Fibrous nonwoven mat and method

Abstract

Fibrous nonwoven mats comprising polyetherimid fibers and a binder comprising a resin and an adhesion promoter, and method of making the mat are disclosed. These mats have several uses and are particularly suited as facer mats for fiber reinforced thermoplastic thermoformable materials. When used as a facer, the mat bonds to the thermoformable material and provides a resin rich outer layer and facilitates bonding to a decorative cover.

Description

[0001] The invention involves nonwoven mats containing polyetherimid fibers particularly useful in bonding to fiber reinforced thermoplastic materials, to serve as a facer for such material, and the method of making the mats. The invention also involves a method of making the mats. The mats of this invention are also useful as reinforcement and dimensional stabilizers for making a large number of inorganic, polymeric and / or natural fibrous web and fiber reinforced plastic laminated products. BACKGROUND [0002] It is known to make thermoformable sheets comprising glass fibers and a thermoplastic matrix and to thermoform such sheets to form useful products as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,426,470 and 5,308,565. However, the surfaces of such sheets often cause the surface of parts made from these sheets to show undesirable non-uniformity, particularly coarse fibers. Also, a surface capable of a stronger bond to decorative covers is desired. [0003] It is known to bond a facer mat made from N...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] The mat can also contain other fibers including glass fibers, ceramic fibers, metal fibers, other synthetic polymer fibers, natural fibers including cotton, wool, and wood fibers, and mixtures of two or more of these fibers. When glass fibers are used, the content is typically in the range of up to about 20 wt. percent of the fibers in the mat, to reduce thermal shrinkage and to improve flame resistance. A greater amount of glass fibers can be used, but the therformability of any thermoformable laminate the mat is attached to will be reduced. Glass fibers are typically a wet chopped fiber product having a chemical sizing thereon, being about 0.2 inch to about 1.5 inches long and having a fiber diameter typically about 10 to about 19 microns. Such products are readily available on the market. These mats, when bonded to a fiber reinforced thermoplastic sheet or other shape as a facer provides a resin rich surface and, when further decoration is desired, also enhances the bonding to decorative cover sheets such as polyvinyl sheets or films, polyester films, decorative foams and other conventional decorative facings. Typically the adhesion promoter is present in the finished mat in amounts of about 20 weight percent based on the weight of the binder.

[0006] The polyetherimid fibers used in the present invention typically are unsized, i.e. have unmodified surfaces, but can have a chemical size on the surface to enhance dispersion of the fibers in water water. The sizing typically comprises a silane and a film forming resin, the film forming resin choices including phenoxy, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol and others normally used in sizing compositions with a phenoxy resin being exemplary. The polyethyerimid fibers typically have a denier in the range of about 1.5 to about 15, more typically from about 3 to about 12 and most typically in the range of about 6 to about 10. The polyetherimid fibers typically are in lengths in the range of about 0.5 inch to about 1.5 inches. Generally, the longer the fiber, the greater the denier, or fiber diameter, should be to achieve good dispersion in the forming water and the resultant facer mat. The basis weight of the facer mat is not critical, but typically is in the range of about 25 to about 250 grams per square meter. Mats of the invention provide a smooth, resin rich surface that enhances lamination of cover sheets, such as decorative sheets, and improved flame resistance. The mats of the invention can also contain pigments, dyes, flame retardants, biocides, fungicides and other functional additives so long as they do not significantly reduce the ability of the mat to bond to the surface of the thermoformable sheets. The pigments or other additives can be included in the fiber slurry or included in the aqueous binder applied to the wet, nonwoven web of fibers.

Problems solved by technology

However, the surfaces of such sheets often cause the surface of parts made from these sheets to show undesirable non-uniformity, particularly coarse fibers.