Non-woven fabric with wick action

Claim 2

A non-woven fabric covering for absorbent cellulose material which comprises a surface-treated non-woven fabric, having a wick action, made up from synthetic fibers which are surface treated with an effective amount of a wetting agent, said wetting agent being capable of being chemisorbed on cellulose, said wetting agent being a cationic surfactant which causes a rapid transport of liquid to the absorbent cellulose materials while substantially blocking the return of the liquid to the fabric covering, said cationic surfactant having the formula: ##STR3## wherein R 1 to R 4 are chosen from the group consisting of alkyl of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl, alkylaryl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, ethoxy, alkylethoxy having 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, arylethoxy, or alkylarylethoxy having 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, and A is an anion.

Claim 3

The non-woven fabric as recited in claim 1 wherein A is a halide.

Claim 4

A non-woven fabric as recited in claim 1 wherein R 1 to R 4 are chosen from the group consisting of: stearyldimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride, methyldodecylbenzyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, tetradecyldimethylbenzylammoniumchloride, hexadecyldimethylbenzylammoniumchloride, diisobutylcresoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzammoniumchloride, diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzylammoniumchloride, and methyldodecylxylylene-bis-(trimethylammonium chloride).

Claim 5

The non-woven fabric according to claims 1, wherein said wetting agent is employed in a quantity of 0.05 to 1.0 weight percent in relation to the weight of said non-woven fabric.

Claim 6

A process for manufacturing a surface-treated, non-woven fabric covering for absorbent cellulose materials which comprises: (a) adding a cationic surfactant to a polymer melt to form a surfactant and polymer mix, said surfactant being characterized by the ability to cause a rapid transport of liquid to the absorbent cellulose materials while substantially blocking the return of the liquid to the fabric covering, said cationic surfactant having the formula: ##STR4## wherein R 1 to R 4 are chosen from the group consisting of alkyl of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl, alkylaryl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, ethoxy, alkylethoxy having 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, arylethoxy, or alkylarylethoxy having 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, and A is an anion; (b) extruding the surfactant and polymer mix using a conventional polymer fiber spinning and drawing means; (c) solidifying the extruded surfactant and polymer mix by cooling to form filaments; (d) laying down the filaments to form a non-woven mesh; (e) bonding the filaments in the mesh to form a non-woven fabric.

Claim 7

A process for manufacturing a surface-treated, non-woven fabric covering for absorbent cellulose materials which comprises: (a) adding a cationic surfactant to a polymer melt to form a surfactant and polymer mix, said surfactant being characterized by the ability to cause a rapid transport of liquid to the absorbent cellulose materials while substantially blocking the return of the liquid to the fabric covering, said cationic surfactant having the formula: ##STR4## wherein R 1 to R 4 are chosen from the group consisting of alkyl of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl, alkylaryl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, ethoxy, alkylethoxy having 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, arylethoxy, or alkylarylethoxy having 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, and A is an anion; (b) extruding the surfactant and polymer mix using a conventional polymer fiber spinning and drawing means; (c) solidifying the extruded surfactant and polymer mix by cooling to form filaments; (d) laying down the filaments to form a non-woven mesh; (e) bonding the filaments in the mesh to form a non-woven fabric.