Abstract: An open, lofty nonwoven scouring material comprising natural fibers and a method of making the scouring material is disclosed. The scouring material comprises a three dimensional nonwoven web of entangled fibers comprising natural vegetable fibers and synthetic fibers. Natural vegetable fibers comprise 20 to 80% wt. of the fibers of the web. The synthetic fibers comprise at least first synthetic fibers having a first melting point and second synthetic fibers having a second melting point that is higher than the first melting point. The first synthetic fibers entirely melt and coalesce at mutual contact point of the natural fibers and second synthetic fibers to bond the fibers together and to create voids. The bonded web has a maximum density of 60 kg/m3.

Abstract: A flexible and conformable cleaning tool is disclosed that includes a foam body with a first working surface, wherein the foam body has a shore hardness less than 40. The cleaning tool further comprises a cleaning material on at least a portion of the first working surface, wherein the cleaning material includes an array of 20 to 1000 upstanding stems per square centimeter, wherein each stem has a height from 0.2 and 2.0 millimeters and a shore hardness less than 105 A, wherein the cleaning material is wiped over a surface to be cleaned to gather debris, lint, or hair.

Abstract: A wipe for cleaning a surface is disclosed that includes a working surface that is a single unitary web including a plurality of peaks each separated from one another by a plurality of valleys. The valleys connect in a rectilinear array. The wipe further comprises an adhesive at the working surface of each valley. The working surface of each peak is substantially free of adhesive.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a cleaning wipe for picking up diverse debris, such as sand, dust, hair, and food particles. In one aspect, the cleaning wipe comprises a web defining a working surface opposite a second surface, the working surface defining at least a first region having a first degree of loftiness and a first height, a second region having a second degree of loftiness and a second height, and a third region having a third degree of loftiness and a third height. The third region includes an adhesive. The first degree of loftiness is greater than the second degree of loftiness, which is greater than the third degree of loftiness. The first height is greater than the second height, which is greater than the third height.

Abstract: A wipe is provided that includes a first wiping member bonded to a backing member along valleys, whereby the wiping member includes a plurality of discrete peaks, and an adhesive is provided, in one embodiment, in the valleys and not on the peaks.

Abstract: A method of making a tackified nonwoven sheet that includes forming a densified, tackified web by providing a rebulkable nonwoven fiber web and applying an adhesive to the nonwoven web. The densified, tackified web is rebulked to an open, lofty form by exposing the densified, tackified web to a temperature of at least 225° F. Finally, a sheet is formed from the rebulked, tackified web. In some embodiments, the so-formed sheet is a cleaning wipe configured for picking up diverse debris such as sand, dust, hair, and/or food particles. In other embodiments, the method further includes the rebulked, tackified web having an increased degree of loftiness as compared to a degree of loftiness of the densified, tackified web prior to rebulking.

Abstract: A cleaning wipe including a fiber web and a tacky material. The fiber web defines opposing surfaces and an intermediate region between the opposing surfaces. In this regard, at least one of the opposing surfaces serves as a working surface for the cleaning wipe. The tacky material is applied to the web such that a level of tacky material is greater in the intermediate region than at the working surface. In one embodiment, the amount of tacky material per area of web material is greater in the intermediate region than at either of the opposing surfaces. In another embodiment, the fiber web is a nonwoven fiber web.

Abstract: A cleaning wipe including a fiber web and a tacky material. The fiber web defines opposing surfaces and an intermediate region between the opposing surfaces. In this regard, at least one of the opposing surfaces serves as a working surface for the cleaning wipe. The tacky material is applied to the web such that a level of tacky material is greater in the intermediate region than at the working surface. In one embodiment, the amount of tacky material per area of web material is greater in the intermediate region than at either of the opposing surfaces. In another embodiment, the fiber web is a nonwoven fiber web.

Abstract: The disclosed metalized article comprises a substrate, a base binder, and a plurality of loose metal fibers secured to the substrate by the base binder. The method of making the disclosed metalized article comprises providing a substrate, providing a plurality of loose metal fibers on at least a portion of the substrate, and securing the metal fibers to the substrate with a base binder.

Abstract: A food thawing article for evenly thawing frozen food in a microwave is disclosed. The food thawing article comprises an impermeable film backing, an absorbent layer adjacent the impermeable film backing, and a liquid permeable surface layer comprising a plurality of apertures covering the absorbent layer, opposite the impermeable film backing. A liquid is dispersed throughout the absorbent layer. The impermeable film backing is placed adjacent a frozen food item such that when the food thawing article is exposed to microwave energy, the liquid is heated and the heat is transferred to the food to thaw the food.

Abstract: A method of selectively applying pressure-sensitive adhesive to a nonwoven web and thereby forming a cleaning sheet having adhesive free peaks and adhesive containing valleys includes coating an adhesive transfer roll with adhesive, transferring a portion of the adhesive to raised regions of a female pattern forming roll, separating the adhesive between the adhesive transfer roll and the female pattern forming roll, and transferring the adhesive from the raised regions of the female pattern forming roll to the web. An apparatus for selectively applying pressure-sensitive adhesive to a nonwoven web and forming a cleaning sheet is also described.

Abstract: A method of selectively applying pressure-sensitive adhesive to a nonwoven web and thereby forming a cleaning sheet having adhesive free peaks and adhesive containing valleys includes coating an adhesive transfer roll with adhesive, transferring a portion of the adhesive to raised regions of a female pattern forming roll, and transferring the adhesive from the raised regions of the female pattern forming roll to the web. An apparatus for selectively applying pressure-sensitive adhesive to a nonwoven web and forming a cleaning sheet is also described.

Abstract: A wipe is provided that includes a first wiping member bonded to a backing member along valleys, whereby the wiping member includes a plurality of discrete peaks, and an adhesive is provided, in one embodiment, in the valleys and not on the peaks.

Abstract: There is provided a method for forming a nonwoven electret fiber filter with a nonwoven web of electret fibers needle-punched to an open scrim support. The scrim support material has individual discrete open areas with an average cross-sectional area as viewed from the plane of the filter media of at least 0.25 mm.sup.2, preferably 1.0 mm.sup.2, and a pressure drop across the scrim support, without the filter web, of less than 1.5 mm H.sub.2 O measured at 98.4 meters/min gaseous face velocity. The resulting filter has enhanced lifetimes, a low pressure drop and high filtration efficiencies.

Abstract: There is provided a nonwoven electret fiber filter formed with a nonwoven web of electret fibers needle-punched to an open scrim support. The scrim support material has individual discrete open areas with an average cross-sectional area as viewed from the plane of the filter media of at least 0.25 mm.sup.2, preferably 1.0 mm.sup.2, and a pressure drop across the scrim support, without the filter web, of less than 1.5 mm H.sub.2 O measured at 98.4 meters/min gaseous face velocity. The resulting filter has enhanced lifetimes, a low pressure drop and high filtration efficiencies.

Abstract: Pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, sheet material coated therewith, and a kit for installing insulation around windows comprising the coated sheet material. The adhesive composition consists essentially of a first component consisting essentially of a tackified, emulsifiable adhesive and a second component consisting essentially of at least one terminally unsaturated vinyl monomer, at least one vinyl-unsaturated, homopolymerizable, emulsifier monomer, and, optionally a small amount of an external emulsifier. The adhesive provides high tack and excellent adhesion at both low temperatures and high temperatures, thus rendering it suitable for outdoor use in areas that encounter extremes of weather.

Abstract: Pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, sheet material coated therewith, and a kit for installing insulation around windows comprising the coated sheet material. The adhesive composition consists essentially of a first component consisting essentially of a tackified, emulsifiable adhesive and a second component consisting essentially of at least one terminally unsaturated vinyl monomer, at least one vinyl-unsaturated, homopolymerizable, emulsifier monomer, and, optionally a small amount of an external emulsifier. The adhesive provides high tack and excellent adhesion at both low temperatures and high temperatures, thus rendering it suitable for outdoor use in areas that encounter extremes of weather.

Abstract: A precision molded electrical discharge machining electrode is made by shaping a preform from granules of carbon and granules of a refractory material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, carbides thereof, and stoichiometric and hyperstoichiometric carbides of the other elements of the groups IVB, VB, and VIB of the Periodic Table of the Elements, the carbon and refractory granules being interconnected in the form of a skeleton at their contiguous points of contact, and infiltrating the preform with copper, silver, or alloys containing those metals.