Filter media comprising non-woven fiber webs having one or more advantageous physical properties are generally described. In some embodiments, a filter media and/or non-woven fiber web described herein comprises a combination of fibers that results in enhanced physical properties. For example, the non-woven fiber web may comprise a combination of fiber types that is advantageous, such as a combination comprising fibrillated fibers, glass fibers, and/or binder fibers. In some cases, the filter media and/or non-woven fiber web comprising the combination of fibers may be formed into undulations (e.g., by a creping and/or microcreping process) to further enhance the physical properties of the filter media and/or non-woven fiber.

A spunbond non-woven fabric includes a thermoplastic continuous filament. Bending resistance in a machine direction of the spunbond non-woven fabric is 40 mN or more and 80 mN or less, the spunbond non-woven fabric includes a nonbonded projected part and a bonded recessed part, and in a non-woven fabric cross-section, a thickness from one surface to another surface of the projected part is determined to be t.sub.A, a thickness from one surface to another surface of the recessed part is determined to be t.sub.B, and respective distances from one surface of the projected part to one surface of the recessed part are determined to be t.sub.C and t.sub.D (t.sub.C<t.sub.D), and the spunbond non-woven fabric has a relation represented by formulas (1) and (2) below:

0.5≤1−t.sub.B/t.sub.A<1.0   (1)

0.65<t.sub.C/t.sub.D<1.0   (2).

The present invention relates to anti-microbial, antiviral, fibers, and fabrics and to devices made from said fabrics. The invention has particular utility in connection with personal protective equipment (PPE’s) such as surgical masks and respirators, and will be described in connection with such utilities, although other utilities are contemplated, including, for example for forming air handling filters for people movers, i.e., automobiles, trucks, buses, trains, ships and planes, as well as for forming filters for air handling equipment for buildings.

A pleated multilayer air filter assembly including a primary filtration layer and a prefilter layer that are bonded to each other and are co-pleated with each other. The primary filtration layer includes meltblown electret fibers. The prefilter layer includes meltspun, spunbonded electret fibers that comprise a radially outer surface comprising polymethylpentene. The ratio of Effective Fiber Diameter of the fibers of the primary filtration layer to Effective Fiber Diameter of the fibers of the primary filtration layer is at least 1.5.

This disclosure describes a filtration composite that includes multiple layers of filtration media. In some embodiment, the filtration composite is preferably substantially glass-free or glass-free. When the composite is glass-free or substantially glass-free, the composite preferably exhibits capacity and efficiency comparable to or better than similar glass-containing filtration media. The composite includes a first nonwoven filtration medium including bicomponent fibers, efficiency fibers having a fiber diameter in a range of 1 micron to 5 microns, and microfibrillated fiber; an optional second nonwoven filtration medium; and a third nonwoven filtration medium including efficiency fibers having a fiber diameter of at least 0.1 micron and less than 1 micron.

A spunbond non-woven fabric includes a nonbonded projected part and a bonded recessed part. Bending resistance in a machine direction of the spunbond non-woven fabric is 20 mN or more and 40 mN or less, and in a non-woven fabric cross-section, a thickness from one surface to another surface of the projected part is determined to be t.sub.A, a thickness from one surface to another surface of the recessed part is determined to be t.sub.B, and respective distances from one surface of the projected part to one surface of the recessed part are determined to be t.sub.C and to (t.sub.C<t.sub.D), and the spunbond non-woven fabric has a relation represented by formulas (1) and (2) below:

0.5≤1−t.sub.B/t.sub.A<1.0  (1)

0.35<t.sub.C/t.sub.D<0.65  (2).

The present invention provides a depth filter which contains fine particles and coarse particles, and which exhibits excellent filtration precision with respect to a high concentration fluid and/or a high viscosity fluid. This depth filter enables filtration for a long period of time, while maintaining a low filtration pressure.

The present invention is a depth filter which is obtained by winding a fiber sheet into a cylinder, and which comprises a pre-filtration layer and a microfiltration layer; the pre-filtration layer and the microfiltration layer are formed of a fiber sheet; the fiber sheet is composed of a nonwoven fabric or a web; the average fiber diameter of the fiber sheet continuously decreases from the pre-filtration layer toward the microfiltration layer; and the average weight per square meter of the fiber sheet continuously decreases from the pre-filtration layer toward the microfiltration layer.

This disclosure describes a filtration medium that is preferably glass-free or substantially glass-free. In some embodiments, the filtration medium preferably exhibits capacity and efficiency comparable to or better than similar glass-containing filtration media. The filtration medium includes bicomponent fibers, efficiency fibers (for example, PET fibers), and microfibrillated fibers. The efficiency fibers include fibers having a fiber diameter in a range of 1 micron to 5 microns and fibers having a fiber diameter of at least 0.1 micron and less than 1 micron.

A composite fiber having a core sheath-structure that includes a core portion having an electrically conductive material, and a sheath portion having a ceramic component covering the core portion. The composite fiber is constructed such that, when the core portion is connected to a ground, the sheath portion exhibits one of a positive surface potential or a negative surface potential over an entire surface of the sheath portion.

A filter medium is disclosed having a nonwoven layer, which has bicomponent fibres, and a melt-blown layer, which comprises polyester fibres having an average diameter (d1) of less than 1.8 μm. The thickness of the nonwoven layer is less than 0.4 mm at a contact pressure of 0.1 bar. At least 25% of the polyester fibres of the melt-blown layer have a diameter (d) of less than 1 μm.