Fine fibers made from reactive additives

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10300415-B2
Application number	US-201414198017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2014
Priority date	Mar 9, 2013
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a unique fine fiber material that is formed from a fiber-forming polymer material with at least two reactive additives that are capable of reacting with each other, and optionally reacting with the fiber-forming polymer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making fine fibers, the method comprising:
providing at least one fiber-forming polymer;
providing at least two reactive additives reactive with each other, and optionally reactive with the fiber-forming polymer, wherein the at least two reactive additives are not themselves fiber-forming;
combining the at least one fiber-forming polymer and the at least two reactive additives under conditions effective to form a plurality of fine fibers, wherein the fine fibers have an average diameter of less than 5 microns; and
post-treating the fine fibers under conditions effective to form covalent bonds between the at least two reactive additives and optionally to react at least one of the reactive additives with at least one fiber-forming polymer;
with the proviso that:
at least one of the reactive additives is not a resinous aldehyde composition;
at least one of the reactive additives is an alkoxy-functional reactive additive, a hydroxyl-functional reactive additive, an acid-functional reactive additive, a glycidyl ether-functional reactive additive, an isocyanate-functional reactive additive, an amine-functional reactive additive, and/or a dichloro-functional reactive additive; and
if at least one of the fiber-forming polymers is a polyamide, then none of the reactive additives is a polyamide.

2. A method of making fine fibers, the method comprising:
providing at least one fiber-forming polymer;
providing at least two reactive additives reactive with each other, and optionally reactive with the fiber-forming polymer, wherein the at least two reactive additives are not themselves fiber-forming;
combining the at least one fiber-forming polymer and the at least two reactive additives under conditions effective to form a plurality of fine fibers, wherein the fine fibers have an average diameter of less than 5 microns; and
post-treating the fine fibers under conditions effective to form covalent bonds between the at least two reactive additives and optionally to react at least one of the reactive additives with at least one fiber-forming polymer;
with the proviso that:
at least one of the reactive additives is not a resinous aldehyde composition; and
at least one of the reactive additives has a weight average molecular weight of less than 3000 Daltons.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising forming covalent bonds between the at least two reactive additives and optionally reacting at least one of the reactive additives with at least one fiber-forming polymer during the combining step.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein post-treating the fine fibers comprises subjecting the fine fibers to conditions effective to form covalent bonds between at least one of the reactive additives and at least one fiber-forming polymer.

5. A fine fiber prepared by a method comprising:
providing at least one fiber-forming polymer;
providing at least two reactive additives reactive with each other, wherein at least one of the reactive additives is reactive with the at least one fiber-forming polymer, and wherein the at least two reactive additives are not themselves fiber-forming;
combining the at least one fiber-forming polymer and the at least two reactive additives to form a plurality of fine fibers, wherein the fine fibers have an average diameter of less than 5 microns, wherein the fine fibers comprise a core phase and a coating phase, and wherein the core phase comprises the at least one fiber-forming polymer and the coating phase comprises the at least two reactive additives; and
post-treating the fine fibers under conditions effective to form covalent bonds between the at least two reactive additives and to react at least one of the reactive additives with the at least one fiber-forming polymer;
with the proviso that:
at least one of the reactive additives is not a resinous aldehyde composition; and
if the fiber-forming polymer is a polyamide, then none of the reactive additives is a polyamide.

6. A fine fiber prepared by a method comprising:
providing at least one fiber-forming polymer;
providing at least two reactive additives reactive with each other, wherein at least one of the reactive additives is reactive with the at least one fiber-forming polymer, and wherein the at least two reactive additives are not themselves fiber-forming;
combining the at least one fiber-forming polymer and the at least two reactive additives to form a plurality of fine fibers, wherein the fine fibers have an average diameter of less than 5 microns, wherein the fine fibers comprise a core phase and a coating phase, and wherein the core phase comprises the fiber-forming polymer and the coating phase comprises the at least two reactive additives; and
post-treating the fine fibers under conditions effective to form covalent bonds between the at least two reactive additives and to react at least one of the reactive additives with the at least one fiber-forming polymer;
with the proviso that:
at least one of the reactive additives is not a resinous aldehyde composition; and
at least one of the reactive additives has a weight average molecular weight of less than 3000 Daltons.

7. A fine fiber prepared by a method comprising:
providing at least one fiber-forming polymer;
providing at least two reactive additives reactive with each other, and not reactive with the at least one fiber-forming polymer, wherein the at least two reactive additives are not themselves fiber-forming;
combining the at least one fiber-forming polymer and the at least two reactive additives to form a plurality of fine fibers, wherein the fine fibers have an average diameter of less than 5 microns, wherein the fine fibers comprise a core phase and a coating phase, and wherein the core phase comprises a fiber-forming polymer and the coating phase comprises the at least two reactive additives; and
post-treating the fine fibers under conditions effective to form covalent bonds between the at least two reactive additives;
with the proviso that:
at least one of the reactive additives is not a resinous aldehyde composition;
at least one of the reactive additives is tri-functional or higher; and
if at least one of the fiber-forming polymers is a polyamide, then none of the reactive additives is a polyamide.

8. A fine fiber prepared by a method comprising:
providing at least one fiber-forming polymer;
providing at least two reactive additives reactive with each other, and not reactive with the at least one fiber-forming polymer, wherein the at least two reactive additives are not themselves fiber-forming;
combining the at least one fiber-forming polymer and the at least two reactive additives to form a plurality of fine fibers, wherein the fine fibers have an average diameter of less than 5 microns, and wherein the fine fibers comprise a core phase and a coating phase, wherein the core phase comprises a fiber-forming polymer and the coating phase comprises the at least two reactive additives; and
post-treating the fine fibers under conditions effective to form covalent bonds between the at least two reactive additives;
with the proviso that:
at least one of the reactive additives is not a resinous aldehyde composition;
at least one of the reactive additives is tri-functional or higher; and
at least one of the reactive additives has a weight average molecular weight of less than 3000 Daltons.

9. The fine fiber of claim 8 wherein at least one of the reactive additives is a surface-migrating agent.

10. The fine fiber of claim 9 wherein the surface-migrating agent is also a crosslinking agent.

11. The fine fiber of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of at least one fiber-forming

Assignees

• Donaldson Co Inc

Inventors

• Shenoy Suresh Laxman
• Zastera Dustin Allen
• Weik Thomas Moore

Classifications

• B01D39/1623 Primary

  of synthetic origin · CPC title

• C08G69/50

  with aldehydes · CPC title

• D01D5/0015

  characterised by the initial state of the material · CPC title

• D01F1/10

  Other agents for modifying properties · CPC title