Dispersion of carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers in aqueous or non-aqueous media

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9506194-B2
Application number	US-201314424130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2013
Priority date	Sep 4, 2012
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

The general inventive concepts relate generally to carbon enhanced reinforcement (CER) fibers, and more particularly, to the controlled dispersion of CER fibers within aqueous or non-aqueous media. The general inventive concepts particularly relate to the controlled dispersion of CER fibers within aqueous or non-aqueous media for forming a nonwoven chopped CER fiber mat. The general inventive concepts also relate to the controlled dispersion of CNSs harvested from CER fibers within aqueous or non-aqueous media for forming a nonwoven CNS mat. Methods for dispersing the CNSs or the CER fibers in aqueous or non-aqueous media are also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling the dispersion of carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers in an aqueous or non-aqueous solution, said method comprising:
forming one or more carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers comprising a plurality of carbon nanostructures disposed on a fiber substrate;
chopping said carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers to form chopped carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers; and
forming a slurry by adding a plurality of said chopped carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers into a whitewater solution,
wherein said whitewater solution comprises at least one of (i) an oil dispersion medium, (ii) a viscosity modifier, (iii) a biocide, (iv) a de-foaming agent, and (v) a surfactant package, and
wherein said carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers are homogenously dispersed in said slurry.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers comprise a plurality of carbon nanostructures grown in situ on a fiber.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said whitewater solution comprises an oil dispersion medium and a surfactant package.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said surfactant package comprises at least one non-ionic surfactant.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said surfactant package comprises at least one of Surfynol® 465, Nanosperse AQ, Triton® X-100, Tetronic® 90R4, Pluronic® 10R5, and polyvinyl alcohol.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein said surfactant package comprises at least two surfactants.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising aerating said whitewater solution.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said carbon nanostructures are functionalized to enhance the solubility of the carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers in the aqueous or non-aqueous medium.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said carbon nanostructures are functionalized by interacting the carbon nanostructures with an oxidizing agent.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said oxidizing agent comprises at least one of potassium persulfate, potassium permanganate, peroxides, and ozone.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said fiber substrate is formed from at least one of glass, carbon, polymer, woven fabric, and nonwoven fabric.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said fiber substrate comprises glass.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said carbon enhanced reinforcement fibers include 10-20% by weight carbon nanostructure loading.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said oil dispersion medium is mineral oil.

Assignees

• Ocv Intellectual Capital Llc

Inventors

• Schweiger Scott William
• Rinne Stephanie Ann
• Adzima Leonard Joseph

Classifications

• D21H21/18

  Reinforcing agents · CPC title

• C03C25/26

  Macromolecular compounds or prepolymers · CPC title

• C03C25/44

  Carbon, e.g. graphite · CPC title

• D21H17/00 Primary

  Non-fibrous material added to the pulp, characterised by its constitution; Paper-impregnating material characterised by its constitution · CPC title

• D21H13/50 Primary

  Carbon fibres · CPC title