WATER-DISINTEGRATABLE FIBER COMPOSITE MATERIAL

Abstract

The invention relates to a water-disintegratable fiber composite material (1), comprising: a number of fiber elements (2); and at least one binding agent (3) which is formed of or comprises a water-soluble polysaccharide, wherein the at least one binding agent (3) has a viscosity of more than 500 mPas, measured on an aqueous solution containing 2 wt. % binding agent at 20° C.

Claims

1. A water-disintegratable fiber composite material (1), comprising: a number of fiber elements (2); at least one binding agent (3), which is formed of or comprises a water-soluble polysaccharide, wherein the at least one binding agent (3) has a viscosity of more than 500 mPas, measured on an aqueous solution containing 2 wt. % binding agent at 20° C.

2. The fiber composite material according to claim 1, wherein the at least one binding agent (3) has a viscosity of more than 550 mPas, preferably more than 600 mPas, more preferably more than 700 mPas, more preferably more than 800 mPas, more preferably more than 900 mPas, more preferably more than 1000 mPas, more preferably more than 1100 mPas, more preferably more than 1200 mPas, more preferably more than 1300 mPas, more preferably more than 1400 mPas, more preferably more than 1500 mPas, more preferably more than 1600 mPas, more preferably more than 1700 mPas, more preferably more than 1800 mPas, more preferably more than 1900 mPas, more preferably more than 2000 mPas, more preferably more than 2100 mPas, more preferably more than 2200 mPas, more preferably more than more preferably more than 2300 mPas, more preferably more than 2400 mPas, more preferably more than 2500 mPas, more preferably more than 2600 mPas, more preferably more than 2700 mPas, more preferably more than 2800 mPas, more preferably more than 2900 mPas, and more preferably more than 3000 mPas, measured on an aqueous solution containing 2 wt. % binding agent at 20° C.

3. The fiber composite material according to claim 1, wherein the weight fraction of the at least one binding agent (3) is 0.5 to 50 wt. %, based on the dry weight of the fiber composite material (1).

4. The fiber composite material according to claim 1, characterized by having a tear value of at least 30 N, preferably at least 35 N, more preferably at least 40 N, more preferably at least 45 N, more preferably at least 50 N, more preferably at least 55 N, more preferably at least 60 N, more preferably at least 65 N, more preferably at least 70 N, more preferably at least 75 N, more preferably at least 80 N, more preferably at least 90 N, and more preferably at least 100 N.

5. The fiber composite material according to claim 1, wherein the at least one binding agent (3) is or comprises carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC).

6. The fiber composite material according to claim 1, wherein it comprises at least one dampening solution, in particular an organic dampening solution, preferably from the group consisting of: aliphatic alcohols, aliphatic ethers, aliphatic esters, or mixtures of at least one aliphatic alcohol and/or at least one aliphatic ether and/or at least one aliphatic ester.

7. The fiber composite material according to claim 6, wherein the weight fraction of the at least one dampening solution is 1 to 90 wt. %, in particular below 50 wt. %, preferably below 35 wt. %, more preferably below 20 wt. %, particularly preferably below 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the fiber composite material (1).

8. The fiber composite material according to claim 5, wherein the at least one dampening solution has bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic or fungicidal and/or fungistatic properties.

9. The fiber composite according to claim 6, wherein the at least one dampening solution comprises at least one readily volatile constituent and/or at least one hardly volatile organic constituent.

10. The fiber composite material according to claim 1, wherein it additionally comprises at least one organic amphoteric component.

11. The fiber composite material according to claim 10 and claim 6, wherein the at least one amphoteric organic component, in combination with the at least one binding agent (3), is used to form a polysalt and/or a polymeric aggregate, which together with a or the dampening solution is non-soluble or non-dispersible.

12. The fiber composite material according to claim 1, wherein it comprises metal cations or metal cation salts for forming complexes with further constituents of the fiber composite material (1), in particular with the binding agent (3) and/or with a or the amphoteric organic component.

13. The fiber composite material according to claim 1, wherein it is a disinfecting or cleaning tissue.

14. A method for producing a water-disintegratable fiber composite material (1), in particular a fiber composite material according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: providing a number of fiber elements (2), in particular in the form of a fiber element web containing the fiber elements; applying at least one binding agent (3) to the fiber elements (2), in particular to the fiber element web, which is formed of or comprises an acid group-containing polysaccharide, the at least one binding agent (3) having a viscosity of more than 500 mPas, measured on an aqueous solution containing 2 wt. % binding agent (3) at 20° C.

Description

[0080] The invention is described based on an exemplary embodiment in the drawing. The FIGURE shows a representative illustration of a fiber composite material according to one exemplary embodiment.

[0081] The FIGURE shows a representative illustration of a single-ply or multi-ply water-disintegratable fiber composite material 1 according to one exemplary embodiment.

[0082] The fiber composite material 1, on the one hand, has comparatively high moisture strength, that is, comparatively high mechanical strength when wet, and, on the other hand, comparatively low wet strength, that is, comparatively low mechanical strength upon contact with water. The comparatively low wet strength allows the fiber composite material 1 to disperse quickly and fully into individual fiber elements 2 upon contact with water. The fiber composite material 1 thus has sufficiently high mechanical moisture strength if exposed briefly to mechanical stress, for example due to friction with a surface. After being introduced in water, the fiber composite material 1 has sufficiently low wet strength or high dispersibility, so that clogging in a waste water system is avoided after disposal of the fiber composite material 1. The fiber composite material 1 is thus in particular suitable for use as a water-disintegratable disinfecting or cleaning tissue. A use as water-disintegratable sanitary tissue, water-disintegratable cosmetic tissue, or as water-disintegratable toilet tissue is also conceivable.

[0083] The fiber composite material 1 comprises a number of fiber elements 2, that is, for example, pulp fibers, and a binding agent 3 surrounding the fiber elements 2, which is formed of or comprises a water-soluble polysaccharide. The water-soluble polysaccharide can be carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), for example.

[0084] The binding agent 3 has a viscosity of more than 500 mPas, measured on an aqueous solution containing 2 wt. % binding agent or in water at 20° C. The viscosity of the binding agent 3 is (was) measured, for example, by way of a rotational viscometer, for example of the type Haake Viscotester VT 550, with a cylinder system, and cup, at a speed of 2.55 s.sup.−1.

[0085] The high viscosity of the binding agent 3 yields special structural properties, that is, in particular special mechanical properties, of the fiber composite material 1, which in particular result in a high tear value (dry).

[0086] The table below, by way of example, shows possible compositions of the fiber composite material 1, that is, in particular different binding agents #1 to #4, and related tear values (dry) averaged in each case from six measured values.

TABLE-US-00001 Binding agent Viscosity [mPas] Tear value (dry) [N] #1  880-1150 48 #2 550-600 51 #3 600-700 38 #4 520-660 69

[0087] Binding agent #1 is a carboxymethyl cellulose of the type Rheolon® 1000 G, binding agent #2 is a carboxymethyl cellulose of the type Calexis®, binding agent #3 is a carboxymethyl cellulose of the type Rheolon® 500 G, and binding agent #4 is a carboxymethyl cellulose of the type Finnfix®.

[0088] The viscosity of the binding agent 3 is (was) measured by way of a rotational viscometer of the type Haake Viscotester VT 550, with a cylinder system, and cup, at a speed of 2.55 s.sup.−1.

[0089] The tear values were measured on dry sample bodies having a width of 50 mm and a length of 100 mm in the longitudinal direction.

[0090] The fiber composite material 1 can be produced by a method comprising the following steps:

[0091] providing a number of fiber elements 2, in particular in the form of a fiber element web containing the fiber elements;

[0092] applying at least one binding agent 3 to the fiber elements 2, in particular to the fiber element web which is formed of or comprises an acid group-containing polysaccharide, wherein the at least one binding agent 3 has a viscosity of more than 500 mPas, measured on an aqueous solution containing 2 wt. % binding agent 3 at 20° C.