Flexible non-woven mat

Abstract

A non-woven fibrous mat is provided that includes a mixture of a thermoset resin and a thermoplastic resin. It has been found that the physical properties (e.g., flexibility, tensile strength) of a non-woven mat may be improved by formulating a binder composition comprising variable ratios of the thermoset material and the thermoplastic material. In this way, a bonded nonwoven mat may be achieved having a desirable combination of strength and flexibility, while maintaining good heat and water resistance.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A bonded non-woven mat comprising:
 a nonwoven fiber web; and   a binder formulation comprising a mixture of a thermoset material and a thermoplastic material, wherein the thermoset material is present in an amount of 5% to 49% by weight of the total binder formulation and the thermoplastic material is present in an amount of 51% to 95% by weight of the total binder formulation, and wherein the bonded non-woven mat has a Gurley stiffness of 500 mg to 2000 mg.   
     
     
         22 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 21 , wherein the bonded non-woven mat has a Gurley stiffness of 1000 mg to 2000 mg. 
     
     
         23 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 21 , wherein the bonded non-woven mat has a tensile strength (MD+CD) of at least 105 N/50 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 21 , wherein the thermoset material and the thermoplastic material are present in a ratio of 4:1 to 1:4 by weight. 
     
     
         25 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 24 , wherein the thermoset material and the thermoplastic material are present in a ratio of 2:1 to 1:2. 
     
     
         26 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 21 , wherein the thermoset material comprises part of a precursor binder and the coating binder composition includes a second resin component. 
     
     
         27 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 21 , wherein the thermoset material comprises part of a precursor binder and the precursor binder composition is present in the bonded fibrous mat in an amount of 2 g/m 2  to 6 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         28 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 27 , wherein the precursor binder composition is present in the bonded fibrous mat in an amount of 2.5 g/m 2  to 4.5 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         29 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 21 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a coating binder and the coating binder is present in the bonded fibrous mat in an amount of 2 g/m 2  to 8 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         30 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 29 , wherein the coating binder is present in the bonded fibrous mat in an amount of 3.5 g/m 2  to 5.5 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         31 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 21 , wherein the thermoset material is present in an amount of 30% to 49% by weight of the total binder formulation and the thermoplastic material is present in an amount of 51% to 70% by weight of the total binder formulation. 
     
     
         32 . The bonded non-woven mat of  claim 21 , wherein the thermoset material is present in an amount of 40% to 49% by weight of the total binder formulation and the thermoplastic material is present in an amount of 51% to 60% by weight of the total binder formulation. 
     
     
         33 . A method of forming a bonded non-woven mat comprising:
 providing a fibrous web;   applying a precursor binder composition to the fibrous web to form a precursor web;   applying a coating binder composition to the precursor web; and   allowing the nonwoven mat to cure to form a bonded nonwoven mat;   wherein the bonded nonwoven mat has a Gurley stiffness of 500 mg to 2000 mg.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the precursor binder composition comprises a thermoset material. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the coating binder composition comprises a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the thermoset material is present in an amount of 5% to 49% by weight of the total binder formulation and the thermoplastic material is present in an amount of 51% to 95% by weight of the total binder formulation. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the bonded nonwoven mat has a tensile strength (MD+CD) of at least 105 N/50 mm after curing. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the thermoset material is present in the bonded nonwoven mat in an amount of 2 g/m 2  to 6 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the thermoplastic material is present in the bonded nonwoven mat in an amount of 2 g/m 2  to 8 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein fibrous web comprises fiberglass and the total weight of fiberglass in the bonded non-woven mat is between 40 g/m 2  and 60 g/m 2 .