Composite Fibre

Abstract

A composite fibre comprising polyurethane and a particulate, wherein the particulate has mean particle diameter in the range 50 nm-100 μm. A web comprising this fibre, and the use of the web for non-slip applications or antimicrobial applications, together with a method for making the fibre.

1 . A composite fibre comprising polyurethane and a particulate, wherein the particulate has mean particle diameter in the range 50 nm-50 μm. 
     
     
         2 . A fibre according to  claim 1 , wherein the particulate modifies the friction co-efficient of the fibre. 
     
     
         3 . A fibre according to  claim 1 , wherein the particulate comprises a particle selected from a pigment particulate, an inorganic compound, a metal, a polymer or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A fibre according to  claim 3 , wherein the metal is selected from silver, copper, gold, titanium, zinc, iron, aluminium or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A fibre according to  claim 1 , comprising in the range 0.1-25 wt % particulate. 
     
     
         6 . A fibre according to  claim 1 , wherein the particulate comprises particles of mean particle size in the range 0.05-10 μm. 
     
     
         7 . A fibre according to  claim 1 , wherein the particulate comprises particles of multimodal particle size distribution. 
     
     
         8 . A fibre according to  claim 1 , of mean diameter in the range 0.1-20 μm. 
     
     
         9 . A fibre according to  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of particle size to mean fibre diameter is in the range 0.05:1-2:5. 
     
     
         10 . A web comprising a plurality of fibres according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A web according to  claim 10 , wherein the particulate is a pigment particulate. 
     
     
         12 . A method, comprising:
 using a web according to  claim 10 , for non-slip applications.   
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 using a web according to  claim 12  for non-slip applications in the presence of water.   
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 using a web according to  claim 4 , for antimicrobial applications.   
     
     
         15 . A method of making a fibre according to  claim 1 , comprising forming the polyurethane and particulate composite fibre using a technique selected from electrospinning or melt blowing.