Surface treating articles and method of making same

• US 20010052391A1
• Filed: 05/10/2001
• Published: 12/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Close, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,514,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/330
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 13/04 comprising a plurality of flaps or strips arranged around the axis
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 3/28 Resins or natural or synthetic macromolecular compounds B24D3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1089 of discrete laminae to single face of additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/109 Embedding of laminae within face of additional laminae

Abstract

Surface treating articles and methods for the manufacture of such articles are provided. The articles of the invention comprise a rotatable core; a plurality of surface treating segments, the segments having first ends adjacent the core and second ends opposite the first ends; and a cured, expanded adhesive composition bonding the surface treating segment to the core, the adhesive composition comprising (a) an organic epoxide compound having an epoxide functionality of at least 1, (b) an epoxide hardener, (c) a film-forming material, and (d) a foaming agent; wherein the expanded adhesive provides a substantially continuous bond area extending from the core into and around the first end of the segments. The method for the manufacture of the articles comprises applying the foregoing adhesive to the core, applying the surface treating segments to the core by positioning the first ends of the segments adjacent the core and in contact with the adhesive; expanding the adhesive into the first ends of the surface treating segments; and hardening the adhesive to form the surface treating article.

Claims

1. A surface treating article, comprising:

a rotatable core having an outer surface;

a plurality of surface treating segments, each of said segments having a first portion adjacent said outer surface of said core and second portions opposite said first portions, said second portions collectively arranged to form a working surface of the surface treating article; and

a cured expanded adhesive composition bonding said first portions of said surface treating segments to said outer surface of said core.

2. The surface treating article as defined in

claim 1

wherein, said cured expanded adhesive composition comprises the reaction product of:

a) an organic epoxide compound having an epoxide functionality of at least 1,

b) an epoxide hardener,

c) a film-forming material, and

d) a foaming agent.

3. The article as defined in

claim 1

wherein said core is a tubular member having a structure comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of porous sheet material rigidified with resin binder, thermosetting compositions, thermoplastic compositions, metal, wood, ceramic and combinations of the foregoing materials.

4. The article as defined in

claim 1

wherein said core includes protrusions extending from said outer surface.

5. The article as defined in

claim 1

wherein said core includes indentations along said outer surface.

6. The article as defined in

claim 1

wherein each said surface treating segment comprises a substrate selected from the group consisting of woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, paper, polymeric materials, filaments and combinations of the foregoing.

7. The article as defined in

claim 6

wherein said nonwoven fabric is a lofty, three-dimensional network of fibers.

8. The article as defined in

claim 7

wherein said nonwoven fabric further comprises abrasive particles adhered to said fibers.

9. The article as defined in

claim 6

wherein said polymeric material comprises a foamed composition having abrasive particles dispersed therethrough.

10. The article as defined in

claim 1

wherein said surface treating segments comprise abrasive particles dispersed throughout and adhered within a tough, smear resistant, elastomeric, crosslinked polyurethane binder matrix.

11. The article as defined in claims 2 wherein said organic epoxide is selected from the group consisting of alkylene oxides, alkenyl oxides, glycidyl esters, glycidyl ethers, epoxy novolacs, copolymers of acrylic acid esters of gycidol and copolymerizable vinyl compounds, polyurethane polyepoxides and mixtures thereof.

12. The article as defined in

claim 11

wherein said organic epoxide has an epoxide functionality of from 2 to 4.

13. The article as defined in

claim 11

wherein said epoxide hardener is selected from the group consisting of amines, acid anhydrides, boron complexes, guanidines, dicyandiamide and mixtures thereof.

14. The article as defined in

claim 11

wherein said epoxide hardener is a mixture of dicyandiamide and 2,4-di-(N′

,N′

-dimethylureido)toluene.

15. The article as defined in

claim 2

wherein said film-forming material is selected from the group consisting of butadiene/nitrile rubbers, carboxylated butadiene/nitrile rubbers, carboxy-terminated butadiene/nitrile rubbers, amine-terminated butadiene/nitrile rubbers, polyether diamines, polyhydroxyethers, graft polymers having a rubbery polyacrylate core with a polyacrylate or polymethacrylate shell, polyvinyl acetals and mixtures thereof.

16. The article as defined in

claim 15

wherein said film-forming material is a mixture of a phenoxy resin and of a carboxy terminated butadiene/nitrile.

17. The article as defined in

claim 2

wherein said foaming agent is selected from the group consisting of azobisisobutyronitriles, azodicarbonamides, carbazides, hydrazides, non-azo chemical blowing agents based on sodium borohydride or sodium bicarbonate/citric acid, dinitrosopentamethylenetetramines, liquefied gases encapsulated in a polymeric thermoplastic shell, and mixtures of the foregoing materials.

18. The article as defined in

claim 17

wherein the foaming agent is a liquid isobutane encapsulated in microspheres having a thermoplastic shell and providing about 4 to 6 parts by weight of the expanded adhesive composition.

19. The article as defined in

claim 2

wherein prior to curing

a) said organic epoxide is present at a concentration of about 100 parts by weight, said epoxide having an epoxide functionality of from 2 to 4;

b) said epoxy hardener is present at a concentration within the range from about 2 to 20 parts by weight;

c) said film forming material is present at a concentration within the range from about 20 to 30 parts by weight; and

d) said foaming agent is present at a concentration within the range from about 4 to 6 parts by weight.

20. A method for the manufacture of a surface treating article comprising:

a) applying an expansive adhesive composition to the outer periphery of a rotatable core;

b) providing a plurality of surface treating segments having first portions thereon suitable for positioning adjacent said core, and second portions which can be collectively arranged to form a working surface of the surface treating article;

c) applying said plurality of surface treating segments to said core by positioning said first portions adjacent said core and in contact with said adhesive;

d) expanding said adhesive about said first portions of said surface treating segments; and

e) hardening said adhesive to form the surface treating article.

21. The method as defined in

claim 20

wherein said applying is carried out by applying said adhesive over said outer periphery of said core, said core being a tubular member comprising material selected from the group consisting of porous sheet material rigidified with resin binder, thermosetting compositions, thermoplastic compositions, metal, wood, ceramic and combinations of the foregoing materials.

22. The method as defined in

claim 20

wherein each said surface treating segment comprises a substrate selected from the group consisting of woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, paper, polymeric materials, filaments and combinations of the foregoing.

23. The method as defined in

claim 20

wherein said expansive adhesive composition comprises:

i) an organic epoxide compound having an epoxide functionality of at least 1,

ii) an epoxide hardener,

iii) a film-forming material, and

iv) a foaming agent.

24. The method as defined in

claim 23

wherein said organic epoxide is selected from the group consisting of alkylene oxides, alkenyl oxides, glycidyl esters, glycidyl ethers, epoxy novolacs, copolymers of acrylic acid esters of gycidol and copolymerizable vinyl compounds, polyurethane polyepoxides and mixtures thereof.

25. The method as defined in

claim 24

wherein said organic epoxide has an epoxide functionality of from 2 to 4.

26. The method as defined in

claim 23

wherein said epoxide hardener is selected from the group consisting of amines, acid anhydrides, boron complexes, guanidines, dicyandiamide and mixtures thereof.

27. The method as defined in

claim 26

wherein said epoxide hardener is a mixture of dicyandiamide and 2,4-di-(N′

,N′

-dimethylureido)toluene.

28. The method as defined in

claim 23

wherein said film-forming material is selected from the group consisting of butadiene/nitrile rubbers, carboxylated butadiene/nitrile rubbers, carboxy-terminated butadiene/nitrile rubbers, amine-terminated butadiene/nitrile rubbers, polyether diamines, polyhydroxyethers, graft polymers having a rubbery polyacrylate core with a polyacrylate or polymethacrylate shell, polyvinyl acetals and mixtures thereof.

29. The method as defined in

claim 28

wherein said film-forming material is a mixture of a phenoxy resin and of a carboxy terminated butadiene/nitrile.

30. The method as defined in

claim 23

wherein said foaming agent is selected from the group consisting of azobisisobutyronitriles, azodicarbonamides, carbazides, hydrazides, non-azo chemical blowing agents based on sodium borohydride or sodium bicarbonate/citric acid, dinitrosopentamethylenetetramines, liquefied gases encapsulated in a polymeric thermoplastic shell, and mixtures of the foregoing materials.

31. The method as defined in

claim 30

wherein the foaming agent is a liquid isobutane encapsulated in microspheres having a thermoplastic shell and providing about 4 to 6 parts by weight of the composition.

32. The method as defined in

claim 23

wherein said expansive adhesive composition further comprises:

a) 100 parts by weight of said organic epoxide, said epoxide having an epoxide functionality of from 2 to 4;

b) from about 2 to 20 parts by weight of said epoxy hardener;

c) from about 20 to 30 parts by weight of said film forming material; and

d) from about 4 to 6 parts by weight of said foaming agent.

33. The method as defined in

claim 20

wherein said expanding is accomplished by heating said adhesive to a temperature sufficient to cause the foaming agent to release a sufficient volume of gas to cause said adhesive to expand into and around said edge of said abrasive segments.

34. The method as defined in

claim 20

wherein said hardening is accomplished by heating said adhesive to a temperature sufficient to cure said adhesive composition in an expanded state.

35. The method as defined in

claim 20

further comprising cutting the article to thereby provide at least two finished articles.