Nonwoven materials having at least one layer comprising high core bicomponent fibers are provided. The nonwoven materials can have multiple layers and are suitable for use in a variety of applications, including in absorbent products. Such nonwoven materials can be patterned to create a three-dimensional topography including indentations formed of valleys and ridges. The nonwoven materials can have improved resiliency and strength and can retain their structure under wetted conditions and after tension and compression. The nonwoven materials can further facilitate the transfer of the liquid through the nonwoven material for improved liquid distribution and can also have improved liquid retention properties.

A nonwoven fibrous web and a method of making thereof. The nonwoven fibrous web includes greater than 0% but no greater than 30 wt % of a plurality of melt-blown fibers comprised of a crystalline (co)polymer; and at least 70 wt % of a plurality of randomly-oriented staple fibers, the plurality of randomly-oriented staple fibers including: at least 60 wt % of oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers; and from 0 to 40 wt % of reinforcing fibers having an outer surface comprised of a (co)polymer with a melting temperature of from 100° C. to 350° C.; wherein the plurality of melt-blown fibers and the plurality of randomly-oriented staple fibers are bonded together to form a cohesive non-woven fibrous web.

An object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing fiberous board with which fiberous board exhibiting high bending strength and high stiffness at a wide range of heating temperatures and a wide range of compressing and heating times. In the present invention, fiberous board having an initial flexural modulus of at least 300 MPa in three point bending test is obtained by forming a web by correcting sheath-core composite fibers of which a core component is formed from a copolymer of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid and the sheath component is formed from ethylene glycol, adipic acid, terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid; and/or diethylene glycol. The web is then compressed in a direction of thickness and heated, so that the sheath component softens and melts and the sheath-core composite fibers are melt bonded together and molded into a flat plate shape.

There are provided microfibers that generate less formaldehyde and acetaldehyde and have a favorable fiber openness, a fiber molded body using the microfibers, and a method for producing the same. The method for producing a fiber molded body of the present invention is a method for producing a fiber molded body comprising molding of a fiber mixture, wherein the fiber mixture comprises microfibers, wherein the content of the microfibers in the fiber mixture is 5 mass % or more, wherein, in the microfibers, an amount of an oil adhered is 0.1 to 1 mass %, a total amount of ethylene oxide units and propylene oxide units generated is 0.01 to 0.5 mass %, and a single fiber fineness is 0.01 to 0.5 dtex.

There is provided a fiber molded body for sound absorbing/sound insulation materials, which is lightweight and has excellent sound absorption performance. The fiber molded body for sound absorbing/sound insulation materials of the present invention is a fiber molded body for sound absorbing/sound insulation materials comprising uncolored ultrafine chemical fibers and colored fibers or reclaimed fibers, wherein the single fiber fineness of the ultrafine chemical fibers is 0.01 to 0.5 dtex, the content of the ultrafine chemical fibers is 5 to 70 mass % and the content of the colored fibers or the reclaimed fibers is 20 to 60 mass %, in the fiber molded body for sound absorbing/sound insulation materials.

An object of the invention is to provide thermo-fusible conjugated fibers capable of suppressing damage to the fibers upon processing the fibers into a nonwoven fabric web. The thermo-fusible conjugated fibers of the invention contain a first component containing a polyester-based resin and a second component containing a polyolefin-based resin, in which a melting point of the second component is 10° C. or more lower than a melting point of the first component, and a work load at break obtained by a tensile test is 1.6 cN.Math.cm/dtex or more. The damage to the fibers is suppressed by the thermo-fusible conjugated fibers of the invention, and therefore the nonwoven fabric with higher quality can be obtained with higher productivity than ever before.

The present disclosure relates to an absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and a layer of absorbent material disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the layer of absorbent material comprises superabsorbent polymer, and an intermediate layer comprising a nonwoven web. The intermediate layer is disposed between the layer of absorbent material and the backsheet, wherein the intermediate layer has a MD tensile/basis weight no greater than about 0.75 N/5 cm/g/m.sup.2 as measured according to Tensile Strength Test, and a thickness/basis weight no less than about 0.078 mm/g/m.sup.2, as measured FTT Test.

Extensible nonwoven fabrics having improved elongation, extensibility, abrasion resistance and toughness. In particular, embodiments of the invention are directed to extensible spunbond fabrics comprising a polymeric blend of a metallocene catalyzed polypropylene, polyethylene, and a third polymer component.

A fiberglass reinforced aerogel composite may include coarse glass fibers, glass microfibers, aerogel particles, and a binder. The coarse glass fibers may have an average fiber diameter between about 8 μm and about 20 μm. The glass microfibers may have an average fiber diameter between about 0.5 μm and about 3 μm. The glass microfibers may be homogenously dispersed within the coarse glass fibers. The aerogel particles may be homogenously dispersed within the coarse glass fibers and the glass microfibers. The fiberglass reinforced aerogel composite may include between about 50 wt. % and about 75 wt. % of the aerogel particles. The binder bonds the coarse glass fibers, the glass microfibers, and the aerogel particles together.

A nonwoven fabric having polylactic acid-containing fibers forming a nonwoven web is provided. The web has a side having an alternating pattern of individualized bonded areas which bonded areas define rods arranged in the cross direction of the web. The rods are arranged so that in the machine direction of the web no uninterrupted regions exist along the web while in the cross direction the arrangement of rods defines uninterrupted regions that extend continuously along the web, the alternating pattern of individualized bonded areas defines a non-bonded area. The web has a basis weight from 5-50 g/m.sup.2, the surface of the bonded areas is from 5-20% of the total surface of the side, and the surface of the non-bonded area is from 80-95% of the total surface of the side. Processes for forming the nonwoven fabric and an absorbent article including the nonwoven fabric are also provided.