Functional Nonwoven Fabric and Manufacturing Method Therefor

The present invention relates to a functional nonwoven fabric containing functional particles having a predetermined function, and a method for manufacturing the same.

It is known that by supporting particles having a predetermined function on a synthetic resin fiber nonwoven fabric, the nonwoven fabric can be made into a functional nonwoven fabric. For example, it is known that by supporting activated carbon particles on the nonwoven fabric, deodorizing function or gas adsorption function can be imparted. According to a function desired to be imparted to the nonwoven fabric, such as water retention, fluorescence, and light absorption, appropriate functional particles are supported on the nonwoven fabric.

An example of a method for supporting the functional particles on the nonwoven fabric is a method in which the nonwoven fabric is dipped into slurried functional particles to adhere the functional particles to a surface of synthetic fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric. In this case, a binder may be used in combination to prevent the functional particles from falling off. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a dust-removing and deodorizing filter technology in which solid super strong acid particles are incorporated in a dust-removing nonwoven fabric located upstream of an airflow in a deodorizing filter having a laminated structure. In this technology, the solid super strong acid particles dispersed in water together with a silane coupling agent are in a slurry state. The dust-removing nonwoven fabric located upstream is immersed in this slurry. It is disclosed that the solid super strong acid particles are thus supported on the dust-removal nonwoven fabric.

Further, in a fire-resistant structure or the like, thermally expandable materials or raw materials are sometimes used. The functional particles having thermal expansion properties, such as thermally expandable graphite, absorb heat and expand, for example, when exposed to high temperatures. Attempts have been made to adjust air permeability or the like by utilizing the thermal expansion characteristics. For example, attempts have been made to make a structure in which holes are drilled in ceiling panels of a building to allow air to pass therethrough under normal circumstances, but when a surrounding temperature rises due to a fire or the like, the holes are blocked or made smaller to limit the air permeability of the ceiling panels.

For example, Patent Literature 2 discloses a technology in which the thermally expandable graphite is incorporated in a cylindrical plastic composite fitted into a ventilation hole in a fire-resistant eaves ceiling panel. When the surrounding temperature rises due to a fire or the like, the thermally expandable graphite contained in the plastic composite (thermally expandable member) expands and blocks the ventilation hole. It is disclosed that ventilation is thus limited.

Conventional functional nonwoven fabrics such as that disclosed in Patent Literature 1 are prone to cause the following problems. When it is desired to prevent the functional particles from falling off, the binder or the like is used in combination. However, when the functional particles are supported using the binder, the air permeability of the nonwoven fabric is easily impaired by clogging of the nonwoven fabric. In particular, when a diameter of the functional particles is larger than a fiber diameter or pore size of the nonwoven fabric, tendency for clogging to is likely to arise noticeably.

Further, with conventional technology, when a large amount of functional particles are supported on a nonwoven fabric, the functional particles are likely to be deposited between nonwoven fabric fibers. Therefore, it can easily become difficult to maintain the air permeability of the nonwoven fabric. Further, with conventional technology, when trying to support a large amount of functional particles, the functional particles tend to be deposited on a surface of the nonwoven fabric on a side where the slurry is supplied. Therefore, it is difficult to uniformly disperse the functional particles in the nonwoven fabric.

Further, when trying to adjust the air permeability of conventional thermally expandable members such as those disclosed in Patent Literature 2, the following problems are likely to arise. First, raw materials of the conventional thermally expandable members such as those disclosed in Patent Literature 2 does not have the air permeability. Therefore, when the raw material is processed into the member by molding, it is necessary to create some kind of hole or air passage by molding. In the technology of Patent Literature 2, the member is molded into a cylindrical shape having a through-hole. These holes are usually one millimeter to several centimeters in size. However, when the hole is large, it takes a long time for the passage to be blocked.

Further, in conventional thermally expandable member technologies, the thermally expandable graphite is included to be kneaded into the plastic composite. Therefore, expansion of the thermally expandable graphite tends to be uneven and slow. That is, even when high-temperature air reaches an area around the plastic composite, the plastic composite is heated gradually from its surface. Therefore, temperature rise is delayed in a part deeper than the surface. Therefore, a deep part of the plastic composite takes a long time to reach an expansion start temperature. Therefore, the expansion is delayed. Moreover, when a surface part of the plastic composite is heated to expand, only the surface part expands. Therefore, the expanded part acts like a heat-insulating layer. As a result, heating of the deep part of the plastic composite is rather hindered. Then, the expansion will be delayed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a functional nonwoven fabric that can suppress a decrease in the air permeability of the nonwoven fabric while suppressing falling off of the functional particles. Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a functional nonwoven fabric that can suppress the decrease in the air permeability of the nonwoven fabric even when a blending amount of the functional particles is increased. Further, yet another object of the present invention is to provide a functional nonwoven fabric in which the functional particles are uniformly dispersed in the nonwoven fabric even when the blending amount of the functional particles is increased.

Furthermore, still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a thermally expandable nonwoven fabric having the air permeability and expanding quickly by the high-temperature air.

As a result of extensive research, the inventors discovered that in a nonwoven fabric configured to contain long fibers, at least one of the above problems could be solved by alternately providing a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion in the long fibers, and thus completed the present invention. Here, the large diameter portion contains functional particles. The small diameter portion is a monofilament of synthetic resin. Then, a fiber diameter of the small diameter portions is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the functional particles contained in the large diameter portions.

The present invention is directed to a functional nonwoven fabric including long fibers made of synthetic resin and integrated with a functional particle having a predetermined function, in which a diameter of the long fiber changes in a longitudinal direction of the long fibers so that a plurality of large diameter portions and a plurality of small diameter portions are alternately arranged, the small diameter portion is a monofilament formed of the synthetic resin, at least a part of the large diameter portion contains the functional particle, and a fiber diameter of the small diameter portion is equal to or smaller than a diameter of the functional particle contained in the large diameter portion (first invention).

In the first invention, preferably, at least a part of the large diameter portion is formed by solidifying a plurality of the functional particles into a string-like or dumpling-like shape with the synthetic resin (second invention). In the second invention, preferably, the fiber diameter of the small diameter portion is 1/100 or more of the diameter of the functional particle (third invention). Furthermore, in the third invention, preferably, the fiber diameter of the small diameter portion is 100 nanometers or more and 10 micrometers or less, and the diameter of the functional particle is 300 nanometers or more and 200 micrometers or less (fourth invention). Further, in any of the first to fourth inventions, preferably, the functional particle is a particle having thermal expansion properties (fifth invention). Furthermore, in the fifth invention, preferably, the functional particle is an aluminum phosphite particle (sixth invention).

Moreover, the present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing the functional nonwoven fabric according to any of the first to sixth inventions, the method including: a first step of dispersing functional particles in a synthetic resin liquefied by heat melting or by dissolving in a solvent, and a second step of, following the first step, forming the nonwoven fabric while spinning long fibers from the liquefied synthetic resin containing the dispersed functional particles by a melt-blowing method or an electrospinning method (seventh invention).

Further, as a result of extensive research, the inventors discovered that in the nonwoven fabric configured to contain long fibers, at least one of the above problems could be solved by providing large diameter portions and small diameter portions in the form of a string of beads in the long fibers, and thus completed the following invention. Here, the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric is formed so that thermally expandable functional particles are contained in the large diameter portions and the small diameter portions have a fiber diameter smaller than the diameter of the functional particles in the large diameter portions.

In the first invention, preferably, the functional particle has thermal expansion properties, the functional nonwoven fabric is a functional nonwoven fabric having thermal expansion properties, and the long fiber is configured so that the plurality of large diameter portions and the plurality of small diameter portions are alternately arranged in the form of a string of beads (eighth invention).

In the eighth invention, preferably, the functional particle is an aluminum hydrogen phosphite particle (ninth invention). Further, in the eighth or ninth invention, preferably, the large diameter portion is string-like or dumpling-like, and the functional particle is integrated with the large diameter portion by being wrapped in the synthetic resin in a film, net, or fiber bundle form, or by being bonded with the synthetic resin (tenth invention). Further, in the eighth invention, preferably, the fiber diameter of the small diameter portion is 1/100 or more of the diameter of the functional particle (eleventh invention). Furthermore, in the eleventh invention, preferably, the fiber diameter of the small diameter portion is 100 nanometers or more and 10 micrometers or less, and the diameter of the functional particle is 300 nanometers or more and 200 micrometers or less (twelfth invention).

Moreover, a method for manufacturing the functional nonwoven fabric according to any of the eighth to twelfth inventions may be a method including: a first step of dispersing thermally expandable functional particles in a synthetic resin liquefied by heat melting or by dissolving in a solvent, and a second step of, following the first step, forming the nonwoven fabric while spinning long fibers from the liquefied synthetic resin containing the dispersed functional particles by a melt-blowing method or an electrospinning method (thirteenth invention).

The functional nonwoven fabric of the present invention (first invention) can provide a functional nonwoven fabric that can suppress a decrease in the air permeability of the nonwoven fabric while suppressing falling off of the functional particles. Further, the functional nonwoven fabric of the first invention can suppress the decrease in the air permeability of the nonwoven fabric even when the blending amount of the functional particles is increased. Further, the functional nonwoven fabric of the first invention can uniformly disperse the functional particles in the nonwoven fabric even when the blending amount of the functional particles is increased.

Further, according to the functional nonwoven fabric of the second invention, an effect obtained by the first invention is more effective. Furthermore, according to the functional nonwoven fabric of the third invention, prevention of the functional particles from falling off is more effective. Furthermore, according to the functional nonwoven fabric of the fourth invention, even when the blending amount of the functional particles is increased, the decrease in the air permeability of the nonwoven fabric can be more effectively suppressed. Furthermore, according to the functional nonwoven fabric of the fifth or sixth invention, the air permeability of the functional nonwoven fabric can be changed to be decreased by applying heat. In particular, according to the functional nonwoven fabric of the fifth or sixth invention, the functional nonwoven fabric is heated by airflow. Then, the functional particles quickly expand. This allows the air permeability to change quickly.

Further, according to the method for manufacturing the functional nonwoven fabric of the seventh invention, the functional nonwoven fabric of any of the first to sixth inventions can be efficiently manufactured.

According to the functional nonwoven fabric having the thermal expansion properties (hereinafter, “functional nonwoven fabric having the thermal expansion properties” will also be referred to as “thermally expandable nonwoven fabric”) of the eighth invention, the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric containing the long fibers having the large diameter portion and the small diameter portion is formed. Therefore, the nonwoven fabric has the air permeability. The thermally expandable nonwoven fabric of the present invention can be used in an arrangement and configuration in which the airflow passes through an inside of the nonwoven fabric. Further, the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric of the eighth invention expands quickly by the high-temperature air. That is, the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric has the air permeability. Therefore, when the high-temperature air reaches the nonwoven fabric, the high-temperature air easily enters the inside of the nonwoven fabric. Therefore, the high-temperature air easily passes through the nonwoven fabric. Thus, the entire nonwoven fabric is easily heated by the high-temperature air. The thermally expandable functional particles contained in the large diameter portion of the long fibers are rapidly heated by the high-temperature air surrounding the fibers and expand. Thus, the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric expands quickly by the high-temperature air. For example, by placing the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric of the eighth invention so as to cover a ventilation hole in a ceiling panel, the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric placed in the hole will expand quickly when the high-temperature air passes through the ventilation hole. Then, the air permeability of the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric is limited. In this way, the ventilation hole in the panel can be blocked.

Further, the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric of the ninth invention expands reliably even in the high-temperature air such as that encountered during a fire. Furthermore, in the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric of the tenth invention, a layer of synthetic resin covering the functional particles is very thin. Therefore, the thermally expandable functional particles are quickly heated by the high-temperature air. Then, the nonwoven fabric expands more quickly. Furthermore, according to the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric of the eleventh or twelfth invention, the air permeability is improved. Therefore, the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric can be expanded more quickly by the high-temperature air.

Furthermore, according to the method for manufacturing the functional nonwoven fabric having the thermal expansion properties of the thirteenth invention, the thermally expandable nonwoven fabric of any of the eighth to twelfth inventions can be efficiently manufactured.

An embodiment of the invention in a case of using particles having thermal expansion properties as functional particles will be described as an example below with reference to the drawings. The invention is not limited to individual embodiments described below. The embodiments can also be modified and implemented.

A functional nonwoven fabricof a first embodiment is a functional nonwoven fabric containing long fibers made of synthetic resin and integrated with functional particles,having a predetermined function. Here, the long fibers refer to long fibers in contrast to short fibers in fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric. The long fibers are also called filament yarns. The short fibers are called staple fibers or the like. The short fibers have a length of approximately several mm to several tens of cm. In contrast, the long fibers are fibers that are not cut short. The long fibers are typically spun by a melt-blowing method, an electrospinning method, or a spunbonding method. The spun long fibers are directly stacked to form the nonwoven fabric. Note that the functional nonwoven fabricdoes not need to be composed only of the long fibers. The functional nonwoven fabricmay contain the short fibers. The long fibers and the short fibers may be mixed and spun so that they are entangled.

Although not essential, a blending amount of the functional particles,to the functional nonwoven fabricis preferably about 10 to 500 g/m.

Further, the functional nonwoven fabric may be a single layer. Alternatively, the functional nonwoven fabric may be a laminated nonwoven fabric including a plurality of nonwoven fabric layers, and film, sheet, woven fabric, or the like, that are stacked together. Further, the functional nonwoven fabric may be a composite nonwoven fabric including a layer of nonwoven long fibers that is stacked on a woven fabric or mesh material. The long fibers made of synthetic resin and integrated with the functional particles may be included only in one of the nonwoven fabric layers.

Further, all of the long fibers contained in the functional nonwoven fabricmay be the long fibers made of synthetic resin and integrated with the functional particles. Alternatively, the functional nonwoven fabricmay contain other long fibers, for example, long fibers that are not integrated with the functional particles. Although not essential, the functional nonwoven fabricof the present embodiment is a single-layer functional nonwoven fabric. This functional nonwoven fabric is obtained by forming a nonwoven fabric from the long fibers made of synthetic resin, integrated with the functional particles, and spun by the electrospinning method.

illustrates a schematic diagram of the functional nonwoven fabricof the first embodiment. In addition,is a micrograph of Example of the functional nonwoven fabric of the first embodiment. Note that in, small diameter portions,are each represented by a single solid line. A diameter of the long fibers contained in the functional nonwoven fabricvaries in a longitudinal direction of the fibers so that a plurality of large diameter portions,and a plurality of small diameter portions,are alternately arranged. In other words, the long fibers are fibers that are configured so that the large diameter portions,and the small diameter portions,are in the form of a string of beads.

The small diameter portions,of the long fibers are monofilaments formed of the synthetic resin. There are no particular limitations on the synthetic resin as long as it is a resin that can be made into fibers. The synthetic resin is preferably a resin that is suitable for manufacturing the long fibers by the melt-blowing method or the electrospinning method. Further, the synthetic resin is preferably a resin that adheres to the functional particles described below. As the synthetic resin that is a raw material for the long fibers, for example, a polyurethane resin or a polyvinyl chloride resin can be preferably used.

The monofilaments as the small diameter portions,may be composed only of the synthetic resin described above. Alternatively, the monofilament may contain other compounding materials, for example, particles having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the small diameter portion, such as reinforcing materials or bulking materials, or chemicals that improve properties of the synthetic resin. Further, the monofilaments as the small diameter portions,may be monofilaments that do not substantially contain the functional particles described below.

Although not essential, a fiber diameter of the small diameter portions,is preferably 100 nanometers or more and 10 micrometers or less. The fiber diameter of the small diameter portions,is particularly preferably 500 nanometers or more and 3 micrometers or less. Here, the fiber diameter refers to a diameter of the fiber measured in a direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the fiber. For example, the fiber diameter of the small diameter portions is determined by measurement on a photographed micrograph of the functional nonwoven fabric. The fiber diameter of the small diameter portions is preferably measured at 10 to 20 locations. An average of these measured values is used as the fiber diameter of the small diameter portions.

At least a part of the large diameter portions,is formed by a plurality of functional particles,that are solidified into a string-like or dumpling-like shape by the synthetic resin. Here, “string-like” means that, with respect to a shape of the large diameter portion, a length in the extension direction of the fiber is longer than a length in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the fiber, and preferably is at least three times the length in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the fiber. In addition, “dumpling-like” means that, with respect to the shape of the large diameter portion, the length in the extension direction of the fiber is approximately the same as the length in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the fiber, and preferably is at least half and at most twice the length in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the fiber. Note that the long fiber may have a large diameter portion that does not contain any functional particles, or a large diameter portion that contains only one functional particle.

A diameter of the large diameter portions,is larger than the fiber diameter of the small diameter portions,. The diameter of the large diameter portions is a diameter measured in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the fiber. The diameter of the large diameter portions is preferably measured at 10 to 20 locations. An average of these measured values is used as the diameter of the large diameter portions. Although not essential, the diameter of the large diameter portions,is preferably 150 nanometers or more and 300 micrometers or less. The diameter of the large diameter portions,is particularly preferably 1 micrometer or more and 50 micrometers or less. Further, the diameter of the large diameter portions,is preferably 3 to 20 times the fiber diameter of the small diameter portions,, and particularly preferably 4 to 10 times.

schematically illustrates a structure of the large diameter portions,and the small diameter portions,. Although not essential, in an embodiment illustrated in, the large diameter portioncontains the plurality of functional particles,. The functional particles,are preferably wrapped or bonded by the same synthetic resin as the synthetic resin constituting the small diameter portion. In this way, the functional particles,are solidified into a string-like or dumpling-like shape. In the large diameter portions,, the functional particles,may be bonded to each other by the synthetic resin. Alternatively, one or more functional particles,may be wrapped by a synthetic resin formed in a film-like or net-like shape. In the large diameter portions,, only one functional particle may be present in a radial direction of the fiber. Alternatively, the plurality of functional particles may be present in the radial direction of the fiber. At end portions of the large diameter portions,, the large diameter portionand the small diameter portionare continuous with each other so that the synthetic resin contained in the large diameter portion directly forms the monofilaments of the small diameter portions,.

The functional particles contained in the large diameter portions,have a predetermined function. Although not essential, in the functional nonwoven fabricof the present embodiment, the particles having the thermal expansion properties are used as the functional particles. Examples of the particles having the thermal expansion properties include thermally expandable microcapsules, thermally expandable graphite, and aluminum phosphite. Examples of aluminum phosphite particles having the thermal expansion properties include “APA-100” from Taihei Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd. Among the aluminum phosphite particles, aluminum hydrogen phosphite (such as “NSF” from Taihei Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd.) can be particularly preferably used. These particles have a property of expanding when heated to a predetermined temperature. When the large diameter portions,contain the particles having the thermal expansion properties and the functional nonwoven fabric is heated, the large diameter portions,expand and change so that vacant spaces in the nonwoven fabric become smaller or narrower. In this way, a change occurs in which air permeability of the nonwoven fabric decreases.

A fiber diameter Ds of the small diameter portions,is equal to or smaller than a diameter Dp of the functional particles,contained in the large diameter portions,. The fiber diameter Ds of the small diameter portions,and the diameter Dp of the functional particles,may be substantially the same. Note that the diameter Dp of the functional particles,in the present invention refers to a volume average diameter. The diameter Dp of the functional particles,contained in the large diameter portion is typically 300 nanometers or more and 200 micrometers or less. In addition, although not essential, the fiber diameter Ds of the small diameter portions,is preferably 1/100 or more of the diameter Dp of the functional particles,.

A method for manufacturing the functional nonwoven fabricof the first embodiment will be described. The functional nonwoven fabriccan be manufactured by applying the melt-blowing method or the electrospinning method.

First, in a first step, liquefied synthetic resin and the functional particles are mixed together. The synthetic resin is melted by heating. The synthetic resin is liquefied by heating, or by dissolving in a solvent. The functional particles are mixed and dispersed in the liquefied synthetic resin. A liquid synthetic resin containing dispersed functional particles may be obtained by heating and melting the synthetic resin into which the functional particles have been kneaded in advance. Alternatively, the synthetic resin may be dissolved and liquefied by the solvent or the like, and then the functional particles may be mixed and dispersed therein.

In the present embodiment, the polyurethane resin is dissolved and liquefied by the solvent. Aluminum phosphite powder (NSF manufactured by Taihei Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd., volume average diameter 5 micrometers) as the functional particles,is mixed into the liquefied polyurethane resin, and dispersed by stirring.

Subsequently, as a second step, following the first step, the nonwoven fabric is formed by depositing long fibers while spinning the long fibers from the liquid synthetic resin containing the dispersed functional particles,by the melt-blowing method or the electrospinning method.

The liquid synthetic resin discharged from a spinning nozzle is stretched by centrifugal force, gravity, electrostatic force, or the like, to be thin fibers. The thin fibers form the small diameter portions,of the long fibers. At this time, the functional particles,are discharged from the nozzle together with the liquid synthetic resin. Then, a portion where the functional particles,gather together solidifies into a string-like or dumpling-like shape to form the large diameter portions,. At the same time, excess synthetic resin is stretched to form the small diameter portions,. In this way, the long fibers in which the large diameter portions,and the small diameter portions,are alternately arranged in the form of a string of beads are continuously formed. The long fibers thus formed are solidified as the solvent evaporates or the temperature drops. At the same time, the long fibers are deposited on a base of a spinning apparatus (nonwoven fabric manufacturing apparatus). In this way, the functional nonwoven fabricis manufactured.

In Example, aluminum hydrogen phosphite “NSF” (average particle diameter: 5 micrometers) was used as the functional particles. The diameter of the large diameter portions,of the obtained functional nonwoven fabricwas approximately 2 to 10 micrometers (average diameter: 6 micrometers). The diameter of the small diameter portions,was approximately 0.5 to 1.5 micrometers (average diameter: 0.9 micrometers). The micrograph of the functional nonwoven fabricis illustrated in.

By adjusting the blending amount of the functional particles, viscosity and discharge speed of the liquid synthetic resin, nozzle diameter, applied voltage of static electricity, distance from the nozzle to the base, atmospheric temperature, and the like, the sizes, lengths, and diameters of the large diameter portions,and the small diameter portions,, a ratio of the both, and the like can be adjusted.

The functional nonwoven fabricis manufactured by using the melt-blowing method or the electrospinning method. In this case, the synthetic resin is sucked out from what will be the large diameter portion to what will be the small diameter portion during spinning. Therefore, an amount of the synthetic resin remaining in the large diameter portion is reduced. Thus, a synthetic resin coating covering the functional resin becomes thin or net-like in the large diameter portion. When the functional particles perform substance exchange, adsorption, reaction, or the like on a particle surface, the synthetic resin coating becomes thin or net-like, so that functions of the functional particles are preferably exhibited more effectively.

Actions and effects of the functional nonwoven fabricof the above embodiment will be described. In conventional functional nonwoven fabrics such as those in Patent Literature 1, the functional particles are adhered ex post facto to the fibers that have been made into the nonwoven fabric. In this way, the functional nonwoven fabric is manufactured. In conventional technology, a binder or the like is used in combination to surely adhere the functional particles. However, when the binder is used, it is possible to suppress falling off of the functional particles, but the binder component is likely to clog the vacant spaces in the nonwoven fabric. Therefore, the air permeability is likely to decrease. In particular, when an attempt is made to increase the blending amount of the functional particles, the binder and the functional particles stick to each other in a plate-like or film-like shape between the fibers. In this way, the vacant spaces in the nonwoven fabric are clogged. Therefore, a decrease in the air permeability is likely to be more noticeable. Further, in the conventional technology, the functional particles are filtered out by the nonwoven fabric and adhered to the nonwoven fabric. Therefore, when the attempt is made to increase the blending amount of the functional particles, the functional particles are likely to concentrate on a surface of the nonwoven fabric. As a result, a problem also occurs that the air permeability is easily decreased.

In the functional nonwoven fabricof the above embodiment, at least a part of the large diameter portions,contains the functional particles,. Then, the long fibers are formed that include the large diameter portions,and the small diameter portions,alternately arranged. The functional nonwoven fabricis configured to contain such long fibers. Therefore, the functional particles,are firmly integrated with the long fibers. Therefore, the falling off of the functional particles,from the functional nonwoven fabricis suppressed. In particular, the functional particles,are solidified into a string-like or dumpling-like shape by the synthetic resin to form the large diameter portions,. In this case, the falling off of the functional particles,from the functional nonwoven fabricis more reliably suppressed.