The present invention relates to a process for producing a nonwoven fabric, comprising the steps of: (a) extruding a plurality of filaments from a spinneret; (b) depositing said filaments in a substantially not-crimped condition to make a nonwoven fabric on an element collecting the filaments; (c) heating said nonwoven fabric to crimp at least part of the filaments, so that the volume of said nonwoven fabric is increased; (d) bonding said nonwoven fabric;
wherein said filaments are at least bicomponent filaments.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric having an air permeability of 2000 l/m.sup.2/s or less when measured at a pressure difference of 200 Pa according to EN ISO 9237, the method comprising the steps of: providing at least two sets of fibers, wherein a first fiber set comprises a significant level of splittable fibers and a second fiber set comprises a low level of splittable fibers or no splittable fibers; using the first fiber set to form at least one first fibrous web in a first web formation process and using the second fiber set to form at least one second fibrous web in a second web formation process; stacking the first and second webs so obtained to provide a multilayer web including two distinct layers of fibrous webs; and bonding the multilayer web. The invention further relates to a nonwoven fabric obtainable by such process and the use of such nonwoven fabric in acoustic isolation applications.

A sheet is produced by (i) producing a sheet by entangling woven or knitted material including a thread composed of a composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity are stuck together in a side-by-side type along the fiber length direction and/or of a core-in-sheath type composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity form an eccentric core-in-sheath structure, with a fiber capable of converting into ultra fine fibers composed of two kinds or more of polymeric substances different in solubility in solvent, (ii) developing an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent to thereafter provide elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet, or of providing elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet to thereafter develop an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent, and (iii) rubbing and shrinking the woven or knitted material under the condition of 110 C. or more.

A sheet is produced by (i) producing a sheet by entangling woven or knitted material including a thread composed of a composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity are stuck together in a side-by-side type along the fiber length direction and/or of a core-in-sheath type composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity form an eccentric core-in-sheath structure, with a fiber capable of converting into ultra fine fibers composed of two kinds or more of polymeric substances different in solubility in solvent, (ii) developing an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent to thereafter provide elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet, or of providing elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet to thereafter develop an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent, and (iii) rubbing and shrinking the woven or knitted material under the condition of 110 C. or more.

Nonwoven fabrics and textiles containing cellulose ester fibers particularly cellulose acetate fibers are thermally bonded. An aqueous plasticizing solution is applied to the surface of a nonwoven web and thereafter the web is thermally bonded to create a thermally bonded nonwoven textile. Alternatively, water can be applied to the dry surface of a nonwoven web containing organic plasticizer treated cellulose ester fibers to create the moistened nonwoven web and thereafter thermally bonding the moistened nonwoven web to make a thermally bonded nonwoven textile. The fabrics exhibit an increase in tensile strength and toughness greater than the individual contributions of water and plasticizer alone and greater than the additive contributions of water and plasticizer alone.

Textiles are re-cycled by grinding and scatter-laying onto a needle-punched web optionally containing low-melting material, followed by laying a second needle-punched web over the scattered layer and re-needling the three layers before applying heat or heat and pressure to activate the low-melting ground material present within the layers. Additional low-melt ground material is optionally blended into the ground textile if low melt components are absent or insufficient to bond the composite. The ground material is driven and dispersed into the surrounding web layers with at least part of the material being adjacent the two outer surfaces. The physical properties of the composite can be adjusted by selecting suitable combinations including but not limited to needling stroke depth, needling density, needle gage, low-melt content, heat finishing conditions, and relative layer weights. The final composites can optionally be reintroduced into the original end use and include significant percentages of recycled material.

A filter pad with a dry loft between approximately 0.15 and 0.5 inches includes at least a first fiber web comprising a plurality of oleophilic fibers, wherein the oleophilic fibers: have a linear density between approximately 2 and 9 denier; have a length between approximately 1 and 4 inches; and have been uploaded with flame resistant particles.

A filter pad with a dry loft between approximately 0.15 and 0.5 inches includes at least a first fiber web comprising a plurality of oleophilic fibers, wherein the oleophilic fibers: have a linear density between approximately 2 and 9 denier; have a length between approximately 1 and 4 inches; and have been uploaded with flame resistant particles.

Disclosed are a sound absorbing fabric with improved thermal insulation, and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein an inorganic aerogel powder and a thermosetting binder resin are impregnated into a non-woven fabric made of a heat-resistant fiber, wherein the inorganic aerogel powder has a surface modified by a surfactant to be uniformly mixed with and dispersed in a binder resin, thereby forming the sufficient number of micro cavities inside the non-woven fabric and increasing dispersibility of the inorganic aerogel powder, and thus heat resistance, sound absorbing and sound insulating properties, and thermal insulation properties can be significantly improved.

Disclosed are a sound absorbing fabric with improved thermal insulation, and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein an inorganic aerogel powder and a thermosetting binder resin are impregnated into a non-woven fabric made of a heat-resistant fiber, wherein the inorganic aerogel powder has a surface modified by a surfactant to be uniformly mixed with and dispersed in a binder resin, thereby forming the sufficient number of micro cavities inside the non-woven fabric and increasing dispersibility of the inorganic aerogel powder, and thus heat resistance, sound absorbing and sound insulating properties, and thermal insulation properties can be significantly improved.