GB1214873A - Improvements in the treatment of non-woven fabrics - Google Patents

Abstract

1,214,873. Laminates. CARL FREUDENBERG. 20 Feb., 1968 [22 Feb., 1967], No. 8266/68. Heading B5N. [Also in Division D1] A wear resistant non-porous rollable film used in the production of laminates is produced by impregnating a stable fleece of fibres substantially all of which are at least 1 cm. long in which the fibres of the fleece are either not bonded together or are bonded together by an impregnated bonding agent, with an uncured or incompletely cured urea-, phenol- or melamine-formaldehyde resin in an amount such that the fibre resin ratio by weight is 1 : 0À4 to 1À2 and then heating the impregnated fleece under pressure to cure the resin and compress the impregnated fleece to render it non-porous, its final thickness being 0À1-0À3 mm. The fibres of the fleece may substantially all be continuous or may substantially all be staple fibres or mixtures thereof may be used, and may be of hair, cotton or synthetic polyamide or polyester fibres. If the fleece, which may have a fibre weight of 30-200 gms. per square metre, is composed of continuous filaments it may be adequately stable although it may be bonded with a thermosetting resin but fleeces of staple fibres are normally bonded with a thermosetting resin, e.g. a polyacrylate, prior to impregnation with the urea-, phenol- or melamine-formaldehyde resin, the amount of bonding agent used preferably being 0À5-1 part by weight per part by weight of fibre in the fleece. After impregnation, e.g. with an aqueous dispersion of the resin the fleece may be dried at a temperature below the curing temperature of the resin and then heated at 120-160‹ C. under a pressure of 200 Kg./cm.<SP>2</SP> between a belt and hot rotating drum against which the belt is pressed. The fleece may be rendered decorative by printing it with a suitable pattern or a decorative layer, e.g. printed on paper, may be laminated with the fleece in the rollable film. may be bonded directly to a smooth wooden or other support surface after the resin has been cured.