Nonwoven fabric and method of fabrication thereof

Abstract

There is disclosed a nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric may comprise short fibers of plant-based material having a length of about between 2 mm and 5 mm, and cellulose filaments being present at a proportion of up to 10 wt-% of the nonwoven fabric, such that the cellulose filaments bind the short fibers in the nonwoven fabric. Long fibers are optionally added to the nonwoven fabric.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A method for producing a nonwoven fabric, the method comprising:
 providing a liquid suspension of never-dry pulp;   forming a web from the provided liquid suspension;   dewatering the web;   entangling the web to obtain a wet fabric; and   drying the wet fabric;   
       wherein the dried fabric has at least one of:
 a machine-direction dry tensile strength of at least 45 N/50 mm; 
 a machine-direction wet tensile strength of at least 9 N/50 mm; 
 a cross-machine-direction dry tensile strength of at least 25 N/50 mm; and 
 a cross-machine-direction wet tensile strength of at least 6 N/50 mm. 
 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein the liquid suspension comprises at least one of cellulose filaments and long fibers. 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein at least one of:
 the long fibers have a length of at least 5 mm;   the long fibers are present at a proportion of up to 40 wt-% of the nonwoven fabric; and   the long fibers are selected from the group consisting of man-made fibers, regenerated cellulose and a mixture thereof.   
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein the liquid suspension comprises cellulose filaments at a proportion of up to 10 wt-% of the nonwoven fabric. 
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein at least one of:
 the never-dry pulp comprises short fibers having a length between about 2 mm and about 5 mm; and   the never-dry pulp is derived from a raw material selected from the group consisting of wood, hemp, bamboo, bagasse, flax, natural plant fibers, cotton and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein at least one of:
 the forming the web comprises wet-laying the liquid suspension; and   the entangling comprises hydroentangling.   
     
     
         48 . A nonwoven fabric produced according to the method of  claim 42 . 
     
     
         49 . The nonwoven fabric according to  claim 48 , wherein the fabric is IWSFG Slosh Box flushable. 
     
     
         50 . A nonwoven fabric comprising:
 short fibers of plant-based material having a length between about 2 mm and about 5 mm; and   cellulose filaments being present at a proportion of up to 10 wt-% of the nonwoven fabric, such that the cellulose filaments bind the short fibers in the nonwoven fabric.   
     
     
         51 . The nonwoven fabric according to  claim 50 , further comprising long fibers having a length of more than 5 mm, the long fibers being present at a proportion of up to 40 wt-% of the nonwoven fabric, such that the cellulose filaments bind the long fibers in the nonwoven fabric. 
     
     
         52 . The nonwoven fabric according to  claim 50 , wherein at least one of:
 the proportion of cellulose filaments is between 2 wt-% and 7 wt-%; and   the short fibers are derived from a raw material selected from the group consisting of wood pulp, hemp, bamboo, bagasse, flax, natural plant fibers, cotton and a mixture thereof.   
     
     
         53 . The nonwoven fabric according to  claim 51 , wherein at least one of:
 the proportion of long fibers is up to 20 wt-%;   the long fibers are selected from the group consisting of man-made fibers, regenerated cellulose and a mixture thereof; and   the long fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton, hemp, jute, flax and a mixture thereof.   
     
     
         54 . The nonwoven fabric according to  claim 50 , wherein the fabric is a wet wipe in a liquid phase comprising at least one of an alcohol and a lotion. 
     
     
         55 . The nonwoven fabric according to  claim 54 , wherein at least one of:
 the liquid phase comprises an alcohol and has an alcohol content between 20 vol % and 80 vol %; and   the liquid phase comprises a water-based lotion.   
     
     
         56 . The nonwoven fabric according to  claim 50 , wherein at least one of:
 the nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of about 40 GSM to about 85 GSM;   the nonwoven fabric has a dry tensile strength of at least 31 N/50 mm and a wet tensile strength of at least 6.4 N/50 mm;   the nonwoven fabric has a dry maximal elongation of at least 7% and a wet maximal elongation of at least 26%;   the nonwoven fabric has a water absorptive capacity of at least 4.2 g/g;   the nonwoven fabric has a liquid wicking rate of at least 43 mm/30 sec;   the nonwoven fabric has a disintegration rate of at least 60% as measured according to IWSFG Slosh Box standards;   the nonwoven fabric has an opacity of at least about 50%; and   the nonwoven fabric has a dry linting rate of 0.01% and a degradation rate of 2.14%.   
     
     
         57 . A method for fabricating a nonwoven fabric, the method comprising:
 preparing a liquid suspension of:
 short fibers having a length between about 2 mm and about 5 mm; and 
 cellulose filaments being present at a proportion of up to 10 wt-% of the nonwoven fabric; 
   forming a web from the prepared liquid suspension and dewatering the web;   hydroentangling the web to obtain a wet fabric; and   drying the wet fabric to obtain a dried fabric.   
     
     
         58 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein the liquid suspension comprises long fibers having a length of more than 5 mm, the long fibers being present at a proportion of up to 40 wt-% of the nonwoven fabric. 
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein said forming the web comprises wet-laying the liquid suspension. 
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 57 , further comprising at least one of:
 patterning the wet fabric;   calendering the dried fabric;   embossing the dried fabric; and   winding the dried fabric thereby obtaining a roll of fabric.   
     
     
         61 . A wetlaid fabric product comprising:
 wood pulp short fibers having a length of about between 2 mm and 5 mm; and   cellulose filaments being present at a proportion of up to 10 wt-% of the wetlaid fabric, such that the cellulose filaments bind the short fibers in the nonwoven fabric.