Nonwoven abrasive article and method of making the same

Abstract

A nonwoven abrasive article includes a lofty open nonwoven fiber web comprising entangled fibers; and abrasive platelets secured to the entangled fibers by at least one binder material. A majority of the abrasive platelets are respectively bonded in an edge-wise manner to at least one of the entangled fibers. Methods of making the nonwoven abrasive article and converted forms, including a convolute abrasive wheel, are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nonwoven abrasive article comprising:
 a lofty open nonwoven fiber web comprising entangled fibers; and   abrasive platelets secured to the entangled fibers by at least one binder material, and   wherein a majority of the abrasive platelets are respectively bonded in an edge-wise manner to at least one of the entangled fibers, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . A nonwoven abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive platelets comprise triangular shaped abrasive platelets. 
     
     
         3 . A nonwoven abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive platelets are closely-packed along the lengths of the entangled fibers. 
     
     
         4 . A nonwoven abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven abrasive article comprises: a hand pad; a floor pad; or a surface conditioning pad, disc, or belt. 
     
     
         5 . A nonwoven abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive platelets nominally have the same size and shape. 
     
     
         6 . A nonwoven abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein a majority of the abrasive platelets are arranged such that they are orthogonal to the entangled fibers to which they are bonded. 
     
     
         7 . A nonwoven abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive platelets comprise shaped abrasive platelets bounded by upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of sidewalls disposed therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . A convolute nonwoven abrasive wheel comprising a spirally wound and compressed nonwoven abrasive article according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . A method of making a nonwoven abrasive article, comprising the steps:
 i) providing a lofty open nonwoven fiber web comprising a plurality of entangled fibers;   ii) coating at least a portion of the lofty open nonwoven fiber web with a first curable binder precursor to provide a coated fiber web;   iii) electrostatically depositing a plurality of abrasive platelets on at least a portion of the first curable binder precursor; and   iv) at least partially curing the first curable binder precursor,   wherein a majority of the abrasive platelets are each bonded in an edge-wise manner to at least one of the entangled fibers, respectively.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , further comprising coating at least a portion of the first curable binder precursor and abrasive platelets with a second curable binder precursor, and at least partially curing the second binder precursor. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9 , further comprising converting the nonwoven abrasive article into at least one of at least one hand pad; at least one floor pad; or at least one surface conditioning pad, disc, or belt. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 9 , further comprising;
 v) converting the nonwoven abrasive article into at least one of a convolute abrasive wheel or unitized abrasive wheel.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the abrasive platelets comprise triangular shaped abrasive platelets. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the abrasive platelets are closely-packed along the lengths of the entangled fibers. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the abrasive platelets comprise shaped abrasive platelets. 
     
     
         16 . A nonwoven abrasive article comprising:
 a lofty open nonwoven fiber web comprising entangled fibers; and   abrasive platelets secured to the entangled fibers by at least one binder material, wherein each of the abrasive platelets comprises a cutting point opposite a bonding face, wherein the bonding face is a thinnest face of the abrasive platelet; and   wherein a majority of the abrasive platelets are each respectively bonded to at least one of the entangled fibers such that each of the majority of the abrasive platelets is bonded to one of the entangled fibers along the bonding face such that the cutting point is facing away from the entangled fiber, and wherein the bonding face is bonded directly to the entangled fiber.   
     
     
         17 . The nonwoven abrasive article of  claim 16 , wherein each of the abrasive platelets comprises a first polygonal surface and a second polygonal surface, and wherein the bonding face comprises a thickness between the first and second polygonal surfaces. 
     
     
         18 . The nonwoven abrasive article of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second polygonal faces are substantially congruent and substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         19 . The nonwoven abrasive article of  claim 16 , wherein the cutting point comprises a vertex of a polygonal face, and the bonding face is partially defined by side of the polygonal face.