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US 12,601,092 B2Granted
Fluoropolymer fiber-bonding agent and articles produced therewith
AssigneeArkema Inc.
InventorsJames J. Henry, James T. Goldbach, Sean M. Stabler
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AssigneeArkema Inc.
InventorsJames J. Henry, James T. Goldbach, Sean M. Stabler
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a melt-processable fiber-bonding agent made of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), such as KYNAR® PVDF from Arkema, as well as to fibrous materials bonded with the PVDF fiber-bonding agent. The PVDF fiber-bonding agent is a low-melt temperature, low melt viscosity PVDF polymer or copolymer with excellent chemical and oxidative resistance properties, and is suitable for bonding fibers in non-woven fabrics, especially for use in chemically-aggressive environments. The PVDF fiber-bonding agent composition allows it to be processed into fibers on conventional melt spinning equipment. The PVDF fiber-bonding agent is introduced into non-woven fabric in the form of a continuous fiber web or as a component of a mixed fiber formulation. When heated above its melting point, the lower melting point PVDF fiber-bonding agent of the invention bonds the fibers of the fiber framework at the fiber cross-over points.
A fibrous composite material comprising primary fibers and a fiber-bonding agent composition, wherein the said fiber-bonding agent composition comprises a melt-processable vinylidene fluoride polymer, said vinylidene fluoride polymer comprising a homopolymer or a copolymer containing at least 60 weight percent of vinylidene fluoride monomer units and one or more comonomer(s) selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylene, trifluorethylene, vinyl fluoride, chlorotrifluoroethylene, bromotrifluoroethylene, perfluoro (2-bromoethyl vinyl ether), hexafluoropropylene, hexafluoroisobutylene, octafluoroisobutylene, 1,1-dichloro-1,1-difluoroethylene, 1,2-dichloro-1,2difluorethylene, 1,1,1,-trifluoropropene, 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, hexafluorobutadiene, and perfluoroalkyl vinyl ethers (alkyl from C1 to C12),
A fibrous composite material comprising primary fibers and a fiber-bonding agent composition, wherein the said fiber-bonding agent composition is present in the fibrous composite material at from 2 to 25 percent by weight and comprises a melt-processable vinylidene fluoride polymer, said vinylidene fluoride polymer comprising a homopolymer or a copolymer comprising at least 60 weight percent of vinylidene fluoride monomer units, wherein said vinylidene fluoride polymer has a melt viscosity of from 10 to 2000 poise as measured at 100 s−1 and 230° C. by capillary rheology, and has a second heat melting point of from 110° C. to 180° C. as measured by DSC, and wherein said fiber-bonding agent composition has a melting point of at least 10° C. below the melting point of the primary fibers, wherein said fiber-bonding agent composition is a fiber in the form of a monofilament fiber.
A fibrous composite material comprising primary fibers and a fiber-bonding agent composition, wherein the said fiber-bonding agent composition comprises a melt-processable vinylidene fluoride polymer, said vinylidene fluoride polymer comprising a homopolymer or a copolymer containing at least 60 weight percent of vinylidene fluoride monomer units and one or more comonomer(s), wherein said vinylidene fluoride polymer has a melt viscosity of from 10 to 2000 poise as measured at 100 s−1 and 230° C. by capillary rheology, and has a second heat melting point of from 110° C. to 180° C. as measured by DSC, and wherein said fiber-bonding agent composition has a melting point of at least 10° C. below the melting point of the primary fibers, is present in the fibrous composite material at from 2 to 25 percent by weight, is in the form of a fiber and has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the primary fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.