A polymeric composition comprised of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) and polylactic acid (PLA) having a surface charge potential of at least about 50 volts in the absence of any other charge enhancing component may be made by melt blending PMMA and PLA, extruding the melt blend through a die and cooling at a rate through Tg of the PLA of at 10° C./min to 1000° C./second. The polymeric composition may be made by melt blowing into a nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric may be charged to a surface potential of at least about 50 electron volts. Such filters may have greater than 95% efficiency at a pressure drop of less than 2 mm Hg even after being exposed to high temperatures (~70° C.) for an hour or more.

A polymeric composition comprised of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) and polylactic acid (PLA) having a surface charge potential of at least about 50 volts in the absence of any other charge enhancing component may be made by melt blending PMMA and PLA, extruding the melt blend through a die and cooling at a rate through Tg of the PLA of at 10° C./min to 1000° C./second. The polymeric composition may be made by melt blowing into a nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric may be charged to a surface potential of at least about 50 electron volts. Such filters may have greater than 95% efficiency at a pressure drop of less than 2 mm Hg even after being exposed to high temperatures (~70° C.) for an hour or more.

Patterned fibrous substrates having a plurality of individual fibers, a first region, and a second region are provided. The first region is visually discernable from the second region. The first region has a first region fluid permeability score (PS1), and the second region has a second region fluid permeability score (PS2). The first region fluid permeability score (PS1) is different than the second region fluid permeability score (PS2). The first region fluid permeability score (PS1) and the second region fluid permeability score (PS2) are both greater than 5 Darcy.

Patterned fibrous substrates having a plurality of individual fibers, a first region, and a second region are provided. The first region is visually discernable from the second region. The first region has a first region fluid permeability score (PS1), and the second region has a second region fluid permeability score (PS2). The first region fluid permeability score (PS1) is different than the second region fluid permeability score (PS2). The first region fluid permeability score (PS1) and the second region fluid permeability score (PS2) are both greater than 5 Darcy.

Patterned fibrous substrates having a plurality of individual fibers, a first region, and a second region are provided. The plurality of individual fibers comprise a functional surface additive. A plurality of individual fibers of the first region have a first diameter, and a plurality of individual fibers of the second region have a second diameter. The first diameter is less than the second diameter. The first region has a first C.I.E. L* score, and the second region has a second C.I.E. L* score. The first C.I.E. L* score is different than the second C.I.E. L* score.

An artificial down filling material comprising artificial down clusters (1), wherein each of the down clusters (1) comprise a number of filaments (10) arranged side by side in a bundle, the filaments (10) being bonded, preferably melt bonded, together at a bonding location 20, wherein the filaments (10) are self-crimped, multi-component filaments (10), the cross-section of the multi-component filament having at least three corners (211).

An artificial down filling material comprising artificial down clusters (1), wherein each of the down clusters (1) comprise a number of filaments (10) arranged side by side in a bundle, the filaments (10) being bonded, preferably melt bonded, together at a bonding location 20, wherein the filaments (10) are self-crimped, multi-component filaments (10), the cross-section of the multi-component filament having at least three corners (211).

A permeable reactive barrier having two or more layers of a geotextile fabric inoculated with a bioremediation microbe is provided. The permeable reactive barrier further includes two or more layers of coarse-grained geological material separating the two or more layers of geotextile fabric such that any pair of adjacent layers of geotextile fabric is separated by a layer of coarse-grained geological material. The permeable reactive barrier includes a perforated metal casing surrounding and containing the layers of coarse-grained geological materials and geotextile fabric.

A permeable reactive barrier having two or more layers of a geotextile fabric inoculated with a bioremediation microbe is provided. The permeable reactive barrier further includes two or more layers of coarse-grained geological material separating the two or more layers of geotextile fabric such that any pair of adjacent layers of geotextile fabric is separated by a layer of coarse-grained geological material. The permeable reactive barrier includes a perforated metal casing surrounding and containing the layers of coarse-grained geological materials and geotextile fabric.

The present invention relates to methods of producing polymer fibers and polymer fiber products and materials recovery from these processes. It is an object of this invention to produce polymer fibers and products that include these fibers using selective dissolution of multicomponent fiber and to recover the dissolved polymer and solvent for subsequent use.