-cut microfiber-containing mixture comprising:
 a plurality of water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers having a fineness of 0.5 d/f or less;   water; and   a sulfopolyester dispersed in said water,   wherein said sulfopolyester has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 40° C., and   wherein said sulfopolyester exhibits a melt viscosity of less than about 12,000 poise measured at 240° C. at a strain rate of 1 rad/sec.   
     
     
         2 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers have a fineness of 0.1 d/f or less. 
     
     
         3 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said sulfopolyester has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 50° C., wherein said sulfopolyester exhibits a melt viscosity of less than about 10,000 poise measured at 240° C. at a strain rate of 1 rad/sec. 
     
     
         4 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said sulfopolyester has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 55° C., wherein said sulfopolyester exhibits a melt viscosity of less than about 6,000 poise measured at 240° C. at a strain rate of 1 rad/sec. 
     
     
         5 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 4  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers have a fineness of 0.1 d/f or less. 
     
     
         6 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers comprise at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, polylactides, polycaprolactone, polycarbonate, polyurethane, and polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         7 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers have a length of less than 10 millimeters. 
     
     
         8 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers have a length of less than 6.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         9 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers have a length of less than 3.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         10 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers have a fineness of 0.1 d/f or less. 
     
     
         11 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut microfibers are monocomponent microfibers. 
     
     
         12 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers are not bound to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said short-cut microfiber-containing mixture is formed by a process comprising a step of contacting a plurality of short-cut multicomponent fibers with a wash water, wherein each of said short-cut multicomponent fibers comprises a plurality of said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers bound by at least a portion of said sulfopolyester, wherein said contacting of said short-cut multicomponent fiber with said wash water disperses said sulfopolyester and releases said water non-dispersible short-cut microfibers, wherein said water of said short-cut microfiber-containing mixture comprises at least a portion of said wash water. 
     
     
         14 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said short-cut multicomponent fibers have an as spun denier of less than 6 denier per filament. 
     
     
         15 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 14  wherein said water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers have a fineness of 0.1 d/f or less. 
     
     
         16 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one other fiber. 
     
     
         17 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 1  wherein said short-cut microfiber-containing mixture is in the form of a pressed wet-laid nonwoven sheet. 
     
     
         18 . The short-cut microfiber-containing mixture according to  claim 16  wherein said short-cut microfiber-containing mixture is in the form of a slurry. 
     
     
         19 . A short-cut microfiber-containing mixture consisting essentially of:
 a plurality of water non-dispersible short-cut polymer microfibers having a fineness of 0.5 d/f or less;   water; and   a sulfopolyester dispersed in said water,   wherein said sulfopolyester has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 40° C., and   wherein said sulfopolyester exhibits a melt viscosity of less than about 12,000 poise measured at 240° C. at a strain rate of 1 rad/sec.