Nonwoven fabrics including a first spunmelt through-air-bonded (TAB) nonwoven layer comprising a first plurality of spunmelt fibers, in which the first plurality of spunmelt fibers comprise a biopolymer. The first plurality of spunmelt fibers may be physically entangled with cellulosic fibers, such by hydroentangling. Methods of forming a nonwoven fabric including a first spunmelt TAB nonwoven layer are also provided.

Described are very high molecular weight (e.g., over 2 million, such as 3-20 million g/mol) starch-based materials, and formulations including such, which can be spun in spunbond, melt blown, yarn, or similar processes. Even with such very high molecular weights, the formulations can be processed at commercial line speeds, with spinneret shear viscosities of 1000 sec.sup.1, without onset of melt flow instability. The starch-based material can be blended with one or more thermoplastic materials having higher melt flow index value(s), which serve as a diluent and plasticizer, allowing the very viscous starch-based component to be spun under such conditions. The particular melt flow index characteristics of the thermoplastic diluent material can be selected based on what type of process is being used (e.g., spunbond, melt blown, yarn, etc.). The starch-based material may exhibit high shear sensitivity, strain hardening behavior, and/or very high critical shear stress (e.g., at least 125 kPa).

Systems, methods and apparatus for a meltblown die comprising a die body; a die tip mounted to the die body and having one or more capillaries, wherein the die tip is configured to direct polymer out through the one or more capillaries into a forming zone, a plurality of passages having an interior region and configured to direct attenuating fluid through the interior region and out into the forming zone; and an air management device having a plurality of air shaping devices, wherein the air management device is at least partially within at least one of the plurality of passages, and the plurality of air shaping devices are configured to re-arrange air flow in the at least one of the plurality of passages to reduce turbulence of the attenuating fluid in at least one of the interior region and the forming zone.

The present invention relates to polypropylene non-woven fabric having excellent loft property, a method for preparing polypropylene non-woven fabric having excellent loft property, and a method for evaluating the properties of the polypropylene resin.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck, wherein the staples are deployable into tissue captured against the compressible adjunct, and wherein the compressible adjunct comprises a first biocompatible layer comprising a first portion, a second biocompatible layer comprising a second portion, and crossed spacer fibers extending between the first portion and the second portion.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck, wherein the staples are deployable into tissue captured against the compressible adjunct, and wherein the compressible adjunct comprises a first biocompatible layer comprising a first portion, a second biocompatible layer comprising a second portion, and crossed spacer fibers extending between the first portion and the second portion.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck, wherein the staples are deployable into tissue captured against the compressible adjunct, and wherein the compressible adjunct comprises a first biocompatible layer comprising a first portion, a second biocompatible layer comprising a second portion, and crossed spacer fibers extending between the first portion and the second portion.

A staple cartridge assembly is disclosed which comprises a cartridge body and an implantable layer. The implantable layer includes fibers comprised of a first material and a second material. The first material and the second material have different glass transition temperatures. After the fibers comprised of the first material and the second material have been intermixed or interwoven, the layer is exposed to a temperature which exceeds the lower of the two glass transition temperatures. This heating process causes the layer to constrict and increase in thickness. The layer, when implanted, can compensate for variations in tissue thickness within the staples.

A process and apparatus for producing a dimensionally stable melt blown nonwoven fibrous web. The process includes forming a multiplicity of melt blown fibers by passing a molten stream including molecules of at least one thermoplastic semi-crystalline (co)polymer through at least one orifice of a melt-blowing die, subjecting at least a portion of the melt blown fibers to a controlled in-flight heat treatment operation at a temperature below a melting temperature of the at least one thermoplastic semi-crystalline (co)polymer immediately upon exiting from the at least one orifice, and collecting at least some of the melt blown fibers subjected to the controlled in-flight heat treatment operation on a collector to form a non-woven fibrous structure. The nonwoven fibrous structure exhibits a Shrinkage less than a Shrinkage measured on an identically-prepared structure including only fibers not subjected to the controlled in-flight heat treatment operation, and generally less than 15%.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck, wherein the staples are deployable into tissue captured against the compressible adjunct, and wherein the compressible adjunct comprises a first biocompatible layer comprising a first portion, a second biocompatible layer comprising a second portion, and crossed spacer fibers extending between the first portion and the second portion.