Abstract: Nonwoven fiber webs are produced by spraying one or more aqueous binder formulations containing one or more polymers selected from the group of vinyl ester polymers and (meth)acrylic ester polymers, and in a separate step, spraying one or more aqueous silicone formulations containing one or more polysiloxanes, onto the surface of an airlaid nonwoven.

Abstract: An antimicrobial nonwoven wet wipe includes i) a fibrous nonwoven substrate bonded with a cross-linkable VAE dispersion stabilized with one or more nonionic colloidal stabilizers and one or more nonionic surfactants, and ii) absorbed in the nonwoven substrate, an aqueous lotion including one or more cationic disinfectants. No anionic surfactants are present in the antimicrobial nonwoven wet wipe. A method of producing the antimicrobial nonwoven wet wipe includes a) applying a first aqueous composition including a crosslinkable VAE dispersion stabilized with one or more nonionic colloidal stabilizers and one or more nonionic surfactants to a nonwoven substrate; b) drying the composition; and c) applying a second aqueous composition to the product of step b). At least one of the first and second aqueous compositions includes one or more cationic disinfectants.

Abstract: A crepe process includes applying an adhesive composition to a nonwoven web, drying, and creping the nonwoven web on a creping drum. The improvement includes using an adhesive composition that includes an aqueous copolymer dispersion obtained by emulsion polymerization of a monomer mixture including 65 to 94.5% by weight of vinyl acetate, 5 to 30% by weight of ethylene, (meth)acrylamide, and 0.1 to 4% by weight of an N-methylol functional monomer. The N-methylol functional monomer constitutes from 25 to 85% by weight of the combined amounts of acrylamide and N-methylol functional monomer, which combined amounts constitute from 0.5 to 5% by weight of the monomer mixture. The emulsion polymerization is performed in the presence of 1 to 10% by weight of polyvinyl alcohol, based on the total weight of all monomers used for the polymerization. The adhesive composition does not include alkylphenol ethoxylates, phosphate ester surfactants, or sodium laureth sulfate.

Abstract: An antimicrobial nonwoven wet wipe includes i) a fibrous nonwoven substrate bonded with a cross-linkable VAE dispersion stabilized with one or more nonionic colloidal stabilizers and one or more nonionic surfactants, and ii) absorbed in the nonwoven substrate, an aqueous lotion including one or more cationic disinfectants. No anionic surfactants are present in the antimicrobial nonwoven wet wipe. A method of producing the antimicrobial nonwoven wet wipe includes a) applying a first aqueous composition including a crosslinkable VAE dispersion stabilized with one or more nonionic colloidal stabilizers and one or more nonionic surfactants to a nonwoven substrate; b) drying the composition; and c) applying a second aqueous composition to the product of step b). At least one of the first and second aqueous compositions includes one or more cationic disinfectants.

Abstract: A crepe process includes applying an adhesive composition to a nonwoven web, drying, and creping the nonwoven web on a creping drum. The improvement includes using an adhesive composition that includes an aqueous copolymer dispersion obtained by emulsion polymerization of a monomer mixture including 65 to 94.5% by weight of vinyl acetate, 5 to 30% by weight of ethylene, (meth)acrylamide, and 0.1 to 4% by weight of an N-methylol functional monomer. The N-methylol functional monomer constitutes from 25 to 85% by weight of the combined amounts of acrylamide and N-methylol functional monomer, which combined amounts constitute from 0.5 to 5% by weight of the monomer mixture. The emulsion polymerization is performed in the presence of 1 to 10% by weight of polyvinyl alcohol, based on the total weight of all monomers used for the polymerization. The adhesive composition does not include alkylphenol ethoxylates, phosphate ester surfactants, or sodium laureth sulfate.

Abstract: The invention provides a polymer dispersion for paper coating compositions, obtainable by means of a radically initiated, aqueous emulsion polymerization in the presence of one or more emulsifiers and optionally protective colloids, of a) 50 to 93% by weight of at least one vinyl ester of an alkanoic acid with 1 to 12 C-atoms, whose homopolymer has a glass transition temperature Tg of below about 350° K, b) 2 to 30% by weight of ethylene, c) 5 to 20% by weight of at least one monomer whose homopolymer has a glass transition temperature Tg of at least about 350° K, d) 0.1 to 2% by weight of ethylenically unsaturated silane monomers, e) 0 to 5% by weight of further ethylenically unsaturated monomers that are copolymerizable with vinyl acetate and ethylene, based in each case on the total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, with the data in % by weight summing in each case to 100% by weight.

Abstract: The invention provides a polymer dispersion for paper coating compositions, obtainable by means of a radically initiated, aqueous emulsion polymerization in the presence of one or more emulsifiers and optionally protective colloids, of a) 50 to 93% by weight of at least one vinyl ester of an alkanoic acid with 1 to 12 C-atoms, whose homopolymer has a glass transition temperature Tg of below about 350° K., b) 2 to 30% by weight of ethylene, c) 5 to 20% by weight of at least one monomer whose homopolymer has a glass transition temperature Tg of at least about 350° K., d) 0.1 to 2% by weight of ethylenically unsaturated silane monomers, e) 0 to 5% by weight of further ethylenically unsaturated monomers that are copolymerizable with vinyl acetate and ethylene, based in each case on the total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, with the data in % by weight summing in each case to 100% by weight.

Abstract: An aqueous composition includes polyvinyl alcohol, an acid having a pKa of at most 4.0, and a dispersion of a polymer in which vinyl acetate units constitute at least 60 wt % of the polymer. The polymer does not contain units of any N-methylol-containing monomer, and at least a portion of the polyvinyl alcohol is present in the form of an emulsion stabilizer for the polymer. The wet strength of a fibrous nonwoven substrate can be increased by applying one or more aqueous compositions that together include polyvinyl alcohol, an acid having a pKa of at most 4.0, and a dispersion of a polymer as described above, followed by a final drying step. A fibrous nonwoven article can be prepared in this way.

Abstract: An aqueous composition includes a blend of: a) an aqueous dispersion of an N-methylol-containing vinyl acetate ethylene or vinyl acetate polymer, stabilized by polyvinyl alcohol and optionally also by a surfactant, wherein N-methylol-containing monomer units constitute from 0.025 to 0.4 wt % of the polymer; and b) an acid. The invention provides a method of increasing the wet strength of a fibrous nonwoven substrate, including applying to the substrate the above aqueous composition, followed by a drying step. A fibrous nonwoven article is thereby provided.

Abstract: An aqueous composition includes polyvinyl alcohol, an acid having a pKa of at most 4.0, and a dispersion of a polymer in which vinyl acetate units constitute at least 60 wt % of the polymer. The polymer does not contain units of any N-methylol-containing monomer, and at least a portion of the polyvinyl alcohol is present in the form of an emulsion stabilizer for the polymer. The wet strength of a fibrous nonwoven substrate can be increased by applying one or more aqueous compositions that together include polyvinyl alcohol, an acid having a pKa of at most 4.0, and a dispersion of a polymer as described above, followed by a final drying step. A fibrous nonwoven article can be prepared in this way.

Abstract: An aqueous composition includes a blend of: a) an aqueous dispersion of a vinyl acetate ethylene or vinyl acetate polymer, stabilized by polyvinyl alcohol and optionally also by a surfactant, wherein the polymer does not include units of any N-methylol-containing monomer; and b) an aqueous dispersion of an N-methylol-containing vinyl acetate ethylene or vinyl acetate polymer, stabilized with a surfactant, polyvinyl alcohol or a combination thereof. A method of increasing the wet strength of a fibrous nonwoven substrate includes applying to the substrate the abovementioned aqueous composition, followed by a drying step. A fibrous nonwoven article is produced.

Abstract: A composition for coating paper includes at least one pigment selected from the group consisting of polymeric pigments, aluminosilicates, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, talc, barium sulfate, zinc oxide, aluminum trihydrate, amorphous silica and silicates; wherein the pigment is dispersed in an aqueous dispersion of a polymeric binder that is a copolymer of vinyl acetate, ethylene, at least one ethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acid or salt thereof and optionally one or more other monomers, wherein vinyl acetate units constitute in a range of 70-90 wt % of the polymeric binder and ethylene units constitute in a range of 10-30 wt % of the polymeric binder; and wherein the polymeric binder has a mean particle size in a range from 0.1 ?m to 0.

Abstract: A low-formaldehyde binder composition for increasing wet and dry tensile strength of a nonwoven substrate includes: a) an aqueous vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer dispersion employing a nonionic, cationic or amphoteric dispersion stabilizer, b) chitosan, and c) one or more surfactants not including the dispersion stabilizer. The binder composition has a free formaldehyde content no greater than 10 ppm, at least 90 wt % of the one or more surfactants are nonionic, cationic, amphoteric or a combination of these, and the copolymer in the dispersion is free of formaldehyde-generating moieties.

Abstract: A waterborne hydrophobic barrier coating formulation comprising a blend of a vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) polymer emulsion and a paraffin wax emulsion, wherein a dried coating of the blend on a substrate, such as a nonwoven web, an absorbent pad, or a textile, and dried, has a hydrostatic head barrier sufficient to prevent passage of fluids but allow passage of water vapor through it. A multi-layer material comprising at least one layer of a nonwoven web, an absorbent pad, or a textile, and at least one layer of a blend of a VAE polymer emulsion and paraffin wax emulsion.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an improvement in nonwoven products comprised of a nonwoven web of fibers bonded together with polymeric binder comprised of emulsion polymerized units of vinyl acetate, ethylene, and a crosslinking monomer. The polymer is stabilized with a surfactant having a critical micelle concentration of about 0.5 to 3% by weight. The surfactant is employed in the polymerization in an amount less than 1% by weight, based upon the total weight of polymer.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an improvement in nonwoven products comprised of a nonwoven web of fibers bonded together with polymeric binder comprised of emulsion polymerized units of vinyl acetate, ethylene, and a crosslinking monomer. The polymer is stabilized with a surfactant having a critical micelle concentration of about 0.5 to 3% by weight. The surfactant is employed in the polymerization in an amount less than 1% by weight, based upon the total weight of polymer.

Abstract: A blend comprising a paraffin wax emulsion and a polymer emulsion, wherein the polymer contains polymerized units of one or more C1-12 ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid and a vinyl ester of a C8-13 neo-acid. When the blend is applied as a coating to a substrate, such as a nonwoven web, a nonwoven absorbent pad, a nonwoven textile, or a textile fabric, and dried, it has a hydrostatic head barrier sufficient to prevent passage of aqueous fluids but allow passage of water vapor through it. A multi-layer material comprising at least one layer of a nonwoven web, an absorbent pad, or a textile, and at least one layer of the above described blend.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an improvement in binders particularly suited for use in preparing nonwoven products and to the nonwoven products. The improved binders comprise a blend of a vinyl chloride (VCl) polymer emulsion and a self crosslinkable vinyl acetate-ethylene-N-methylolacrylamide (VAE-NMA) polymer emulsion. The blend of the VCl polymer emulsion and the VAE-NMA polymer emulsion can be applied to cellulose and cellulose/synthetic nonwoven substrates and cured in the absence of an acid catalyst to provide a self-sustaining web having excellent wet strength performance.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an improvement in binders particularly suited for use in preparing nonwoven products and to the nonwoven products. The improved binders comprise a blend of emulsion polymerized ethylene-vinyl chloride (EVCl) polymer and an emulsion polymerized self crosslinkable vinyl acetate-ethylene-N-methylolacrylamide (VAE-NMA) polymer. The blends of the EVCl polymer emulsion and the VAE-NMA polymer emulsion can be applied to cellulose and cellulose/synthetic nonwoven substrates and cured in the absence of an acid catalyst to provide a self-sustaining web having excellent wet strength performance. The blends of EVCl and VAE-NMA polymers do not require an acid catalyst to facilitate cure.

Abstract: A wellness system monitors the controlled progress of patients under surveillance and includes a server base station which is generally off-site, a web-site interface and a local station at the point-of-use, which is generally a health or fitness center. A unique data base is created for each user and goals and objectives may be set with progress monitored. Typically, the user will respond to a survey or questionnaire to populate his specific database. This is combined with a professional assessment and an automated measurement of vital statistics such as weight, blood pressure and body composition as measured at the local station. Other data may be entered manually such as height, age and the like. In a more comprehensive system the invention is designed to monitor other data such as cholesterol and blood glucose, as well. The locally input data may be updated at will by the user or on behalf of the user by professional personnel.