WO2014048557A2

WO2014048557A2 - Use of nonwoven microfabric materials for producing decorative laminates

Info

Publication number: WO2014048557A2
Application number: PCT/EP2013/002860
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Groten; Günter Schmitt
Original assignee: Carl Freudenberg Kg
Priority date: 2012-09-25
Filing date: 2013-09-24
Publication date: 2014-04-03
Also published as: DE102012018852A1; DE102012018852B4; WO2014048557A3

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of a nonwoven microfabric material, comprising composite fibres which are melt-spun and cuttled to produce a nonwoven with a titre of from 1.5 to 5 dtex, wherein at least 80% of the composite fibres are slivered and strengthened to produce elementary fibres with a titre of from 0.05 to 2.0 dtex as a decorative layer for a decorative laminate.

Description

Use of microfiber nonwovens for manufacturing

decorative laminates Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to decorative laminates, in particular decorative laminates provided with a decorative layer. Decorative laminates are generally more durable than wood and have an attractive appearance. In particular, laminates are characterized by low production costs, high impact and abrasion resistance, durability and resistance to heat, UV light and mild chemicals. That's why

Decorative laminates widely used in a wide variety of applications, both private and commercial.

Background of the Invention Laminates are composites of a wide variety of materials such as paper or fabric webs, wood, textiles, glass fiber fabrics, plastics, horn, cork and / or glass fiber mats. Laminates may be impregnated by compression with plastic resins such as epoxy, melamine resins, thermoplastics, phenoplasts, urea-formaldehyde resins

Starting materials are produced. The pressed materials can

CONFIRMATION COPY then be connected to a carrier layer. As a result, a unit is formed which is easy to assemble. For the production of decorative laminates, the laminate is usually provided with a decorative layer, which may for example have a print pattern and / or a color.

The decorative layer must meet the most diverse requirements. So it is supposed to have an attractive appearance, simply and quickly be penetrable for resins, a uniform density and

Surface mass and have a good wet strength and a smooth surface. Essential is also a good printability. Usually, a paper layer is used in the art as a decorative layer, since paper due to its Feinfaserigkeit allows a very good resolution in printing. In addition, paper exhibits a high and rapid absorbency, which enables fast process control during the impregnation process.

The disadvantage of using paper, however, is that the high

Absorbency counteracts high wet strength. A further disadvantage is that paper has a low extensibility, which makes subsequent bending, for example for imaging edges, more difficult. To counteract this problem so-called crepe papers are often used in the art, which have compressions in those areas that

Irregularities, such as to map edges. However, such crepe papers have the disadvantage that they can not be used to obtain a satisfactorily smooth surface, in particular in the region of the edges. Another drawback with the use of paper is that impregnated and dried single-ply papers are break-resistant and therefore have to be made resistant to bending and punctiform pressure by stacking several impregnated layers in the press pack. The separate manufacture and stacking impregnated However, layers is technically complicated and cost-intensive.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention has the object of providing a decorative layer for a

To provide decorative laminate, in particular for a decorative laminate, which can be produced easily and inexpensively and in addition to a good printability has a low bending brittleness.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by using a microfiber nonwoven fabric comprising melt-spun and bonded fibers of a titer of 1.5 to 5 dtex, which is at least 80% elemental fibers with a titer of 0.05 to 2.0 dtex are split and solidified. The microfiber nonwoven fabric according to the invention may comprise micro staple fibers and / or microfilaments. As composite fibers, a variety of fiber types including composite staple fibers, composite filaments or

Mixtures thereof are used. Composite filaments are preferably used according to the invention.

Surprisingly, it has been found according to the invention that the use of the above-described microfiber nonwoven fabric makes it easy and simple

Inexpensive manner, a decorative laminate for a decorative laminate can be produced, which is characterized by an extremely low bending resistance compared to the conventionally used for this purpose papers. In addition, the decorative layer has an excellent

Printability, a uniform density and basis weight, as well as a good wet strength and smooth surface. Finally, it is easy and fast penetrable for resins. Thus, the decorative layer can be easily used with the usually used for the impregnation of decorative and cover sheets Resins, such as aminoplast resin, in particular melamine-formaldehyde resin,

Urea-formaldehyde resin or with other resin systems such. As phenolic resin, in particular phenol-formaldehyde resin and cresol-formaldehyde resin, polyester, urea-formaldehyde, dicyandiamide-Fomaldehyd, silicone resin, epoxy, polyurethane, curable acrylic resins and mixtures thereof are impregnated.

Impregnation with the aforementioned resins may occur during or preferably after preparation of the microfiber nonwoven fabric and before

Applying to a carrier material, or intermediate carrier material, are performed. Thus, the use of a microfiber nonwoven fabric impregnated with one or more of the aforementioned resins as a decorative laminate decorative layer is a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is also conceivable that the impregnation during or after the

Applying to a carrier material, or intermediate carrier material is made.

According to the invention, a microfiber nonwoven fabric is preferred with a

Basis weight of 20 to 300 g / m ² used. More preferably, the basis weights of the microfibrous nonwoven fabric are from 35 to 300 g / m, preferably from 50 to 200 g / m ^2, and more preferably from 80 to 170 g / m. With nonwovens of these basis weights particularly low bending brittleness and good wet strengths can be achieved. According to the invention, a microfilament nonwoven fabric is preferred, since it is characterized, inter alia, by a particularly isotropic thread distribution. An isotropic distribution of thread in the nonwoven fabric makes it possible to dispense with hemming and observing the machine direction. In addition, due to the use of filaments, the microfibre nonwoven fabric does not have any fraying during its manufacture. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention as

Composite fibers multi-component fibers, preferably bicomponent staple fibers and / or bicomponent filaments used, wherein the first component preferably polyester, in particular polyethylene terephthalate and / or polybutylene terephthalate and the second component preferably polyamide, in particular polyamide 6, polyamide 66, polyamide 46, polyamide 6 has , Particularly good results are obtained when the composite fibers have a titer of 0.8 to 4, preferably from 1.4 to 2.6, more preferably from 1.6 to 2.4 dtex and / or when the composite fibers at least 85% , in particular at least 90%, more preferably at least 95% to elementary fibers are split and solidified, wherein the titer of

Elementary fibers preferably from 0.01 to 0.3 dtex, more preferably from 0.03 to 0.2 dtex, in particular from 0.05 to 0.15 dtex.

Preferably, the microfiber nonwoven fabric is one in which the composite fibers comprise bicomponent fibers of at least two incompatible polymers. Such bicomponent fibers have good cleavability in elementary fibers and cause a favorable ratio of strength to basis weight.

If bicomponent fibers are used as composite fibers, then the weight ratio between the first and second component is

preferably 60:40, more preferably 70:30, wherein as the first component preferably a polyester, in particular polyethylene terephthalate is used. The proportion of the composite fibers in the microfiber nonwoven fabric is preferably at least 50% by weight, more preferably 60 to 100% by weight, in particular 80 to 100% by weight.

The microfiber nonwoven fabric may also contain other fibers such as viscose fibers and / or cellulose fibers, for example in an amount of up to 50% by weight, more preferably 1 to 40% by weight, in particular 1 to 20% by weight.

Preferably, the microfibrous nonwoven fabric is one in which the composite fibers, which are preferably configured as filaments, have a cross-section with an orange-like or "pie" called multisegment structure, the segments containing different, alternately incompatible polymers. Also suitable are hollow-pie structures that can also have an asymmetrically axially extending cavity. The orange-slit or pie-pie arrangement advantageously has 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 32 or 64 segments, particularly preferably 16, 24 or 32 segments.

The microfiber nonwoven fabric preferably comprises polymers, more preferably thermoplastic polymers. When thermoplastic materials are used, it is particularly advantageous that the combination of decorative layer and carrier material and / or intermediate carrier material can be carried out in a simple manner by melting or melting the nonwoven fabric and bringing it into contact with the carrier material or intermediate carrier material. As a result, a particularly resistant connection can be achieved. According to the invention, the nonwoven fabric particularly preferably contains so-called incompatible polymer pairs or blends of various polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides and / or polyurethanes in any desired combination, which preferably do not give only limited or poorly adhering pairings. Under a substantially non-adhesive bond here is a Compound understood to be none, one severe or one conditional

Adhesive has. Thus, materials having a conditional adhesiveness have a conditional or no diffusion bonding, but may have a good adhesion bonding, and materials having a heavy bondability have no diffusion bonding and, if any, a conditional adhesion bonding.

Under incompatible polymer pairs or blends is understood according to the invention that the individual components have a low adhesion to each other and thus are easily split.

The polymer pairs used are particularly preferably selected from polymer pairs with at least one polyolefin, preferably with polyethylene, such as polypropylene / polyethylene, polyamides / polyethylene or

Polyethylene terephthalate / polyethylene, or with polypropylene, such as polypropylene / polyethylene, polyamides / polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate /

Polypropylene.

Polymer pairs with at least one polyamide or with at least one

Polyethylene terephthalate are preferred because of their conditional adhesiveness, and polymer pairs with at least one polyolefin are particularly preferred because of their poor tackiness.

Particularly preferred components of the multicomponent fibers are polyesters, preferably polyethylene terephthalate, and / or

Polybutylene terephthalate on the one hand, polyamide, preferably polyamide 6

Polyamide 66, polyamide 46, on the other hand, if appropriate, in combination with one or more further incompatible to the abovementioned components polymers, preferably selected from polyolefins proved to be particularly useful. Preferably, the microfiber nonwoven fabric is further one in which at least one of the multi-component fibers forming incompatible polymers, polyethylene terephthalate on the one hand and at least one of the

Multicomponent fibers forming incompatible polymers, a polyamide, preferably polyamide 6 comprises. This combination has one

excellent cleavage on.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a hydrophilic microfiber nonwoven fabric is used. At this

Embodiment is advantageous in that such a nonwoven fabric is wetted faster and thus can be impregnated particularly quickly with resins. For example, compounds have proved to be suitable which contain salts of organic sulfonic acids, in particular sodium salts of C 14 -C 17 -alkanesulfonic acids, for example combined with a carrier substance, such as PET. Particularly suitable according to the invention

Hydrophilizing agents include, for example, NEA0025549®, HOSTASTAT VNE 70037®, CESA-stat NEA0025549®, CESA-stat 70037®, each from Clariant. In addition, such additives have proved favorable, the

simultaneously antistatic.

The equipment of the microfiber nonwoven fabric can be effected by adding the hydrophilizing agents to the polymers used to produce the nonwoven fabric. The proportion of the

Hydrophilizing agent in the nonwoven fabric advantageously from 0.2 to 2 wt.%, More preferably from 0.5 to 1.5 wt.%, Each based on the

Total weight of the nonwoven fabric.

In the case of a polyamide and polyethylene terephthalate-containing microfiber nonwoven fabric, the hydrophilizing agent is preferably the polyamide Component added. CESA-Stat 70037, which also has antistatic and hydrophilicizing properties, has proved particularly suitable.

Alternatively, the nonwoven fabric can also be made hydrophilic after its preparation, for example by padding in aqueous solution with hydrophilizing finishes and subsequent drying. Advantageously, the hydrophilizing additives act in or on the polymers

oberflächenspannungsabsenkend. In addition to this orange-like multisegment structure of the composite fibers is also a "side-by-side" (s / s) segment arrangement of the incompatible

Polymer possible, which is preferably used to produce crimped filaments. Such segmental arrangements of the incompatible polymers have proven to be very highly cleavable.

In order to facilitate the separation of the composite fibers into the elementary fibers, the composite fibers preferably have a central opening, in particular in the form of a tubular elongated cavity, which may be centered with respect to the central axis of the composite fibers. This arrangement can reduce the close contact in this area of different elementary fibers made of the same polymer material or

avoid.

In order to consolidate the nonwoven fabric structure, the composite fibers may have a latent or spontaneous crimp which results from an asymmetric behavior of the elementary fibers with respect to their longitudinal central axis, which crimping may be due to an asymmetric crimp

geometric configuration of the cross section of the composite fibers is activated or amplified. In one variant, the composite fibers may be latent or spontaneous

Crimp, which is due to a differentiation of the physical properties of the polymer fibers forming the elementary fibers in the spinning, cooling and / or stretching operations concerning the composite fibers, which leads to distortions caused by internal

unbalanced loads with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the

Composite fibers are caused, wherein the crimping optionally by an asymmetrical geometric configuration of the cross section of the

Composite fibers is activated or reinforced.

The composite fibers may have a latent crimp which is activated by thermal, mechanical or chemical treatment prior to formation of the nonwoven fabric. The crimp can be strengthened thermally or chemically, for example, by an additional treatment of the solidified substance.

The microfiber nonwoven fabric may further comprise suitable additives. By the additions, for example, static charges can be reduced or avoided.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention is the

Microfiber nonwoven fabric is a nonwoven fabric having a basis weight of 35 to 200 g / m ² , which consists of melt spun, aerodynamically stretched and immediately to a nonwoven composite filaments with a titer of 1, 5 to 3 dtex, the composite filaments at least 80% to Elementary filaments with a titer of 0.05 to 1, 0 dtex are split and solidified.

A inventively particularly suitable nonwoven fabric is under the

Brand names Evolon ^{® sold} . The microfibrous nonwoven fabric can be made by a process comprising the following steps: Composite fibers are made from at least two polymer melts

spun, wherein the first polymer melt contains at least a first polymer and the second polymer melt at least one second polymer. - The composite fibers are stretched and laid down to a nonwoven, the web is solidified by high-pressure fluid jets and in

Elementary fibers with a titer of 0.05 to 2.0 dtex split. The microfilament nonwoven fabric thus obtained is very uniform in thickness. It exhibits an isotropic distribution of filaments, has no tendency to delaminate and is characterized in particular by the use of non-crimped filaments by high modulus values.

Advantageously, the method for producing the microfilament nonwoven fabric is carried out in such a way that the solidification and splitting of the composite fibers takes place in that the optionally preconsolidated

Nonwoven fabric is at least once on each side with high-pressure fluid jets, preferably subjected to high pressure water jets. Of the

Microfilament nonwoven thereby has a textile surface and a degree of splitting of the composite fibers of more than 80%.

The solidification of the nonwoven according to the invention preferably takes place by treatment with high-pressure fluid jets. So can the

Elementary filaments during or after the division of the composite filaments with a mechanical agent acting predominantly perpendicular to the material plane (Needling, liquid pressure jets) are strongly involved.

The strength and the mechanical resistance of the nonwoven fabric can be further increased significantly, if it is provided that the elementary fibers are bonded to each other by a thermofusion, which relates to one or more of them, preferably by hot calendering with heated, smooth or engraved rollers, by pulling through a hot-air tunnel kiln, by pulling on a through-flow of hot air drum and / or by applying a binder contained in a dispersion or in a solution or powdered.

In a variant, the solidification of the pile can also, for example, by hot calendering before any separation of the uniform

Composite fibers in elementary fibers take place, the separation takes place after the Florverfestigung.

Furthermore, the pile structure may also be solidified by a chemical treatment (as described, for example, in Applicants' French Patent No. 2,546,536) or by a thermal treatment which results in a controlled shrinkage of at least a portion of the

Elementary fibers leads to their possibly successful separation. This results in a shrinkage of the fabric in the width and / or longitudinal direction.

Further, after solidification of a bonding or finishing, the nonwoven fabric may be subjected to a chemical nature such as anti-pilling treatment, hydrophilization or hydrophobization, antistatic treatment, treatment for improving the

Fire resistance and / or alteration of tactile properties or gloss, mechanical treatment such as roughening, sanforizing, emery or tumble treatment and / or treatment Change in appearance, such as dyeing or printing.

The carrying out of a hydrophilization treatment is particularly preferred according to the invention, since the nonwoven fabric obtained in this case is more rapidly wettable and can thus be impregnated particularly rapidly with resins. Suitable hydrophilizing agents are, for example, those mentioned above

Hydrophilizing. The hydrophilizing agents can be applied to the nonwoven fabric, for example, by padding in aqueous solution and subsequent drying.

Practical experiments have shown that a microfiber nonwoven fabric with a particularly homogeneous structure can be obtained when the nonwoven fabric by application of temperature and / or pressure, preferably by

Calendering at a temperature of 160 to 200 ° C and / or a

Line pressure of 20 to 80n / mm is pre-consolidated.

Advantageously, the microfiber nonwoven fabric to increase its

Abrasion resistance still subjected to a Punktkalandierung. For this purpose, the split and solidified nonwoven fabric is passed through heated rollers, of which at least one roller has elevations which are punctiform

Melt the fibers together.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the

Composite fibers dyed by spin dyeing. Alternatively or additionally, the nonwoven fabric can be provided with a print pattern after its production. In this embodiment, the fine structuring of the surface of the nonwoven fabric, which allows a very high resolution of the printing pattern, namely a printing with pixels from 7/1000 mm diameter, comes into play. As described above, the microfibrous nonwoven fabric may during or

preferably after its preparation with suitable resins, preferably aminoplast resins, in particular melamine-formaldehyde resins, urea-formaldehyde resins but also with other resin systems such. B.

Phenolic resins, in particular phenol-formaldehyde and cresol

Formaldehyde, polyester, urea-formaldehyde, dicyandiamide-formaldehyde, silicone, epoxy, polyurethane, curable acrylic resins and mixtures thereof. The amount of resin in the microfiber nonwoven fabric can vary depending on the application. Suitable amounts for many applications have been found to be from 30 to 200% by weight, preferably from 60 to 170% by weight, in particular from 70 to 140% by weight, based in each case on the total weight of the microfiber nonwoven fabric.

The impregnated microfiber nonwoven fabric can then as

Decorative layer with a carrier material, for example chipboards, medium-density fiberboard, hardboard, veneer boards, solid wood,

Foams, mineral carriers, metallic carriers, natural or artificial stone, sheets, tiles and plasterboard are connected, whereby a decorative laminate is obtained. It is also conceivable to provide one or more intermediate carrier layers.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the microfibrous nonwoven fabric is used as a decorative layer on a laminate as

Applied intermediate carrier, wherein the laminate press plate can in turn be applied to one or more of the aforementioned carrier materials. The connection between the laminate and the support may in this case be dependent on the material, for example by gluing or by means of a

Adhesive, for example a reaction adhesive, such as an epoxy, Polyester or polyurethane adhesive can be performed.

The connection between decorative layer and carrier material,

or intermediate carrier material, can be effected in a variety of ways. Thus, it is conceivable that the connection is effected by the resin used for the impregnation. If the nonwoven fabric consists at least partially of thermoplastic fibers, it is also conceivable that the connection is effected by thermofusion, preferably by

Hot calendering with heated, smooth or engraved rolls, by passing through a hot-air tunnel furnace and / or by pulling on a through-flow of hot air drum. Also, adhesives, such as reactive adhesives, such as epoxy, polyester or

Polyurethane adhesives and / or adhesive films are used for this purpose.

For the purposes of the present invention, the use of

High-pressure laminate plates, so-called HPLs as an intermediate carrier, have proved to be particularly expedient. High pressure laminates have layers of fibrous webs impregnated with curable resins,

Preferably paper on and can easily with the

Decorative layer according to the invention are provided. However, according to the invention, it is also possible to use the continuously produced laminate (CPL) sheets. Decorative high-pressure laminate can be produced in many different ways. Thus, fibrous webs impregnated with a curable resin and at elevated temperature, for example in the range of 110 to 160 ° C, in particular from 120 ° C to 160 ° C and elevated pressure, for example at more than 5 MPa, preferably more than 7 MPa are pressed , This achieves that the thermosetting resins flow and then cure to produce a homogeneous, non-porous material with increased density and the required surface finish. The thickness of the laminate panels can be freely selected depending on the field of application. Practical experiments have shown that usually with thicknesses of 0.2 mm to 20 mm, preferably from 0.3 to 15 mm good results can be obtained. By combining the nonwoven fabric with the carrier and / or optionally an intermediate carrier, a laminate according to the invention can be obtained. This is due to its properties excellent for the

Indoor and outdoor use, in transportation and for the manufacture of furniture and floors, for example for table and counter surfaces, wall panels, floor coverings, table tops,

Interior furnishing materials for buildings, household electrical appliances, kitchen and bathroom countertops, wall panels, cabinets,

Partition walls and doors and for covering windows, stairs and floors.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention will be explained in more detail below by means of an example:

Example:

It is described a microfibre nonwoven fabric as described in French Patent 2749860, Example 1, of elementary fibers (70% PET, 30% PA 6) with a

Basis weight of 100 gm / m ² produced and printed by means of templates. This nonwoven fabric is then impregnated with aqueous melamine resin, squeezed out and dried.

The impregnated nonwoven fabric is then pressed at temperatures between 150 and 180 ° C on a laminate press plate.

It turns out that the used microfiber nonwoven fabric can be printed with a very high resolution. So he allows a print with

Pixels from 7/1000 mm diameter. In addition, it shows a high wet strength, which does not differ from its dry strength. The laminate provided with the decorative layer can be bent by 180 ° without breaking. On the other hand, a comparatively produced décor paper already breaks 50 ° or less in the event of bending. The decorative layer can thermally three-dimensionally deformed after drying and / or

be surface-structured. A fixation of the obtained shape can be achieved by pressing at elevated temperature.

Claims

claims

1. Use of a microfiber nonwoven fabric comprising

melt-spun and nonwoven composite fibers having a denier of 5 to 5 dtex, wherein the composite fibers are at least 80% too

Elementary fibers with a titre of 0.05 to 2.0 dtex are split and solidified as a decorative layer for a decorative laminate.

2. Use according to claim 1, characterized in that the decorative layer on a carrier layer and / or an intermediate carrier layer, in particular a laminated board as an intermediate carrier layer

is applied.

3. Use according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the laminated board comprises one or more layers of resin-impregnated paper.

4. Use according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microfiber nonwoven fabric consists at least partially of a thermoplastic material.

5. Use according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the composite fibers bicomponent fibers, preferably bicomponent filaments, of at least two incompatible polymers, in particular a polyester, preferably

Polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polylactic acid on the one hand and a polyamide, preferably polyamide 6, polyamide 66, polyamide 46 on the other hand.

6. Use according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the decorative layer is provided with a print pattern or photo printing.

7. Use according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microfiber nonwoven fabric is impregnated with a synthetic resin, preferably an aminoplast resin, in particular a melamine resin.

8. Use according to claim 7, characterized in that the microfiber nonwoven fabric contains the synthetic resin in an amount of 30 to 200 wt.%.

9. Use according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nonwoven fabric with basis weights of 35 to 200 g / m ² consists of melt-spun, aerodynamically stretched and laid down to a nonwoven composite fibers with a titer of 1, 5 to 3 dtex and the composite fibers are at least 80% split to elementary fibers with a titer of 0.1 to 1, 0 dtex and solidified.

10. Use according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the composite fibers have a cross-section with orange-like multisegment structure, wherein the segments contain alternately incompatible polymers, and / or an incompatible polymers comprising "side-by-side" structure own or that the

Composite fibers Hollow-Pie structures have, which may also have an asymmetric axial cavity.