Polymer, polymer microfiber, polymer nanofiber and applications including filter structures
Disclosed are improved polymer materials. Also disclosed are fine fiber materials that can be made from the improved polymeric materials in the form of microfiber and nanofiber structures. The microfiber and nanofiber structures can be used in a variety of useful applications including the formation of filter materials.
1. A filter media comprising a fine fiber layer having a basis weight of 0.0001 to 24 gm/m 2 and a melt blown substrate, the fine fiber comprising a polymer comprising the reaction product of a polyvinyl alcohol and a crosslinking agent, the fiber having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 0.5 micron, the substrate comprising a filtration medium; wherein after exposure to air at 140° F. and 100% relative humidity for 1 to 16 hours at least 50% of the fine fiber remains substantially unchanged.
2. The media of claim 1 wherein the fine fiber comprises a blend of two polyvinyl alcohol polymers and has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 micron.
3. The media of claim 1 wherein the fine fiber has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 micron.
4. The media of claim 1 wherein the media, when exposed to an air stream having a temperature of about 140° F. and a relative humidity of about 100%, greater than about 50% of the fiber survives for more than 16 hours.
5. The media of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a woven or non-woven substrate.
6. The media of claim 5 wherein the non-woven substrate comprises a fiber selected from cellulose, glass, polymer, metal, and combinations thereof.
7. The media of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises spunbonded polymeric non-woven fabric.
8. The media of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a non-woven polymeric fabric.
9. The filter media of claim 1 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises urea formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, or mixtures thereof.
10. The fine fiber of claim 9 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a dialdehyde, trialdehyde, tetraaldehyde, a diacid, a urethane reactant, epoxy reactant, or mixtures thereof.
11. A filter media comprising a fine fiber layer having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 0.5 micron and a basis weight of 0.0001 to 24 gm/m 2 and a filtration substrate having a basis weight of about 8 to 200 grams/meter 2 , the fine fiber comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a blend of a hydrophobic additive and a nylon 66, the fine fiber having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 0.5 micron;
(b) a blend of a hydrophobic additive and a polymer comprising a blend of at least two different nylon polymers, the fine fiber having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 0.5 micron;
(c) a blend of a hydrophobic additive and a nylon polymer comprising a nylon other than a copolymner formed from a cyclic lactam and a C 6-10 diamine monomer or a C 6-10 diacid monomer, the fine fiber having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 0.5 micron; or
(d) mixtures thereof; wherein after exposure to air at 140° F. and 100% relative humidity for 1 to 16 hours at least 50% of the fine fiber remains substantially unchanged; the substrate comprising a filtration medium.
12. The media of claim 11 wherein the fine fiber comprises a blend of two nylon polymers and has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 micron.
13. The media of claim 11 wherein the fine fiber layer survives immersion in hot water at 140° F. and at least 50% of the fiber survives after 5 minutes.
14. The media of claim 11 wherein the media, when exposed to an air stream having a temperature of about 140° F. and a relative humidity of about 100%, greater than about 50% of the fiber survives for more than 16 hours.
15. The media of claim 11 wherein the substrate comprises a woven or non-woven substrate.
16. The media of claim 15 wherein the non-woven substrate comprises a fiber selected from cellulose, glass, polymer, metal, and combinations thereof.
17. The media of claim 11 wherein the substrate comprises spunbonded polymeric non-woven fabric.
18. The media of claim 11 wherein the substrate comprises a non-woven polymeric fabric.
19. A filter media comprising a fine fiber layer having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 0.5 micron and a basis weight of 0.0001 to 24 gm/m 2 and a filtration substrate having a basis weight of about 8 to 200 grams/meter 2 , the fine fiber comprising the reaction product of a polymer resin and a cross linking agent; wherein after exposure to air at 140° F. and 100% relative humidity for 1 to 16 hours at least 50% of the fine fiber remains substantially unchanged.
20. The media of claim 19 wherein the fine fiber comprises a blend of two polymer resins and has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 micron.
21. The media of claim 19 wherein the media, when exposed to an air stream having a temperature of about 140° F. and a relative humidity of about 100%, greater than about 50% of the fiber survives for more than 16 hours.
22. The media of claim 19 wherein the substrate comprises a woven or non-woven substrate.
23. The media of claim 22 wherein the non-woven substrate comprises a fiber selected from cellulose, glass, polymer, metal, and combinations thereof.
24. The media of claim 19 wherein the substrate comprises spunbonded polymeric non-woven fabric.
25. The media of claim 19 wherein the substrate comprises a non-woven polymeric fabric.
26. The filter media of claim 19 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises urea formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, or mixtures thereof.
27. The fine fiber of claim 19 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a dialdehyde, trialdehyde, tetraaldehyde, a diacid, a urethane reactant, epoxy reactant, or mixtures thereof.
28. A filter media comprising a fine fiber layer having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 0.5 micron and a basis weight of 0.0001 to 24 gm/m 2 and a filtration substrate having a basis weight of about 8 to 200 grams/meter 2 , the fine fiber comprising an electrospun fiber comprising the reaction product of a polymer resin and a crosslinking agent; wherein after exposure to air at 140° F. and 100% relative humidity for I to 16 hours at least 50% of the fine fiber remains substantially unchanged.
29. The media of claim 28 wherein the fine fiber comprises a blend of two polymer resins and has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 micron.
30. The media of claim 28 wherein the fine fiber has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 micron.
31. The media of claim 28 wherein the media, when exposed to an air stream having a temperature of about 140° F. and a relative humidity of about 100%, greater than about 50% of the fiber survives for more than 16 hours.
32. The media of claim 28 wherein the substrate comprises a woven or non-woven substrate.
33. The media of claim 32 wherein the non-woven substrate comprises a fiber selected from cellulose, glass, polymer, metal, and combinations thereof.
34. The media of claim 28 wherein the substrate comprises spun bonded polymeric non-woven fabric.
35. The media of claim 28 wherein the substrate comprises a non-woven polymeric fabric.
36. The filter media of claim 28 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises urea formaldehyde, melaniine formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, or mixtures thereof.
37. The fine fiber of claim 28 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a dialdehyde, trialdehyde, tetraaldehyde, a diacid, a urethane reactant, epoxy reactant, or mixtures thereof.
38. A filter media comprising a fine fiber layer having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 2 micron end a basis weight of 0.0001 to 24 gm/m 2 , the layer having a thickness of about 1 to 100 times the fiber diameter, and a non-woven filtration substrate, the fine fiber layer comprising the reaction product of a polyurethane polymer and a crosslinking agent; wherein the fiber, when exposed to an air stream having a temperature of about 140° F. and a relative humidity of about 100%, greater than about 50% of the fiber survives for more than 1–16 hours.
39. The media of claim 38 wherein the fine fiber comprises a blend of two polymers and has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 micron.
40. The media of claim 38 wherein the fine fiber has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 micron.
41. The media of claim 38 wherein the fine fiber comprises about 0.1 to 40 wt % of the crosslinking agent.
42. The media of claim 41 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises urea formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, or mixtures thereof.
43. The media of claim 41 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a dialdehyde, trialdehyde, tetraaldehyde, a diacid, a urethane reactant, epoxy rcactant, or mixtures thereof.
44. The media of claim 38 comprising a layer having a thickness of less than about 30 microns.
45. The media of claim 38 comprising a layer having a thickness of less than about 20 microns.
46. A filter media comprising a fine fiber layer having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 2 microns and a basis weight of 0.0001 to 24 gm/m 2 , the layer having a thickness of about 1 to 100 times the fiber diameter, and a non-woven substrate, the fine fiber layer comprising a polyurethane polymer and a resinous additive comprising an oligomer having a molecular weight of about 500 to 3000 and an aromatic character; wherein the additive miscible in the polymer and wherein the fiber, when exposed to an air stream having a temperature of about 140° F. and a relative humidity of about 100%, greater than about 50% of the fiber survives for more than 1–16 hours.
47. The media of claim 46 wherein the fine fiber comprises a blend of two polymers and has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 micron.
48. The media of claim 46 wherein the fine fiber has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 micron.
49. The media of claim 46 wherein the fine fiber comprises about 0,1 to 40 wt % of the resinous additive.
50. The media of claim 49 wherein the resinous additive comprises a phenolic oligomer.
51. The media of claim 50 wherein the resinous additive comprises an oligonier comprising a t-butyl phenol.
52. The media of claim 46 comprising a layer having a thickness of less than about 30 microns.
53. The media of claim 46 comprising a layer having a thickness of less than about 20 microns.
54. A filter media comprising a fine fiber layer having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 2 micron and a basis weight of 0.0001 to 24 gm/m 2 , the layer having a thickness of about 1 to 100 times the fiber diameter, and a non-woven filtration substrate, the fine fiber layer comprising the reaction product of an addition polymer and a crosslinking agent; wherein the fiber, whcn exposed to an air stream having a temperature of about 140° F. and a relative humidity of about 100%, greater than about 50% of the fiber survives for more than 1–16 hours.
55. The media of claim 54 wherein the fine fiber comprises a blend of two polymers and has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 micron.
56. The media of claim 54 wherein the fine fiber has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 micron.
57. The media of claim 54 wherein the fine fiber comprises about 0.1 to 40 wt % of the crosslinking agent.
58. The media of claim 57 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises urea formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, or mixtures thereof.
59. The media of claim 57 wherein the crosslinkng agent comprises a dialdehyde, trialdehyde, tetraaldehyde, a diacid, a urethane reactant, epoxy reactant, or mixtures thereof.
60. The media of claim 54 comprising a layer having a thickness of less than about 30 microns.
61. The media of claim 54 comprising a layer having a thickness of less than about 20 microns.
62. A fiber media comprising a fine fiber layer having a fiber size of about 0.01 to 2 micron and a basis weight of 0.0001 to 24 gm/m 2 , the layer having a thickness of about 1 to 100 times the fiber diameter and a non-woven filtration substrate, the fine fiber layer the reaction product of a condensation polymer and a crosslinking agent; wherein the fiber, when exposed to an air stream having a temperature of about 140° F. and a relative humidity of about 100%, greater than about 50% of the fiber survives for more than 1–16 hours.
63. The media of claim 62 wherein the fine fiber comprises a blend of two polymers and has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 micron.
64. The media of claim 62 wherein the fine fiber has a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 micron.
65. The media of claim 62 wherein the fine fiber comprises about 0.1 to 40 wt % of the crosslinking agent.
66. The media of claim 65 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises urea formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, or mixtures thereof.
67. The media of claim 65 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a dialdehyde, trialdehyde, tetraaldehyde, a diacid, a urethane reactant, epoxy reactant, or mixtures thereof.
68. The media of claim 62 comprising a layer having a thickness of less than about 30 microns.
69. The media of claim 62 comprising a layer having a thickness of less than about 20 microns.