Composite material with improved structural, acoustic and thermal properties

• US 20050115662A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Original Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Inventors: Haque, Enamul, Blinkhorn, Arthur, Cheney, Terry L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,294,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/148
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/086 and with one or more layers of pure plastics material, e.g. foam layers applying a non-preformed coating, e.g. a gel-coat, B29C37/0025; with foam blocks B29C70/86
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/506 and impregnating by melting a solid material, e.g. sheet, powder, fibres B29C70/508 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/083 EVA, i.e. ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0215 Thermoplastic elastomer fibers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/12 Conjugate fibres, e.g. core/sheath or side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/14 Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/102 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/304 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/04 Tiles for floors or walls
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/08 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2607/02 Wall papers, wall coverings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/06 characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer mechanically connected, e.g. by needling to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/08 the fibres or filaments of a layer being of different substances , e.g. conjugate fibres, mixture of different fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/08 Insulating elements, e.g. for sound insulation sound insulating linings for trains B61D17/185; drivers' cabs for load-carrying vehicles insulated against vibrations or noise B62D33/0604; thermal or acoustic insulation of engines F02B77/11; damping of sounds using compensation by electro-acoustic methods G10K11/178
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4218 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4374 using different kinds of webs, e.g. by layering webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43828 : sheath-core
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43835 : Mixed fibres, e.g. at least two chemically different fibres or fibre blends
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/48 : in combination with at least one other method of consolidation
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/72 : the fibres being randomly arranged
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 5/04 : strengthened or consolidated by applying or incorporating chemical or thermo-activatable bonding agents in solid or liquid form
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 5/06 : strengthened or consolidated by welding-together thermoplastic fibres, filaments, or yarns
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/00 : Pulp or paper, comprising synthetic cellulose or non-cellulose fibres or web-forming material chemical features in the manufacture of artificial fibres D01F
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/10 : Organic non-cellulose fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/40 : vitreous, e.g. mineral wool, glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/88 : Insulating elements for both heat and sound
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/8461 : layered
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/162 : Selection of materials

Abstract

A method of forming a multilayer insulation material formed of an acoustical composite layer and a first thermal layer is provided. The acoustical and insulting layer is formed of a polymer based thermoplastic material and reinforcing fibers. Preferably the reinforcing fibers are wet use chopped strand glass fibers (WUCS). The acoustical composite layer may be formed by opening the WUCS fibers, blending the reinforcement and polymer fibers, forming the reinforcement and polymer fibers into a sheet, and then bonding the sheet. A first thermal layer formed of one or more polymer based thermoplastic organic materials is then positioned on a first major surface of the acoustical composite layer. A second thermal layer of polymeric fibers may be optionally positioned on a second major surface of the acoustical composite layer. The multilayer acoustic material may be utilized in semi-structural and acoustical applications.

Claims

1. A method of forming a thermal and acoustic composite material comprising the steps of:

at least partially opening a bundle of wet reinforcement fibers;

removing at least a portion of water present in said wet reinforcement fibers to form dehydrated reinforcement fibers;

blending first thermoplastic polymeric fibers with said dehydrated reinforcement fibers to form an acoustical composite layer; and

affixing a first thermal layer of second thermoplastic polymeric fibers to a first major surface of said acoustical composite layer, said second thermoplastic polymeric fibers being the same as or different than said first thermoplastic polymeric fibers.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

thermal bonding said first thermoplastic polymeric fibers and said dehydrated reinforcement fibers after said blending step.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said blending step comprises:

mixing said first thermoplastic polymeric fibers and said dehydrated reinforcement fibers to form a mixture of said first thermoplastic polymeric fibers and said dehydrated reinforcement fibers; and

forming said mixture into a sheet.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of forming said sheet comprises:

passing said mixture through at least one sheet former.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of:

transferring the mixture to a filling box tower prior to forming said sheet.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of:

needling said sheet prior to said thermal bonding step to provide structural integrity to said acoustical composite layer.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wet reinforcement fibers are wet use chopped strand glass fibers and said first and second thermoplastic polymeric fibers include at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene vinyl acetate/vinyl chloride fibers, lower alkyl acrylate polymer fibers, acrylonitrile polymer fibers, partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyvinyl pyrrolidone fibers, styrene acrylate fibers, polyolefins, polyamides, polysulfides, polycarbonates, rayon and nylon.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said first thermal layer further includes bicomponent fibers.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said first thermoplastic polymeric fibers have varying diameters or varying lengths.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said first thermoplastic polymeric fibers have varying lengths and diameters.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

at least partially opening said first thermoplastic polymer fibers prior to blending said first thermoplastic polymeric fibers with said dehydrated reinforcement fibers.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

attaching a second thermal layer to a second major surface of said acoustical composite layer, said second major surface opposing said first major surface.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said second thermal layer includes one or more polymeric materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyvinyl chloride, polyolefins, polyamides, polysulfides and polycarbonates.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein said polymeric materials forming said second thermal layer have varying lengths or varying diameters.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein said polymeric materials forming said second thermal layer have varying lengths and diameters.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

affixing a facing layer to an exposed surface of said first thermal layer.

17. A method of forming a molded semi-structural acoustical composite product comprising the steps of:

at least partially opening a bundle of wet reinforcement fibers;

removing at least a portion of water from said wet reinforcement fibers to form dehydrated reinforcement fibers;

blending first polymeric fibers with said dehydrated reinforcement fibers;

forming said blended first polymeric fibers and said dehydrated reinforcement fibers into a sheet;

bonding said first polymeric fibers and said dehydrated reinforcement fibers in said sheet to form an acoustical composite layer;

attaching a first thermal layer of second thermoplastic polymeric fibers to a first major surface of said acoustical composite layer to form a composite material; and

molding said composite material to form a semi-structural acoustical composite product having a desired shape.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

attaching a second thermal layer to a second major surface of said acoustical composite layer opposing said first major surface, said second thermal layer being formed of third thermoplastic fibers.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said third thermoplastic fibers include one or more polymeric materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyvinyl chloride, polyolefins, polyamides, polysulfides and polycarbonates.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said wet reinforcement fibers are wet use chopped strand glass fibers and said first and second thermoplastic polymeric fibers include at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene vinyl acetate/vinyl chloride fibers, lower alkyl acrylate polymer fibers, acrylonitrile polymer fibers, partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyvinyl pyrrolidone fibers, styrene acrylate fibers, polyolefins, polyamides, polysulfides, polycarbonates, rayon and nylon.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of forming said blended first polymeric fibers and said dehydrated reinforcement fibers into a sheet comprises the step of:

passing said mixture through at least one sheet former.

22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

transferring said mixture to a filling box tower prior to forming said sheet.

23. A method of forming a fibrous polymer mat comprising the steps of:

at least partially opening a bundle of first polymeric fibers;

at least partially opening a bundle of second polymeric fibers;

blending said at least partially opened first and second polymeric fibers to form a mixture of said at least partially opened first and second polymeric fibers;

forming said mixture into a sheet;

bonding said first and second polymeric fibers to form said fibrous polymer mat.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

adding a binder resin to said sheet prior to said bonding step.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

conveying said at least partially opened first and second polymeric fibers to a filling box tower prior to said forming step.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said forming step comprises the step of:

passing said mixture through at least one sheet former.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

needling said first polymeric fibers and said second polymeric fibers prior to said bonding step to mechanically strengthen said fibrous polymer mat.