Abstract:
The invention is lyocell fiber characterized by a pebbled surface as seen at high magnification and having a variable cross section and diameter along and between fibers. The fiber is produced by centrifugal spinning, melt blowing or its spunbonding variation. The fibers can be made in the microdenier range with average weights as low as one denier or less. The fibers have inherently low gloss and can be formed into tight yarns for making fabrics of very soft hand. Alternatively, the fibers can be formed into selfbonded nonwoven fabrics.
Abstract:
The blood absorbence properties, e.g., free swell blood absorbence capacity and after load blood absorbence capacity of superabsorbent materials is enhanced by combining the superabsorbent materials with enhancing agents which serve to enhance the blood absorbent properties thereof. The enhancing agents can be applied to the superabsorbent materials or they can be provided on a fibrous material to be combined with the superabsorbent materials. The enhancing agents are selected from materials that include functionalities that allow them to hydrogen bond to the superabsorbent material when the enhancing agent is applied directly thereto or combined with materials to which the enhancing agents have been applied.
Abstract:
A binder is applied to particles (602) which are then combined with fibers (600) to bind the particles to the fibers (600). The particles (602) have functional sites for forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond. The fibers (600) have hydrogen bonding functional sites. The binder comprises binder molecules, the binder molecules having at least one functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers. A substantial portion of the particles (602) that are adhered to the fibers (600) may be adhered in particulate form by hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds to the binder, and the binder in turn may be adhered to the fibers (600) by hydrogen bonds. Fibers (600) containing particles (602) bound by this method are easily densified.
Abstract:
A method for making a molded liner for a vehicle, such as an automobile headliner, is provided. Discontinuous fibers such as natural wood pulp fibers, a substantial majority of which having a substantially continuous coating of a binder, which may be heat or solvent bondable, are delivered to a mold. These fibers are bound by the binder and are molded to selectively densify portions of the formed article. The fibers may be bound in a mat or they may be air laid into the mold. The fibers may be heated in the mold and/or prior to delivery to the mold. The liners may include an inner cover sheet or layer and an outer backing sheet or layer.
Abstract:
A method for depositing a liquid on a substrate by directing an elongated linear flow of a liquid (647) toward a substrate (670), and impinging a flow of fluid against the liquid to atomize the liquid and deposit liquid droplets on the substrate. Excess mist is collected in a collector device (650), which is provided with a paddlewheel or auger to help move mist into and through the collector. Heated air may also be introduced into the collector. Even distribution of liquid out of an applicator is enhanced by flowing liquid through a row of orifices and into an impingement plate before flowing the liquid out of an outlet slot or orifices. A non-wetting or subliming powder may be included in the liquid or fluid that renders the coating porous on the substrate.
Abstract:
The process begins with a single board, for instance, a flat grain board (12), of selected dimensions. The single board may be clear or not or may be cut and rejoined to remove defects. The board is then sawn in a selected manner and the resulting boards are bonded together by gluing to form a remanufactured board (22), in such a manner that the glue lines are substantially invisible. In one preferred embodiment, a flat grain board is rip sawn and then edge glued to form a vertical grain board of selected dimensions.
Abstract:
A fiber blending system includes an apparatus and method of forming a mat of cellulosic fibers and synthetic fibers, as well as a mat thereby formed. The method includes the steps of fiberizing cellulosic material into cellulosic fibers in a fiberizer, volumetrically metering a metered amount of synthetic fibers, and injecting the metered amount of synthetic fibers into the cellulosic fibers. The cellulosic fibers are blended with the metered amount of synthetic fibers in a blending chamber to form a fiber blend. The fiber blend is dispersed through a fiber disperser having apertures of a preselected size and shape to provide a dispersed fiber blend. A third type of fiber may also be mixed with the dispersed fiber blend. The dispersed fiber blend is collected as a mat on a fiber collector to provide a mat of blended cellulosic and synthetic fibers. The mat may be thermobonded by a thermobonder and sandwiched between a facing sheet and a backing sheet. By varying the aperture preselection, as well as the size and type of fibers, a bonded mat having desired mat characteristics is formed.
Abstract:
An analog of botanic seed (10) is disclosed which comprises a plant embryo (12) preferably encapsulated, or at least in contact with, a hydrated oxygenated gel (14). The gel can be oxygenated by passing oxygen gas through a gel solution before curing the gel or by exposing the gel to oxygen gas after curing, or preferably by adding to an uncured gel solution a suitably stabilized emulsion of a perfluorocarbon compound or a silicone oil. The seed analog can further comprise an outer shell (44) at least partially surrounding the gel and embryo, thereby forming a capsule (42). The seed analog (10) preferably also provides physical restraint to the cotyledon(s) (268) such as by surrounding the cotyledon(s) in the seed analog with any of various porous, tubelike structures (260).
Abstract:
A process and apparatus for directing coating materials at a substrate with reduced production of mist and enhanced range of coating thickness and uniformity of coverage. A flow of coating liquid or fluid (821) is directed toward a substrate, and attenuated (826) in transit by a co-flowing impingement fluid (823). The impingement fluid is capable of attenuating liquid in the coating stream into droplets that form a fine mist (827). The mist is propelled toward the substrate (826) by the impingement fluid and deposited on the substrate. The aqueous liquid is preferably less than 100 DEG C, and directed through an outlet under a low pressure, for example, less than 12 psi (82 kPa, such that the liquid velocity is low (e.g. less than 1 meter/second). Process parameters may be varied to reduce grainy or streaky coatings, thereby assuring thorough coverage of a substrate even with very thin coatings.
Abstract:
A water-swellable hydrocolloid polymer is disclosed as are its uses in sorbent articles. The polymer consists essentially of about 80 to about 99.995 mole percent polymerized water-soluble alpha, beta-monoethylenically unsaturated monocarboxy monomer containing a three carbon atom chain, zero to about 19.995 mole percent polymerized water-soluble copolymerized monoethylenically unsaturated monomer, and about 0.005 to about 0.10 mole percent polymerized water-soluble copolymerizable cross-linker mixture. The cross-linker mixture consists essentially of a first and second cross-linker that are present relative to each other at about a 1:1.5 to about a 1:15 mole ratio. The first cross-linker is a bis- or tris-acryloyl-containing molecule, whereas the second cross-linker is a bis-allyl ether, amide, amine or triallylamine.