US-12616619-B2 - Nonwoven and absorbent articles containing the same

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an absorbent article comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and an intermediate layer disposed between the topsheet and the absorbent core, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a nonwoven which comprises a plurality of apertures, absorbent fibers, and ultrafine fibers. The nonwoven comprises the ultrafine fibers of about 3% to about 35% by weight of the nonwoven, and at least most of the plurality of apertures have a hydraulic diameter in the range of about 600 μm to about 4500 μm.

Inventors

• Zhe Liu
• Jiahui Wang
• Lifeng Zhao

Assignees

• THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20211027

Claims (18)

1. 1 . An absorbent article comprising: a liquid pervious topsheet; a liquid impervious backsheet; an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; and an intermediate layer disposed between the topsheet and the absorbent core, the intermediate layer comprising a nonwoven; wherein the nonwoven comprises: a plurality of apertures; absorbent fibers; hydrophobic ultrafine fibers of about 3% to about 35% by weight of the nonwoven; wherein the absorbent fibers are entangled with the hydrophobic ultrafine fibers; and wherein the hydrophobic ultrafine fibers have a diameter no greater than about 2 μm; and wherein at least most of the plurality of apertures have a hydraulic diameter in the range of about 600 μm to about 4500 μm.
2. 2 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent fibers are cellulose-based fibers.
3. 3 . The absorbent article of claim 2 , wherein the nonwoven has a fiber mixing extent of no less than about 0.040 as measured by the Fiber Mixing Extent Test.
4. 4 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven is a spunlace nonwoven.
5. 5 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the topsheet comprises cellulose-based fibers.
6. 6 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven has a basis weight no less than about 45 gsm.
7. 7 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven has an air permeability no less than about 110 m 3 /m 2 /min as measured by the Air Permeability Test.
8. 8 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven has a wicking rate no less than about 120 mm @ 300 s as measured by the Wicking Rate Test.
9. 9 . The absorbent article of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent fibers are staple fibers having a fiber length no less than about 30 mm.
10. 10 . An absorbent article comprising: a liquid pervious topsheet; a liquid impervious backsheet; an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; and an intermediate layer disposed between the topsheet and the absorbent core, the intermediate layer comprising a nonwoven; wherein the nonwoven comprises a plurality of apertures, absorbent fibers, and hydrophobic ultrafine fibers; wherein the hydrophobic ultrafine fibers have a diameter no greater than about 2 μm; wherein the hydrophobic ultrafine fibers are split conjugate fibers; wherein the split conjugate fibers comprise two components divided into two or more segments arranged in a circumferentially alternating pattern or in a layered pattern; wherein the absorbent fibers are staple fibers having a fiber length no less than about 30 mm; and wherein the nonwoven has an air permeability no less than about 110 m 3 /m 2 /min as measured by the Air Permeability Test, and a wicking rate no less than about 120 mm @ 300 s as measured by the Wicking Rate Test.
11. 11 . The absorbent article of claim 10 , wherein the absorbent fibers are cellulose-based fibers.
12. 12 . The absorbent article of claim 10 , wherein the nonwoven is a spunlace nonwoven.
13. 13 . The absorbent article of claim 10 , wherein the topsheet comprises cellulose-based fibers.
14. 14 . The absorbent article of claim 10 , wherein the nonwoven has a basis weight no less than about 45 gsm.
15. 15 . The absorbent article of claim 10 , wherein the nonwoven has a fiber mixing extent of no less than about 0.040 as measured by Fiber Mixing Extent Test.
16. 16 . An absorbent article comprising: a liquid pervious topsheet; a liquid impervious backsheet; an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; and an intermediate layer disposed between the topsheet and the absorbent core, the intermediate layer comprising a nonwoven; wherein the nonwoven comprises a plurality of apertures, absorbent fibers, and hydrophobic ultrafine fibers; wherein the hydrophobic ultrafine fibers have a diameter no greater than about 2 μm; wherein the absorbent fibers are entangled with the hydrophobic ultrafine fibers; wherein the hydrophobic ultrafine fibers are split conjugate fibers; wherein the split conjugate fibers comprise two components divided into two or more segments arranged in a circumferentially alternating pattern or in a layered pattern; and wherein the nonwoven has a fiber mixing extent of no less than about 0.040 as measured by Fiber Mixing Extent Test disclosed herein.
17. 17 . The absorbent article of claim 16 , wherein the nonwoven has a basis weight no less than about 45 gsm.
18. 18 . The absorbent article of claim 17 , wherein the absorbent fibers are staple fibers having a fiber length no less than about 30 mm, wherein the nonwoven has an air permeability no less than about 110 m 3 /m 2 /min as measured by Air Permeability Test, and a wicking rate no less than about 120 mm @ 300 s as measured by Wicking Rate Test.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Chinese Patent Application No. PCT/2020/125265, filed on Oct. 30, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD The present discloses generally relates to a nonwoven suitable for a disposable absorbent article, in particular a fluid management substrate that is a spunlace nonwoven comprising absorbent fibers and ultrafine fibers having improved performance characteristics, and an absorbent article comprising the same. BACKGROUND Disposable absorbent articles such as baby diapers, feminine hygiene products and incontinence products are designed to absorb fluids from the wearer's body. It is desirable in an absorbent article that the body fluid discharged on the topsheet rapidly transfer from a top surface of the topsheet towards the bottom of the topsheet which usually keep in close contact with an absorbent core of the absorbent article, so that the body fluid rapidly transfers from the topsheet into the absorbent core without giving a wearer uncomfortable feeling of wetness. Disposable absorbent articles are generally designed to comprise a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. So as not to prevent liquid transfer from a topsheet to an absorbent core and minimize an amount of body fluid remaining on the topsheet, absorbent articles have been designed by incorporating an acquisition-distribution system (“ADS”) between a topsheet and an absorbent core. One desirable function of ADS is to quickly acquire liquids or other bodily exudates and transfer them to the absorbent core in an efficient manner Another one is to reduce the amount of liquid in a topsheet to avoid a wetness sensory. To reduce the liquid amount in a topsheet, an ADS material is required to have a good wicking property to distribute the liquid along a planar direction of the ADS material to lower the liquid concentration at the loading point and a high capillary force to suck the liquid from a topsheet. Both a wicking property and a capillary force are contributed by small pore sizes either in a planar direction or a z-direction. While small size pores in an ADS enhances wicking property and capillary force, it brings high flow resistance for the liquid to penetrate the ADS, which results in a slow acquisition speed. Some currently marketed absorbent articles comprise an ADS comprising a nonwoven layer comprising synthetic fibers and/or water-absorptive fibers. There is a continuous need for an ADS that moves fluid fast and away from body while it can reduce the liquid amount staying in a topsheet in absorbent articles. SUMMARY The present disclosure relates to an absorbent article comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and an intermediate layer disposed between the topsheet and the absorbent core, the intermediate layer comprising a nonwoven, wherein the nonwoven comprises a plurality of apertures, absorbent fibers, and ultrafine fibers of about 3% to about 35% by weight of the nonwoven, and wherein at least most of the apertures have a hydraulic diameter in the range of about 600 μm to about 4500 μm. The present disclosure also relates to an absorbent article comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and an intermediate layer disposed between the topsheet and the absorbent core, the intermediate layer comprising a nonwoven, wherein the nonwoven comprises a plurality of apertures, absorbent fibers, and ultrafine fibers, wherein the absorbent fibers are staple fibers having a fiber length no less than about 30 mm, and wherein the nonwoven has an air permeability no less than about 110 m3/m2/min as measured by Air Permeability Test, and a wicking rate no less than about 120 mm @ 300 s as measured by Wicking Rate Test. The present disclosure also relates to a nonwoven comprising a plurality of apertures, absorbent fibers, and ultrafine fibers of about 3% to about 35% by weight of the nonwoven, and wherein the apertures have a hydraulic diameter in the range of about 600 μm to about 4500 μm. The present disclosure also relates to a nonwoven comprising a plurality of apertures, absorbent fibers, and ultrafine fibers, wherein the nonwoven has an air permeability no less than 110 m3/m2/min as measured by Air Permeability Test, and a wicking rate no less than about 120 mm @ 300 s as measured by Wicking Rate Test. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter that is regarded as the present invention, it is believed that the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing