JP7448764B2 - Hydrophilic agents for textiles and nonwoven fabrics - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hydrophilic agent for fibers and a nonwoven fabric containing the hydrophilic agent for fibers.

Hydrophilic properties are essential for nonwoven fabrics used in the top sheets of disposable diapers and sanitary napkins. The nonwoven fabric used for the top sheet is a hydrophobic nonwoven fabric made of polyolefin, polyester, or the like, and is imparted with hydrophilicity by adding a hydrophilic agent such as a surfactant. It is important to make the hydrophilicity of nonwoven fabric uniform in the width direction and flow direction. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below propose that a specific manufacturing method be used to impart hydrophilicity uniformly. has been done. However, regardless of the type of hydrophilic agent used, there is no disclosure of a technique for reducing changes over time in the adhesion rate of the agent during continuous coating.

International Publication No. 2013/065794 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-134979

In view of the level of the prior art described above, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a hydrophilic agent for fibers that has both flexibility and hydrophilicity (liquid flowability and repeatable hydrophilicity) and has a low change in adhesion rate; An object of the present invention is to provide a nonwoven fabric containing a hydrophilic agent for fibers.

As a result of intensive studies and repeated experiments in order to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that by using an ester compound in which an alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms and a fatty acid are condensed together with an anionic surfactant, fibers can be produced. It was unexpectedly discovered that the adhesion rate of the hydrophilic agent during processing of the base material is stabilized, and a textile product having sufficient hydrophilic performance and flexibility can be obtained, and this led to the completion of the present invention.

That is, the present invention is as follows.
[1] A hydrophilic agent for fibers, comprising an ester compound obtained by condensing an alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms with a fatty acid, and an anionic surfactant.
[2] The hydrophilic agent for fibers according to [1] above, wherein the alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms is a polyhydric alcohol.
[3] The hydrophilic agent for fibers according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms has a cyclic structure.
[4] The hydrophilic agent for fibers according to any one of [1] to [3] above, wherein the alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms has a sorbitan structure or a sucrose structure.
[5] The hydrophilic agent for fibers according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the fatty acid has 6 or more carbon atoms.
[6] The ester compound comprises an alcohol selected from the group consisting of sorbitan, sorbitol, and sucrose;
Octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, decanoic acid, undecanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, cis-9-octadecenoic acid, eicosanoic acid, docosanoic acid, tetracosanoic acid, hexacosanoic acid, octacosanoic acid, 2-ethylhexylic acid , is an ester compound condensed with a fatty acid selected from the group consisting of isostearic acid, coconut oil fatty acid, and tallow fatty acid, and
The hydrophilic agent for fibers according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the ester compound is contained in an amount of 50% by mass to 95% by mass when the hydrophilic agent for fibers is 100% by mass.
[7] The hydrophilic agent for fibers according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the anionic surfactant is a sulfonate type surfactant.
[8] The sulfonate type surfactant contains a dialkyl sulfosuccinate, and the dialkyl sulfosuccinate is 1% by mass to 30% by mass when the hydrophilic agent for fibers is 100% by mass. The hydrophilic agent for fibers according to [7] above.
[9] The following general formula (1):
HO-(AO) _p -H (1)
{wherein A is an alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms or a secondary alcohol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and p is an integer of 1 to 15. } The hydrophilic agent for fibers according to any one of [1] to [8] above, further comprising a compound represented by the following.

[10] A nonwoven fabric comprising the hydrophilic agent for fibers according to any one of [1] to [9] above.
[11] The nonwoven fabric according to [10] above, wherein the adhesion rate of the hydrophilic agent for fibers to the weight of the nonwoven fabric is 0.1 to 2.0% by weight.
[12] The nonwoven fabric according to [10] or [11], which is composed of fibers having 5 or more crimps per inch.
[13] The nonwoven fabric according to any one of [10] to [12], wherein the reduction rate of the hydrophilic agent for fibers when stored at 70° C. for one week is 30% or less.

The present invention provides a hydrophilic agent for fibers that has both flexibility and hydrophilicity (liquid flowability and repeatable hydrophilicity) and has a low change in adhesion rate, and a nonwoven fabric containing the hydrophilic agent for fibers. Since the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric obtained by treatment with the fiber hydrophilic agent of the present invention has excellent hydrophilicity, it can be suitably used as a top sheet or second sheet of sanitary materials, such as sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, and disposable diapers. Furthermore, it can also be used for, for example, masks, body warmers, tape base materials, patch medicine base materials, emergency bandages, packaging materials, wipe products, medical gowns, bandages, clothing, skin care sheets, and the like.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below.
The hydrophilic agent for fibers (hereinafter also simply referred to as "hydrophilic agent") of the present embodiment is characterized by containing an ester compound in which an alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms and a fatty acid are condensed.
Examples of the alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms include sorbitan, sorbitol, polyglycerin, castor oil, pentaerythritol, sucrose, polyglucoside, xylose ester, neopentyl glycol, hexanediol, butanediol, decanediol, octanediol, and trimethylolpropane. Examples include. The alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms is preferably sorbitan, sorbitol, or sucrose from the viewpoint of liquid flowability.
The alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms is preferably one having a cyclic structure. Examples of the cyclic structure include a sucrose structure, a sorbitan structure, a polyglucoside structure, etc., and from the viewpoint of developing hydrophilicity of the nonwoven fabric and suppressing changes over time, those having a sorbitan structure are preferable.

The fatty acid preferably has 6 or more carbon atoms. When the number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid is 6 or more, the affinity with the nonwoven fabric is improved, and a nonwoven fabric with high durability and hydrophilic performance can be obtained. Examples include saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, mixed fatty acids containing these as main components, and branched chain fatty acids having 8 to 36 carbon atoms. Further, the fatty acid may partially contain a hydroxyl group. Specific examples of the fatty acids include octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, decanoic acid, undecanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, cis-9-octadecenoic acid, eicosanoic acid, docosanoic acid, tetracosanoic acid, Examples include hexacosanoic acid, octacosanoic acid, 2-ethylhexylic acid, isostearic acid, etc. Coconut oil fatty acid and beef tallow fatty acid, which are naturally derived mixed fatty acids, may also be used.

The ester compound has an ester structure of the alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms and the fatty acid, but may be a monoester, and has an ester having a valence up to the same as the valence of the hydroxyl group of the alcohol. It may be something. From the viewpoint of developing hydrophilicity of the nonwoven fabric and suppressing changes over time, the ester compound is preferably a monoester.

Specific examples of the ester compounds include glycerin fatty acid ester, pentaerythritol fatty acid ester, sorbitol fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, and sucrose fatty acid ester. Fatty acid esters are preferred.
The ester compound is preferably contained in an amount of 50% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less when the hydrophilic agent for fibers is 100% by mass. From the viewpoint of repeated hydrophilicity, the content of the ester compound is preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and from the viewpoint of stability of the adhesion rate of the hydrophilic agent, It is preferably 90% by mass or less, more preferably 85% by mass or less.

In general, ester compounds used as fiber hydrophilic agents have a high affinity with fiber materials such as nonwoven fabrics that serve as the base material, so coating methods such as dip nip, kiss, and gravure are difficult to apply at the start of coating. Sometimes, too much of the agent adheres, and the stability of the agent during coating may not be ensured after the start and end of coating. Furthermore, if methods such as spraying and rotor dampening are used, it is possible to reduce the difference in the adhesion rate of the hydrophilic agent before and after the start of coating such as kissing or gravure, but the dilution stability of the ester compound in water is Unfortunately, the hydrophilic performance varies.
In this specification, the "(fiber) base material" refers to a sheet-like fiber material before being coated with a fiber treatment agent, and the base material can be a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, or a nonwoven fabric.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors conducted extensive studies and repeated experiments, and found that, together with the ester compound, a certain amount of anionic surfactant was blended as an agent with low affinity with the base material to create a fiber hydrophilic agent. It has been unexpectedly found that the adhesion state of the agent during coating can be stabilized by comprising the following. Examples of such anionic surfactants include carboxylates, sulfate ester salts, sulfonate types, and phosphate ester types.Among them, sulfonate type surfactants can improve the hardness of water by adding them. This is preferable because it is possible to stabilize the adhesion rate of the ester compound during coating without depending on the above. Examples of sulfonate type surfactants include alkylbenzene sulfonates, alkanesulfonates, α-olefin sulfonates, dialkyl sulfosuccinates, α-sulfo fatty acid ester salts, N-methyl-N alkyl taurine salts, etc. Among these, dialkyl sulfosuccinates are preferred.
The alkyl group of the dialkyl sulfosuccinate may be linear or branched, and preferably has 6 to 18 carbon atoms, more preferably 8 to 14 carbon atoms. Among the dialkyl sulfosuccinic acids, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate is particularly preferred.

The blending ratio of the anionic surfactant (% by mass when the hydrophilic agent for fibers is taken as 100% by mass) is preferably 0.5% by mass to 50% by mass or less from the viewpoint of hydrophilicity and stability of adhesion rate. , more preferably 1% by mass to 30% by mass, still more preferably 1% by mass to 15% by mass. When the blending ratio of anionic surfactant is 0.5% by mass or more, the adhesion rate of the hydrophilic agent during coating is stable, and when the blending ratio is 50% by mass or less, durability tends to improve. be.

In addition to an ester compound and an anionic surfactant, the hydrophilic agent for fibers of this embodiment has the following general formula (1) to improve the texture:
HO-(AO) _p -H (1)
{wherein A is an alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms or a secondary alcohol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and p is an integer of 1 to 15. } It is also possible to further contain a compound represented by.
From the viewpoint of achieving both hydrophilic performance and texture, the content of the compound of general formula (1) is preferably more than 0% by weight and 5% by weight or less based on the hydrophilic agent.

In addition to the ester compound and the anionic surfactant, the hydrophilic agent of the present embodiment may contain other components, depending on the desired purpose, in addition to the component represented by the general formula (1), as long as the desired effect is not impaired. It may also contain a compound. For example, various surfactants as emulsifiers, softeners, smoothing agents, antistatic agents, and antifoaming agents can be appropriately contained.

The amount of the hydrophilic agent of this embodiment attached to the substrate (purity amount attached) varies depending on the purpose and use, but for example, for sanitary materials, it is usually 0.20% to 2.0% by weight based on the substrate. The range is preferably 0.00% by weight, more preferably 0.25% to 1.50% by weight. If it is 0.20% by weight or more, it is easy to obtain satisfactory hydrophilic performance even after long-term storage at high temperatures, while if it is 2.00% by weight or less, there is little rewetting, giving the wearer a moist feeling. This reduces the chance of skin irritation and eczema.

As a method for applying the hydrophilic agent for fibers to the base material of this embodiment, known methods such as dipping, spraying, and coating methods can be adopted. After applying the hydrophilic agent for fibers, drying means such as hot air or hot rolls can be used. It may be dried using Moreover, before applying the hydrophilic agent for fibers, treatments such as corona discharge treatment and atmospheric pressure plasma discharge treatment may be employed as necessary.

In order to prevent insufficient drying in the drying process due to increased speed of equipment, it is preferable that the amount of the hydrophilic agent solution for fibers of this embodiment applied to the base material is small. The coating amount to the base material is preferably 65% by weight or less, more preferably 60% by weight or less, still more preferably 50% by weight or less.
For drying after coating the hydrophilic agent for fibers of this embodiment, known methods using convective heat transfer, conductive heat transfer, radiant heat transfer, etc. can be adopted, including hot air circulation type, hot air penetration type, infrared heater type. Various drying methods can be used, such as a method of blowing hot air onto both sides of the substrate, a method of introducing the substrate into heated gas, and the like.

The nonwoven fabric containing the hydrophilic agent for fibers of this embodiment is also an embodiment of the present invention.
The nonwoven fabric of this embodiment may be, for example, a long fiber nonwoven fabric manufactured by a spunbond method using a thermoplastic resin as a raw material, or a short fiber nonwoven fabric manufactured by a carding method, a wet papermaking method, etc. . From the viewpoints of strength and productivity, ease of imparting characteristics to the surface structure of the nonwoven fabric, and reduction of irritation to the skin, long fiber nonwoven fabrics produced by the spunbond method are preferred. In the present specification, long fibers refer to those having a fiber length of 100 mm or more. In addition, the shape of the fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric of this embodiment is not only a general round shape, but also irregular cross-sectional fibers such as flat or Y-shaped cross sections, and special shapes such as hollow fibers, crimped fibers, and multicomponent fibers. It is not particularly limited, and can be used. When the nonwoven fabric of this embodiment is composed of crimped yarn, it is preferably composed of fibers having 5 or more crimps per inch in order to obtain a bulky feel.

The web constituting the nonwoven fabric of this embodiment may be a single layer, or may be a laminate of a web (S) formed by a spunbond method and a web (M) melt-spun by a melt-blown method. From the viewpoint of productivity, the stacking state may be stacked as SS, SSS, and SSSS, or stacked as SM, SMS, SMMS, and SMSMS. Furthermore, the fiber diameters and shapes may be different for each layer.

These laminated webs can be joined using adhesives, low-melting fibers or composite fibers, melt-joining by sprinkling hot-melt binder during web formation, needle punching, or melt-joining. Methods such as mechanical entanglement such as entanglement with water flow etc. are possible. From the viewpoint of obtaining a bulky nonwoven fabric and maintaining texture, a bonding method using hot air is preferable. Further, from the viewpoint of high-speed productivity, a method of joining by partial thermocompression bonding is preferable. In the joining method using partial thermocompression bonding, for example, the web can be passed between heated embossing/flat rolls that can provide joining points such as pinpoint, elliptical, diamond, and rectangular shapes. The thermocompression area ratio in partial thermocompression bonding is preferably 5 to 40%, more preferably 5 to 25%, from the viewpoint of strength retention and flexibility.

When the nonwoven fabric of this embodiment is composed of thermoplastic fibers, examples of the thermoplastic resin include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and copolymerized polypropylene; polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and copolymerized polyesters. Examples include polyester resins such as nylon-6, nylon-66, and copolymerized nylon, and biodegradable resins such as polylactic acid, polybutylene succinate, and polyethylene succinate, but are not particularly limited. . Further, the thermoplastic resin may be derived from petroleum or biomass, and may be, for example, a polyolefin resin such as biopolyethylene or biopolypropylene, or a polyester resin such as biopolyethylene terephthalate. In addition, polyolefin resins are preferred from the viewpoint of the texture of the nonwoven fabric, versatility in disposable material applications, and convenience of recovery. Further, the fibers made of thermoplastic resin may be made of one type of resin, or may be made of a combination of two or more types of resin, such as side-by-side or sheath-core, and are not particularly limited.

The average fiber diameter of the fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric of this embodiment is preferably 8.0 to 40.0 μm, more preferably 9.0 to 33.5 μm, even more preferably 11.0 μm to 26.5 μm. be. From the viewpoint of spinning stability, the average fiber diameter is preferably 8 μm or more, and in sanitary material applications, from the viewpoint of the texture of the nonwoven fabric, the average fiber diameter is preferably 40 μm or less.

The basis weight of the nonwoven fabric of this embodiment is preferably 8 g/m ² to 80 g/m ² , more preferably 10 g/m ² to 40 g/m ² or less, even more preferably 10 g/m ² to 30 g/m ² . In sanitary material applications, a basis weight of 8 g/m ² or more satisfies the strength, and a basis weight of 80 g/m ² or less satisfies the texture, which tends not to give an impression of being bulky in appearance.

It is preferable that the nonwoven fabric of this embodiment maintains a certain level of hydrophilic performance when stored in a place with a high temperature. However, when stored in a high-temperature atmosphere, the hydrophilic agent for fibers may penetrate into the interior of the fibers, lowering the concentration of the hydrophilic agent for fibers on the surface of the fibers, resulting in a decrease in hydrophilicity. In the nonwoven fabric of this embodiment, the reduction rate of the hydrophilic agent after being stored at 70° C. for one week is preferably 30% or less, more preferably 25% or less, compared to the adhesion rate before storage.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following Examples. In addition, the evaluation method of each characteristic as follows was used. Unless otherwise specified, evaluation is performed at room temperature. The obtained physical properties are shown in Tables 1 to 4 below. Hereinafter, the flow direction in nonwoven fabric production will be referred to as the MD direction, and the width direction that is perpendicular to that direction will be referred to as the CD direction.

1. Average fiber diameter (μm)
The nonwoven fabric was divided into 5 equal parts in the CD direction, 1 cm square test pieces were taken, and the diameter of the fibers was measured at 20 points each using a microscope VHX-700F manufactured by Keyence Corporation, and the average value was determined.

2. Non-woven fabric weight (g/m ² )
According to JIS-L1906, collect five test pieces of 20 cm in MD x 5 cm in CD so that the sampling positions are even in the CD direction of the nonwoven fabric, measure the mass, and calculate the average value as the weight per unit area. It was converted into a basis weight (g/m ² ).

3. Change rate of adhesion rate (change rate of hydrophilic agent adhesion rate inside and outside nonwoven fabric roll)
In a nonwoven fabric roll manufactured by winding it around a paper tube after continuously applying a hydrophilic agent for fibers, when the distance obtained by subtracting the paper tube radius from the nonwoven fabric roll radius is defined as the winding thickness, 10% of the winding thickness on the paper tube side is the inner layer ( The thickness of the outermost 10% of the nonwoven fabric roll is defined as the outer layer (outer layer). Note that the position during winding is 45% to 55% of the total winding length from the start of winding to the end of winding. The nonwoven fabric roll was cut open and the hydrophilic agent adhesion rate described below was measured at positions within each of the above ranges, and the calculation formula was as follows:
(Rate of change in adhesion rate (R/X)) = {(Maximum adhesion rate selected from inside, inside, and outside) - (Minimum adhesion rate selected from inside, inside, and outside)}/( The rate of change in the adhesion rate was determined by multiplying the average adhesion rate within the roll, inside the roll, and outside the roll by 100.

4. Hydrophilic agent adhesion rate (wt%)
The adhesion rate of the hydrophilic agent to the fiber surface was measured using a quick extraction method (N=3) using a rapid residual fat extraction device (type OC-1) manufactured by Intec Corporation, and the average value was taken as the adhesion rate. Details of the method for measuring the adhesion rate are as follows.
(1) A sample of 2g±0.5g of the nonwoven fabric treated with a hydrophilic agent is measured, and the weight (A) is measured.
(2) Weigh the aluminum dish (B) that will receive the extract and set it on the heater set at 150°C of the extractor.
(3) Fill a metal cylinder with the sampled nonwoven fabric.
(4) Add 10 cc of methanol into the metal cylinder to wet the nonwoven fabric.
(5) Cover the top of the cylinder and leave it for 3 minutes. This is the extraction time.
(6) After 3 minutes, methanol is squeezed out from the methanol-containing nonwoven fabric in the cylinder using the attached handle and dripped into the aluminum tray.
(7) After visually confirming that the methanol dropped into the aluminum tray has evaporated, repeat operations (2) to (7).
(8) After visually confirming that methanol has completely evaporated, remove the aluminum dish from the heater and air cool for 2 minutes.
(9) Measure the weight (C) of the aluminum plate.
(10) The amount of treatment agent attached to the nonwoven fabric is calculated using the following formula:
Hydrophilic agent adhesion rate [wt%] = {(Weight of aluminum plate C) - (Weight of aluminum plate B)}/Nonwoven fabric weight (A) x 100
Calculate from.

5. Reduction rate of the hydrophilic agent for fibers when stored at 70°C for one week A hydrophilic nonwoven fabric weighing 2g±0.5g was sampled from the outside of the roll and placed in a hot air oven set at 70°C. When putting it in, place it on a shelf in a hot air oven, and hold down 5 cm of both ends with weights to prevent the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric from being blown away by the hot air. Note that the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric may be folded to an appropriate size so that it does not protrude from the oven shelf. After one week had passed, the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric was taken out of the oven, and 5 cm of both ends of the fabric on which the weight had been placed were cut and removed with scissors, and then the hydrophilic agent adhesion rate was measured.
From the adhesion rate before and after storage in the oven, the following formula:
(Reduction rate of hydrophilic agent for textiles) = {(Hydrophilic agent adhesion rate before storage at 70°C) - (Hydrophilic agent adhesion rate after storage at 70°C)}/(Hydrophilic agent adhesion rate before storage at 70°C) x 100
The reduction rate (%) of the hydrophilic agent for fibers was calculated below.

6. Liquid flowability (mm)
Stack 10 sheets of toilet paper (Hard Single 1R55m manufactured by Itoman Co., Ltd.) as an absorbent on a board tilted at 45 degrees, place a test cloth (20cm square) on top of it, and set it at a height of 10mm above the cloth. 0.05 g of physiological saline was added dropwise. The distance that the physiological saline flowed from the drop position to the end of absorption was read. This measurement was arbitrarily performed at 20 points within the test fabric, and the average value was taken as the liquid flowability (mm). The smaller the liquid flowability value is, the more preferable it is.

7. Repeated hydrophilicity (points/10 points)
Ten sheets of toilet paper (Hard Single 1R55m manufactured by Itoman Co., Ltd.) were stacked together as an absorbent material, and a test cloth (20 cm x 30 cm) was placed on top of the sheets. Furthermore, a stainless steel plate with 10 equally spaced holes of 1.5 cm in diameter was placed on top of it, and 0.05 g of physiological saline was dropped from a height of 10 mm above the cloth in each hole. After a few minutes have passed, drip again in the same way. After the third drop, count the number of holes absorbed within 10 seconds. The fourth and fifth times were repeated in the same manner to make them hydrophilic.

8. Texture: Ten evaluators evaluated both sides of the nonwoven fabric based on the smoothness of the touch based on the following evaluation criteria.
◎: Very good 〇: Good (Standard: Eltas P03018 manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation is used)
×: Bad.

<Manufacture of base nonwoven fabric (1)>
Polypropylene (PP) resin with a melt flow rate (MFR) of 55 g/10 min (according to JIS-K7210, measured at a temperature of 230°C and a load of 2.16 kg) was made to have a discharge rate of 0.88 g/min/hole. The filaments were extruded by a spunbond method at a spinning temperature of 220° C., and the filaments were extruded toward a moving collection surface using a high-speed traction device using an air jet to prepare a long fiber web with an average fiber diameter of 17 μm.
Next, the obtained long fiber web was flat rolled and embossed rolled at a vertical temperature of 135°C and a pressure of 60 kg/cm ² (pattern specifications: diameter 0.425 mm circular, staggered arrangement, horizontal pitch 2.1 mm, vertical pitch 1.1 mm). , crimping area ratio 6.3%), the fibers were partially crimped together, and the line speed was adjusted so that the target basis weight was 13 g/m ² to obtain a long fiber nonwoven fabric (1). .

<Manufacture of base nonwoven fabric (2)>
Ethylene-propylene random copolymer resin (r-PP) with an ethylene component content of 4.3 mol% and an MFR of 24 was spunbonded at a spinning temperature such that the discharge rate was 0.84 g/min/hole. The filaments were extruded at 230°C, and the filaments were extruded toward a moving collection surface using a high-speed traction device using an air jet to produce a long fiber web with an average fiber diameter of 17 μm. Next, the obtained long fiber web was partially crimped between the fibers using the same flat roll/emboss roll as used in nonwoven fabric production (1) under conditions of a top and bottom temperature of 135°C and a pressure of 60 kg/cm ² . The line speed was adjusted so that the target basis weight was 18 g/m ² to obtain a long fiber nonwoven fabric (2).

<Manufacture of base material nonwoven fabric (3)>
The first component is a polypropylene (PP) resin with an MFR of 55 g/10 minutes (according to JIS-K7210, measured at a temperature of 230°C and a load of 2.16 kg), and an MFR of 26 g/10 minutes (according to JIS-K7210, A high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin (measured at a temperature of 190°C and a load of 2.16 kg) is used as the second component, and the discharge rate of the first component is 0.4 g/min·hole, and the discharge rate of the second component is 0.4 g/min·hole. The filament was extruded by the spunbond method at a spinning temperature of 220°C so that the total discharge rate was 0.8 g/min/hole and the ratio of the first component to the second component was 1/1. An eccentric sheath-core type composite long fiber web having an average fiber diameter of 18 μm was prepared by extruding the group toward a moving collection surface using a high-speed air traction device using an air jet.
Next, the obtained eccentric sheath-core composite filament nonwoven web was rolled at 100°C on a flat roll and an embossing roll (pattern specifications: diameter 1.00 mm circular, staggered arrangement, horizontal pitch 4.4 mm, vertical pitch 4.4 mm, The fibers were temporarily bonded together by passing the fibers through the crimped area (7.9%), and then the fibers were bonded together using hot air at a hot air temperature of 140°C and a hot air velocity of 1.0 m/s, and the fibers were rolled to a fabric weight of 18 g/m ² . A composite long fiber nonwoven fabric (3) with a shrinkage number of 17 fibers/inch was obtained.

[Example 1]
Sorbitan monolaurate (Kao's "Rheodol SP-L10", hereinafter the same) and dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (Tokyo Kasei Kogyo, hereinafter the same) were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 1 below. An aqueous solution of the hydrophilic agent adjusted to 5 wt% was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) using a kiss coater at a liquid temperature of 25°C, so that the coating amount was 10 wt%. Coating was carried out while adjusting the corners. Next, it was dried by passing it through a cylinder dryer at 120° C., and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 1 below.

[Example 2]
Sorbitan monocaprate (Sorbon S-10E manufactured by Toho Chemical Industries, same hereinafter) and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were mixed uniformly at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 1 below, and a long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) was prepared. A product roll of 10,000 m was obtained by coating in the same manner as in Example 1 and rewound. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 1 below.

[Example 3]
A 5% by weight aqueous solution of sorbitan monolaurate and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, mixed uniformly at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 1 below, was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) so that the amount was 10% by weight. The film was coated using a rotor dampening (RD) method, dried by passing through an air through dryer at 125° C., and wound up to a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. The diameter of the rotor of the rotor dampening device used was 80 mm, and each rotor was arranged at intervals of 115 mm in the CD direction, and the distance between the center of the rotor and the nonwoven fabric to be coated was 180 mm. Further, the rotor rotational speed was adjusted so that the spray particle size of the sprayed fiber processing agent was 35 μm. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 1 below.

[Example 4]
A 1.66% by weight aqueous solution of polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400 (manufactured by Kanto Kagaku, hereinafter the same), sorbitan monolaurate, and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 1 below, The liquid temperature was adjusted to 20° C., and the solution was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) using a gravure roll with a diagonal pattern of 120 mesh and a cell volume of 22 cm ³ /m ² so that the amount of application was 30% by weight, and then It was dried by passing it through a cylinder dryer at 120° C. and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 1 below.

[Example 5]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 300 (manufactured by Kanto Kagaku, hereinafter the same), sorbitan monolaurate, and alkylbenzene sulfonate (Lion's "Lipon LS-250") were mixed uniformly at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 1 below. This was applied to a long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) in the same manner as in Example 1, and wound up to a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 1 below.

[Example 6]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 300, sorbitan monolaurate, and α-olefin sulfonate (Lion's "K Liporan PJ-400CJ") were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 1 below, and then a long fiber was prepared. The nonwoven fabric (1) was coated in the same manner as in Example 1 and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 1 below.

[Example 7]
Example 4 A mixture of sorbitan monopalmitate (“Rheodol SP-P10” manufactured by Kao) and dioctyl sulfosuccinate at 25° C. in the ratio shown in Table 1 below was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1). It was coated in the same manner as above and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 1 below.

[Example 8]
Example 1 A mixture of sorbitan monooleate (“Rheodol SP-P10V” manufactured by Kao) and dioctyl sulfosuccinate at 25° C. in the ratio shown in Table 2 below was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1). It was coated in the same manner as above and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 2 below.

[Example 9]
A uniform mixture of sorbitan monolaurate and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 2 below was coated on the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) in the same manner as in Example 1 and rolled. It was wound up to a length of 10010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 2 below.

[Example 10]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 300, sorbitan monolaurate, and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were mixed uniformly at 25°C in the ratios shown in Table 2 below, and a mixture was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) in the same manner as in Example 1. It was coated and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 2 below.

[Example 11]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 300, sorbitan monocaprate, and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratios shown in Table 2 below, and a mixture was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) in the same manner as in Example 1. It was wound with a winding length of 10010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 2 below.

[Example 12]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400, sorbitan monolaurate, and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were mixed uniformly at 25°C in the ratios shown in Table 2 below, and a mixture was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) in the same manner as in Example 4. It was coated and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 2 below.

[Example 13]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400, sorbitan monolaurate, and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 2 below, and a pure content adhesion rate of 0.84 wt was added to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1). A sample was obtained in the same manner as in Example 6, except that the concentration of the water permeable agent was adjusted so that the water permeability agent concentration was %. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 2 below.

[Example 14]
A uniform mixture of sorbitan monolaurate and dioctyl sulfosuccinic acid at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 2 below was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) in the same manner as in Example 1, and the roll length was 10010 m. I rolled it up. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 2 below.

[Example 15]
A uniform mixture of sorbitan monolaurate and dioctyl sulfosuccinic acid at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 3 below was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) in the same manner as in Example 1, and the roll length was 10010 m. I rolled it up. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 3 below.

[Example 16]
Example: Propylene glycol (manufactured by Kanto Kagaku, Shika 1 grade), sorbitan monolaurate, and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 3 below, and a long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) was prepared. It was coated in the same manner as No. 4 and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 3 below.

[Example 17]
Example 1 Glycerin (manufactured by Kanto Kagaku Co., Ltd., Shika 1 grade), sorbitan monolaurate, and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 3 below, and then applied to a long fiber nonwoven fabric (1). It was coated in the same manner as above and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 3 below.

[Example 18]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400, sorbitan monolaurate, and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were mixed uniformly at 25°C in the ratios shown in Table 3 below, and the mixture was applied to a long fiber nonwoven fabric (2) in the same manner as in Example 1. It was coated and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 3 below.

[Example 19]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 300, sorbitan monolaurate, and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were mixed uniformly at 25°C in the ratios shown in Table 3 below, and a composite long-fiber nonwoven fabric (3) was mixed in the same manner as in Example 1. It was coated with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 3 below.

[Example 20]
Long fibers were prepared by uniformly mixing polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 300, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (Kao's "Rheodol TW-O106V"), and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 3 below. The nonwoven fabric (2) was coated in the same manner as in Example 1 and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 3 below.

[Example 21]
Long fibers were prepared by uniformly mixing polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 300, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate (Kao's "Rheodor TW-S106V"), and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 3 below. The nonwoven fabric (2) was coated in the same manner as in Example 3 and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 3 below.

[Example 22]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400, polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate (Kao's "Rheodol TW-S320V"), and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 4 below, and then a composite length was prepared. The fiber nonwoven fabric (3) was coated in the same manner as in Example 1 and wound up to a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 4 below.

[Example 23]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400, sucrose stearate (Ryoto Sugar Ester S-570 manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods), and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 4 below. The long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) was coated in the same manner as in Example 3 and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 4 below.

[Example 24]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 300, sucrose stearate (Mitsubishi Chemical Foods "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-770"), and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 4 below. A long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) was coated in the same manner as in Example 1 and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 4 below.

[Example 25]
Polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 300, sucrose stearate (Mitsubishi Chemical Foods "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-970"), and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate were uniformly mixed at 25°C in the ratio shown in Table 4 below. A long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) was coated in the same manner as in Example 1 and wound up with a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. Various measurement results of the obtained nonwoven fabric are shown in Table 4 below.

[Comparative example 1]
A hydrophilic agent solution containing only sorbitan monolaurate was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) in the same manner as in Example 1, and the fabric was wound up to a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. The results obtained are shown in Table 4 below.

[Comparative example 2]
A long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) and a hydrophilic agent solution containing only sorbitan monolaurate were applied in the same manner as in Example 3, and wound up to a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. The results obtained are shown in Table 4 below.

[Comparative example 3]
A hydrophilic agent solution containing only sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate was applied to the long fiber nonwoven fabric (1) in the same manner as in Example 1, and the fabric was wound up to a winding length of 10,010 m. The obtained roll was rewound, and 10,000 m from the outside was used as a product roll. The results obtained are shown in Table 4 below.

Since the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric obtained by treatment with the fiber hydrophilic agent of the present invention has excellent hydrophilicity, it can be suitably used as a top sheet or second sheet of sanitary materials such as sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, and disposable diapers. Furthermore, it can also be used for, for example, masks, body warmers, tape base materials, patch medicine base materials, emergency bandages, packaging materials, wipe products, medical gowns, bandages, clothing, skin care sheets, and the like.

Claims (5)

A hydrophilic agent for fibers containing an ester compound selected from the group consisting of sorbitan fatty acid ester and sucrose fatty acid ester, which is a condensation of an alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms and a fatty acid, and an anionic surfactant , The ester compound is contained in an amount of 50% to 95% by mass when the hydrophilic agent for fibers is 100% by mass, and the anionic surfactant contains a dialkyl sulfosuccinate, and the dialkyl The sulfosuccinate is contained in an amount of 1% by mass to 30% by mass when the hydrophilic agent for fibers is 100% by mass, and has the following general formula (1):
HO-(AO) _p -H (1)
{wherein A is an alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms or a secondary alcohol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and p is an integer of 1 to 15. } A hydrophilic agent for fibers, further comprising a compound represented by the following . A nonwoven fabric comprising the hydrophilic agent for fibers according to claim 1 . The nonwoven fabric according to claim 2 , wherein the adhesion rate of the hydrophilic agent for fibers to the weight of the nonwoven fabric is 0.1 to 2.0% by weight. The nonwoven fabric according to claim 2 or 3 , comprising fibers having 5 or more crimps per inch. The nonwoven fabric according to any one of claims 2 to 4 , wherein the reduction rate of the hydrophilic agent for fibers when stored at 70°C for one week is 30% or less.