Process of manufacturing a fibre web comprising a thermosetting resin, such a fibre web, and an reinforced the fibre web comprising a thermosetting resin composite

Abstract

A process for the manufacture of a fibre web containing a thermosetting resin, and a reinforced thermosetting resin composite containing the fibre web containing the thermosetting resin. The process comprises forming a fibre web of at least reinforcing fibres, bringing at least a thermosetting resin together with the reinforcing fibres, and joining the fibre web at least partly by means of said thermosetting resin. Further, the process comprises having the thermosetting resin in the form of substantially dry grains, bringing said grains of thermosetting resin together with the reinforcing fibres at a confluence temperature at about room temperature, and then joining the fibre web by prior to and/or under a pressure at least partly heating the grains of thermosetting resin present in the fibre web to a joining temperature being higher than the temperature at the confluence and then cooling the fibre web to room temperature. The reinforced thermosetting resin composite can preferably be used for sanitary products such as washing basins, toilet chairs, for different abrasive surfaces, for electrically conducting products and for medical technical products such as implantable devices for lengthening of a leg and the similar. Many other applications are considered as well.

1 . A process for the manufacture of a fibre web containing a thermosetting resin, comprising forming a fibre web ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ) of at least reinforcing fibres ( 101 ,  201 ,  301 ), bringing at least a thermosetting resin ( 102 ,  202 ,  202 ′,  302 ) together with the reinforcing fibres, and joining the fibre web ( 100 ′,  200 ′,  300 ′) at least partly by means of said thermosetting resin after the confluence, 
 characterized in that the process comprises having the thermosetting resin in the form of substantially dry grains ( 103 ,  203 ,  303 ), bringing said grains of thermosetting resin together with the reinforcing fibres ( 101 ,  201 ,  301 ) at a confluence temperature (T 1)  at about room temperature, and then joining the fibre web by prior to and/or under a pressure (p) at least partly heating the grains of thermosetting resin present in the fibre web ( 100 ′,  200 ′,  300 ′) to a joining temperature (T 2 ) being higher than the temperature (T 1)  at the confluence, and then cooling the fibre web ( 100 ′,  200 ′  300 ′) to room temperature.  
 
     
     
         2 . Process according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibres ( 101 ) in a first step are formed to a fibre pile ( 100 ), textile material or non-woven material, 
 characterized in that the thermosetting resin ( 102 ) is brought together with the reinforcing fibres by bringing the grains of thermosetting resin ( 103 ) in a gas flow ( 104 ) which is led through the fibre pile ( 100 ), textile material or non-woven material.    
     
     
         3 . Process according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibres at least partly are added in the form of short cut fibres ( 201 ), 
 characterized in that the thermosetting resin ( 202 ,  202 ′) is brought to together with the reinforcing fibres by having the short cut fibres ( 201 ) formed to a reinforcing layer on the top of at least a spread out layer of thermosetting resin ( 205 ) of said grains ( 203 ) of thermosetting resin and/or the short cut fibres are formed to a reinforcing layer on top of which at least a thermosetting resin layer ( 205 ′) of said grains of thermosetting resin ( 203 ′) is added.    
     
     
         4 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibres at least partly are added in the form of short cut fibres ( 301 ), 
 characterized in that the thermosetting resin ( 302 ) is brought together with the reinforcing fibres by having the short cut fibres ( 301 ) and the grains of thermosetting resin ( 303 ) brought with a gas flow ( 306 ) to then together being formed to a fibre web ( 300 ).    
     
     
         5 . A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, 
 characterized in that at least a part of the reinforcing fibres ( 101 ,  201 ,  301 ) are added in the form of short cut fibres and/or continuous filaments of regenerated cellulose, natural polymers, or synthetic polymers.    
     
     
         6 . A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, 
 characterized in that at least a part of the reinforcing fibres are added in the form of cotton fibres, linen fibres, or other plant fibres.    
     
     
         7 . A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, 
 characterized in that at least a part of the reinforcing fibres are added in the form of short cut fibres and/or continuous filaments of glass, carbon, metal or mineral.    
     
     
         8 . A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, 
 characterized in that the grains of thermosetting resin ( 103 ,  203 ,  203 ′,  303 ) are added in a form which includes amino resins, where amino groups are provided by urea, melamine, or benzo guanamine.    
     
     
         9 . A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, 
 characterized in that a plasticizer ( 207 ) is selected from the group of sorbitol, caprolactane, ethylene glycol, trioxitol, toluene sulfonamide, benzo and aceto guanamine, and is added to the fibre web ( 200 ) before joining the same.    
     
     
         10 . A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, 
 characterized in that a filler ( 208 ) comprising micro crystalline cellulose and/or a super absorbent is added to the fibre web ( 200 ) prior to joining the same.    
     
     
         11 . A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, 
 characterized in that a filler comprising calcium oxide, caolin, carbon, silicon dioxide, or metal particles is added to the fibre web prior to joining the same.    
     
     
         12 . A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, 
 characterized in that a polymer film material is added to the fibre web prior to joining the same.    
     
     
         13 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web, including at least reinforcing fibres and a thermosetting resin intended to, after hardening be present in a reinforced thermosetting resin composite, 
 characterized in that the thermosetting resin is present in the fibre web ( 100 ″,  200 ″,  300 ″) in the form only partly hardened grains of thermosetting resin.    
     
     
         14 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to  claim 13 , 
 characterized in that the grains of thermosetting resin are carried on the reinforcing fibres of a fibre pile ( 100 ), textile material or non-woven material of a fibre web ( 100 ″).    
     
     
         15 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to  claim 13  wherein the reinforcing fibres at least partly are short cut fibres, 
 characterized in that a substantially homogenous mixture of grains of thermosetting resin ( 203 ,  203 ′,  303 ) and the short cut fibres ( 201 ,  301 ) form or are present in the fibre web ( 200 ″,  300 ″).  
 
     
     
         16 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to any of claims  13 - 15 , 
 characterized in that at least a part of the reinforcing fibres are short cut fibres ( 201 ,  301 ) and/or continuous filaments of regenerated cellulose, natural polymers or synthetic polymers.    
     
     
         17 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to any of claims  13 - 16 , 
 characterized in that at least a part of the reinforcing fibres are cotton fibres, linen fibres or other plant fibres.    
     
     
         18 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to any of claims  13 - 17 , 
 characterized in that at least a part of the reinforcing fibres are short cut fibres and/or continuous filaments of glass, carbon, metal or mineral.    
     
     
         19 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to any of claims  13 - 18 , 
 characterized in that the grains of thermosetting resin ( 103 ,  203 ,  203 ′  303 ) includes amino resins, where the amino groups are provided by urea, melamine, or benzoguanamine.    
     
     
         20 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to any of claims  13 - 19 , 
 characterized in that the fibre web includes sorbitol, caprolactane, ethylene glycol, trioxytol, toluene sulfonamide, benzo or aceto guanamine.    
     
     
         21 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to any of claims  13 - 20 , 
 characterized in that the fibre web ( 200 ″) includes microcrystalline cellulose ( 208 ) and/or a superabsorbent.    
     
     
         22 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to any of claims  13 - 21 , 
 characterized in that the fibre web includes calcium oxide, kaolin, carbon, silicon dioxide, or metal particles.    
     
     
         23 . A thermosetting resin containing fibre web according to any of claims  13 - 22 , 
 characterized in that the fibre web includes a polymer film material.    
     
     
         24 . A reinforced thermosetting resin composite, 
 characterized in that it has been manufactured by forming a material charge which includes at least a piece of a fibre web ( 100 ″,  200 ″,  300 ″) containing thermosetting resin according to any of claims  13 - 23 , and by then hardening the thermosetting resin present in said piece at a temperature higher than room temperature.    
     
     
         25 . A reinforced thermosetting resin composite according to  claim 24 , 
 characterized in that said thermosetting resin composite is part of or is a sanitary product, an electricity conducting product, an abrasive surface, or a medical technical product.