Fibrous structures bonded with a silsesquioxane-containing composition
AssigneeDow Corning Corporation
InventorHarold A. Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A binder composition of colloidal silica and silsesquioxane polymer (RSiO.sub.3 /.sub.2) is applied to fibrous masses from an acidified water-alcohol vehicle to fabricate coherent three-dimensional structures, such as bonded asbestos mats.
Claims14
A coherent three-dimensional structure comprising a plurality of contiguous fibers, said fibers being bonded at their points of contact with a composition consisting essentially of 10 to 75 weight percent colloidal silica uniformly dispersed in a matrix of 25 to 90 weight RSiO.sub.3 /.sub.2 in which R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals of 1 to 3 inclusive carbon atoms, the vinyl radical, the 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl radical, the gamma-glycidoxypropyl radical and the gamma-methacryloxypropyl radical, at least 70 weight percent of the matrix being CH.sub.3 SiO.sub.3 /.sub.2.
A method of fabricating a coherent three-dimensional structure comprising coating a plurality of contiguous fibers with sufficient binder composition to bond said fibers at their points of contact;
- said binder composition consisting essentially of a dispersion of colloidal silica in a lower aliphatic alcohol-water solution of the partial condensate of a silanol of the formula RSi(OH).sub.3 in which R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals of 1 to 3 inclusive carbon atoms, the vinyl radical, the 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl radical, the gamma-glycidoxypropyl radical and the gammamethacryloxypropyl radical, at least 70 weight percent of the silanol being CH.sub.3 Si(OH).sub.3 said composition containing 1 to 40 weight percent solids consisting essentially of 10 to 75 weight percent colloidal silica and 25 to 90 weight percent of the partial condensate, said composition containing sufficient acid to provide a pH in the range of 3.0 to 6.0;
- and thereafter curing said partial condensate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.