AIR-CURED BATTING INSULATION
Air-cured batting includes a nonwoven web. The batting contains 75 to 97.5 wt % of fiber mixture, and 2.5 to 25 wt % of resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate, wherein the resin is present on a first surface of the batting, and on a second surface of the batting, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin is adhered to fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that, by virtue of the resin, the air-cured batting has structural integrity that imparts handleability of the batting in sheet form. Articles comprising the air-cured batting and methods of making the air-cured batting are also provided.
1 . Air-cured batting comprising a nonwoven web, said batting comprising:
75 to 97.5 wt % of fiber mixture; and
2.5 to 25 wt % of resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate,
wherein the resin is present on a first surface of the batting, and on a second surface of the batting, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin is adhered to fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that, by virtue of the resin, the air-cured batting has structural integrity that imparts handleability of the batting in sheet form.
2 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , wherein the batting is in the form of a sheet.
3 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises natural fibers.
4 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises synthetic fibers.
5 . The air-cured batting according to claim 4 , wherein the synthetic fibers comprise polyester fibers.
6 . The air-cured batting according to claim 4 , wherein the synthetic fibers comprise siliconized fibers.
7 . The air-cured batting according to claim 6 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises:
25 to 90 wt % siliconized synthetic fibers.
8 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises:
35 to 80 wt % microdenier fibers; and
20 to 65 wt % macrodenier fibers.
9 . The air-cured batting according to claim 8 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises:
50 to 75 wt % microdenier fibers; and
25 to 50 wt % macrodenier fibers.
10 . The air-cured batting according to claim 8 , wherein the microdenier fibers comprise siliconized fibers.
11 . The air-cured batting according to claim 8 , wherein the macrodenier fibers comprise siliconized fibers.
12 . The air-cured batting according to claim 11 , wherein the macrodenier fibers additionally comprise non-siliconized fibers.
13 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises greater than 95 wt % polyester fibers.
14 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , wherein the air-cured batting does not comprise synthetic binder fibers.
15 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , wherein the air-cured batting does not comprise melted fibers.
16 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , wherein greater than 95% of the fibers in the fiber mixture are staple fibers.
17 . The air-cured batting according to claim 16 , wherein the staple fibers have a staple length of 12 mm to 70 mm.
18 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , further comprising a scrim layer in contact with at least one of the first surface and the second surface.
19 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , said batting comprising a plurality of nonwoven web layers.
20 . The air-cured batting according to claim 19 , wherein the plurality of nonwoven web layers are crosslapped with one another.
21 . The air-cured batting according to claim 1 , having a density of 1 to 8 kg/m 3 .
22 . An article comprising the air-cured batting according to claim 1 .
23 . The article according to claim 22 , wherein said article is selected from the group consisting of an outerwear product, clothing, a sleeping bag, and bedding.
24 . A method of making the air-cured batting according to claim 1 , said method comprising:
forming a nonwoven web from a fiber mixture and, optionally, layering two or more web layers, thereby creating an intermediate batting insulation structure having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface;
applying to the first surface and the second surface of the intermediate batting insulation structure a resin solution comprising:
15 to 60 vol. % of resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate;
20 to 80 vol. % of a fast-drying solvent that is soluble in water; and
0 to 70 vol. % water,
thereby forming a solution-applied batting structure; and
exposing the solution-applied batting structure to air, thereby causing solvent in the resin solution to evaporate and resin to cure, thus forming the air-cured batting comprising 75 to 97.5 wt % of fiber mixture and 2.5 to 25 wt % of the resin, wherein the resin is adhered to fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that, by virtue of the resin, the air-cured batting has structural integrity that imparts handleability of the batting in sheet form.
25 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein the fast-drying solvent is isopropyl alcohol.
26 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said forming a nonwoven web from the fiber mixture is performed using a carding machine or air-lay process.
27 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said applying comprises spraying the resin solution on the first surface and the second surface of the intermediate batting insulation structure.
28 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein the method does not comprise heating the nonwoven web.
29 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein the method comprises heating the nonwoven web.
30 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said exposing the solution-applied batting to air comprises subjecting the solution-applied batting to forced air or circulated air.