Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/70—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres
  • D04H1/74—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres the fibres being orientated, e.g. in parallel (anisotropic fleeces)
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/54—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving
  • D04H1/541—Composite fibres, e.g. sheath-core, sea-island or side-by-side; Mixed fibres
  • D04H1/5412—Composite fibres, e.g. sheath-core, sea-island or side-by-side; Mixed fibres sheath-core
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/54—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/54—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving
  • D04H1/541—Composite fibres, e.g. sheath-core, sea-island or side-by-side; Mixed fibres
  • D04H1/5418—Mixed fibres, e.g. at least two chemically different fibres or fibre blends
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/54—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving
  • D04H1/542—Adhesive fibres
  • D04H1/55—Polyesters
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/58—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives
  • D04H1/587—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives characterised by the bonding agents used
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/58—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives
  • D04H1/64—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives the bonding agent being applied in wet state, e.g. chemical agents in dispersions or solutions
  • D04H1/645—Impregnation followed by a solidification process
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
  • D04H1/40—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties
  • D04H1/58—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives
  • D04H1/64—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives the bonding agent being applied in wet state, e.g. chemical agents in dispersions or solutions
  • D04H1/68—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres from fleeces or layers composed of fibres without existing or potential cohesive properties by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives the bonding agent being applied in wet state, e.g. chemical agents in dispersions or solutions the bonding agent being applied in the form of foam
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
  • D04H13/00—Other non-woven fabrics

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing non-woven and of manufacturing a stratified composite comprising non-woven, and to a non-woven fabric and a stratified composite manufactured in accordance with the respective methods. More specifically, the invention concerns a method of manufacturing non-woven comprising the steps of forming a fibre blend containing bicomponent-type fibres, laying out the fibre blend in order to form a web, impregnating the web with latex, and drying the latex-impregnated web.
• Non-woven is a material made up mainly of individual textile fibres held together by means of bonding. Bonding is a method of textile technology for holding together fibres or threads mechanically or physicochemically (by means of sizing or melting) .
• Non-woven is usually classified as fabrics or flexible sheet material and is used in a wide variety of technical fields. For example, non- woven can be used as surgical drapes, outer layers of insulation, or other applications where a thin and light layer of material is desirable but where also considerable tensile strength or tear strength is required.
• Non- woven type materials with greater thickness can also be manufactured and thus used directly as insulation material .
• FIG. 1 A schematic representation of a conventional method of manufacturing non-woven is shown in Fig. 1. Usually the fibres are manufactured elsewhere and transported to the manufacturer of non-woven in compact bales.
• the bales of fibre are torn and the fibre lumps inserted into a so-called first opener, where the fibre lumps are processed so that the fibres are partly separated into individual fibres.
• J t t 1 ⁇ > u ⁇ o L ⁇ o L ⁇ o L ⁇ ft ) TJ ft ) 3 0 L ⁇ ⁇ - tr ft ) Ch 0 rt rt P rt Hi Hi Hi rt 3 Hi P 0 tr ⁇ -> ⁇ ! O 0 0 0 0
• the thickness of the web is usually about 1-3 cm.
• the web is generally impregnated with various additives such as flame retardant, different types of size or adhesive for bonding the fibres, and colour additives.
• Impregnation can be done, for example, by passing the web through a fluid bath containing the desired additives. It can also be done by means of so-called foam impregnation or spray impregnation.
• the impregnated (wet) web is in most cases fed to a station where excess fluid is removed. This can be done by means of suction boxes, pressure and suction rollers. Following the impregnation and the removal of excess fluid, the thickness of the web is about 0.5-2 mm.
• the web is then fed into an oven, where the thin sheet (the non-woven) is dried.
• the non-woven dried in the oven is then stretched and wound on large rollers.
• non-woven fabric For use as, for example, body ceiling or bonnet insulation in the motor industry, the existing non-woven fabric is not satisfactory. Since non-woven is usually manufactured by special manufacturers of non-woven, and body ceilings and bonnet insulation are manufactured by other manufacturers, it is required that the various components be easily handled both individually and after they have been put together to form a partially or completely finished product. It is necessary, or at least desirable, that the non-woven should be easily handled, harmless to the environment, i.e. no ecologically harmful substances should be released during manufacture, forming of the finished product or use, and that it should be recyclable and im- part sufficient strength to the finished product.
• the non-woven also contains up to 16 % of phenolic resin, which may release formaldehyde causing irritation to the mucosa, and which is classified by the National Chemicals Inspectorate as a carcinogen.
• phenolic resin which may release formaldehyde causing irritation to the mucosa, and which is classified by the National Chemicals Inspectorate as a carcinogen.
• several layers of non-woven may be used, as described in WO99/02335, resulting in a sandwich construction with the same strength as above without the use of glass fibre.
• the sandwich construction described at least one layer consisting of two types of polyester fibres is used, one of which will melt during heat treatment bonding the remaining fibres.
• the different layers of the sandwich construction are bonded by thin layers of a size or the like having adhesive properties.
• the sandwich construction described thus requires a large number of additional layers, in addition to the struc- tural layers of non-woven
• the object of the invention is to provide a solution to the above problems.
• the object is to provide a non- woven fabric that, inter alia, is harmless to the environment, that may be used as an outer layer on different insulating materials, .that may be used, alone or in com- ⁇ ⁇ to to 1 ⁇ > ⁇ o L ⁇ o L ⁇ o L ⁇ o L ⁇
• the amount of polymer added through the latex is in the range of 25-50 % by weight of the total oven-dry mass of the non-woven.
• Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing the different steps of a method of manufacturing non-woven.
• Fig. 2 is a drawing that illustrates how the different types of fibre and the latex material interact to bond the non-woven before the film-forming polymer has been activated.
• Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a bicomponent fibre of the type used in the currently preferred embodiments .
• Fig. 4 is an image from a scanning electron microscope (magnified 50 times) of a dried/heat treated non- woven according to a preferred embodiment . Description of a Preferred Embodiment
• the non-woven comprises polyester bicomponent fibres 11, consisting of an outer component that forms a sheath 11a around a core lib.
• the outer component 11a of the polyester bicomponent fibres has a first melting temperature T mi of 175-180°C and the core component lib has a second melting temperature T m2 of 260°C, i.e. higher than the first melting temperature T ml .
• the non-woven also comprises so-called ordinary polyester staple fibres 13 having a melting and degradation temperature T n of about 260°C.
• the bicomponent fibres make up about 75 % (by weight) of the fibre mass.
• the non-woven is impregnated with an acrylic latex, and comprises, in addition to fibres, a film-forming polymer which may be thermally activated.
• a modified acrylic latex is used, preferably a so-called styrene-modified acrylic latex.
• the polymer added through the acrylic latex has an activating tem- perature T a that is higher than the first melting temperature T ml but lower than the second melting temperature T m2 .
• the polymer constitutes about 35 % (oven-dry mass) of the non-woven.
• the non-woven is particularly suited for use as one or more layers in a stratified or laminated composite.
• the fibres 11, 13 are made of polyester, the melted phase and the fibres themselves will achieve sufficient adhesion to each other and to any adjacent layer of other materials.
• T f a form- ing temperature that is higher than the activating temperature T a of the polymer 12, but lower than the second melting temperature T m2 of the bicomponent fibres 11 and the degradation temperature T n of the staple fibres, the polymer 12 will form a film which further bonds the fibres 11, 13 of the respective layers and adjacent layers .
• the manufacturing of the non-woven essentially follows a conventional method of the type described in connection with the background art. Bales of fibre of the different fibre types, polyester bicomponent fibre 11 and polyester staple fibre 13, are torn and the more or less adhering fibre lumps are inserted into a so-called first opener, where the fibre lumps are processed so that the fibres 11,13 are sepa- rated to some extent into individual fibres. Weighing of the amounts of different fibres that the non-woven is to contain is carried out in connection with the first opening.
• non-woven fabric made up of more than one type of fibre is used, the fibres commonly used being, for example, nylon fibres, viscose fibres, aramid fibres, polyester fibres or similar synthetic fibres .
• the fibres are fed to a blender, where they are blended and further processed and opened a second time (or aired) .
• the blending step may be used also when only one fibre type is used; by blending fibres from different production runs (batches) from the manufacturer, the effect of possible manufacturing variations on the finished product can be reduced. After the blending, it is common to carry out some form of cleaning in order to dispose of, for example, fibre lumps and other unwanted residual products from the fibre manufacturing.
• the fibre blend is fed to a carding unit .
• the fibres are further processed and oriented so that most of the fibres are oriented in the same direc- tion.
• the fibre blend leaves the carding unit in the form of a thin mat, in which the fibres are oriented in the direction of transport from the carding unit, i.e. they are oriented so as to be parallel to the plane defined by the thin mat.
• several mats are put to- gether, often 5-10 mats, to form a web.
• the thickness of the web is usually about 1-3 cm.
• the web is then impregnated with a acrylic latex and various additives, such as flame retardant.
• Impregnation is done, for example, by passing the web through a fluid bath containing the desired addi- tives. It can also be done by means of so-called foam impregnation or spray impregnation.
• the impregnated (wet) web is fed to a station where excess fluid is removed. This can be done by means of suction boxes, pressure and suction rollers. Following the impregnation and the removal of excess fluid, the thickness of the web is about 0.5-2 mm.
• the web is then fed into an oven, where the thin flexible sheet (the non-woven) is dried.
• the drying is carried out at a drying temperature of 180-200°C. As long as there is fluid left in the non-woven, this will have a temperature slightly below 100°C. Once the fluid has disappeared the fibre and polymer material will be heated to a heat treatment/drying temperature T ⁇ of about 175-180°C.
• This temperature T ⁇ is higher than the melting temperature T m ⁇ of the outer layer of the bicomponents, but lower than the melting temperature T m2 of the core components. It is also lower than the activating temperature of the acrylic latex and lower than the melting temperature of the staple fibres.
• the outer layer of the bicomponent fibres will melt and, due to its surface tension and the surface tension of the evaporated fluid, the heat distribution and the evaporation gradient (in the room) , will accumulate to a great extent around those places in the non-woven where the fibres abut each other. During this accumulation process the melted outer layers will attract and bind the polymer particles added through the acrylic latex.
• a schematic illustration of the result is shown in Fig. 2. Accumulations of material are formed, which can be compared to webbing or bat wings stretched by the fibres abutting on each other. As shown in Fig. 4 some material also sticks along the fibres in places where they do not in fact abut on each other.
• the non-woven fabric dried in the oven is then stretched and wound on large rollers.
• non-woven Since non-woven is usually manufactured by special manufacturers of non-woven, and body ceilings and bonnet
• the stratified composite is much lighter than known sandwich constructions of the same strength, since the need for glass fibre layers and size layers has been eliminated. This is a tremendous advantage, for example in the motor industry, where even a relatively small decrease in weight changes the life cycle analysis of a car as far as the environmental impact is concerned. This is due to the fact that petrol consumption is one of the most important parameters con- cerning environmental impact and that the weight of the car greatly influences its petrol consumption.
• the polymer provided by the addition of latex may have an activating temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature. This might be the case when, besides temperature, a certain pressure is required in order for the polymer to be activated and to form a film.
• the temperature range may, in some cases, be extended somewhat, e.g. the melting temperature of the sheath may very well be in the range of 160-200°C. Which temperature ranges that are acceptable depends on in which application the non-woven or stratified composite is to be used. For example, a body ceiling of a car must be able to withstand a new round of paintwork, at about 105°C, without beginning to soften or sag, i.e. without losing its supporting functionality.
• the amounts of bicomponent fibres and latex polymers may also be varied according to the application; the amount of bicomponent fibres may thus be in the range of 50-90 % of the fibre content of the non-woven.
• the non-woven while remaining harmless to the environment, contains natural fibres, such as flax.
• the bicomponent fibres may, in some cases, have a different configuration of core component and outer layer component. There may, for example, be several high-temperature cores in a low-temperature matrix sur- rounding and binding the different cores.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
• Multicomponent Fibers (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20278168

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Citations (8)

• 2000
  • 2000-01-21 SE SE0000174A patent/SE0000174L/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2001
  • 2001-01-19 EP EP01942686A patent/EP1259670A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-01-19 AU AU2001228988A patent/AU2001228988A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-01-19 WO PCT/SE2001/000088 patent/WO2001053584A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (8)

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