Charged polymeric webs, such as electret webs, include a thermoplastic resin and a charge-enhancing additive. The additives are substituted heterocyclic thiolate salts. The heterocyclic thiolate salt has 2 nitrogen groups and a third group that may be an NH, N—NH.sub.2, O, or S group. The substituent group is an aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group. The electret webs may be a non-woven fibrous web or a film. The electret webs are suitable for use as filter media.

A fiber assembly includes, on a main surface of a support sheet subjected to a release treatment, a warp yarn group in which a plurality of warp yarns including a polymer material are arranged, and a weft yarn group in which a plurality of weft yarns including a polymer material are arranged. The warp yarn group and the weft yarn group form a plurality of first contact portion regions and a plurality of non-contact portion regions. Each of the plurality of first contact portion regions is a region in which at least one of the plurality of warp yarns is integrated with at least one of the plurality of weft yarns. Each of the plurality of warp yarns has a line width of 1 μm to 10 μm, inclusive, and each of the plurality of weft yarns has a line width of 1 μm to 10 μm, inclusive. At least one of the plurality of first contact portion regions has a fiber density higher than that of at least one of the plurality of non-contact portion regions. Two of the plurality of warp yarns or two of the plurality of weft yarns have a spacing of 5 μm or more and 1000 μm or less in at least one of the plurality of first contact portion regions. Two of the plurality of warp yarns or two of the plurality of weft yarns have a spacing of 2000 μm or more in at least one of the plurality of non-contact portion regions.

A fiber assembly includes, on a main surface of a support sheet subjected to a release treatment, a warp yarn group in which a plurality of warp yarns including a polymer material are arranged, and a weft yarn group in which a plurality of weft yarns including a polymer material are arranged. The warp yarn group and the weft yarn group form a plurality of first contact portion regions and a plurality of non-contact portion regions. Each of the plurality of first contact portion regions is a region in which at least one of the plurality of warp yarns is integrated with at least one of the plurality of weft yarns. Each of the plurality of warp yarns has a line width of 1 μm to 10 μm, inclusive, and each of the plurality of weft yarns has a line width of 1 μm to 10 μm, inclusive. At least one of the plurality of first contact portion regions has a fiber density higher than that of at least one of the plurality of non-contact portion regions. Two of the plurality of warp yarns or two of the plurality of weft yarns have a spacing of 5 μm or more and 1000 μm or less in at least one of the plurality of first contact portion regions. Two of the plurality of warp yarns or two of the plurality of weft yarns have a spacing of 2000 μm or more in at least one of the plurality of non-contact portion regions.

A method for making an absorbent article comprising an absorbent core comprising one or more channels, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a first endless moving surface comprising a plurality of molds typically in the form of pockets, each mold comprising an insert therein, wherein the molds are in fluid communication with an under-pressure source except for said insert such that a suction zone is formed in areas neighboring said insert; ii. feeding a first nonwoven web to said first endless moving surface and over one or more said molds; iii. depositing an absorbent material, comprising cellulose fibers and/or superabsorbent polymer particles, over at least a portion of said nonwoven web; iv. optionally further selectively removing said absorbent material from areas of the nonwoven web corresponding to said insert; v. applying a second nonwoven web directly or indirectly over the absorbent material, or folding said first nonwoven web, such to sandwich said absorbent material between upper and lower layers of said nonwoven web(s); vi. joining said upper and lower layers together at least in the areas of the nonwoven web(s) corresponding to the insert to form an absorbent core having one or more channels substantially free of absorbent material; vii. optionally joining an acquisition distribution layer to said absorbent core, typically a skin facing surface of said upper layer; viii. optionally laminating said absorbent core and acquisition distribution layer between a liquid pervious topsheet and a liquid impervious backsheet; wherein at least a portion of said insert is porous and is in fluid communication with a positive pressure source such that air is blown out of said insert to form an air cushion or air film around at least an uppermost surface of said insert and in that said absorbent material is thereby forced away from areas of the nonwoven web corresponding to said insert.

A patterned apertured web is disclosed. The patterned apertured web includes a plurality of land areas in the patterned apertured web and a plurality of apertures defined in the patterned apertured web. At least some land areas of the plurality of land areas surround at least some apertures of the plurality of apertures. The patterned apertured web has an Effective Open Area in the range of about 3% to about 30%, according to the Aperture Test herein. The plurality of apertures include a first set of apertures defining a first shape and a second set of apertures defining a second shape. The first shape is positioned within the second shape.

A nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property. The nonwoven further has a plurality of apertures, wherein at least a portion of the aperture abuts at least one of the first region and the second region of the microzone.

A nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property. The nonwoven further has a plurality of apertures, wherein at least a portion of the aperture abuts at least one of the first region and the second region of the microzone.

Charged polymeric webs, such as electret webs, include a thermoplastic resin and a charge-enhancing additive. The additives are substituted heterocyclic thiols. The heterocyclic thiol has 2 nitrogen groups and a third group that may be an NH, N-NH.sub.2, O, or S group. The substituent group is an aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group. The electret webs may be a non-woven fibrous web or a film. The electret webs are suitable for use as filter media.

Charged polymeric webs, such as electret webs, include a thermoplastic resin and a charge-enhancing additive. The additives are substituted heterocyclic thiols. The heterocyclic thiol has 2 nitrogen groups and a third group that may be an NH, N-NH.sub.2, O, or S group. The substituent group is an aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group. The electret webs may be a non-woven fibrous web or a film. The electret webs are suitable for use as filter media.

Provided is a non-woven fabric which is suitable for cleaning wipers, diapers, food packaging materials, etc., and has excellent water absorption and handling performance. The non-woven fabric according to the present invention contains a thermoplastic biodegradable resin, and is characterized in that fibers constituting the non-woven fabric have crimps, the flexural rigidity index in the mechanical direction (MD) of the non-woven fabric is 7.77-37.4 as defined by the following equation: flexural rigidity index in the mechanical direction (MD)=flexural rigidity (gf.Math.cm) in the mechanical direction (MD)/{basis weight(g/m.sup.2)}.sup.2.5×10.sup.6, and the bulk density of the non-woven fabric is 0.098 g/cm.sup.3 to 0.251 g/cm.sup.3.