Dispersible fiber bundles and suspensions using environmentally-friendly solvents

A method of preparing dispersible fiber bundles comprising:

• contacting a rheology-modifying binder with at least two or more fibers to form a binder-fiber mixture;
• imparting force to the binder-fiber mixture to substantially orient the at least two fibers in a first direction, thereby forming a fiber bundle;
• and
• severing the fiber bundle into two or more shorter length fiber bundles.

A method of preparing a dispersible fiber bundle slurry comprising:

• contacting a rheology-modifying binder to at least two or more fibers to form a binder-fiber mixture,
• imparting force to the binder-fiber mixture to substantially orient the at least two fibers in a first direction, thereby forming a fiber bundle;
• and
• contacting the fiber bundle with a solvent blend, the solvent blend comprising at least one of the following components:
• a) dialkyl methylglutarate;
• b) a first blend of:
• dialkyl methylglutarate, dialkyl ethylsuccinate and, optionally, dialkyl adipate;
• c) a second blend of:
• dialkyl adipate, dialkyl glutarate and dialkyl succinate;
• d) a dioxolane compound of formula I:
• wherein R6 and R7, which may be identical or different, is individually a hydrogen, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, or a phenyl group, wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 10;
• and
• e) a compound or mixture of compounds having formula (II):
• R3OOC-A-CONR4R5 (II),
• wherein R3 is a group chosen from saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, optionally cyclic, optionally aromatic hydrocarbon-based groups comprising an average number of carbon atoms ranging from 1 to 36;
• wherein R4 and R5, which are identical or different, are groups chosen from saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, optionally cyclic, optionally aromatic, optionally substituted hydrocarbon-based groups comprising an average number of carbon atoms ranging from 1 to 36, it being possible for R4 and R5 to optionally together form a ring, that is optionally substituted;
• and wherein A is a linear or branched divalent alkyl group comprising an average number of carbon atoms ranging from 2 to 12.

A fiber bundle slurry comprising:

• a fiber bundle comprising:
• a) at least two polymer fibers;
• and
• b) a rheology-modifying binder comprising at least one guar, at least one derivatized guar, at least one modified cellulose, at least one cellulose, at least one acrylate, at least one viscoelastic surfactant, or any combination thereof, wherein the fibers are treated with an effective amount of the binder to enhance the cohesion of the fiber bundle;
• a solvent blend comprising at least one of the following components:
• a) dialkyl methylglutarate;
• b) a first blend of:
• dialkyl methylglutarate, dialkyl ethylsuccinate and, optionally, dialkyl adipate;
• c) a second blend of:
• dialkyl adipate, dialkyl glutarate and dialkyl succinate;
• d) a dioxolane compound of formula I:
• wherein R6 and R7, which may be identical or different, is individually a hydrogen, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, or a phenyl group, wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 10;
• and
• e) a compound or mixture of compounds having formula (II):
• R3OOC-A-CONR4R5 (II),
• wherein R3 is a group chosen from saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, optionally cyclic, optionally aromatic hydrocarbon-based groups comprising an average number of carbon atoms ranging from 1 to 36;
• wherein R4 and R5, which are identical or different, are groups chosen from saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, optionally cyclic, optionally aromatic, optionally substituted hydrocarbon-based groups comprising an average number of carbon atoms ranging from 1 to 36, it being possible for R4 and R5 to optionally together form a ring, that is optionally substituted;
• and wherein A is a linear or branched divalent alkyl group comprising an average number of carbon atoms ranging from 2 to 12.