Hydroxyl polymer polymeric structures comprising ammonium alkylsulfonate salts and methods for making same

Abstract

Polymeric structures, for example fibrous elements, such as filaments and/or fibers, and more particularly to fibrous elements that contain an ammonium alkylsulfonate salt, fibrous structures made therefrom, and methods for making same are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fibrous element comprising a fibrous element-forming polymer and an ammonium alkylsulfonate salt. 
     
     
         2 . The fibrous element according to  claim 1  wherein the fibrous element-forming polymer comprises a hydroxyl polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The fibrous element according to  claim 2  wherein the hydroxyl polymer comprises a polysaccharide. 
     
     
         4 . The fibrous element according to  claim 3  wherein the polysaccharide is selected from the group consisting of: starch, starch derivatives, starch copolymers, chitosan, chitosan derivatives, chitosan copolymers, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, cellulose copolymers, hemicellulose, hemicellulose derivatives, hemicellulose copolymers, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The fibrous element according to  claim 1  wherein the ammonium alkylsulfonate salt is derived from an acid selected from the group consisting of: methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid, propanesulfonic acid, isopropylsulfonic acid, butanesulfonic acid, isobutylsulfonic acid, sec-butylsulfonic acids. 
     
     
         6 . The fibrous element according to  claim 1  wherein the fibrous element further comprises a non-hydroxyl polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyacrylamide and its derivatives; polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, and their esters; polyethyleneimine;
 copolymers made from mixtures of monomers of the aforementioned polymers; and mixtures thereof. 
 
     
     
         7 . The fibrous element according to  claim 6  wherein the non-hydroxyl polymer comprises polyacrylamide. 
     
     
         8 . The fibrous element according to  claim 1  wherein the fibrous element comprises a filament. 
     
     
         9 . A fibrous structure comprising a plurality of fibrous elements according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The fibrous structure according to  claim 9  wherein the fibrous structure further comprises one or more solid additives. 
     
     
         11 . The fibrous structure according to  claim 10  wherein at least one of the solid additives comprises a naturally occurring fiber. 
     
     
         12 . The fibrous structure according to  claim 10  wherein the fibrous structure further comprises a scrim connected to the surface of the fibrous structure such that the solid additives are positioned between the scrim and a surface of a nonwoven substrate of the fibrous structure. 
     
     
         13 . An aqueous polymer melt composition comprising a fibrous element-forming polymer, a crosslinking agent and a crosslinking facilitator comprising an ammonium alkylsulfonate salt. 
     
     
         14 . The aqueous polymer melt composition according to  claim 13  wherein the fibrous element-forming polymer comprises a polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of:
 starch, starch derivatives, starch copolymers, chitosan, chitosan derivatives, chitosan copolymers, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, cellulose copolymers, hemicellulose, hemicellulose derivatives, hemicellulose copolymers, and mixtures thereof 
 
     
     
         15 . The aqueous polymer melt composition according to  claim 13  wherein the aqueous polymer melt composition further comprises a non-hydroxyl polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyacrylamide and its derivatives; polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, and their esters; polyethyleneimine; copolymers made from mixtures of monomers of the aforementioned polymers; and mixtures thereof 
     
     
         16 . The aqueous polymer melt composition according to  claim 13  wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of polycarboxylic acids, imidazolidinones and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The aqueous polymer melt composition according to  claim 13  wherein the ammonium alkylsulfonate salt is derived from an acid selected from the group consisting of: methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid, propanesulfonic acid, isopropylsulfonic acid, butanesulfonic acid, isobutylsulfonic acid, sec-butylsulfonic acids. 
     
     
         18 . A polymeric structure derived from an aqueous polymer melt composition according to  claim 13 . 
     
     
         19 . The polymeric structure according to  claim 18  wherein the polymeric structure is in the form of a fibrous element having an average diameter of less than 50 μm as measured according to the Average Diameter Test Method. 
     
     
         20 . A method for making a fibrous structure comprising the steps of:
 a. providing an aqueous polymer melt composition comprising a fibrous element-forming polymer and a crosslinking system comprising a crosslinking agent and a crosslinking facilitator comprising an ammonium alkylsulfonate salt;   b. polymer processing the aqueous polymer melt composition such that a plurality of fibrous elements are formed; and   c. collecting the fibrous elements on a collection device such that a fibrous structure is formed.