Wet laid non-woven substrate containing polymeric nanofibers

Abstract

Substrates with wet laid staple polymeric nanofibers of short lengths are disclosed. The polymeric nanofibers can be surface coated on a non-woven or woven substrates, wet laid with other fiber types to create a nonwoven substrate or wet laid onto themselves to form a nanofiber-only mat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A porous, fabric substrate comprising a wet laid polymeric nanofiber coating coated onto a surface of a nonwoven web or woven fabric substrate. 
     
     
         2 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric substrate may be composed of fibers of cotton, cellulose, acetate, rayon, silk, wool, hemp, polyester, spandex (including LYCRA), polyolefins (polypropylene, polyethylene, etc.), polyamide (nylon, etc.), aramids (e.g. Kevlar®, Twaron®, Nomex, etc.), acrylic, glass microfibers, fiberglass, or poly (trimethylene terephthalate). 
     
     
         3 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiber coating has a thickness from 0.0001 to 5 mm or higher. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiber coating has a basis weight ranging from 0.001 to 1000 grams per square meter (GSM) or higher. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric nanofibers have an average diameter ranging from 1 nm to 5 μm. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric nanofibers have a length to diameter aspect ratio of 20 to 2000 or greater. 
     
     
         7 . A porous nonwoven substrate, comprising only wet-laid nanofibers in the form of a mat. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate of  claim 9 , having a thickness ranging from 0.0001 to 30 mm or higher. 
     
     
         9 . The substrate of  claim 9 , having a basis weight of 0.001 to 5000 GSM or higher. 
     
     
         10 . A porous, fabric substrate containing wet laid staple, polymeric nanofibers of short cut lengths, wherein the polymeric nanofibers are wet laid throughout the loft of a nonwoven web or woven fabric substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The substrate of  claim 10 , wherein polymeric nanofibers are wet laid together with other microfibers or nanofibers comprised of natural, cellulose, acetate, rayon, silk, wool, hemp, polyester, spandex (including LYCRA), polyolefins (polypropylene, polyethylene, etc.), polyamide (nylon, etc.), aramids (e.g. Kevlar®, Twaron®, Nomex, etc.), acrylic, glass microfibers, fiberglass, or poly (trimethylene terephthalate). 
     
     
         12 . The substrate of  claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the polymeric nanofiber-containing substrate can range from 0.0001 to 5 mm or higher or have a basis weight ranging from 0.001 to 1000 grams per square meter (GSM) or higher. 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a porous, fabric substrate, comprising wet laying polymeric nanofibers onto a nonwoven web or woven fabric substrate.