Absorbent articles containing an activated carbon substrate

• US 20040121681A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Mangun, Christian L., Lindsay, Jeffrey Dean, Chen, Fung-jou, Quincy, Roger Bradshaw, Borders, Richard A., Edens, Ronald Lee, Gadsby, Elizabeth Deibler
• Application Number:
  US10/328,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20040121681A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/121
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/8405 Additives, e.g. for odour, disinfectant or pH control
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/18 containing inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/46 Deodorants or malodour counteractants, e.g. to inhibit the formation of ammonia or bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/108 Elemental carbon, e.g. charcoal
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/606 Coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28023 Fibres or filaments fibres or filaments in the form of membranes B01J20/28038; B01J20/28007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28033 Membrane, sheet, cloth, pad, lamellar or mat
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28035 with more than one layer, e.g. laminates, separated sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28069 Pore volume, e.g. total pore volume, mesopore volume, micropore volume
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2481 including layer of mechanically interengaged strands, strand-portions or strand-like strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2041 Two or more non-extruded coatings or impregnations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2066 Different coatings or impregnations on opposite faces of the fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2082 At least one coating or impregnation functions to fix pigments or particles on the surface of a coating or impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2139 Coating or impregnation specified as porous or permeable to a specific substance [e.g., water vapor, air, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2508 Coating or impregnation absorbs chemical material other than water

Abstract

An absorbent article that contains a substrate applied with an activated carbon coating is provided. The activated carbon coating is formed from a mixture of a polymeric material and an activation agent. The mixture is activated by heating to a temperature of from about 100° C. to about 250° C. As a result of the present invention, it has been discovered that a substrate can be formed that is absorbent and also capable of performing other functions, such as serving as an odor control agent.

Claims

1. A multi-functional absorbent article that contains a substrate, said substrate being applied with a first activated carbon coating, said activated carbon coating being formed from a polymeric material and an activation agent heated to a temperature of from about 100°

C. to about 300°

C., wherein said activated carbon coated substrate has a porosity such that from about 20 to about 500 cubic feet of air is capable of flowing through 1 square foot of said substrate per minute under a pressure differential of 125 Pascals.

2. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylonitrile, phenolic resins, ethylene vinyl acetate or copolymers thereof, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose or other natural or synthetic polysaccharides, cellulose derivatives or other polysaccharide derivatives, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethacrylates, polymethacrylic acids, polylactic acid, and combinations thereof.

3. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said activation agent comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of acids, metal halides, hydroxides, and combinations thereof.

4. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymeric material and said activation agent are heated to a temperature of from about 170°

C. to about 300°

C.

5. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate contains a woven fabric.

6. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate contains a nonwoven fabric.

7. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises one or more polymer components that have a softening temperature of from about 100°

C. to about 400°

C.

8. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises one or more polymer components that have a softening temperature of from about 100°

C. to about 300°

C.

9. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises one or more polymer components that have a softening temperature of from about 150°

C. to about 250°

C.

10. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate has a degradation temperature less than about 450°

C.

11. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate has a degradation temperature less than about 300°

C.

12. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate is a mesh with at least about 25% open area.

13. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein the add-on level of said activated carbon coating is from about 1% to about 300% of the mass of said substrate.

14. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein the add-on level of said activated carbon coating is from about 5% to about 100% of the mass of said substrate.

15. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein the add-on level of said activated carbon coating is from about 5% to about 50% of the mass of said substrate.

16. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said activated carbon coating is configured to adsorb acidic compounds, basic compounds, or combinations thereof.

17. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said activated carbon coating is applied in a preselected pattern on a first surface of said substrate.

18. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein a second activated carbon coating is applied to said substrate.

19. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 18, wherein said second activated carbon coating is applied to a second surface of said substrate.

20. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 18, wherein said second activated carbon coating contains a different amount of activated carbon than said first activated carbon coating.

21. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 18, wherein said second activated carbon coating is formed from a mixture of a polymeric material and an activation agent.

22. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 21, wherein the polymeric material of said first activated carbon coating is different than the polymeric material of said second activated carbon coating.

23. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 21, wherein the activation agent of said first activated carbon coating is different than the activation agent of said second activated carbon coating.

24. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said activated carbon coated substrate has a porosity such that from about 50 to about 400 cubic feet of air is capable of flowing through 1 square foot of said substrate per minute under a pressure differential of 125 Pascals.

25. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said activated carbon coated substrate has a porosity such that from about 75 to about 300 cubic feet of air is capable of flowing through 1 square foot of said substrate per minute under a pressure differential of 125 Pascals.

26. A multi-functional absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is a personal care article.

27. A personal care absorbent article that contains a nonwoven fabric, said nonwoven fabric including a first surface that is applied with a first activated carbon coating, said activated carbon coating being formed from a polymeric material and an activation agent heated after application to the nonwoven fabric to a temperature of from about 170°

C. to about 300°

C., wherein said activated carbon coating has an add-on level of from about 1% to about 300% of the mass of said nonwoven fabric, wherein said activated carbon coated nonwoven fabric has a porosity such that from about 20 to about 400 cubic feet of air is capable of flowing through 1 square foot of said nonwoven fabric per minute under a pressure differential of 125 Pascals.

28. A personal care absorbent article as defined in claim 27, wherein said activated carbon coating is applied in a preselected pattern on said first surface.

29. A personal care absorbent article as defined in claim 27, wherein said activated carbon coated nonwoven fabric has a porosity such that from about 75 to about 300 cubic feet of air is capable of flowing through 1 square foot of said nonwoven fabric per minute under a pressure differential of 125 Pascals.

30. A method of forming a multi-functional absorbent article, said method comprising:

providing a nonwoven fabric having a first surface and a second surface;

applying a polymeric material and an activation agent to said first surface of said nonwoven fabric;

heating said polymeric material and said activation agent to a temperature of from about 100°

C. to about 300°

C. to form an activated carbon coating; and

incorporating said nonwoven fabric into the absorbent article so that said nonwoven fabric is capable of performing multiple functions, wherein said activated carbon coated nonwoven fabric has a porosity such that from about 20 to about 500 cubic feet of air is capable of flowing through 1 square foot of said nonwoven fabric per minute under a pressure differential of 125 Pascals.

31. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein said polymeric material and activation agent are heated to a temperature of from about 170°

C. to about 300°

C.

32. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the add-on level of said activated carbon coating is from about 5% to about 50% of the mass of said substrate.

33. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein said polymeric material, said activation agent, or combinations thereof, are applied in a preselected pattern on said first surface.

34. A method as defined in claim 33, wherein said polymeric material, said activation agent, or combinations thereof, are printed onto said first surface of said nonwoven fabric.

35. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein a second activated carbon coating is formed on said second surface of said nonwoven fabric.

36. A method as defined in claim 35, wherein said second activated carbon coating contains a different amount of activated carbon than said first activated carbon coating.

37. A method as defined in claim 36, wherein said second activated carbon coating is formed from a mixture of a polymeric material and an activation agent.

38. A method as defined in claim 37, wherein said polymeric material, said activation agent, or combinations thereof, of said second activated carbon coating are applied in a preselected pattern on said second surface.

39. A method as defined in claim 38, wherein said polymeric material, said activation agent, or combinations thereof, of said second activated carbon coating are printed onto said second surface of said nonwoven fabric.

40. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein said activated carbon coated nonwoven fabric has a porosity such that from about 75 to about 300 cubic feet of air is capable of flowing through 1 square foot of said nonwoven fabric per minute under a pressure differential of 125 Pascals.

41. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the absorbent article is a personal care article.