Water-dispersible polymers, a method of making same and items using same

• US 20020146552A1
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Mumick, Pavneet S., Chang, Yihua, Chen, Franklin M.C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,586,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/292.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3266 Wet wipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15211 soluble or disintegratable in liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/24 Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Derivatives thereof A61L15/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/62 Compostable, hydrosoluble or hydrodegradable materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/02 Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249924 Noninterengaged fiber-containing paper-free web or sheet which is not of specified porosity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249933 Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a natural or synthetic rubber matrix

Abstract

The present invention is directed to water-dispersible polymers. The present invention is also directed to a method of making water-dispersible polymers and their applicability as binder compositions. The present invention is further directed to fiber-containing fabrics and webs comprising water-dispersible binder compositions and their applicability in water-dispersible personal care products.

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

sodium polyacrylate; and

a styrene emulsion.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the styrene emulsion is selected from styrene acrylic or styrene-butadiene emulsion.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises approximately 50% to 95% by weight sodium polyacrylate and approximately 5% to 50% by weight styrene emulsion.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises approximately 83% by weight sodium polyacrylate and approximately 17% by weight styrene emulsion.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein said composition is sprayable.

6. A composition comprising:

a polymer containing carboxylate groups and having a flexible polymer chain; and

an emulsion latex polymer.

7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the composition comprises approximately 50% to 95% by weight carboxylate group-containing polymer and approximately 5% to 50% by weight emulsion latex polymer.

8. The composition of claim 6, wherein the composition comprises approximately 83% by weight carboxylate group-containing polymer and approximately 17% by weight emulsion latex polymer.

9. The composition of claim 6, wherein said composition is sprayable.

10. A binder composition for binding fibrous material into an integral web, said binder composition comprising the composition of claim 6.

11. A nonwoven fabric comprising fibrous material and a binder material, said binder material comprising the composition of claim 6.

13. A water-dispersible article comprising the fibrous substrate of claim 12.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said binder composition is applied to said fibrous material by spraying.

12. A fibrous substrate comprising:

fibrous material; and

a binder composition for binding said fibrous material into an integral web, said binder composition comprising a polymer containing carboxylate groups and having a flexible polymer chain and a styrene emulsion.

14. A wet wipe comprising:

a fibrous material;

a binder composition for binding said fibrous material into an integral web, said binder composition comprising a polymer containing carboxylate groups and having a flexible polymer chain and a styrene emulsion; and

said fibrous material being wetted by a wetting solution containing at least about 5 weight percent water-compatible organic solvent.

15. A method comprising:

combining a polymer containing carboxylate groups and having a flexible polymer chain; and

an emulsion latex polymer.

16. A method of making a wet wipe comprising:

forming a substrate of fibrous material;

applying to said substrate a binder composition for said fibrous material comprising a polymer containing carboxylate groups and having a flexible polymer chain and a styrene emulsion; and

applying to said substrate a wetting solution containing at least about 5 weight percent water-compatible organic solvent, whereby the wet wipe retains wet strength in said wetting solution and whereby the wet wipe is dispersible in water containing up to about 200 ppm of one or more multivalent ions.

18. A method comprising:

applying to a substrate of fibrous material;

a binder composition for said fibrous material comprising a polymer containing carboxylate groups and having a flexible polymer chain and an emulsion latex polymer, whereby said binder composition is applied by spraying.