FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention relates to a diaper for low birth weight babies and a method for producing the same.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Systemic bacterial infection is the most important killer in neonatal population particularly that of low birth weight (LBW) babies. Hygiene and cleanliness particularly prevention of fecal and urinary soiling plays an important role in the prevention of systemic infections.
Millions of neonates are born each year in India. One third of them are born with low birth weight (LBW) (less than 2.5 Kg). They require to be cleaned upon soiling to maintain hygiene and cleanliness of their micro-environment. There are many obstacles in achieving adequate hygienic condition in hospital, due to unavailability of proper diaper for the neonates. Hence, there is a requirement to develop appropriate diaper for LBW babies. Presently, diaper for newborn infants are not being manufactured in India. The neonatal units often use fabricated diaper made up of cotton and gauze pieces. The disadvantage is that, these fabricated diapers have poor soaking capability. Therefore, they are inefficient to prevent spilling and fail to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in neonates.
Hence, there is a lack of availability of good diapers for LBW babies and the available diapers (imported diapers) are for only bigger infants, and are costly. So there is a need to develop a diaper, which is suitable for low birth weight babies and low cost
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
♦ The primary object of the present invention is to provide a diaper for low birth weight babies and a method for producing the same.
♦ Further object of the present invention is to provide a diaper for low birth weight babies and a method for producing the same which is cost effective.
♦ Another object of the present invention is to provide a diaper for low birth weight babies and a method for producing the same which is efficient for maintenance of hygiene.
♦ Still another object of the present invention is to provide a diaper for low birth weight babies and a method for producing the same which is simple in construction.
STATEMENT OF INVENTION
According to this invention, a diaper for low birth weight babies comprises of an absorbent layer between top and back layer, wherein the absorbent layer comprising of textile waste and bamboo fiber and top layer comprising non-woven polypropylene(PP).
Further, according to this invention there is provided a method for producing a diaper for low birth weight babies comprising steps of: alkali treatment of textile waste, pulping and bleaching of bamboo fiber, mixing of the textile waste and bamboo fiber to obtain absorbent layer followed by sealing of top layer and back layer with said absorbent layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the ensuing description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and methodology wherein: Fig1 shows: Drawing of low birth weight diaper Fig. 2 shows: methodology of preparation of diaper.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a diaper for low birth weight babies comprising of an absorbent layer between top and back layer wherein the absorbent layer comprising of textile waste and bamboo fiber and top layer comprising of non-woven polypropylene.
The absorbent layer is subjected to modification physically as well as chemically so as to improve absorbency. This makes the properties of the diaper like total absorbing properties, rewet and acquisition rate better than that of other diapers. The absorbent layer may additionally be provided with super absorbent polymer.
Further, currently available diapers are having length of 38-50cm, which is not suitable for LBW Indian babies. Therefore, the suitable size of diaper was 15-27 cm with dumbbell shape to serve the purpose.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING;
The present invention discloses a diaper for low birth weight babies comprising of absorbent layer between top and back layer.
Top layer:
It is main part of the diaper in contact with skin, function of which is to provide passage of liquid to the interior of the surface, which requires the strength and softness. Material used for this layer was spun bound or thermal bound fabric made up of polypropylene (PP) fiber. Back layer:
It is very important layer to prevent the leakage of fluid, which is absorbed by the absorbent core. Material used for this layer was low density poly ethylene (LDPE). Absorbent layer:
The absorbent material comprising of cellulosic textile waste as substrate. Sodium hydroxide (LR Grade) was used to modify the surface of textile fibers. It is required to improve the absorbency and water retention of the fibrous absorbent material with or without super absorbent also because initially, the water is absorbed by the substrate and then taken up by the super- absorbent. Therefore, the fiber is modified physically as well as chemically to achieve the absorbency. So that, the fibers will have absorbency and also good water holding capacity. Sodium poly acrylate was used as super absorbing material (SAP). All the chemicals used in the present invention are laboratory grade reagent and used without further purification.
Cutting of fiber: Textile waste is in the form of long fiber. For improving the absorbing capacity, it is essential that surface area is more (fibre/gm). Hence, textile waste was cut to fiber length of l-2mm.
Alkali treatment of textile waste
Alkali treatment of textile waste was carried out by soaking the fiber in 1-10 % aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide for 1-2 hours followed by washing with water till neutral pH. Treated fibers was dried in oven for approximately one hour at 70+5°C. Thus, crystalinity is reduced through
treatment of alkali resulting in enhanced surface area of the textile fiber, resulting in increased absorbency
Pulping and bleaching of bamboo fiber: Bamboo waste was collected from handicraft and furniture industry. Pulping of this bamboo waste was carried out through Kraft method by digestion with alkali and sodium sulfide and bleaching with bleaching agent to obtain 1-2 mm of fiber.
Mixing of textile waste & bamboo fiber
Bleached Bamboo fiber was mixed homogeneously along with alkali treated textile fiber with the help of fiber opening machine. Different composition of absorbing core were prepared by varying concentration of bamboo fiber from 10 to 50% in the textile waste.
Preparation of absorbent layer: textile fiber, bamboo fiber and Super absorbent polymer were mixed in fiber opening machine and fluffed fiber was converted into absorbent layer with the help of web making machine Example:
Preparation of diaper sample: absorbent layer was cut with cutting die of desired dimension. Back layer of polyethylene and top layer of polypropylene are also cut with cutting die. Finally, with the help of sealing machine, three layers of the sample are sealed to make the diaper Reference may be made to Fig: 2 wherein the methodology is as follows:
Characterization of diaper: Bamboo fiber was mixed from 10-50% in the textile waste and evaluated the absorbing core properties such as acquisition time and rewet. We found that 40% fiber loading was optimum for absorbing core of the low birth weight neonate diaper
Table 1: Absorbent core and its performance evaluation
(Table Removed)
Properties:
Rewet:.Rewet of diaper's core varies from 2-4gm but in case of the present invention it is 1.9gm
Acquisition rate: Acquisition rate of diaper's core varies from 2.5-4.2 sec
but in case of the present invention, it is 2.5sec.
Performance evaluation of market available diaper and SRI developed low
birth weight baby diaper
(Table Removed)
It is to be noted that the present invention is susceptible to modifications, adaptations and changes by those skilled in the art. Such variant embodiments employing the concepts and features of this invention are intended to be within the scope of the present invention, which is further set forth under the following claims:-

WE CLAIM:
1. A diaper for low birth weight babies comprises of an absorbent layer between top and back layer wherein the absorbent layer comprising of textile waste and bamboo fiber and Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) top layer comprising of non-woven PP.
2. A method for producing a diaper for low birth weight babies comprising steps of: alkali treatment of textile waste, pulping and bleaching of bamboo fiber, mixing of the textile waste and bamboo fiber to obtain absorbent layer followed by sealing of top layer and back layer with said absorbent layer.
3. A diaper and a method for producing a diaper for low birth weight as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent material comprising of cellulosic textile waste as substrate provided with super absorbing material.
4. A diaper and a method for producing a diaper for low birth weight as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the textile waste is treated with alkali and the super absorbing material is sodium poly acrylate.
5. A diaper and a method for producing a diaper for low birth weight as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the top layer comprising of spun bound or thermal bound fabric made up of polypropylene (PP) fiber.
6. A diaper and a method for producing a diaper for low birth weight babies as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said back layer comprising of low density polyethylene.
7. A diaper and a method for producing a diaper for low birth weight as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said alkali treatment is carried out by soaking the fiber in 1-10% aqueous solution of NaOH for 1-2 hours followed by washing with water till neutral pH and drying.
8. A diaper and a method for producing a diaper for low birth weight as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the bamboo waste is subjected to pulping and bleaching with bleaching agent.
9. A diaper and a method for producing a diaper for low birth weight as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the 10-50 % bamboo fiber is mixed with textile waste.
10. A diaper for low birth weight babies and a method for
producing the same substantially as herein described with
reference to accompanying drawing.