METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A POLYMER FOAM COMPOSITE, POLYMER FOAM COMPOSITES PREPARED THEREBY, AND ARTICLES PREPARED THEREFROM
A method for the manufacture of a polymer foam composite includes forming a polymer foam that is at least partially uncured; contacting the formed polymer foam with a fibrous mat including a plurality of nonwoven fibers having an average diameter of 100 um or less under conditions effective to infiltrate a portion of the polymer foam into the mat, to provide a pre-composite; and curing the pre-composite to form the polymer foam composite. The pre-composite includes a polymer foam layer and an intermixed layer including the fibrous mat and the same polymer as the polymer of the polymer foam layer. The polymer foam composite includes a cured polymer foam layer and an intermixed layer integrally bonded to the first layer, wherein the intermixed layer includes the fibrous mat and a cured polymer the same as the polymer of the cured polymer foam layer.
1 . A method for the manufacture of a polymer foam composite, the method comprising
forming a polymer foam that is at least partially uncured;
contacting the formed polymer foam with a fibrous mat comprising a plurality of nonwoven fibers having an average diameter of 100 um or less, under conditions effective to infiltrate a portion of the polymer foam into the fibrous mat, to provide a pre-composite comprising
a polymer foam layer, and
an intermixed zone in contact with a side of the polymer foam layer, the intermixed zone comprising
the fibrous mat, and
a portion of the polymer of the polymer foam layer disposed within the fibrous mat; and
curing the pre-composite to form the polymer foam composite comprising a cured polymer foam layer; and
an intermixed layer integrally bonded to the cured polymer foam layer, the intermixed layer comprising
the fibrous mat, and
a cured polymer the same as the polymer of the cured polymer foam layer.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the polymer foam comprises mechanically frothing an uncured prepolymer composition.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting comprises casting the formed polymer foam onto the fibrous mat to form a cast polymer foam layer, wherein the cast polymer foam layer is thicker than the polymer foam layer before curing.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer foam layer comprises cells having a first shape, and the cured polymer layer comprises cells having a second shape different from the first shape.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer foam layer comprises cells having a first average diameter, and the cured polymer layer comprises cells having a second diameter different from the first diameter.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
forming polymer foam layer comprises mechanically frothing a polyurethane foam precursor composition comprising an isocyanate component, an active hydrogen-containing component reactive with the isocyanate component, a surfactant, and a catalyst;
contacting the formed polymer foam with the fibrous mat onto the fibrous mat to provide the pre-composite, wherein the fibrous mat is a fibrous polyamide mat, and the pre-composite comprises
the fibrous mat, and
a portion of the polyurethane precursor composition disposed within the fibrous mat; and
curing the pre-composite forms the polymer foam composite comprising
a cured polyurethane foam layer; and
an intermixed layer integrally bonded to the cured polyurethane foam layer, the intermixed layer comprising
the fibrous mat, and
a cured polyurethane the same as the polyurethane of the cured polyurethane foam layer.
7 . A polymer foam composite formed by the method of claim 1 .
8 . A polymer foam composite, comprising:
a cured polymer foam layer; and
an intermixed layer integrally bonded to the cured polymer foam layer, the intermixed layer comprising
a fibrous mat comprising a plurality of fibers having an average diameter of 100 um or less, and
a cured polymer the same as the polymer of the cured polymer foam layer.
9 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of fibers are coated with the cured polymer.
10 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the fibrous mat has an average pore diameter between fibers of 0.05 nm 50 mm, and wherein at least a portion of the fibrous mat retains porosity.
11 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the polymer foam composite has at least one of
a lower compressive force deflection than a polymer foam layer of the same density and thickness without the intermixed layer;
a higher compression set resistance than a polymer foam layer of the same density and thickness without the intermixed layer;
a higher tensile strength than a polymer foam layer of the same density and thickness without the intermixed layer;
a higher tear strength than a polymer foam layer of the same density and thickness without the intermixed layer; or
a higher impact reduction than a polymer foam layer of the same density and thickness without the intermixed layer.
12 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the composite has a total thickness of
150 um to 12.5 mm; or
1 millimeter or less; or
0.25 millimeter or less.
13 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the polymer foam comprises a thermosetting polymer.
14 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the fibers comprise a thermoplastic polymer.
15 . The polymer foam composite of claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer has a melt flow index effective to allow melt blowing of the thermoplastic polymer.
16 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of nonwoven fibers further comprises a crosslinking agent.
17 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of fibers are crosslinked at a point of contact between the fibers.
18 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of nonwoven fibers exclude glass.
19 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the fibrous mat has a thickness from 1 um to 12 mm.
20 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of fibers have
an average diameter of 0.5 nm to 100 um; or
an average diameter of 1 to 100 um; or
an average diameter of 0.5 to 900 nm.
21 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein the fibers have a regular or irregular cross-section.
22 . The polymer foam composite of claim 7 , wherein
the cured polymer foam layer is a cured polyurethane foam layer; and
the intermixed layer is integrally bonded to the cured polyurethane foam layer, the intermixed layer comprising
a fibrous mat comprising a plurality of nylon fibers having an average diameter of 100 um or less, and
a cured polyurethane the same as the polyurethane of the cured polyurethane foam layer.
23 . An article comprising the polymer foam composite of claim 7 .
24 . The article of claim 23 , wherein the article is an electronic device.