A process of making a paper or nonwoven article is provide. The process comprising: a) providing a fiber furnish comprising a plurality of fibers and a plurality of binder microfibers, wherein the binder microfibers comprise a water non-dispersible, synthetic polymer; wherein the binder microfibers have a length of less than 25 millimeters and a fineness of less than 0.5 d/f; and wherein the binder microfibers have a melting temperature that is less than the melting temperature of the fibers; b) routing the fiber furnish to a wet-laid nonwoven process to produce at least one wet-laid nonwoven web layer; c) removing water from the wet-laid nonwoven web layer; and d) thermally bonding the wet-laid nonwoven web layer after step (c); wherein the thermal bonding is conducted at a temperature such that the surfaces of the binder microfibers at least partially melt without causing the fibers to melt thereby bonding the binder microfibers to the fibers to produce the paper or nonwoven article.

A process of making a paper or nonwoven article is provide. The process comprising: a) providing a fiber furnish comprising a plurality of fibers and a plurality of binder microfibers, wherein the binder microfibers comprise a water non-dispersible, synthetic polymer; wherein the binder microfibers have a length of less than 25 millimeters and a fineness of less than 0.5 d/f; and wherein the binder microfibers have a melting temperature that is less than the melting temperature of the fibers; b) routing the fiber furnish to a wet-laid nonwoven process to produce at least one wet-laid nonwoven web layer; c) removing water from the wet-laid nonwoven web layer; and d) thermally bonding the wet-laid nonwoven web layer after step (c); wherein the thermal bonding is conducted at a temperature such that the surfaces of the binder microfibers at least partially melt without causing the fibers to melt thereby bonding the binder microfibers to the fibers to produce the paper or nonwoven article.

Certain configurations are described herein of a thermoplastic sheet or article comprising a plurality of porous layers coupled to each other. In one configuration, the thermoplastic article may comprise a core layer, a first layer disposed on one surface of the core layer and a second layer disposed on another surface of the core layer. In some instances, each of the core layer, the first layer and the second layer may comprises a web of open celled structures formed by a plurality of reinforcing materials bonded together with a thermoplastic material and optionally may also include a lofting agent. The lofting capacity in different layers can be selected or tuned to provide desired properties.

Fibrous substrates containing polyetherimides and other synthetic fibers are disclosed, along with methods of preparing electrical insulation paper and articles comprising the fibrous substrates.

Fibrous substrates containing polyetherimides and other synthetic fibers are disclosed, along with methods of preparing electrical insulation paper and articles comprising the fibrous substrates.

Disclosed herein are polycarbonate fibers and fibrous substrates, such as papers, containing such fibers. The polycarbonate fibers are produced from a polymeric composition comprising a cross-linkable polycarbonate containing endgroups derived from a monofunctional benzophenone or containing repeating units derived from a difunctional benzophenone. The polycarbonate fibers can be combined with other fibers to form the fibrous substrate. Upon exposure to ultraviolet light, crosslinking of the polycarbonate fibers will occur, improving various properties of the fibrous substrate.

Disclosed herein are polycarbonate fibers and fibrous substrates, such as papers, containing such fibers. The polycarbonate fibers are produced from a polymeric composition comprising a cross-linkable polycarbonate containing endgroups derived from a monofunctional benzophenone or containing repeating units derived from a difunctional benzophenone. The polycarbonate fibers can be combined with other fibers to form the fibrous substrate. Upon exposure to ultraviolet light, crosslinking of the polycarbonate fibers will occur, improving various properties of the fibrous substrate.

A method for manufacturing a cellulosic paper material (150) is described. The method comprises: i) providing (105) used textiles as starting material (101), wherein the used textiles comprise cellulose and non-cellulosic foreign matters (in particular synthetic plastics and/or metal oxides), ii) at least partially depleting (120) the non-cellulosic foreign matters from the cellulose, to provide a depleted starting material (110), and iii) forming (170) the cellulosic paper material (150) from the depleted starting material (110). Furthermore, a cellulosic paper material (150) made of recycled used textiles and a use of used textiles for providing a cellulosic paper material (150) are described.

A method for manufacturing a cellulosic paper material (150) is described. The method comprises: i) providing (105) used textiles as starting material (101), wherein the used textiles comprise cellulose and non-cellulosic foreign matters (in particular synthetic plastics and/or metal oxides), ii) at least partially depleting (120) the non-cellulosic foreign matters from the cellulose, to provide a depleted starting material (110), and iii) forming (170) the cellulosic paper material (150) from the depleted starting material (110). Furthermore, a cellulosic paper material (150) made of recycled used textiles and a use of used textiles for providing a cellulosic paper material (150) are described.

A cellulosic paper material made of recycled used textiles having intrinsic non-cellulosic foreign matters and synthetic fibers incorporated in the paper material with 10% or less cellulose with an average degree of polymerization in the range 50 to 200 monomers, the intrinsic non-cellulosic foreign matters can consist of a trace element, a metal oxide, a colorant, a luminescent material, and a synthetic plastic, and the synthetic fibers comprise elastane.