Non-woven fiber webs with nylon binder

• US 20030201082A1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FiberMark North America, Inc. (Mativ Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fibermark Incorporated (Mativ Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kinsley, Homan B. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,830,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 162/141
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/2048 otherwise bonded
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/2089 otherwise bonded, e.g. by resins
• CPC Class Codes: D21B 1/00 Fibrous raw materials or their mechanical treatment pretreatment of the finely-divided materials before digesting D21C1/00; methods of beating or refining pulp D21D1/00; purification of the pulp suspension by mechanical means D21D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/002 by using a foamed suspension
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/26 Polyamides; Polyimides
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/36 Inorganic fibres or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/48 Metal or metallised fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/50 Carbon fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 15/10 Composite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/55 Polyamides; Polyaminoamides; Polyester-amides
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 25/04 Physical treatment, e.g. heating, irradiating D21H25/18 takes precedence; dryer section of machines for making continuous webs of paper D21F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/62 Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nonwoven web comprised of metal or refractory fibers with nylon as a binder. The nonwoven web is prepared by forming a foam furnish by agitating the fibers in a foamed medium, and passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish. It is preferred that the nylon binder is added to the foam furnish in the form of fibers. Once the furnish is defoamed to form a nonwoven web, the sheet is dried at a temperature sufficient to melt the nylon binder.

Claims

1. A nonwoven fibrous web comprised of metal or refractory fibers and nylon as a binder for said fibers.

2. The nonwoven web of claim 1, wherein the web is comprised of metal fibers.

3. The nonwoven web of claim 1, wherein the web is comprised of refractory fibers.

4. The web of claim 3, wherein the web is comprised of carbon fibers.

5. The nonwoven web of claim 4, wherein the carbon fibers are comprised of activated carbon fibers.

6. The nonwoven web of claim 1, wherein the web is comprised of zinc fibers.

14. A filter comprised of the nonwoven web of claim 1.

15. A fuel cell comprised of a nonwoven web as defined in claim 1.

7. A method for forming a nonwoven fibrous web comprised of metal or refractory fibers with nylon as a binder, which comprises:

(i) forming a foam furnish by agitating metal or refractory fibers in a foamed medium with an apparatus comprising agitation means mounted for displacement within the foamed medium and including a leading surface facing in a direction of displacement, the leading surface including upper and lower portions converging in the direction of displacement to form a generally convex leading surface, with the agitating means including a non-convex trailing surface facing away from the direction of displacement; and

driving means for displacing the agitating means in the direction of displacement for disbursing images separating the fibers within the foamed medium; and

(ii) passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish to form a nonwoven web; and

(iii) drying the formed web at a temperature sufficient to melt the nylon contained in the web.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fibers are comprised of carbon fibers.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the fibers are comprised of metal fibers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the fibers are comprised of zinc, nickel or stainless steel fibers.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the nylon is present in the foam furnish in the form of nylon fiber.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the nylon fiber is of a sheath/core structure, with different nylon polymers comprising the sheath and core.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sheath portion of the fiber is comprised of nylon 6, and the core portion of the fiber is comprised of nylon 66.

16. An electrode comprised of a nonwoven web as defined in claim