ULTRASONICALLY BONDED COMPOSITE MATERIALS
The present disclosure provides composite materials comprising reticular structures, such as nettings, mattings, grids, meshes or the like, ultrasonically bonded to outer layers of non-woven fibers. A composite material comprises a first layer of netting comprising strands and a second layer of nonwoven fibers in contact with the first layer. The nonwoven fibers are ultrasonically bonded to the strands of the netting at a plurality of attachment points. The basis weight of the netting and/or the fibers in the second layer are selected to optimize the bonding and increase the overall strength of the material. In embodiments wherein the composite material is used as a filter media, the filter has a longer lifespan, without compromising other performance factors, such as efficiency and capacity.
1 . A composite material comprising:
a first layer comprising a support structure; and
a second layer in contact with the support structure, the second layer comprising nonwoven fibers; and
wherein the nonwoven fibers are ultrasonically bonded to the support structure at a plurality of attachment points.
2 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the support structure is a reticular support structure and the fibers are at least partially fused to the support structure at the plurality of attachment points.
3 . The composite material of claim 2 , wherein the reticular support structure comprises a netting comprising strands.
4 . The composite material of claim 3 , wherein the strands of the netting have a basis weight of at least about 100 gsm.
5 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fibers are wet-laid fibers.
6 . The composite material of claim 5 , wherein the wet-laid fibers are foam-laid fibers.
7 . The composite material of claim 5 , wherein the wet-laid fibers comprise polyester.
8 . The composite material of claim 3 , wherein the stands of the netting have a thickness of at least about 0.025 inches.
9 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the second layer have a linear density of about 10 Denier or greater.
10 . The composite material of claim 9 , wherein the linear density is about 13 Denier or greater.
11 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the second layer have a basis weight of at least about 50 gsm.
12 . The composite material of claim 3 , wherein the netting comprises HDPE, PP, or combinations thereof.
13 . A liquid filter media comprising the composite material of claim 1 .
14 . A filter media comprising:
a first layer comprising a support structure;
a second layer in contact with the support structure, the second layer comprising nonwoven fibers; and
wherein the filter media has an average tensile strength of at least about 0.70 lbf.
15 . The filter media of claim 14 , wherein the average tensile strength is at least about 0.75 lbf.
16 . The filter media of claim 14 , wherein the average tensile strength is at least about 0.95 lbf.
17 . The filter media of claim 14 , wherein the filter media has a mean pore size of about 55 microns or less.
18 . The filter media of claim 17 , wherein a basis weight of the fibers in the second layer is about 200 gsm and the mean pore size is about 34 microns or less.
19 . The filter media of claim 17 , wherein the filter media has a maximum pore size of about 76 microns or less.
20 . The filter media of claim 19 , wherein a basis weight of the fibers in the second layer is about 200 gsm and the maximum pore size is about 52 microns or less.
21 . The filter media of claim 14 , wherein the support structure comprises a netting comprising strands and the fibers in the second layer are ultrasonically bonded to the strands of the netting at a plurality of attachment points.