Fabric

Abstract

A process for producing a thermoformable and bondable fabric in which the fabric is biodegradable and/or compostable. The process comprises extruding a polymeric blend to form a plurality of filaments, the filaments collectively comprising the fabric.

1 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A biodegradable and/or compostable fabric comprising filaments of a polymeric blend, said fabric being thermoformable and capable of bonding to a solid article. 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , wherein said filaments have a crystallinity of about 30 to about 45%. 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , wherein the polymeric blend comprises 3 to about 12% polybutylene succinate. 
     
     
         41 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , wherein the polymeric blend comprises polylactic acid. 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , comprising one or two of said polymeric blends, wherein the one or two polymeric blends collectively comprise:
 (a) a first polylactic acid; and   (b) a second polylactic acid,
 wherein the first polylactic acid (a) comprises a greater proportion of D-configuration lactic acid units to L-configuration lactic acid units than in the second polylactic acid (b). 
   
     
     
         44 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 43 , wherein:
 (a) the first polylactic acid comprises up to about 5% D-configured lactic acid units (based on the total number of lactic acid units in the polylactic acid); and/or   (b) the second polylactic acid comprises up to about 1% D-configured lactic acid units (based on the total number of lactic acid units in the polylactic acid).   
     
     
         45 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 43 , wherein the first polylactic acid (a) has a lower melting point than the second polylactic acid (b). 
     
     
         46 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 43 , comprising one polymeric blend comprising about 5 to about 30% of the first polylactic acid (a) and about 63 to about 88% of the second polylactic acid (b), based on the total weight of the blend)). 
     
     
         47 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , comprising bi-component filaments, wherein there is one polymeric blend and both components comprise the same polymeric blend. 
     
     
         48 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , comprising filaments having a bi-component filament, wherein there are two polymeric blends and each component comprises a different polymeric blend. 
     
     
         49 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , comprising filaments having a bi-component filament, wherein one component comprises a polymeric blend comprising said second polylactic acid (b) and wherein the other component comprises polymeric blend comprising said first polylactic acid (a). 
     
     
         50 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , comprising filaments having a core and sheath configuration, wherein the core comprises a polymeric blend comprising said second polylactic acid (b) and wherein the sheath comprises a polymeric blend comprising said first polylactic acid (a). 
     
     
         51 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , wherein the filaments have a core comprising about 60 to about 90% of a filament, on a weight basis. 
     
     
         52 - 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , wherein the fabric is thermoformable at a temperature in the range of about 75° C. to 125° C. 
     
     
         55 - 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , comprising continuous filaments. 
     
     
         58 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , wherein the filaments have a fineness of about 3 to 10 den. 
     
     
         59 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , wherein the filaments have a diameter of about 2 to 40 μm. 
     
     
         60 . The biodegradable and/or compostable fabric according to  claim 36 , wherein the fabric has an isotropic ratio of about 0.5 to about 2. 
     
     
         61 - 71 . (canceled)