The invention provides polymer-grafted and functionalized nonwoven membranes adapted for use in bioseparation processes, the membranes including a nonwoven web of polyester fibers having an average fiber diameter of less than about 1.5 microns, each of the plurality of polyester fibers having grafted thereon a plurality of polymer segments constructed of a methacrylate polymer, each polymer segment carrying a functional group adapted for binding to a target molecule. The invention also provides a method of bioseparation comprising passing a solution comprising the target molecule, such as a protein, through the nonwoven membrane of the invention such that at least a portion of the target molecule in the solution binds to the nonwoven membrane. A method for preparing a polymer-grafted and functionalized nonwoven membrane adapted for use in bioseparation processes is also provided.

Nanofiber filter media ribbons are flexible elongate strips of polymeric material having a surface on which is formed an array of nanofibers. Ribbons are formable into woven or non-woven mats. The array of nanofibers can be configured to filter a predetermined contaminant from a fluid stream passing through the mats. Filter ribbons are formable by applying a moldable polymer to a first angular location of a rotating cylindrical roll having an array of nanoholes formed in a circumferential surface thereof so that the polymer covers the surface of the roll and infiltrates the nanoholes; cooling the polymer while rotating the polymer-covered roll to a second angular position; and removing the cooled polymer from the roll as an elongate film having an array of nanofibers formed on a surface thereof by the polymer that infiltrated the nanoholes.

Nanofiber filter media ribbons are flexible elongate strips of polymeric material having a surface on which is formed an array of nanofibers. Ribbons are formable into woven or non-woven mats. The array of nanofibers can be configured to filter a predetermined contaminant from a fluid stream passing through the mats. Filter ribbons are formable by applying a moldable polymer to a first angular location of a rotating cylindrical roll having an array of nanoholes formed in a circumferential surface thereof so that the polymer covers the surface of the roll and infiltrates the nanoholes; cooling the polymer while rotating the polymer-covered roll to a second angular position; and removing the cooled polymer from the roll as an elongate film having an array of nanofibers formed on a surface thereof by the polymer that infiltrated the nanoholes.

A nonwoven fabric according to the present invention is formed so that constituent fibers of the nonwoven fabric have an average fiber diameter of less than 1 μm and the number of fibers having fiber diameters ranging from 2 times up to 10 times the average fiber diameter of the constituent fibers is in a range of 2 to 20% of a total number of the constituent fibers. When the nonwoven fabric according to the present invention is used as a filter layer constituting an air filter, for example, it is possible to achieve high collection efficiency while reducing clogging (packing) between fibers to solve problems that may occur in using the conventional nanofiber nonwoven fabric (such as an increase in pressure loss and a decrease in service life).

A nonwoven fabric according to the present invention is formed so that constituent fibers of the nonwoven fabric have an average fiber diameter of less than 1 μm and the number of fibers having fiber diameters ranging from 2 times up to 10 times the average fiber diameter of the constituent fibers is in a range of 2 to 20% of a total number of the constituent fibers. When the nonwoven fabric according to the present invention is used as a filter layer constituting an air filter, for example, it is possible to achieve high collection efficiency while reducing clogging (packing) between fibers to solve problems that may occur in using the conventional nanofiber nonwoven fabric (such as an increase in pressure loss and a decrease in service life).

The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a nonwoven fabric which improves the impregnation property of a fabric softener in the nonwoven fabric so as to apply the nonwoven fabric to a dryer sheet (sheet-type fabric softener). In a nonwoven fabric made of two types of polyester long fiber mixed filament yarns, by widening the specific surface area, adjusting the evenness deviation to be small and increasing the porosity, the impregnation property of a fabric softener is improved even when the nonwoven fabric is made lightweight, and the nonwoven fabric can be applied to a dryer sheet.

The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a nonwoven fabric which improves the impregnation property of a fabric softener in the nonwoven fabric so as to apply the nonwoven fabric to a dryer sheet (sheet-type fabric softener). In a nonwoven fabric made of two types of polyester long fiber mixed filament yarns, by widening the specific surface area, adjusting the evenness deviation to be small and increasing the porosity, the impregnation property of a fabric softener is improved even when the nonwoven fabric is made lightweight, and the nonwoven fabric can be applied to a dryer sheet.

A nonwoven article comprising a two-dimensional nonwoven structure having a longest major surface dimension and a shortest major surface dimension, said two-dimensional nonwoven structure comprising a plurality of discontinuous polycrystalline, aluminosilicate ceramic fibers having a length equal to the longest or shortest major surface dimension of the two-dimensional nonwoven structure or a length in between those dimensions.

A multi-laminar electrospun nanofiber scaffold for use in repairing a defect in a tissue substrate is provided. The scaffold includes a first layer formed by a first plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers, and a second layer formed by a second plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers. The second layer is combined with the first layer. A first portion of the scaffold includes a higher density of fibers than a second portion of the scaffold, and the first portion has a higher tensile strength than the second portion. The scaffold is configured to degrade via hydrolysis after at least one of a predetermined time or an environmental condition. The scaffold is configured to be applied to the tissue substrate containing the defect, and is sufficiently flexible to facilitate application of the scaffold to uneven surfaces of the tissue substrate, and to enable movement of the scaffold by the tissue substrate.

A multi-laminar electrospun nanofiber scaffold for use in repairing a defect in a tissue substrate is provided. The scaffold includes a first layer formed by a first plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers, and a second layer formed by a second plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers. The second layer is combined with the first layer. A first portion of the scaffold includes a higher density of fibers than a second portion of the scaffold, and the first portion has a higher tensile strength than the second portion. The scaffold is configured to degrade via hydrolysis after at least one of a predetermined time or an environmental condition. The scaffold is configured to be applied to the tissue substrate containing the defect, and is sufficiently flexible to facilitate application of the scaffold to uneven surfaces of the tissue substrate, and to enable movement of the scaffold by the tissue substrate.