Thermoplastic nylon adhesive matrix having a uniform thickness and composite laminates formed therefrom

• US 20050197026A1
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Herbert Willie Reuchel, Kenneth Keuchel
• Original Assignee: Herbert Willie Reuchel, Kenneth Keuchel
• Inventors: Reuchel, Herbert Willie, Keuchel, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US10/792,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197026A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/333
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/02 on fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/023 Two or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0261 Polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/14 Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/0264 Polyamide particles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/34 comprising polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• 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 5/10 characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer reinforced with filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/16 characterised by features of a layer formed of particles, e.g. chips, powder or granules layer formed of natural mineral particles B32B19/00; layer being formed of wood fibres, chips or particles B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/22 characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles next to a foam layer B32B19/047, next to a layer made of particles B32B19/048, or next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B19/06; paper layer or cardboard layer next to a paper layer or cardboard layer B32B29/005, next to a foam layer B32B29/007, next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B29/02, or next to a particulate layer B32B29/04
• 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: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2049 Each major face of the fabric has at least one coating or impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2738 Coating or impregnation intended to function as an adhesive to solid surfaces subsequently associated therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/60 Nonwoven fabric [i.e., nonwoven strand or fiber material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/607 Strand or fiber material is synthetic polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/69 Autogenously bonded nonwoven fabric

Abstract

The present invention relates to a polymeric adhesive matrix and to a process for producing such a polymeric adhesive matrix, wherein the matrix comprises either: 1) a substantially uniform thickness nonwoven web comprising Nylon 12 or Nylon 11 polymer, or blends thereof, with up to 40 weight percent of another compatible thermoplastic polymeric material; or 2) a substantially uniform thickness fibrous or non-fibrous matrix comprising an amine-terminated low moisture absorbing polyamide, preferably an amine-terminated Nylon 12 or amine-terminated Nylon 11 polymer, or blends thereof, with up to 40 weight percent of another compatible thermoplastic polymeric material. The subject invention also relates to a multi-layer composite laminate comprising at least one layer of the polymeric adhesive matrix of the present invention positioned between a plurality of reinforcing fibrous layers impregnated with a binder resin and to a process for producing such a multi-layer composite laminate.

Claims

1. A polymeric adhesive matrix comprising either:

1) a substantially uniform thickness nonwoven web comprising Nylon 12 or Nylon 11 polymer, or blends thereof, with up to 40 weight percent of another compatible thermoplastic polymeric material;

or

     2) a substantially uniform thickness fibrous or non-fibrous matrix comprising an amine-terminated low moisture absorbing polyamide, preferably an amine-terminated Nylon 12 or amine-terminated Nylon 11 polymer, or blends thereof, with up to 40 weight percent of another compatible thermoplastic polymeric material.

2. The polymeric adhesive matrix of claim 1 that comprises a substantially uniform thickness matrix of either:

1) polymer particles,

     2) a film,

     3) a nonwoven web or

     4) a non-fibrous stereo reticulated web.

3. The polymeric adhesive matrix of claim 1, wherein the Nylon 12 or Nylon 11 polymer of 1) is copolymerized with another compatible, low moisture absorbing nylon polymer.

4. The polymeric adhesive matrix of claim 1, wherein the amine-terminated Nylon 12 or amine terminated Nylon 11 of 2) is copolymerized with another compatible, low moisture absorbing nylon polymer.

5. The polymeric adhesive matrix of claim 3, wherein the compatible low moisture absorbing nylon polymer is Nylon 6,10 or Nylon 6,6.

6. The polymeric adhesive matrix of claim 1, where the nonwoven web is formed by a self bonded fiber matrix comprised of continuous filaments traversing the width of the fabric.

7. The polymeric adhesive matrix of claim 1 comprising a substantially uniform thickness matrix of either:

1) polymer particles,

     2) a film,

     3) a nonwoven web or

     4) a non-fibrous stereo reticulated web.

8. A multi-layer laminate comprising at least one layer of the polymeric adhesive matrix of claim 1 positioned between a plurality of reinforcing fibrous layers impregnated with a binder resin.

9. The multi-layer laminate of claim 8, wherein the polymeric adhesive matrix is a fibrous web, having a substantially uniform thickness.

10. The multi-layer laminate of claim 9, wherein the surface of the polymeric adhesive matrix is modified by coating the polymeric adhesive matrix with an amine modifier.

11. The multi-layer laminate of claim 9, wherein an amine-modified resin is coated on the reinforcing fiber layers to thereby enhance affinity between the binder resin and the polymeric adhesive matrix.

12. The multi-layer laminate of claim 11, containing a substantially uniform thickness layer of a powder or particles of the amine-modified polymeric adhesive matrix on the reinforcing fiber layers.

13. The multi-layer laminate of claim 8, wherein the polymeric adhesive matrix that is a nonwoven web, that is a three-dimensional structure wherein the fiber cross sections comprise a sheath-core polymer system of two polymers having different melting points.

14. The multi-layer laminate of claim 8, wherein the polymeric adhesive matrix comprises at least five (5) and up to forty (40) weight percent of a compatible lower melting point thermoplastic nylon polymer.

18. A process for producing a multi-layer composite laminate comprising providing at least one layer of the substantially uniform thickness polymeric adhesive matrix of claim 1 positioned between a plurality of reinforcing fibrous layers.

19. The process of claim 18, comprising providing a polymeric adhesive matrix is a fibrous or non-fibrous nonwoven web.

20. The process of claim 18, comprising providing a polymeric adhesive matrix that is a nonwoven web comprising two polymers having different melting points.

15. A process for producing a polymeric adhesive matrix by providing a substantially uniform thickness of either:

1) a nonwoven web comprising Nylon 12 or Nylon 11 polymer, or blends thereof, with up to 40 weight percent of another compatible thermoplastic polymeric material;

or

     2) a fibrous or non-fibrous matrix comprising an amine-terminated low moisture absorbing polyamide, an amine-terminated Nylon 12 or amine-terminated Nylon 11 polymer, or blends thereof, with up to 40 weight percent of another compatible thermoplastic polymeric material.

16. The process of claim 15, comprising providing a substantially uniform thickness matrix of either:

1) polymer particles,

     2) a film,

     3) a nonwoven web or

     4) a non-fibrous stereo reticulated web.

17. The process of claim 15, comprising providing a polymeric adhesive matrix wherein the Nylon 12 or Nylon 11 polymer of 1) is copolymerized with another compatible, low moisture absorbing nylon polymer.