Method of fibrillating fibers
AssigneeMotion Control Industries, Inc.
InventorCeleste C. Galati
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Abstract
A method of mechanically converting unbranched fibers into highly branched or "fibrillated" fibers which are especially suitable for reinforcing composite materials such as brake linings. Unbranched starting fibers, immersed in water, are subjected to prolonged working in an intensive mixer or chopper having a very rapidly spinning blade with sharp knife edges, until extensive fiber branching occurs. Fibrillation can be achieved by this method even though conventional fiber "refining" techniques have no significant effect on the same starting material.
Claims17
A method of converting previously formed, unbranched but fibrillatable reinforcing fibers into a highly fibrillated, entangled fiber mass which is capable of reinforcing composite materials, said method comprising,
- suspending the fibers in an inert liquid,
- subjecting such suspension to the action of rapidly spinning sharp blades in a vessel, for sufficient time that the fibers become highly fibrillated, and
- separating the resulting fibrillated fibers from said liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.