Pressure sensitive adhesive fibers with a reinforcing material

• US 6,994,904 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2001
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Everaerts, Albert I., Dunshee, Wayne K., Joseph, Eugene G., Zhou, Zhiming, Brown, Mary L., Hoff, Randy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dye, Rena
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Camie S.
• Application Number:
  US09/847,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20030026967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 428/343, 428/284, 428/317.3, 428/292.1, 428/903, 428/355, 428/297.4, 428/283, 422/149, 442/200, 442/149, 427/207.1, 604/54, 604/41, 604/57
• US Class Current: 428/297.4
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/52 of polymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids or unsaturated esters
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 8/10 with at least one other macromolecular compound obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds as constituent
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4291 Olefin series
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4374 using different kinds of webs, e.g. by layering webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43828 sheath-core
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43832 side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43838 Ultrafine fibres, e.g. microfibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/02 characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of yarns or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/903 Microfiber, less than 100 micron diameter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249924 Noninterengaged fiber-containing paper-free web or sheet which is not of specified porosity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24994 Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a polymeric matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249983 As outermost component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 Coated or with bond, impregnation or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2738 Coating or impregnation intended to function as an adhesive to solid surfaces subsequently associated therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3154 Sheath-core multicomponent strand material

Abstract

This invention is directed to a reinforced adhesive fiber that includes a pressure sensitive adhesive component and a reinforcing material within the pressure sensitive adhesive component.

Claims

1. An adhesive nonwoven web comprising pressure sensitive adhesive fibers, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers comprise:

a pressure sensitive adhesive component; and

an organic polymeric reinforcing material comprising a plurality of substantially continuous minimicrofibers having a diameter of no greater than about 10 microns within the pressure sensitive adhesive component;

wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers comprise about 60 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of the pressure sensitive adhesive component and about 5 weight percent to about 40 weight percent of minimicrofibrous organic polymeric reinforcing material based on a total weight of the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers, and further wherein a nonwoven web comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers and having a basis weight of about 55 g/m² has a maximum load of at least about 30 g/cm, which is at least about 150% of the load at yield point, and an elongation at break of at least about 50%.

2. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the minimicrofibrous organic polymeric reinforcing material comprises substantially continuous in-situ formed minimicrofibers.

3. The nonwoven web of claim 1 which has an elongation at break of at least about 200% at a basis weight of about 55 g/m².

4. The nonwoven web of claim 1 which has a maximum load of at least about 50 g/cm at a basis weight of about 55 g/m².

5. The nonwoven web of claim 1 which has a load at yield point of no greater than about 100 g/cm at a basis weight of about 55 g/².

6. The nonwoven web of claim 1 comprising about 60 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of the pressure sensitive adhesive component and about 5 weight percent to about 40 weight percent of minimicrofibrous organic polymeric reinforcing material.

7. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the minimicrofibers have a diameter of no greater than about 5 micrometers.

8. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the minimicrofibers have an aspect ratio of greater than about 1000.

9. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive component comprises synthetic rubber, styrene block copolymer, polyvinyl ether, poly(meth)acrylate, polyolefin, silicone, or combinations thereof.

10. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive component comprises a crosslinked acrylate copolymer, wherein the crosslinked acryl ate copolymer comprises copolymerized monomers comprising at least one monoethylenically unsaturated alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer, at least one monoethylenically unsaturated free-radically copolymerizable reinforcing monomer having a homopolymer glass transition temperature higher than that of the alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer.

11. The nonwoven web of claim 10 wherein the crosslinked acrylate copolymer is derived from a melt-processable acrylate copolymer and a crosslinking agent, wherein the crosslinking agent crosslinks subsequent to fiber formation or is a thermally reversible crosslinking agent.

12. The nonwoven web of claim 11 wherein the crosslinking agent is a styrene macromer.

13. The nonwoven web of claim 10 wherein the alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer when homopolymerized has a glass transition temperature of no greater than about 0°

C., and wherein the free-radically copolymerizable reinforcing monomer when homopolymerized has a glass transition temperature of at least about 10°

C.

14. The nonwoven web of claim 10 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive component comprises a polymer derived from at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate ester monomer;

the group consisting of selected from isooctyl acrylate, 2-ethyl-hexyl acrylate, and n-butyl acrylate, and at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid and acrylamide.

15. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the minimicrofibrous organic polymeric reinforcing material comprises an elastomer having a yield strength of no greater than about 20 MPa and a tensile strength of at least about 150% of the yield strength.

16. The nonwoven web of claim 1 wherein the minimicrofibrous organic polymeric reinforcing material comprises a semi-crystalline polymer.

17. An article comprising a surface having the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 1 disposed thereon.

18. A stretch removable article comprising the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 1.

19. A medical article comprising the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 1.

20. The medical article of claim 19 which is in the form of a wound dressing, surgical dressing, medical tape, athletic tape, or surgical tape.

21. The medical article of claim 19 which is in the form of a sensor, an electrode, or an ostomy appliance.

22. An adhesive nonwoven web comprising pressure sensitive adhesive fibers, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers comprise:

a pressure sensitive adhesive component; and

a reinforcing material comprising a metallocene-catalyzed polyolefin within the pressure sensitive adhesive component;

wherein the reinforcing material comprises a plurality of substantially continuous minimicrofibers having a diameter of no greater than about 10 microns;

wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers comprise about 60 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of the pressure sensitive adhesive component and about 5 weight percent to about 40 weight percent of the reinforcing material based on a total weight of the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers, and further wherein a nonwoven web comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers and having a basis weight of about 55 g/m² has a maximum load of at least about 30 g/cm, which is at least about 150% of the load at yield point, and an elongation at break of at least about 50%.

23. The nonwoven web of claim 22 wherein the reinforcing material has a melting point above the use temperature of the fiber.

24. An article comprising a surface having the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 22 disposed thereon.

25. A stretch removable article comprising the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 22.

26. A medical article comprising the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 22.

27. An adhesive nonwoven web comprising pressure sensitive adhesive fibers, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers comprise:

a pressure sensitive adhesive component comprising a crosslinked acrylate copolymer, wherein the crosslinked acrylate copolymer comprises copolymerized monomers comprising at least one monoethylenically unsaturated alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer, at least one monoethylenically unsaturated free-radically copolymerizable reinforcing monomer having a homopolymer glass transition temperature higher than that of the alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer; and

a reinforcing material comprising a metallocene-catalyzed polyolefin within the pressure sensitive adhesive component;

wherein the reinforcing material comprises a plurality of substantially continuous minimicrofibers having a diameter of no greater than about 10 microns;

wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers comprise about 60 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of the pressure sensitive adhesive component and about 5 weight percent to about 40 weight percent of the reinforcing material based on a total weight of the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers, and further wherein a nonwoven web comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers and having a basis weight of about 55 g/m² has a maximum load of at least about 30 g/cm, which is at least about 150% of the load at yield point, and an elongation at break of at least about 50%.

28. An article comprising a surface having the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 27 disposed thereon.

29. A stretch removable article comprising the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 27.

30. A medical article comprising the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 27.

31. An adhesive nonwoven web comprising pressure sensitive adhesive fibers, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers comprise:

a pressure sensitive adhesive component; and

an organic polymeric reinforcing material within the pressure sensitive adhesive component, wherein the organic polymeric reinforcing material has a yield strength of no greater than about 20 MPa and an elongation at break of at least about 50%;

wherein the reinforcing material comprises a plurality of substantially continuous minimicrofibers having a diameter of no greater than about 10 microns;

wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers comprise about 60 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of the pressure sensitive adhesive component and about 5 weight percent to about 40 weight percent of the organic polymeric reinforcing material based on a total weight of the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers, and further wherein a nonwoven web comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive fibers and having a basis weight of about 55 g/m² has a maximum load of at least about 30 g/cm, which is at least about 150% of the load at yield point, and an elongation at break of at least about 50%.

32. An article comprising a surface having the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 31 disposed thereon.

33. A stretch removable article comprising the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 31.

34. A medical article comprising the adhesive nonwoven web of claim 31.