Article Comprising Fibers And A Method Of Forming The Same

• US 20100317249A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dow, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dow, Inc.
• Inventors: Clark, Aneta, Hill, Randal, Schmidt, Randall, Snow, Steven
• Application Number:
  US12/743,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20100317249A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/341
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/046 with synthetic macromolecular fibrous material
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0038 the fibre formed by solvent evaporation, i.e. dry electro-spinning
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/09 for making electroconductive or anti-static filaments
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/76 from other polycondensation products
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4209 Inorganic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43838 Ultrafine fibres, e.g. microfibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/02 characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of yarns or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/614 Strand or fiber material specified as having microdimensions [i.e., microfiber]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/615 Strand or fiber material is blended with another chemically different microfiber in the same layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/625 Autogenously bonded

Abstract

An article is provided that comprises fibers, as is a method of forming the article. The fibers comprise an organopolysiloxane component selected from (i) an organopolysiloxane having the formula (R3SiOi/2)w(R2Siθ2/2)x(RSiθ3/2)y(Siθ4/2)z (I), wherein each R is selected from the group of an inorganic group, an organic group, and combinations thereof, w is from 0 to 0.95, x is from 0 to 0.95, y is from 0 to 1, z is from 0 to 0.9, and w+x+y+z=1, and (ii) a cured product of said organopolysiloxane having the formula (I), and combinations of (i) and (ii), provided that the fibers are free from organic polymers, organic copolymers, and organosiloxane-organic copolymers. The method of forming the article includes the step of forming fibers from a composition. The composition used to form the fibers comprises the organopolysiloxane having the formula (I), provided that the composition is free from organic polymers, all-organic copolymers, and organosiloxane-organic copolymers. The article exhibits excellent hydrophobicity and maximized fire resistance.

Claims

1. An article comprising fibers having an average diameter of from about 0.01 μ

m to about 100 μ

m, said fibers comprising an organopolysiloxane component selected from (i) an organopolysiloxane having the formula (R₃SiO_1/2)_w(R₂SiO_2/2)_x(RSiO_3/2)_y(SiO_4/2)_z (I), wherein each R is selected from the group of an inorganic group, an organic group, and combinations thereof, w is from 0 to about 0.95, x is from 0 to about 0.95, y is from 0 to 1, z is from 0 to about 0.9, w+x+y+z=1, and y+z is from about 0.1 to 1, (ii) an organopolysiloxane having the formula (I), wherein each R is selected from the group of an inorganic group, an organic group, and combinations thereof, w and x are each independently greater than 0, w+x+y+z=1, and y+z is less than about 0.1, (iii) a cured product of said organopolysiloxanes (i) and/or (ii), and combinations of (i), (ii), and (iii), provided that said fibers are free from organic polymers, all-organic copolymers, and organosiloxane-organic copolymers.

3. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said organopolysiloxane (ii) has a number average molecular weight (M_n) of at least 50,000 g/mol.

5. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fibers comprise a blend of organopolysiloxanes (i) and (ii).

6. An article as set forth in claim 5 wherein the organopolysiloxane (ii) further satisfies the formula (R¹₃SiO_1/2)_w′

(R¹₂SiO_2/2)_x′

(II), wherein R¹ is selected from the group of an inorganic group, an organic group, and combinations thereof, w′ and

x′

are independently greater than 0, and w′

+x′

=1.

7. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein R is selected from the group of oxygen-containing groups, organic groups free of oxygen, and combinations thereof.

8. An article as set forth in claim 7 wherein at least one R is selected from the group of:

A.) linear or branched C₁ to C₁₀ hydrocarbyl groups;

B.) linear or branched substituted C₁ to C₁₀ hydrocarbyl groups; and

C.) aromatic groups.

9. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fibers comprise (iii) said cured product of said organopolysiloxane (i) and/or (ii) and wherein at least one R in said cured product (iii) represents the product of a crosslinking reaction.

10. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said organopolysiloxane component is present in said fibers in an amount of at least 1% by weight based on a total weight of said fibers in said article.

11. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fibers further comprise a conductivity-enhancing additive component.

13. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said article is further defined as a non-woven mat.

14. An article as set forth in claim 13 wherein said non-woven mat is formed through electrospinning a composition comprising said organopolysiloxane component.

2. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

15. A method of forming an article comprising fibers, said method comprising the step of electrospinning a composition to form fibers, the composition comprising an organopolysiloxane component selected from the group of (i) an organopolysiloxane having the formula (R₃SiO_1/2)_w(R₂SiO_2/2)_x(RSiO_3/2)_y(SiO_4/2)_z (I), wherein each R is selected from the group of an inorganic group, an organic group, and combinations thereof, w is from 0 to about 0.95, x is from 0 to about 0.95, y is from 0 to 1, z is from 0 to about 0.9, w+x+y+z=1, and y+z is from about 0.1 to 1, (ii) an organopolysiloxane having the formula (I), wherein each R is selected from the group of an inorganic group, an organic group, and combinations thereof, w and x are each independently greater than 0, w+x+y+z=1, and y+z is less than about 0.1, and combinations of (i) and (ii), provided that the composition is free from organic polymers, all-organic copolymers, and organosiloxane-organic copolymers.

17. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein at least one R represents a crosslinkable functional group.

18. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the composition further comprises a carrier solvent.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the organopolysiloxane or organopolysiloxanes is/are present in the composition in an amount of from about 5% to about 95% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

20. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the composition further comprises a conductivity-enhancing additive component.

21. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the composition comprises the organopolysiloxane (ii).

22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the organopolysiloxane has a number average molecular weight (M_n) of at least 50,000 g/mol.

23. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the composition comprises the organopolysiloxane (i).

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the composition comprises a blend of organopolysiloxanes (i) and (ii).

25. A method as set forth in claim 24 wherein the organopolysiloxane (ii) further satisfies the formula (R¹₃SiO_1/2)_w′

(R¹₂SiO_2/2)_x′

(II), wherein R¹ is selected from the group of an inorganic group, an organic group, and combinations thereof, w′ and

x′

are independently greater than 0, and w′

+x′

=1.

16. (canceled)