Methods of molding non-woven carbon fiber mats and related molded products

1. A method of making a molded non-woven carbon fiber containing mat, the method comprising:

mixing an aqueous slurry comprising carbon fibers and binder fibers, wherein the aqueous slurry comprises the binder fibers in an amount of about 1% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the slurry, and wherein the binder fibers comprising non-adhesive thermoplastic multi-component fibers;

depositing the slurry onto a porous forming surface to form a wet-laid mat supported by the porous forming surface;

removing water from the wet-laid mat through the porous forming surface;

activating the binder fibers such that a surface component of the binder fibers forms a melt attachment directly to the carbon fibers;

further drying the wet-laid mat to form a non-woven carbon fiber mat having an open network of carbon fibers;

impregnating the dried, non-woven carbon fiber mat with a resin; and

subjecting the impregnated non-woven carbon fiber mat to vacuum assisted resin transfer conditions in a mold to cause mold flow and re-melt the surface component of the binder fiber to form the molded non-woven carbon fiber containing mat.

2. The method as in claim wherein the resin is compatible with the surface component of the binder fibers.

3. The method as claim 1 , wherein the non-woven carbon mat has an open network of carbon fibers maintained in substantial alignment by the activated binder fibers.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein activating the binder fibers comprises:

allowing absorption of water by the binder fibers; and

thereafter, drying at a temperature of about 60° C. or higher such that the binder fibers dissolve and work as binder.

5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the non-adhesive thermoplastic multi-component fibers comprise core-sheath bi-component fibers.

6. The method as in claim 5 , wherein the bi-component fibers comprise a first polymeric material having a first melting temperature and a second polymeric material having a second melting temperature, and wherein the first melting temperature is less than the second melting temperature.

7. The method as in claim 6 , wherein the bi-component fibers are define a sheath and a core, wherein the sheath comprises the first polymeric material, and wherein the core comprises the second polymeric material.

8. The method as in claim 7 , wherein activating the binder fibers such that the binder fibers form a melt attachment to the carbon fibers comprises:

heating the binder fibers to a temperature at or above the first melting temperature sufficient to melt the first polymeric material of the sheath, but less than the second melting temperature of the second polymeric material of the core.

9. The method as in claim 5 , wherein the first polymeric material comprises a first polyester, and wherein the second polymeric material comprises a second polyester, the first polyester being different than the second polyester.

10. The method as in claim 9 , wherein the first polyester has a melt point of about 100° C. to about 225° C., and wherein the second polyester has a melt point temperature of about 250° C. or greater.

11. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the binder fibers comprise core-sheath bi-component fibers having a first polymeric material having a first melting temperature and a second polymeric material having a second melting temperature, wherein the sheath comprises the first polymeric material, and wherein the core comprises the second polymeric material, and

wherein the resin comprises a polymer compatible with the first polymeric material.

12. The method as in claim 11 , wherein the binder fibers comprise CoPET/PET bicomponent fibers, and wherein the resin includes polyester resin.

13. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the aqueous slurry comprises the carbon fibers in an amount of about 0.2% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the slurry of a plurality of carbon fibers.

14. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the aqueous slurry further comprises a viscosity modifier.

15. The method as in claim 14 , wherein the viscosity modifier comprises a two component system of surfactant and flocculant.

16. The method as in claim 1 , wherein activating the binder fibers includes infra-red heating of the wet-laid mat.

17. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

combining multiple impregnated non-woven carbon fiber mats as layers prior to subjecting them to the conditions for molding.

18. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the resin comprises a thermoset resin.

19. The method as in claim 18 , wherein the thermoset resin comprises an epoxy compound, a vinyl ester compound, or an unsaturated polyester resin.

20. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the resin is present within the molded non-woven carbon fiber containing mat in a range of about 30% to about 55% based on the volume of the impregnated mat.