This invention relates to a wound roll of fibrous nonwoven sheet structure comprising fibrous material, the fibrous nonwoven sheet structure suitable for subsequent embossing, the sheet structure being gas permeable, and having a first surface and a second surface; the first surface being surface bonded such that the fibrous material on the first surface has been substantially consolidated and stabilized by heat and pressure, and the second surface being capable of accepting printing, wherein the second surface has a smooth surface free of any embossing; the sheet structure having a particle barrier penetration of below 10%, a Gurley Hill Porosity of 40 seconds or less, and a moisture vapor transport rate of 3500 g/m.sup.2/day or greater.

A propylene copolymer resin composition capable of improving softness while maintaining excellent strength properties when preparing nonwoven fabrics, and a method for preparing the same are provided. The propylene copolymer resin composition includes a propylene-ethylene copolymer having an ethylene content of 12 to 18 wt % in the propylene-ethylene copolymer and a propylene-1-butene random copolymer satisfying the following conditions (i) to (iv), wherein (i) 1-butene content of 1 to 5 wt % in the propylene-1-butene random copolymer, (ii) molecular weight distribution of 2.4 or less, (iii) storage modulus of 1200 MPa or less at 25° C., and (iv) phase angle of 5.5° to 8° at a glass transition temperature, and wherein a weight ratio of the propylene-1-butene random copolymer to the propylene-ethylene copolymer is 80:20 to 99:1.

The invention relates to a patterned spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet comprising a plurality of spunbonded crimped fibers bonded together at a plurality of bonding points, wherein all fibers of the patterned spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet are spunbonded crimped fibers and wherein the configuration of the fibers within the sheet is inhomogeneous and varies according to a preferably regular pattern. The invention further relates to a method for forming such patterned spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet from a flat spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet starting material. Still further, the invention relates to such flat spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet starting material.

A propylene copolymer resin composition capable of improving softness while maintaining excellent strength properties when preparing nonwoven fabrics, and a method for preparing the same are provided. The propylene copolymer resin composition includes a propylene-ethylene copolymer having an ethylene content of 12 to 18 wt % in the propylene-ethylene copolymer and a propylene-1-butene random copolymer satisfying the following conditions (i) to (iv), wherein (i) 1-butene content of 1 to 5 wt % in the propylene-1-butene random copolymer, (ii) molecular weight distribution of 2.4 or less, (iii) storage modulus of 1200 MPa or less at 25 C., and (iv) phase angle of 5.5 to 8 at a glass transition temperature, and wherein a weight ratio of the propylene-1-butene random copolymer to the propylene-ethylene copolymer is 80:20 to 99:1.

A separator medium for electrochemical cells that contains at least one nonwoven sheet of polymeric fibers. The nonwoven sheet has a surface area of about 0.5 to about 1.5 m.sup.2/g and has a maximum pore size that is equal to or more than 2.5 times the mean flow pore size and more than 11 times the minimum pore size. The sheet may be sulfonated to a level of 0.67% and demonstrates superior tensile properties after sulfonation and relative to previously known separators.

The invention relates to a patterned spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet comprising a plurality of spunbonded crimped fibers bonded together at a plurality of bonding points, wherein all fibers of the patterned spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet are spunbonded crimped fibers and wherein the configuration of the fibers within the sheet is inhomogeneous and varies according to a preferably regular pattern. The invention further relates to a method for forming such patterned spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet from a flat spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet starting material. Still further, the invention relates to such flat spunbonded nonwoven fabric sheet starting material.

A separator medium for electrochemical cells that contains at least one nonwoven sheet of polymeric fibers. The nonwoven sheet has a surface area of about 0.5 to about 1.5 m.sup.2/g and has a maximum pore size that is equal to or more than 2.5 times the mean flow pore size and more than 11 times the minimum pore size. The sheet may be sulfonated to a level of 0.67% and demonstrates superior tensile properties after sulfonation and relative to previously known separators.