Hemp hurd-based nonwoven material and related production method

Abstract

A non-woven material containing hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils and synthetic or natural fibers or a combination thereof is disclosed. The hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils are cohesive with the synthetic or natural fibers or a combination thereof. A method of making the same is also disclosed. The non-woven material has good absorbent power for biological liquids and is cheaper and a more sustainable material than the currently used materials such as cellulose pulp, synthetic fibers, cotton fibers, viscose fibers or superabsorbent polymers.

1 . A non-woven material comprising hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils and synthetic or natural fibers or a combination thereof, wherein said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils are cohesive with said fibers. 
     
     
         2 . The non-woven material according to  claim 1 , wherein said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils are obtained by a process of pulverizing or reducing the dimensions of hemp hurd in a range from 1 μm to 2000 μm. 
     
     
         3 . The non-woven material according to  claim 1 , wherein said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils are present in a range from 1% to 100% w/w. 
     
     
         4 . The non-woven material according to  claim 1 , wherein said powders have a dimension from 1 μm to 2000 μm, and said fibrils have dimensions from 50 μm to 2000 μm. 
     
     
         5 . The non-woven material according to  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic or natural fibers are present in a range from 0% to 99% w/w. 
     
     
         6 . The non-woven material according to  claim 1 , wherein said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils and said synthetic or natural fibers or a combination thereof are in a weight ratio therebetween from 5:95 to 95:5. 
     
     
         7 . The non-woven material according to  claim 1 , further comprising a binding agent present in a range from 0% to 30% w/w. 
     
     
         8 . The non-woven material according to  claim 1 , obtained by a process providing the deposition of a layer of said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils between two layers of synthetic or natural fibers or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The non-woven material according to  claim 1 , wherein said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils and said synthetic or natural fibers are cohesive by means of hydro-entanglement, thermal bonding, melting of hot-melt fibers, calender bonding, or needle punching. 
     
     
         10 . The non-woven material according to  claim 1 , wherein said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils confer absorbent properties to said non-woven material. 
     
     
         11 . A method for preparing a non-woven material comprising a portion of hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils and a portion of synthetic or natural fibers or a combination thereof, comprising a cohesion step of said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils with said fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , comprising the following steps:
 i) arranging a first layer of natural or synthetic fibers or a combination thereof;   ii) depositing a layer of hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils on said first layer of natural or synthetic fibers or a combination thereof obtained in step i);   iii) cohering said first layer of fibers with said layer of hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils;   iv) depositing and subsequent of cohering a second layer of natural or synthetic fibers or a combination thereof with the product obtained in step iii); and   v) drying in an oven at a temperature from 90 to 250° C. for a period of time from 5 to 60 seconds of the product obtained from step iv) to obtain a non-woven material with absorbent properties.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the hemp hurd powders in step ii) is are obtained by means of a hammer mill or equivalent systems. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said hemp hurd powder and/or fibrils are present in a range from 1% to 100% w/w. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said hemp hurd powder and/or fibrils and said synthetic or natural fibers or a combination thereof, are in a weight ratio of from 10:90 to 90:10. 
     
     
         16 . The non-woven material according to  claim 3 , wherein said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils are present in a range from 10% to 50% w/w. 
     
     
         17 . The non-woven material according to  claim 4 , wherein said powders have a dimension from 10 μm to 600 μm, and said fibrils have dimensions from 100 to 1000 μm. 
     
     
         18 . The non-woven material according to  claim 5 , wherein said synthetic or natural fibers are present in a range from 20% to 80% w/w. 
     
     
         19 . The non-woven material according to  claim 6 , wherein said hemp hurd powders and/or fibrils and said synthetic or natural fibers or a combination thereof are in a weight ratio of from 30:70 to 50:50. 
     
     
         20 . The non-woven material according to  claim 7  where the binding agent is present in a range from 2% to 10% w/w.