| abstract |
Continuous processing methods for making absorbable polymeric non- wovens with one or more of the following properties: high burst strength, fine fibers of average diameter from 1 μm to 50 μm, and thickness from 10 μm to 50 mm, have been developed. Improved fiber cohesion is made possible by allowing the fibers of the non-woven to initially remain molten during web collection. In the preferred embodiment, the polymer is a polyhydroxyalkanoate, and in the most preferred embodiment, the polymer comprises 4- hydroxybutyrate. A particularly preferred embodiment is a non-woven of poly- 4-hydroxybutyrate or copolymer thereof, wherein the non-woven has a burst strength greater than 0.1 Kgf, wherein the non- woven is derived by a continuous melt-blown process. The non-wovens can be used for a variety of purposes including fabrication of medical devices. |