A masterbatch is disclosed, along with associated methods, and biodegradable filaments, fibers, yarns and fabrics. The masterbatch includes 0.2 to 5 mass % CaCO.sub.3, an aliphatic polyester with a repeat unit having from two to six carbons in the chain between ester groups, with the proviso that the 2 to 6 carbons in the chain do not include side chain carbons, and a carrier polymer selected from the group consisting of PET, nylon, other thermoplastic polymers, and combinations thereof.

The biodegradability of a nanofiber film (a nanofiber structure) produced in example 1 by microorganisms or the like when the nanofiber film is allowed to leave in soil is examined. FIG. 4(a) shows a photograph of the nanofiber film immediately after the nanofiber film is placed in soil. FIG. 4(b) shows a photograph of the nanofiber film (a) that is allowed to leave as it for 12 days. As is obvious from the comparison between these photographs, a polyhydroxyalkanoic acid nanofiber film can be degraded in soil remarkably rapidly. Therefore, PHA can be produced from a plant-derived resource occurring in nature, can be degraded by microorganisms in soil to return to nature, and can be used as a resource material which can overcome the disadvantages of the conventional PP non-woven fabrics (e.g., the generation of CO.sub.2 upon incineration) and which can be used permanently, thereby enabling the production of a novel non-woven fabric.

The biodegradability of a nanofiber film (a nanofiber structure) produced in example 1 by microorganisms or the like when the nanofiber film is allowed to leave in soil is examined. FIG. 4(a) shows a photograph of the nanofiber film immediately after the nanofiber film is placed in soil. FIG. 4(b) shows a photograph of the nanofiber film (a) that is allowed to leave as it for 12 days. As is obvious from the comparison between these photographs, a polyhydroxyalkanoic acid nanofiber film can be degraded in soil remarkably rapidly. Therefore, PHA can be produced from a plant-derived resource occurring in nature, can be degraded by microorganisms in soil to return to nature, and can be used as a resource material which can overcome the disadvantages of the conventional PP non-woven fabrics (e.g., the generation of CO.sub.2 upon incineration) and which can be used permanently, thereby enabling the production of a novel non-woven fabric.

The present disclosure provides methods, substrates and compositions for modifying, repairing, and/or engineering blood vessel tissue, and in particular the use of such compositions for treating a diseased blood vessel.

Provided are a melt blown (MB) nonwoven fabric, a laminate using the same, a method of producing a melt blown nonwoven fabric as well as a melt blowing apparatus. A melt blowing apparatus 100 includes a die 10 configured to discharge a resin melt 42 with an accompanying jet to give fiber materials, a hollow cover 20, and a collector 60. The fiber materials 50 from the die 10 are heated to a temperature equal to or higher than a crystallization temperature of crystalline thermoplastic resin inside the hollow cover 20 and collected on a collecting surface 62 of the collector 60. The hollow cover 20 and the collector 60 are separated by a distance of 5 cm or longer between a lower edge 28 of the hollow cover 20 and the collecting surface 62 in a line extending downwardly from the nozzle holes 12 in a vertical direction.

Provided is a nonwoven fabric for skin care products. The nonwoven fabric includes: a thermoplastic resin fiber having a single fiber diameter of 50 nm or more and 800 nm or less; and a cellulose fiber having a tensile strength measured in accordance with JIS L 1015:2010 8.7.2 of 1.9 cN/dtex or less. A total content of the thermoplastic resin fiber and the cellulose fiber is 85% by mass or more relative to a total mass of the nonwoven fabric for skin care products, and a content ratio by mass of the thermoplastic resin fiber and the cellulose fiber (Thermoplastic resin fiber/Cellulose fiber) is 0.06 to 0.22.

A conformable noise control article useful reducing noise in a motor vehicle is provided. The article includes a nonwoven fiber web that is impregnated with a polymeric matrix composition having low (Tg) and high (Tg) polymers, additives and inorganic fillers. The density of the noise control article is at least ten times more than the density of the nonwoven fiber web. The article has an air flow resistivity that is at least ninety times greater than the air flow resistivity of a bare nonwoven web and exhibits a sound transmission loss in the frequency spectrum of 125 Hz to 5000 Hz.

A conformable noise control article useful reducing noise in a motor vehicle is provided. The article includes a nonwoven fiber web that is impregnated with a polymeric matrix composition having low (Tg) and high (Tg) polymers, additives and inorganic fillers. The density of the noise control article is at least ten times more than the density of the nonwoven fiber web. The article has an air flow resistivity that is at least ninety times greater than the air flow resistivity of a bare nonwoven web and exhibits a sound transmission loss in the frequency spectrum of 125 Hz to 5000 Hz.

A bonded and entangled non-woven structure made of at least 50% staple fibers by weight of the bonded and entangled non-woven structure, and at least a partial bonding of the fibers of the non-woven structure. The at least partial bonding including thermally activated bonds between a first polyolefin material produced with a catalyst including at least one metallocene catalyst and having a melting point in the range 130-170 C. and a second material having a melting point which is at least 10 C. higher than the melting point of the first material, the weight of the first material in the non-woven structure being at least 3% of the weight of the nonwoven structure.

A bonded and entangled non-woven structure made of at least 50% staple fibers by weight of the bonded and entangled non-woven structure, and at least a partial bonding of the fibers of the non-woven structure. The at least partial bonding including thermally activated bonds between a first polyolefin material produced with a catalyst including at least one metallocene catalyst and having a melting point in the range 130-170 C. and a second material having a melting point which is at least 10 C. higher than the melting point of the first material, the weight of the first material in the non-woven structure being at least 3% of the weight of the nonwoven structure.