GLASS FIBRE REINFORCED FOAM AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

MOUSSE DE FIBRE DE VERRE RENFORCEE ET METHODE DE PREPARATION

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
This invention relates to laminates and foam filled
sheet products both which may be used for decorative panels or
structural panels particularly it relates to structurally rigid
sheets of foam having glass fibers distributed substantially
evenly throughout the foam. It also relates to a method for
forming such a product comprising the steps of contacting a
thin substantially incompressible yet expansible mat of long
straight glass fibers with a foam-forming mixture, covering
at least one face of the mat with a facing sheet, and passing
the facing sheet, mat and foam-forming mixture between the nip
of two rotating rolls.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A process for producing a structural laminate
comprising the steps of:
I. contacting a thin, substantially incompressible
yet expansible mat of glass fibers with a foam-forming mixture
which completely fills the interstices between the fibers
of the mat,
II. positioning a facing sheet on each face of the
mat, and
III. passing the facing sheets having the mat and the
foam-forming mixture therebetween through the nip of two
rotating rolls,
the mat of glass fibers being further characterized by
A. the glass fibers being arranged in layers which
are substantially parallel to the facing sheets,
B. the glass fibers within each layer being at
least one foot long, straight and substantially parallel,
C. the glass fibers in each layer being at an
acute angle to the glass fibers in each next adjacent layer,
D. the glass fibers being attached to one another
by an amount of fiber binder sufficient to make the mat of glass
fibers dimensionally stable but insufficient to fill the
interstices between the glass fibers, and
E. the glass fiber mat comprising 4-24 grams/board
foot of the laminate.
21

2. A process for producing a structural
laminate comprising the steps of:
I. contacting a thin, substantially incom-
pressible yet expansible mat of glass fibers with a foam-
forming mixture which completely fills the interstices
between the fibers of the mat comprising:
A. an organic polyisocyanate, and
B. a diol having an equivalent weight
between 30 and 100,
II. positioning a facing sheet on each face
of the mat, and
III. passing the facing sheets having the mat
and the foam-forming mixture therebetween through the
nip of two rotating rolls,
the mat of glass fibers being further characteri-
zed by
A. the glass fibers being arranged in
layers which are substantially parallel to the facing
sheets,
B. the glass fibers within each layer being
at least one foot long, straight and substantially parallel,
and
C. the glass fibers in each layer being at
an acute angle to the glass fibers in each next adjacent
layer,
D. the glass fibers being attached to one
another by an amount of fiber binder sufficient to make the
mat of glass fibers dimensionally stable but insufficient
to fill the interstices between the glass fibers, and
E. the glass fiber mat comprising 4 to 24
grams per board foot of the laminate.
22

3. A process for producing a structural
laminate comprising the steps of:
I. contacting a mat of glass fibers with a
foam-forming mixture comprising:
A. a mixture of polymethylene polyphenyl
isocyanates of Formula I:
(I)
<IMG>
wherein n is an integer from 0 to 8 inclusive, and
B. a diol having an equivalen weight
of 30 to 100 of Formula II:
(II) HO-R1-OH
wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of lower
alkylene and lower alkoxyalkylene.
wherein the equivalent ration of A:B is 2:1
to 6:1,
II. positioning a facing sheet on each face
of the mat,
III. passing the facing sheets having the mat
of glass fibers and the foam-forming mixture therebetween
through the nip of two rotating rolls wherein:
A. the thickness of the mat remains sub-
stantially the same as prior to passing through the nip,
B. the velocity of the mat is equal to
the velocity of the facing sheets,
C. the glass fibers of the mat are arranged
in layers which are substantially parallel to the facing
sheets,
23

D. the glass fibers within each layer
are at least one foot long and substantially parallel,
E. the glass fibers in each layer are
at an acute angle to the glass fibers in each next ad-
jacent layer, and
F. the foam-forming mixture completely
fills the interstices between the fibers of the mat,
G. the glass fibers are attached to
one another by an amount of binder sufficient to make
the mat of glass fibers dimensionally stable but in-
sufficient to fill the interstices between the glass
fibers, and
H. the glass fiber mat comprises 4 to
24 grams per board foot of the laminate.
4. A process for producing a structural
laminate comprising the steps of:
I. Contacting a thin, substantially in-
compressible yet expansible mat of glass fibers with a
foam-forming mixture which completely fills the inter
stices between the fibers of the mat, comprising:
A. an alkylol group containing phenolic
polymer of Formula I:
<IMG>
wherein:
(a) R1 is <IMG> , hydrogen or a radical of Formula II:
<IMG>
24

(b) the R2's are independently selected from the group
consisting of lower alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, halo, nitro and
hydrogen,
(c) the R3's are independently selected from the group
consisting of <IMG> , hydrogen or a radical of Formula II,
(d) the R4's are independently selected from the group
consisting of lower alkyl, hydrogen, phenyl, benzyl, or
furyl,
(e) m is an integer from 2 to 10 inclusive, and
(f) the phenolic polymer has a molecular weight between

200 and 2000;
B. a compound of Formula V:
(V)
<IMG>
C. a catalyst composition in an amount and of
a type sufficient to give the foam-forming mixture the desired
cream time and the desired firm time;
D. a blowing agent in an amount sufficient to
give the resultant foam the desired bulk density;
E. a surfactant;
II. positioning a facing sheet on each face of the
mat, and
III. passing the facing sheets having the mat and
the foam-forming mixture therebetween through the nip of two
rotating rolls,
the mat of glass fibers being further character-
ized by
A. the glass fibers being arranged in layers
which are substantially parallel to the facing sheets,
B. the glass fibers within each layer being at
least one foot long, straight and substantially parallel and,
C. the glass fibers in each layer being at an
acute angle to the glass fibers in each next adjacent layer,
D. the glass fibers being attached to one ano-
ther by an amount of binder sufficient to make the mat dimen-
sionally stable but insufficient to fill the interstices be-
tween the glass fibers, and
E. the glass fiber mat comprises 4 to 24 grams
per board foot of the laminate.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the mat of glass
fibers has an initial thickness less than 1 and 1/2 times the
26

separation of the facing sheets at the nip of the two rotating
rolls.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the mat of glass
fibers is expansible under the sole influence of the expansion
of the foam-forming mixture.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein the mat of glass
fibers has a low loft such that pressure applied to the faces
of the mat will not substantially reduce the thickness of the
mat.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein the glass fibers
in each layer of the mat are at an angle of less than 60° to
the glass fibers in each of the next adjacent layers.
9. A process for producing a structural laminate
comprising the steps of:
I. providing a thin, substantially incompressible
yet expansible mat of glass fibers wherein:
A. the glass fibers are arranged in layers,
B. the glass fibers within each layer are at
least one foot long, straight and substantially parallel, and
C. the glass fibers in each layer are at an a-
cute angle to the glass fibers in each next adjacent layer,
D. the glass fibers are lightly bonded to each
other at their intersections by means of interfiber bonds pro-
vided by an amount of fiber binder sufficient to make the mat
of glass fibers dimensionally stable but insufficient to fill
the interstices between the glass fibers,
E. the mat of glass fibers has an indefinite
running length,
F. the glass fiber mat comprises 4 to 24 grams
per board foot of the laminate,
II. stretching the mat of glass fibers in a direc-
27

tion parallel to its running length by an amount
sufficient to rupture only some of the interfiber bonds,
and then
III. contacting the mat with a foam-forming
mixture which completely fills the interstices between
the fibers of the mat,
IV. positioning a facing sheet on each face of
the mat wherein the fibrous layers of the mat are substan-
tially parallel to the facing sheets, and
V. passing the facing sheets having the mat
and the foam-forming mixture therebetween through the nip
of two rotating rolls.
10. The process of claim 9 wherein the stretching
results in an elongation of 1 to 10% based on the length
of the mat prior to stretching.
11. The process of claim 9 wherein the
stretching is accomplished by passing the mat through
two pairs of rotating rolls wherein:
A. the axes of the rolls are perpendicular
to the running length of the mat,
B. the nip of each pair of rolls
engages the mat,
C. the peripheral speed of the second
pair of rolls is greater than the peripheral speed of
the first pair of rolls.
12. The process of claim 9 wherein the
stretching is accomplished by providing the mat in
the form on a roll and then retarding the rate of
advancement of the roll.
28

13. A process for producing a structural
laminate comprising the steps of:
I. providing a thin, substantially in-
compressible yet expansible mat of glass fibers wherein:
A. the glass fibers are arranged in
layers,
B. the glass fibers within each layer
are at least one foot long, straight and substantially
parallel, and
C. the glass fibers in each layer
are at an acute angle to the glass fibers in each next
adjacent layer,
D. the glass fibers are lightly bonded
to each other at their intersections by means of
interfiber bonds provided by an amount of fiber binder
sufficient to make the mat of glass fibers dimensionally
stable but insufficient to fill the interstices between
the glass fibers,
E. the mat of glass fibers has an
indefinite running length,
F. the glass fiber mat comprises 4
to 24 grams per board foot of the laminate,
II. stretching the mat of glass fibers in a
direction parallel to its running length by an amount
of 1 to 10% based on the length of the mat prior to
stretching wherein:
A. the stretching is accomplished by
passing the mat through two pairs of rotating rolls,
B. the axes of the rolls are per-
pendicular to the running length of the mat,
29

C. the nip of each pair of rolls engages
the mat,
D. the peripheral speed of the second
pair of rolls is greater than the peripheral speed of
the first pair of rolls,
III. contacting the mat of glass fibers
with a form-forming mixture which completely fills
the interstices between the fibers of the mat,
IV. positioning a facing sheet on each face
of the mat, and
V. passing the facing sheets having the mat
and the form-forming mixture therebetween through the
nip of two rotating rolls.
14. A structural laminate comprising:
A. at least one planar facing sheet,
B. a rigid foam attached to one
surface of the facing sheet, the rigid foam formed
from a form-forming mixture,
C. a mat of glass fibers wherein:
I. the glass fibers of the mat are distributed
substantially evenly through the rigid form wherein the
form com-

pletely fills the interstices between the fibers,
II. the glass fibers are straight,
III. the glass fibers are at least one foot long,
IV. the glass fibers of the mat are arranged in
layers,
V. each layer of glass fibers is substantially para-
llel to the facing sheet,
VI. the glass fibers are attached to one another by
an amount of fiber binder sufficient to make the mat of glass
fibers dimensionally stable but insufficient to fill the inter-
stices between the glass fibers, and
VII. the glass fiber mat comprises 4 to 24 grams per
board foot of the laminate.
15. The structural laminate of claim 14 wherein
there are two parallel facing sheets, one on each face of the
rigid foam.
16. The structural laminate of claim 14 wherein the
facing sheet is a metal foil between 0.010 and 0.001 inches
thick.
17. The structural laminate of claim 14 wherein the
surface of the facing sheet obverse to that attached to the
rigid foam is decoratively embossed.
18. The structural laminate of claim 14 wherein the
glass fibers within each layer are substantially parallel to
each other.
19. The structural laminate of claim 17 wherein the
glass fibers in each layer are at an acute angle to the glass
fibers in each next adjacent layer.
20. A structural laminate comprising:
A. two planar facing sheets;
31

B. a rigid foam attached between the facing
sheets, the rigid foam formed from a foam-forming mixture;
C. a mat of glass fibers wherein:
I. the glass fibers of the mat are distributed sub-
stantially evenly throughout the rigid foam,
II. the glass fibers are non-crimped,
III. the glass fibers are at least one foot long
IV. the glass fibers of the mat are arranged in
layers,
V. each layer of glass fibers is substantially par-
allel,
VI. the glass fibers in each layer are at an acute
angle to the glass fibers in each next adjacent layer,
VII. the foam-forming mixture completely fills the
interstices between the fibers of the mat,
VIII. the glass fibers are attached to one another
by an amount of fiber binder sufficient to make the mat of
glass fibers dimensionally stable but insufficient to fill
the interstices between the glass fibers, and
IX. the glass fiber mat comprises 4 to 24 grams per
board foot of the laminate.
32

Description

1088~Q9
.
The field of foamed resins is wide and the choice
of resin is deter~ined not only by cost and availability but
also by properties such as flammability, friability, thermal -
conductance, appearance, ease in foaming and application and
moisture resistance. And it is, of course, well-known to
include fillers and additi~es to alter the properties of the
foamed material.
Many attempts have been made to create structural
laminates particularly of foamed resins to be used for purposes
of insulation as well as for wall and ceiling panels. Laminates
have often been limited in the choice of foamed resins for
this reason. Alternatively, foamed resins which are
unsatisfactory in respect to certain properties have been
made acceptable by the use of additives. These additives
or fillers have had various disadvantages such as the toxic
nature of halogen and/or phosphorus containing fire retardant
additives. Self-supporting foamed laminates, such as the
polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride, are also well-known,
. . .
I but have low structural strengths which limit the use o such
lamlnates.
Laminates employing a core of batting material are
also known in the art. Typically such materials suffer
discontinuities and structural weaknesses.
; It is therefore an object of this invention to create
a strong Iaminate which is free of discontinuities.
It is a fuxther object of this invention to form a
laminate utilizing a foamed polymeric resin with ~ mat of long
straight glass fibers to form a unique laminate of superior
performance and of pleasing appearance.
:'
~~ '''.

409
Before laminates o~ this type can be used, however, ,~,~
it is necessary that they meet structural and fire safety ',
standards.
Previous attempts to make similar structures utilizing
foams have relied on the spongy character of a high loft
batting into which a fo~l-forming resin WcLS forced and then
permitted to foam and expand at the same rate as the high
loft fibrous batting material expanded. An example of this
process applied to making a flexible ~oam filled batting material
can be foun~ in U.S. Patent 3,617,594. ' '
A distinct disadvantage is presented by using a high ,, , '
loft batting in that the batting may elastically recover faster
than the foam forming mixture expands thereby producing voids
or pockets within the resultant material, the pockets contri-
buting directly to possible structural failure of the material
when subjected to high heat conditions.
It is therefore an object of this invention to form
a structural laminate using a low loft mat of long straight
glass fibers, the mat being thin, substantially incompressibl
yet expansible under the sole influence of the expansion of a
oam-orming mixture which penetrates and complet~ly fills the
interstices between the fibers of the mat.
A method of making a low loft'mat which satisfies
the functional and structural requireme,nt of this invention
is to be found i'n U.S. Patent 2,609,320 provided certain limi-
' tations are placed on the method. For example, in a mat acceptable
for US2 in a laminate according to this invention, the glass fibers
are attached to one another forming interfiber bonds by an amount
of fiber binder sufficient to make the mat of glass fibers dimen-
sionably stable but insufficient to fill the interC;tices be- ~,'
-3- '
''"' "

10~4L09
tween the glass fibers. Preferably only a minimum amount of ,~
this fiber binder should be employed. Futher the m~t should
not be expanded or puffed up in thickness as, is taught in
U.S. Patent 2,609,320 but rather should bs of low loft such
that pressure applied to the faces of the mat will not sub-
stantially reduce the thickness of the mat cmd such that the
mat doas not elastically recover to any appreciab}e amount when '
the structure is released from the faces of the mat. Of ;'
course, any other method can be used which would result in a ,,
L0 batt of glass fibers having a structure substantially the
same as that produced by the method of U.S. Patent 2,609,320 '',,'
with these restrictions.
The structural laminat2 of the present invention '' '
has at least one but preferably has two facing sheets, one
on either side of the foam core. These facing sheets can be, ' ,
constructed of a wide variety of non-flammable materials such
as asbestos, glass fibers, or metals. In the broadest aspects
of the invention, any metal can be employed such as copper,
brass, iron, steel, or aluminum. Aluminum is the preerred
metal because of its ductility and ease with which it can be
manuactured into a material of suitable thickness~
Attached to one surface of the at least one facing
sheet is a rigid foam formed from a foam-forming mixture. The
foam-forming mixture is one which will result in a rigid foam.
"
Polyurethanes and phenolic polymers are well-
known materials in laminates in that they encompass many desirable
properties for use in laminates, particularly structural-':
lan~inates. Other polymers that can be foamed include, rubber, '~
polyvinyl chloride, urea-aldehydes, melamine-aldehydes, poly- ' ',
. : -
,
','"'. ~.

3409 ~
styrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, cellulose acetate, : :
e~oxy resin, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene-copolymer and ..
silicones.
A suitable foam-forming resin co~position is ~ ~:
described in U.S. Patent 3,799,896.
A suitable foam-forming mixture comprises the
following reactants:
A. a mixture of polymethylene polyphenyl
isocyanates of Formula I: .
~I) NCO r NCO - NCo
~C~2 ;~3C~
. ' ..
wherein n is an integer from 0 to 8 inclusive, and
. B. a diol having-an equivalent weight of
30 to 100 of Formula II:
~II) IIO-R -OH
wherein Rl is selected from the group consisting of lower
alkylene and lower-alkoxyalkylene.
wherein the equivalent~-ratio of A-B is 2:1 .
;~ to 6:1,
'' '''', ~
,
,
. ~:
~5- . ' '

~ 88~9
`,. :
Another suitable foam forming resin composition is : ~
- - .~ . .
described in U.S. Patent 3,876,620. The foam forming mixture .
comprises:
A. an alkylol group containing phenolic polymer of.
. .. , , , ,~ .
i Formula!I` .
~ OH
R~
wherein: 4 f
(a) Rl is HOCH- , hydrogen or a radical of Formula II:
~II) R3
HO ~ R2
R3 ~ / ~ C~
~ 14
~b) the R2's are independently selected from the group
consisting of lower alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, halo, nitro and
hydrogen,
(c) the R3's are independently selected from the group
consisting of HOCH- , hydrogen or a ~adical of Formula II, ..
R4 . .
(d) the R4's are independently selected from the group . .::
consisting of lower alkyl, hydrogen,phenyl, benzyl,- or furyl, ~-
(e) m is an integer from 2 to 10 inclusive, and -
(f) th~ ph~nolic polymer has a molecular weight between ::
Z00 and Z000;
'.,'.'''''~.
-6- . ;
' .

1~8i~
B. a compound of Formula V: :
(V) R2 ~ OH
Il I
..
~2
C. a catalyst composition in an amount
and of a type sufficient to give the foam forming mixture ~.
the desired cream time and the desired firm time;
D. a blowing agent in an amount sufficient
to give the resultant ~oam the desired ~ulk density; and
~ . a suractant;
Additional suitable oaming resin compositions are
disclosed in ~U.S. Patents-2,577,277, 2,498,621, 2,572,568, 2-,623,023
and 2,461,942. Other foamable resin compositions may be used. . .
Foaming resin compositions contain blowing agents .~:
.~Jhich:give gases when heated to proper tamperatures such as
carbon dioxide, ammonium carbonate, potassium carbonate, hydrogen : .
peroxide and-chlorinat6d and fluorinated hydrocarbons such as
~luorotrichloromethane. ... .
Catalysts,-surfactants, dyes and other special
additives may be added to the composition as is well-known
in thP art in order to effect certain propertiesO Surfactants
such as polyoxyethylene-sorbitani monopalmitates¦, polyoxyethylene : :~
sorbitan polydimethyl siloxane and polydimethyl siloxane . .
polyoxyalkylene block copolymers can serve as wetting
agent in adhering fibers:to foam and can affect the foam cell
size by lowering surface tension..
' '' ,
-7- ~

The structural laminates of the present invention
include a mat of long strai~ht glass fibers. The fibers of
~ . . .
the mat are arranged in layers which are distrlbuted substan-
tially evenly throughout the rigid foam, each layer being sub-
stantially parallel to the facing sheet and the rigid foam
completely filling the interstices between the glass fibers of
the mat. The glass fibers are generally straight and not
crimped, crinkled, or the like. The glass fibers are not short
but rather long, generally having a length greater than one
. .
foot and preferably 5 to 12 feet. Interminqled with the glass
fibers is a relatively minor proportion of a binder, preferably
a silane modified polyester binder amounting to about 2 to 10
percent by weight of the combined glass fiber and binder. The
glass fiber mat having this amount of fiber binder is dimension-
ally stable yet is expansible under the influence of the expan-
sion of any foam-forming mixture caused to penetrate into the
interstices between the fibers of the mat.
The glass fiber mat is incorporated into the structural
laminate in an amount which will insure the continued structural
integrity of the laminate when it is exposed to high temperature
and open flames yet not so much as to result in the deterior-
ation of the surface of the structural laminate due to exposed
single fibers. The glass fiber mat is functionally effective
when included in the range of 4-24 gms/board foot of structural
laminate. A structural laminate preferably comprises 6-20 gms -
of glass fiber mat per board foot of structural laminate.
It is to be understood that a board foot is a unit of
volume measurement being a piece of board of size one foot
square and one inch thick. A board foot is 144 cubic inches in i`
volume. Gra~s per board foot is a unit of density.
: ' .
'

~884()9
A particularly suitable process for producing a
structural laminate according to this invention comprises the
steps of contacting the previously formed, thin, substantially
incompressible yet expansible mat of long straight glass fibers
with a foam-forming mixture as outlined above, placing a facing
sheet in contact with at least one face of the mat, and passing
the facing sheet, mat and foam-forming mixture between the nip
of two rotating rolls thereby forcing the foam-forming mixture
into the interstices between the glass fibers of the mat. The
mixture having the glass fibers distributed substantially
evenly therethrough is subjected to the influencP of heat :
controllably added by the circulation of hot air bet~een 150F
and 250F and cured to a rigid ~oam structural laminate. This
rigid structural laminate is then periodically severed into . ~:
~inite.lengths.thereby forming discrete panels. .
According to another.aspect of the present invention :
it has been discovered that-stretching of the mat of.glass :~
fibers in a dir~ction parallel to the running length of the .
mat by a certain amount aids in the production o a structural
laminate having a more unifoxm distribution of the glass
fibers throughout the mat. The stretching is accomplished
by..an.amount.sufficient to rupture only some of the inner
fiber bonds and generally between one and ten percPnt based
upon the length of the mat prior to stretching. .:
The laminates may be used for decorative panels in which
case one side of the laminate is decorated or embossed. However, . ~.:
both facing sheets may be decorated. .
_ 9_

~081~40~
Brief Description of the Drawings
.
Figure 1 is schematic representation of an apparatus
suitable for practicIng the process of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a structural
laminate taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is plan view of the structural laminate of :
Figure 2 taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is plan view of the structural laminate of
~Figure 2 taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the test . ' .
structure for a Factory Mutual-Building Corner Fire Test
perormed on selected materials made according to this
invention.
Description o~ the Pre~erred Embodiments
:In Figure l,,there is.shown sch~matically an apparatus
10 suitable~for use in connection,with th~ present invention. .
The apparatus 10 comprises tanks.ll, 12 and 13 for containing the '
foaminy ingredients and additives such as blowing agent, sur- ', .,'
'~actant,.etc., eaah.respectively connected to outlet lines :
14, 15 and 16. The lines 14, 15 and 16 form the inlet to ~ ,
metering pumps 17, 18 and 19~ The pumps 17, 18, and 19 ,: :
discbarge respectlvely through lines Z0, 21 and 22 which are
.
--1 0--
, ; , ' '

~ 08~09
in turn respectively connected to flexible lines 23, 24 and 25.
The flexible lines 23, 24, and 25 discharge to mixing head 29.
The apparatus 10 is also-provided with a roll 30 of lower facing
sheet material 43, a roll 30' of upper facing sheet material 43',
and a roll 31 of glass fiber mat material. The apparatus 10 is
also provided with metering rolls 32 and 33 and an oven 35
provided with vents 36 and 36' for introducing and circulating
hot air. The apparatus 10 is also provided with pul:L rolls 38
and 39 each of which preferably has a flexible outer sheath 40
and 41. The apparatus 10 is also provided with cutt:ing means 44
for severing the structural laminate produced by this process
into finite lengths thereby producing discrete panels.
In operation the tanks are charged with the foam
~orming mixture in whatever manner is convenient and preferred
for the specific-polymer. For instance, for a urethane foam,
the polyol can-be in-one-tank, the polyisocyanate in another and
catalyst in a third. Other polymers such as polyvinyl
chloride can be used as a dispersion in plasticizers and a
blowing agent;~introduced. Or polyvinyl chloride can be
extruded as can polystyrene, cellulose acetate and the poly-
olefins among others. Rubber and uraa-formaldehyde aan be
frothed and admixed with the appropriate blowing agen~
and surfactant. The speeds of the pumps 17, 18 and 19 are
adjusted to give the desired ratios of the ingredients in
-25 I the tanks 11, 12 and 13. These ingredients pass respectively
through line 20, 21 and 22 as well as lines 23, 24 and 25
whereupon they are mixed in the mixing head 29 to form the
foam-forming mixture 45 which contacts the thin, substantially ~ -
incompressible yet expansible mat of glass fibers 42 fed from
the roll of glass fiber mat 31 toward the nip 34 between the
.. ',
-11- .
',' ~'

409
two rotating metering rolls 32 and 33.
By virtue of rotation of the pULll rolls 38 and 39,
th~ lower facing shPet 43 is pulled from the roll 30, the upper ,'' ' .
facing sheet 43' is pulled from the roll 30', and the glass
fiber mat 42 is pulled from the roll 31. The facing sheets ,: ''
43 and 43' having the mat 42 and foam-forming mixture 45 there
between pass through the nip 34 of thP two rotating metering .
rolls 32 and 33. The mixing head 29 is causad to movle back . '
and forth, normal to the plane of the paper by virtue of a `~
reciprocating means,49. In this manner, an even amount of ",~ .~
foam-forr.ling mixture 45 can be maintained upstream from the ' ~.
nip 34 and in contact with the mat 42 o glass ibers. The mat ,'
42 of glass 1bers being substantially incompressible ~et
expansible has such a low loft that the pressure applied to the
mat,42:by the rotating rolls 32 and 33 does not substantially ''
reduce the thickness of-the mat 42 but rather -the foam-forming , ~'
mixture 45 is caused to penetrate and completely fill the
interstices-between the glass fibers forming the mat 42.
Further the mat 42 is of such a low loft that after passing
through the nip 34 the glass fibers do not thams~lves elastically
recover but expand under the sole~influence o the expansion
of the foam-forming mixture 45. ~he velocity of the mat 42
as it passes between the nip 34 of the two rolls 32 and 33
substantia-l y-equals-the velocity o the acing sheets.43 :~
and 43'. After passing between ~he nip 34 o~ the two rolls
32 and 33, the composite structure 48 now comprises a lower ~ ',
and upper facing she t 43 and 43l having therebetween a glass
', fiber mat 42 completely permeated by the foam-farming mixture
45 which wets the glass fibers of the mat 42.
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This composite structure 48 now passes into oven 35
and while in the oven 35 the foam-forming mixture expands in ;
an expansion zone 37. This expansion is initiated by heat
generatcd in an exothermic reaction between the components
of the foam-forming mixture 45 and is-regulated by
heat addPd to the oven 35 by the hot air from vent 36. The
temperature within the oven 35 is controlled by varying the
temperature of th~ hot air from vent 36 and 36' in order to
insure that the oven temperature is maintain~d wifhin the
desired limits necessary to cure the foam employed. While
in the expansion zone 37 the layers of fib2rs 50 of the
glass fiber mat separate under the in1uence of the expanding
; foam 53 in such a manner as to be evenly distributed throughout
the foam 53 in planes substantially parallel to the plane o the
acing shests 51 and 52.
~. . . . . . .
The foam 53, under continuing influence of the heat
add~d to the oven 35 by the controlled introduction of hot air
.
from vent 36 and 36', cures to form the structural laminate 55
of this invention. The structural laminate 55 then leaves the
ovan 35, passas between the pull rolls 38 and 39, and is cut
by cutting means 44 into finite lengths thereby forming discrete
panels 57 and 57' of the structural laminate 55.
In Figure 2 there is shown an enlarged sectional
view of a structural laminate 55 of the present invention taken -
. . -: . .
along line 2-2 of Figure 1. The structural laminate 55 shown
in Figure 2 comprises two facing sheets 58 and 60. It will be
appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art that a
structural laminate of this type can be made in such a manner
as to only have a single facing sheet, or one of the acing sheets
58 or 60 can be removed from the structural laminat:e without
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~8~409
seriously aegrading the desired functional performance. The
. . .
structural laminate 55 shown in Figure 2 further comprises a :~ '
rigid foam 61 formed from the foam-forming mixture 45 of
Figure 1. Distributed substantially even:Ly-throughout the
foam 61 is a multitude of long straight g:lass fibers 62 '' .
arranged in layers 64, 64' which are substantially parallel '
to the facing sheets 58 and 60. The rigid foam 61 completely
fills the interstices 65 betw~en the glass fibers 62. The - '
glass fibers in each layer 64, 64' ara at an acute angle to the
glass fibPrs in each next adjacent layer. This is shown
schematically by examining two adjacent sections, the first '. ;~
along line 3-3 and shown in Figure 3 and the second along line
4-4 shown in ~igure 4. In the two Figures 3 and 4, a plan
view of the structural l~ninate of Figure 2 is shown with
reference.lines A-A representing the same direction in the
two figures. In FIgure::3 th2-glass fibers 62 are shown to
be running predominantly.at-~an angle a to the reference line
A-A'while in Figure 4 the glass fibers 62 are shown to be
running pradominantly at an angle ~ with respbc~ to reference
line A-A. The ~ibers in these two adjacent layers reprasented '.
.by the.sections.shown in Figures 3 and 4 are aligned such th'at
-the fibers'in ona layer are at.an angle of ~ plus ~ with respect
to the fibers in the next adjacent -}ayer. The angle ~ plus ~
; is generally an acute.angle and is typically less than'60 in a ::
~5 structural laminate produced according to this invention. Whil~
the glass fibers 62 are generally long and straight, that is not
crimped or twisted, the fibers 62 becoms slightly un~ulated
within-the plane lay~rs 64, 64' which are substantially parallel
to the facing sheet or sheets 58, 60 of the structural
laminate 55. The slight non-contiguous undulations are
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induced in the fibers 62 as the foam-forming mixture 45 ~
expands and disperses the fibers 62 throughout the laminate :~:
55. The overall thickness "d" of a lami.nate 55 produced ~- :
according-to this invention is typically from 0.4 to 2.
inches while the initial thickness of the glass fiber mat 42
is less than 0.1 inches and more typically 0.010 to 0.050
. inches. The initial thickness of the glass fiber mat 42 .
is-generally less than 1 and 1/2 times the separation of the
~acing sheets at the nip 34 of the two rotating rolls 32
and 33, the low loft of the mat 42 preventing any substantial
compression by the two rolls 32 and 33.
. The preferr~d apparatu5 by which stretching of'the
fiber mat is accomplished is shown ih Figure 1. ~8 shown in
,` Figure l.the-mat-42 passes-first.between the nip 70 of a ~ :
: 15 first pair.of rolls-71, 72 and then through the nip 74 of .:
a~.~econd.-pair of rolls 75,-76 the~-axes of the rolls 71, 72,
75, 76 are perpendicular to the running length of the mat ... .
42. The nips 70, 74 of each pair of rolls 71, 72 and 75,
76 engage the mat 42. The peripheral speed of the second ~:
pair of rolls;.. ~amely, rolls 75, 76 is grea~er than the
periph~ral.speed of.khe first pair of rolls; namely, the
rolls-71,~.72. The.d~ference in peripheral speed-is adjusted ;:~:
such that stretching of the mat 42 is accomplished in the ~ -
running or machine direction. This direction is parallel .:~
: 25 to the running length of the mat 42. An alternative to the .
arrangement of the two pairs of rolls is to provide the
roll 31 with a.brake which.slows the advance of the mat 42 ~ ;
from the roll 31 as the mat 42 ~s pulled by the rolls 32, :~
33. .~ ; :
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;:
1081 34al9
EXA~IPT~
A structural laminate was produced according to this
invention by contacting a mat of glass fibers with a foam-
.: :
forming mixture. The mat of glass fibert; was suhstantially
S incompressible and had an overall thickness of 0.030 inches.
The glass fibers forming the mat were long, straight fibers
having an average diamet2r of less than 25 microns and lengths
varying from 5 to 12 feet with an average length of over
5 feet. The ingredients o~ the foam-forming mixture were
arranged in three tanks as follows:
In tank 11:
polymethylenepolyphenyl isocyanate sold
under th2 trademark*"PAPI-20" from Vpjohn Chemical
Company................................................ 100 parts
fluorotrichloromethane............................ .18.8 parts
polydimethylsiloxane polyoxyalkylene copolymers
sold-as~L-5340 available from Union Carbide............ ..2.16 part
In tank 12:
diethylene glycol................................. ..8.3 parts`~
~i In tank 13~
2,*4, 6-tris (dLmethylaminomethyl) phenol ~;
sold as D~-30 from Rohm & Haas Company................ .Ø84 part
` potassium-2-ethyl-hexoate......................... ..1.75 part~
~ .
poiyoxyethylene glycol (m.w. 200) sold as
*Carbowax 200 from Union Carbide Company............... ..7.41 part
The pull rolls are then started as are the pumps -
~hich deliver the contents of the tan~s 11, 12 and 13 to the -~
mixing head 29 in a weight ratio of 100:6.87:3.04. This
1 ~. ~ '
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~884~9
,; ', .:
corresponds-to-an equivalent ratio-of isocyanate to diethylene . ~ .
glycol of 4.6:1. The contents of tank 11 are maintained at . : :
65F, whereas the contents of tanks 12..and 13 are at 65-75F.
The foam-forming mixture completely fills the interstices
between the individual fibers of the glass fiber mat ~7etting the ~-
individual fibers of the glass fiber mat. Two facing sheets
of aluminum.foil, each having a thickness of about 0.0015
inches are positionPd one on each side of the glass fiber
mat and.foam-forming.mixture, one of the facing sheets having
an embossed decorative surface design. The facing sheets , .
. .,'.
having the mat and foam-forming mixture therebetween then . .
pass through the nip 34 of the two rotating rolls into oven .
35 maintained at a.. te~perature of 225F where the foam- ~.
forming:.mixture expands in the expansion zone 37.to a substantially .
uniform thickness of--one inch, the glass fiber mat being included ~ ~
at the rate of 9.5 grams of glass fiber per.. board~foot of . ~ ... .
laminate produced. ¦-
The structural laminate produced according to ~ .
this example.was given the..name CE~OTEX TEC~NIFO~1-600 THE~X
INSULATIOI~l BO~RD.
~ : ..;
:~: , . . 1,. :, :'
, i ~ - .
.
,: :
C* Trade Mark . . ! ::
~ . ~
: .-17- ... .. .

EXAMPLE 2 ~8409 ~ `
A structural laminate made according to this invention
and given the name C~LOTEX T~C~NIFOA~l lrF-6oo was subjected to
the Factory liutual Building Corner Fire Test. This test
is aesigned to evaluate the burning characteristics of interior
finish materials and is designed and constructed with special
physical proportions to simulate an actual fire within the
corner of a building. The purpose of the test is to demonstrate
the true ~ire hazard of wall and ceiling construction materials
under typical building fire environments. The physical dimensions
0 of the test structure are designed to eliminate all questions '
that are inherent in small reduced scale tests.
As shown in Figure 5, the tes~ ~tructure 70' comprises
a free standing structural steel frame 71'~ade of supporting '
, ' colu~ns 72' and horizontal girts 73 designed for attachment of
~he material 74"to be tested. The roof or ceiling of the frame
work 75'consists of bar joists 76'and metal furring strips 77. '~
Corrugated steel sheeting 78 is installed on the inside of this
metal struct,ure. The wall 79 is 50 feet in length while ~7all 80 '~
, is 37 and 3/~ feet in length. ~oth walls 79 and 80 are 24 and
.'. , ~,.
3/4 feet high.
The panels of the iaminated structure 74'are secured
to'the inside of the corrugated steel while sheets of gypsum
; boa~d (not shown) were installed behind the corrugated steel 78 to
help contain the heat in the area. ~ '
~5 The fire exposure was a 5 foot high pile of 4 by 4
foot wood pallets 81 weighing about 750 pounds. -Ignition was
achieve'd ~ith the aid of two heptane-soaked cotton rolls 82
placed inside the bottom pallet 83. The stack of wood pallets 81
as'.located l foot a~ay from each wall 79 and 80. ~1hen ignited
0 the exposure is arranged to 5imulate the AST~ TLme/Te~per~ture
- ~ .
curve for a minimum of lS minutes producing 1000F in '; minutes `
or less. '
. . ~, ,~.
* Trade Mark ' `
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~08B409
If the material 74' does not produce a self propagating
. fire within the limits of the structure as evidenced by flaming
or material damagej,the.material b'eing tested'-is considered.'ac~ ,,
ceptable. When tested in this manner, samples of CELOTEX TECHNI- '.
FOAM TF-600 as given in Example 1 were deemed acceptable even
' when not protected by automatic sprinklers.
...
EXAMPLE 3 - --~ .
A phenolic polymer such as that described in USP''3,876,
620 is used to synthesize a.cellular material. .... :' '
The following ~uantities of the following ingredients .; .
are combined as indicated: . "'
Ingredients , Quantity ,.
; Item Name . ~ms ' ..... ..,
phenolic polymer 80 '~'
B phenol 11 ' ;,'." ;;~
C ' Catalyst p-toluene sulfonic acid 4.3 ~,' .
~, ' . xylene sulfonic acid 4.3
water 4.3 13 .~^~... '."~'
.j D C 3 , 10 ,~
E polydimethyl siloxane ~' ~`,:
. polyalkylene oxide block
copolymer 2 i,tj ',
i,''~ ., " ,'. ~
. F . water , g
.
Items A throuyh F are mixed in an open vessel whereupon '.'. .,
,
a reaction ensues. Items A, B and F are added together in the .'
" form of (100 g) of the phenolic composition of Example 1 of U.S.
,s, Patent No. 3,876,620.
', , The phenolic composition is distributed to the three ':,:'
tanks. Tank 11 is charged with the'phenolic composition admixed , ':
with blowing agent, tank 12 with phenolic composition and sur~ .
~ factant and t;ank 13 is charged with~the catalyst. . , .
,~ ~ O ' ', ~ . . .
.. :;. . .
~. ' ''~. ,,
:" `'~
,, * Trade Mark ~,;
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4~9
The foam-forming mixture completely fills the
interstices between the individual fibers of the glass fiber
mat wetting the individual fibers of the glass fiber mat.
Two facing sheets of aluminum foil, each having a thickness of
about 0.0015 inches are positioned one on each side of the
glass fiber mat and foam-forming mixture, one of the facing
sheets having an embossed decorative surface design. The
facing sheets having the mat and foam-forming mixture there- ~-
between then pass through the nip 34 of the two rotating rolls
into oven 35 maintained at a temperature of 225F where the
foam-forming mixture expands in the expansion zone 37 to a
substantially uniorm thickness o one inch, the glass ~iber
mat being included at the rate o 9.5 grams o glass fiber
per board foot of laminate produced.
lS Although the invention has been described in
considerable detail with reference to certain preferred
embodiments thereof, it will be understood that variations
and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope
of the invention as described above and as defined in the
ollowing claims.
'.
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