Method of producing ultra-low density fiber composite materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016289453-A1
Application number	US-201415146942-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 5, 2014
Priority date	Nov 5, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of producing ultra-low density fiber composite (ULDC) foam materials using natural fibers with gas injection through liquid foaming is disclosed, wherein in a particular embodiment includes also cellulose filaments. The method includes a continuous overflow foaming process and a novel apparatus to produce the ULDC materials. The disclosed ULDC composite foam produced includes moisture, mold, decay and fire resistant properties which can be used for building thermal and acoustic insulations, protection packaging, air filter products, hygiene products. The apparatus comprise a vessel, counter rotating dual impellor, a plurality of baffles and gas injection that produce.

First claim

1 - 71 . (canceled)

72 . A method for producing a natural fiber ultra-low density composite (ULDC) foam, the method comprising the steps of:
feeding a fiber mixture and at least one additive into a foaming apparatus; sparging gas into the foaming apparatus; mixing the fiber mixture and the at least one additive to produce the foam; and discharging the foam through an outlet in the foaming apparatus.

73 . The method of claim 72 , wherein the fiber mixture has 0.1-30% by weight fiber consistency.

74 . The method of claim 72 , wherein the foam has a density of less than or equal to 150 kg/m 3 , or between 10 kg/m 3 to 150 kg/m 3 .

75 . The method of claim 72 , further comprising drying of the discharged foam from the foaming apparatus to produce a ULDC foam mat.

76 . The method of claim 75 , wherein the ULDC mat is dried to reduce moisture content in the mat to less than 15% by weight moisture as a percentage of the total mat.

77 . The method of claim 72 , wherein cellulose filament (CF) is fed to the foaming apparatus.

78 . The method of claim 72 , comprising an inorganic component into the foaming apparatus.

79 . The method of claim 72 , wherein the at least one additive is an adhesive, an adhesive hardener, a sizing agent, a mold resistant compound, a fiber decay resistant compound, a fire resistant compound, a smoke resistant compound, a foaming agent, or a combinations thereof.

80 . The method of claim 79 , wherein the adhesive is polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), or a combination thereof; the sizing agent is alkyketene dimer (AKD) or any other chemicals can do the sizing function; the inorganic component is zinc borate, cupric carbonate (CuCO3), disodium octaborate, cupric sulfate (CuSO4), boric acid, perlite, silicon dioxide (SiO2), potassium sulfate (K2SO4), or a combination thereof; and/or the foaming agent is sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) or/and other surfactants.

81 . The method of claim 72 , wherein said fiber mixture is refined before being fed into the foaming apparatus

82 . The method of claim 72 , wherein said fiber mixture comprises wood pulp.

83 . The method of claim 72 , wherein the fiber mixture is further chemically treated to attack the secondary fiber walls and improve the bonding characteristics before being feed into the foaming apparatus.

84 . The method of claim 72 , wherein the gas is compress air, nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide.

85 . A natural fiber ultra-low density composite (ULDC) foam comprising:
a natural fiber, and a foaming agent, wherein the foam has a density from 10 kg/m3 to 150 kg/m3 with open cell foam structure.

86 . The foam of claim 85 , further comprising cellulose filament (CF), and/or nanofilament.

87 . The foam of claim 86 , wherein the CF is from wood pulp or plant pulp.

88 . The foam of claim 86 , wherein the CA comprises lengths of 300-350 μm and/or diameters of 100-500 nm.

89 . The nanofilament of claim 85 , wherein the nanofilament is from wood pulp or plant pulp.

90 . The foam of claim 85 , further comprising at least one additive.

91 . The foam of claims 90 , wherein the at least one additive is an adhesive, an adhesive hardener, a sizing agent, a mold resistant compound, a fiber decay resistant compound, a fire resistant compound, a smoke resistant compound, a foaming agent, or a combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Fpinnovations

Inventors

• Cai Xiaolin
• Deng Xixian (James)
• Dery Nicolas
• Lebel Sebastien
• Brunette Gilles
• Dorris Gilles Marcel
• Ben Yuxia
• Ricard Michelle
• Zhang Yaolin Zhang
• Yang Dian-Qing
• Sacciadis George

Classifications

• C08L1/02 Primary

  Cellulose; Modified cellulose · CPC title

• D21H21/56

  Foam · CPC title

• C08J9/0085

  Use of fibrous compounding ingredients (C08J9/0076 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C08J2397/02

  Lignocellulosic material, e.g. wood, straw or bagasse · CPC title

• D21F11/002

  by using a foamed suspension · CPC title