| CPC D04H 1/492 (2013.01) [A47L 13/16 (2013.01); B08B 1/143 (2024.01); D04H 1/43825 (2020.05); D04H 1/43835 (2020.05); D04H 1/43838 (2020.05); D04H 1/43912 (2020.05); D04H 1/488 (2013.01); D04H 1/587 (2013.01); D04H 1/74 (2013.01); A61L 2/18 (2013.01); D10B 2321/02 (2013.01); D10B 2331/04 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |
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1. A method for forming a fabric, comprising:
(i) providing a blend of fibers; wherein the blend of fibers comprises (a) mono-component staple fibers comprising from about 1 to about 4 decitex (dtex) and (b) splittable multi-component staple fibers comprising from about 1 to about 4 dtex, wherein the splittable multi-component staple fibers include at least about 6 splittable segments; and
(ii) physically entangling the blend of fibers to at least partially split the splittable multi-component staple fibers and to provide a consolidated nonwoven fabric, wherein the step of physically entangling the blend of fibers to at least partially split the splittable multi-component staple fibers forms a first group of split staple fibers comprising from about 0.05 to about 0.5 dtex and comprising a first polymeric material, and a second group of split staple fibers comprising from about 0.05 to about 0.5 dtex and comprising a second polymeric material comprising a polypropylene; and
(iii) applying a binder comprising a non-ionic acrylic binder and a melamine-formaldehyde copolymer resin to the consolidated nonwoven fabric, wherein the melamine-formaldehyde copolymer resin comprises a methylated or partially methylated melamine-formaldehyde copolymer resin, and wherein the binder includes a first ratio between (i) the non-ionic acrylic binder and (ii) the melamine-formaldehyde copolymer resin comprising from about 0.75:1 to about 2.5:1.
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