Oct. 10, 2002  3  US 2002/0147433 Al  restored or reused as an absorbent article after a single use.  Examples of disposable absorbent articles include feminine  hygiene garments such as sanitary napkins, panty liners and  tampons, diapers, incontinence briefs, diaper holders, train› ing pants, and the like.  [0024]  Disposable absorbent articles typically comprise a  liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet and  an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the  backsheet. Disposable absorbent articles and components  thereof, including the topsheet, backsheet, absorbent core,  and any individual layers of these components, have a body  facing surface and a garment facing surface. As used herein  "body facing surface" means that surface of the article or  component which is intended to be worn toward or adjacent  to the body of the wearer, while the "garment facing surface"  is on the opposite side and is intended to be worn toward or  placed adjacent to the wearer’s clothing or undergarments  when the disposable absorbent article is worn.  [0025]  The following description generally discusses the  absorbent core, topsheet, and backsheet materials that are  useful in disposable absorbent articles.  It is to be understood  that this general description applies to these components of  the specific absorbent articles shown in  FIG. 1  and further  described below, in addition to those of other disposable  absorbent articles which are generally described herein.  [0026]  In general, the absorbent core is capable of absorb› ing or retaining liquids (e.g., menses, urine, and/or other  body exudates). The absorbent core is preferably compress› ible, conformable, and non-irritating to the wearer’s skin.  The absorbent core may be manufactured in a wide variety  of sizes and shapes (e.g., rectangular, oval, hourglass, "T"  shaped, dog bone, asymmetric, etc.). In addition to absor› bent composites, the absorbent core may include any of a  wide variety of liquid-absorbent materials commonly used  in absorbent articles, such as comminuted wood pulp, which  is generally referred to as airfelt. Examples of other suitable  absorbent materials for use in the absorbent core include  creped cellulose wadding; meltblown polymers including  coform; chemically stiffened, modified or cross-linked cel› lulosic fibers; synthetic fibers such as crimped polyester  fibers; peat moss; tissue, including tissue wraps and tissue  laminates; absorbent foams; absorbent sponges; superabsor› bent polymers; absorbent gelling materials; or any equiva› lent material or combinations of materials, or mixtures of  these.  [0027]  The configuration and construction of the absor› bent core may be varied (e.g., the absorbent core may have  varying caliper zones and/or have a profile so as to be thicker  in the center; hydrophilic gradients; gradients of absorbent  composites; superabsorbent gradients; or lower average den› sity and lower average basis weight zones, e.g., acquisition  zones; or may comprise one or more layers or structures).  The total absorbent capacity of the absorbent core should  however, be compatible with the design loading and the  intended use of the absorbent article. Further, the size and  absorbent capacity of the absorbent core may be varied to  accommodate different uses such as diapers, incontinence  pads, panty liners, regular sanitary napkins, and overnight  sanitary napkins, and to accommodate wearers ranging from  infants to adults. The absorbent core can also include other  absorbent components that are often used in absorbent  articles, for example, a dusting layer, a wicking or acquisi› tion layer, or a secondary topsheet for increasing the wear› er’s comfort.  [0028]  The topsheet is preferably compliant, soft feeling,  and non-irritating to the wearer’s skin. Further, the topsheet  is liquid pervious, permitting liquids (e.g., menses and/or  urine) to readily penetrate through its thickness. A suitable  topsheet may be manufactured from a wide range of mate› rials such as woven and nonwoven materials (e.g., a non› woven web of fibers), including apertured nonwovens; poly› meric materials such as apertured formed thermoplastic  films, apertured plastic films, and hydroformed thermoplas› tic films; porous foams; reticulated foams; reticulated ther› moplastic films; and thermoplastic scrims. Suitable woven  and nonwoven materials can be comprised of natural fibers  ( e.g., wood or cotton fibers), synthetic fibers ( e.g., polymeric  fibers such as polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene  fibers) or from a combination of natural and synthetic fibers.  When the topsheet comprises a nonwoven web, the web may  be manufactured by a wide number of known techniques.  For example, the web may be spunbonded, spunlace carded,  wet-laid,  melt-blown,  hydroentangled,  hydroformed,  hydroapertured, combinations of the above, or the like.  Whether comprised of a woven or nonwoven material, the  topsheet preferably comprises skin care compositions com› prising proton donating active(s), as described further below.  [0029]  The backsheet is impervious to  liquids (e.g.,  menses and/or urine) and preferably comprises a thin plastic  film, although other flexible liquid impervious materials  may also be used.  As  used herein, the term "flexible" refers  to materials which are compliant and will readily conform to  the general shape and contours of the human body. The  backsheet prevents the exudates absorbed and contained in  the absorbent, core. from wetting articles which contact the  absorbent article such as bedsheets, pants, pajamas and  undergarments. The backsheet may thus comprise a woven  or nonwoven material, polymeric films such as thermoplas› tic films of polyethylene or polypropylene, or composite  materials such as a film-coated nonwoven material. A suit› able backsheet is a polyethylene film having a thickness of  from about 0.012 mm (0.5 mil) to about 0.051 mm. (2.0  mils). Exemplary polyethylene films are manufactured by  Clopay Corporation of Cincinnati, Ohio, under the designa› tion PlS-1401 and by Tredegar Film Products of Terre  Haute, Ind., under the designation XP-39385. The backsheet  is preferably embossed and/or matte finished to provide a  more clothlike appearance. Further, the backsheet may per› mit vapors to escape from the absorbent core (i.e., the  backsheet is breathable) while still preventing exudates from  passing through the backsheet. The size of the backsheet is  dictated by the size of the absorbent core and the exact  absorbent article design selected.  [0030]  The backsheet and the topsheet are positioned  adjacent the garment facing surface and the body facing  surface, respectively, of the absorbent core. The absorbent  core is preferably joined with the topsheet, the backsheet, or  both in any manner as is known by attachment means (not  shown in  FIG. 1)  such as those well known in the art.  However, embodiments of the absorbent articles are envi› sioned wherein portions or the entire absorbent core are  unattached to either the topsheet, the backsheet, or both.  [0031]  For example, the backsheet and/or the topsheet  may be secured to the absorbent core or to each other by a 