摘要 |
THE FLUID ABSORBENT MEMBERS ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION PREFERABLY COMPRISE THREE BASIC COMPONENTS: CHEMICALLY STIFFENED, TWISTED, AND CURLED BULKING FIBERS, HIGH SURFACE AREA FIBERS, AND CHEMICAL BINDER ADDITIVE. FLUID ABSORBENT MEMBERS ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION USE A HIGH SURFACE FIBER AND REFINING TO PROVIDE CAPILLARY PRESSURE (OR SUCTION) TO THE FLUID ABSORBENT MEMBER. THESE HIGH SURFACE AREA FIBERS ARE GENERALLY SMALL AND HIGHLY CONFORMABLE. THEY PROVIDE THE SUBSTRATE WITH CAPILLARY PRESSURE WELL IN EXCESS OF THE CAPILLARY PRESSURE FOUND IN THE BULK-PROVIDING CHEMICALLY STIFFENED, TWISTED, AND CURLED FIBERS (UNREFINED) ALONE. A PRESENTLY PREFERRED FIBER FOR THIS HIGH SURFACE APPLICATION IS THE EUCALYPTUS FAMILY OF WOOD PULP FIBERS. EUCALYPTUS PROVIDES DESIRABLE CAPILLARY PRESSURE CHARACTERISTICS IN COMBINATION WITH THE CHEMICALLY STIFFENED, TWISTED, AND CURLED FIBERS AND WILL NOT EASILY PASS THROUGH A FORMING SCREEN.
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