A production device for melt-blown non-woven fabric, with which a high molecular weight polymer can be reduced in molecular weight by applying a shear force to the high molecular weight polymer without adding an additive such as a peroxide that promotes thermal decomposition reaction, and a low molecular weight polymer can be efficiently produced. The low molecular weight polymer and the melt-blown non-woven fabric are produced using a continuous high shearing device that applies a shear force to the high molecular weight polymer serving as a raw material by rotation of a screw body 37 to reduce the molecular weight of the high molecular weight polymer so as to obtain a low molecular weight polymer, and cools the low molecular weight polymer by passing the low molecular weight polymer through a passage 88 arranged in the axial direction inside the screw body 37.

Described herein are articles comprising nonwoven fabrics and methods of making said nonwoven fabrics. Methods of making nonwoven fabrics may include forming polymer fibers from a bulk polymer in the presence of a nucleating agent, and forming a nonwoven fabric from the polymer fibers

Described herein are articles comprising nonwoven fabrics and methods of making said nonwoven fabrics. Methods of making nonwoven fabrics may include forming polymer fibers from a bulk polymer in the presence of a nucleating agent, and forming a nonwoven fabric from the polymer fibers

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, NNH.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 thiolate salts. The heterocyclic thiolate salt has 2 nitrogen groups and a third group that may be an NH, NNH.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.

Absorbent product including a laminate of at least two plies, wherein the absorbent product has a measured Y-Connected Area parameter greater than 20 and a Surface Channel Spacing of less than 2.5 mm. The absorbent product has high strength and low machine direction stretch.

Absorbent product including a laminate of at least two plies, wherein the absorbent product has a measured Y-Connected Area parameter greater than 20 and a Surface Channel Spacing of less than 2.5 mm. The absorbent product has high strength and low machine direction stretch.

A bicomponent fiber comprising a first component and a second component is currently disclosed. The first component is comprised of from 70 to 97.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the first component, a polyethylene having a melt index, and from 2.5 to 30 wt. %, based on the weight of the first component, of a maleic-anhydride-grafted polyethylene having a maleic-anhydride level of from 0.50 to 3.00 wt. %, based on the weight of the maleic-anhydride-grafted polyethylene, and a melt index. The ratio of the melt index of the polyethylene to the melt index of the maleic-anhydride-grafted polyethylene is less than 1.25. The first and second components can be part of a core sheath, an eccentric core sheath, an islands in the sea, a side by side, or a segmented-pie structure. The disclosed bicomponent fibers can be used to produce nonwoven materials. These bicomponent fibers can produce nonwovens with improved bonding efficiency and better mechanical strength due to increased surface concentration of maleic anhydride as evidenced by a higher surface oxygen concentration.

A bicomponent fiber comprising a first component and a second component is currently disclosed. The first component is comprised of from 70 to 97.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the first component, a polyethylene having a melt index, and from 2.5 to 30 wt. %, based on the weight of the first component, of a maleic-anhydride-grafted polyethylene having a maleic-anhydride level of from 0.50 to 3.00 wt. %, based on the weight of the maleic-anhydride-grafted polyethylene, and a melt index. The ratio of the melt index of the polyethylene to the melt index of the maleic-anhydride-grafted polyethylene is less than 1.25. The first and second components can be part of a core sheath, an eccentric core sheath, an islands in the sea, a side by side, or a segmented-pie structure. The disclosed bicomponent fibers can be used to produce nonwoven materials. These bicomponent fibers can produce nonwovens with improved bonding efficiency and better mechanical strength due to increased surface concentration of maleic anhydride as evidenced by a higher surface oxygen concentration.

A filter medium is provided comprising a carrier layer; a melt-blown layer; and a spunbond layer. The melt-blown layer is disposed between the carrier layer and the spunbond layer. The spunbond layer comprises bicomponent fibers. The spunbond layer may have a basis weight of from about 10 g/m2 to about 40 g/m2 and may have a thickness of at least about 250 m. Also described herein is a method of producing the filter medium and filters and apparatus comprising the filter medium. The inclusion of a low density bicomponent spunbond layer as a pre-filter layer in the filter medium provides a lower basis weight filter medium with a comparable or improved filtration efficiency to a filter medium comprising a carded nonwoven pre-filter layer, while reducing the amount of materials used.