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Abstract

A nonwoven composite web is formed by a wet process on a papermaking machine. The web coming off the papermaking machine is dried and thermally bonded using heated calendar rolls. The nonwoven composite material is made from a furnish of polymeric staple fibers, a first binder fiber consisting, at least in part, of a first thermoplastic binder material which melts at a first melting temperature less than and a second binder fiber consisting, at least in part, of a second polymeric material which has second melting temperature which is higher than the first melting temperature. The first polymeric material is selected to have a first melting temperature less than the temperature to which the first material will be subjected in the papermaking machine. The melted first polymeric material gives the web strength on the papermaking machine. The second polymeric material is selected to have a second melting temperature less than the temperature to which the second material will be subjected in the calendar rolls. Thus, the second polymeric material is melted as the web passes through the calendar rolls and thermally bonds the other fibers of the web when the melted second polymeric material fuses upon cooling. The staple fibers are made of polyester and the bicomponent binder fibers are of the co-polyester/polyester sheath/core variety. The support substrate has a sheet porosity in the range of 5-10 cfm.

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First Claim