Nonwoven Having High Microbial Kill Rate And High Efficacy And Articles And Uses Therefrom

• US 20150275404A1
• Filed: 03/25/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Avintiv Specialty Materials Inc. (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polymer Group Incorporated (Berry Global Group Inc.), Triocide Incorporated
• Inventors: Fosco, Frank M. Jr., Moody, Ralph A. III, Grondin, Pierre D., Erlandsson, Sven Krister, Steffen, John Frederick
• Application Number:
  US14/668,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20150275404A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/10 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 27/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 33/04 Nitrogen directly attached to aliphatic or cycloaliphatic carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 33/12 Quaternary ammonium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/14 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/34 Core-skin structure; Spinnerette packs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/103 Agents inhibiting growth of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 8/04 from synthetic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 8/06 with at least one polyolefin as constituent
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/42 characterised by the use of certain kinds of fibres insofar as this use has no preponderant influence on the consolidation of the fleece
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/13 anti-allergenic or anti-bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/00 Medical; Hygiene
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2929 Bicomponent, conjugate, composite or collateral fibers or filaments [i.e., coextruded sheath-core or side-by-side type]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/641 Sheath-core multicomponent strand or fiber material

Abstract

A fiber defined by a surface having a concentration of antimicrobial and a center having another concentration of antimicrobial is provided. The concentration of antimicrobial at the surface of the fiber is greater than the concentration of antimicrobial at the center of the fiber. Nonwovens manufactured from the fiber are also provided. The antimicrobial may include an antimicrobial heat labile component in conjunction with a carrier.

Claims

1. A fiber comprising:

a surface having a first concentration of an antimicrobial; and

a center having a second concentration of the antimicrobial, wherein the first concentration is greater than the second concentration.

2. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial comprises an antimicrobial heat labile component and a carrier.

3. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein a surface area of the fiber is at least about 1070 cm²/g.

4. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the first concentration is from about 3.5 wt % to about 12 wt % based upon the total weight of the fiber.

5. The fiber according to claim 4 having a kill rate of at least about 95% (log₁₀) after 30 minutes as measured by AATCC 100 test.

6. The fiber according to claim 4 having a kill rate of at least about 95% (log₁₀) after 3 minutes as measured by AATCC 100 test.

7. The fiber according to claim 4 having a kill rate of at least about 98% (log₁₀) after 3 minutes as measured by AATCC 100 test.

8. The fiber according to claim 2, wherein the second concentration is less than about 50% of the first concentration.

9. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the fiber is a bicomponent fiber defined by a sheath and a core, and a concentration of the antimicrobial in the sheath is greater than a concentration of the antimicrobial in the core.

10. The fiber according to claim 9, wherein the concentration of the antimicrobial in the sheath is from about 3.5 wt % to about 12 wt % based upon the total weight of the fiber.

11. The fiber according to claim 10, wherein the concentration of the antimicrobial in the core is at most about 50% of the concentration of the antimicrobial in the sheath.

12. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the antimicrobial in the sheath is from about 9 wt % to about 25 wt %.

13. A nonwoven comprising a fiber, wherein a concentration of an antimicrobial at a surface of the fiber is greater than a concentration of the antimicrobial at a center of the fiber and the fiber having a surface area that is at least about 1070 cm²/g.

14. A method of manufacturing a bicomponent fiber comprising:

combining an antimicrobial with a first polymer; and

forming a sheath of the bicomponent fiber from the first polymer and a core of the bicomponent fiber from a second polymer.

15. The method of claim 14, additionally comprising combining the antimicrobial with the second polymer, wherein the concentration of the antimicrobial in the sheath is greater than the concentration of the antimicrobial in the core.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the antimicrobial comprises an antimicrobial heat labile component and a carrier.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a surface area of the sheath is at least about 1070 cm²/g.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a concentration of the antimicrobial at a surface of the sheath is from about 3.5 wt % to about 12 wt % based upon the total weight of the bicomponent fiber.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the bicomponent fiber having a kill rate of at least about 95% (log₁₀) after 30 minutes as measured by AATCC 100 test.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the bicomponent fiber having a kill rate of at least about 95% (log₁₀) after 3 minutes as measured by AATCC 100 test.