Abrasive articles and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

A coated abrasive article having a reinforced vulcanized fiber backing with an abrasive layer affixed thereto and methods of making and using the same. The reinforced vulcanized fiber backing contains a reinforcing material that comprises a reaction product of a curable material.

1 . A coated abrasive article comprising a reinforced vulcanized fiber backing having first and second major surfaces, the first major surface having an abrasive layer affixed thereto, wherein the reinforced vulcanized fiber backing has a reinforcing material distributed substantially throughout the vulcanized fiber backing, wherein the reinforcing material comprises from 0.1 to 20 percent by weight, based on the combined weight of the reinforcing material and vulcanized fiber backing, and wherein the reinforcing material comprises a reaction product of an aqueous organic curable material selected from the group consisting of phenolic resins, aldehydes, aminoplasts, urea-formaldehyde resins, polyaziridines, polyepoxides, polyisocyanates, curable latex emulsions, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       2 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is distributed substantially uniformly throughout the vulcanized fiber backing.  
   
   
       3 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material comprises at least one material that is a reaction product of at least one curable material selected from the group consisting of phenolic resins, aminoplasts, urea-formaldehyde resins, curable latex emulsions, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       4 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive article comprises an abrasive disc.  
   
   
       5 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive article comprises an endless abrasive belt.  
   
   
       6 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material comprises from 5 to 15 percent by weight, based on the combined weight of the reinforcing material and vulcanized fiber backing.  
   
   
       7 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced vulcanized fiber backing has a thickness in a range of from 0.15 to 1.8 millimeters.  
   
   
       8 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive layer comprises make and size layers.  
   
   
       9 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive layer comprises abrasive particles distributed in a binder.  
   
   
       10 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive layer comprises a reaction product of components comprising at least one of a polyepoxide, a poly(meth)acrylate, urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, phenolic resin, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       11 . A coated abrasive article according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive article further comprises at least one of a presize, subsize, backsize, tie layer or supersize.  
   
   
       12 . A method of abrading a surface of a workpiece, the method comprising: 
 providing a coated abrasive article according to  claim 1;     frictionally contacting the abrasive layer with a surface of the workpiece; and    moving at least one of the abrasive layer and the surface of the workpiece relative to the other to abrade at least a portion of the surface of the workpiece.    
   
   
       13 . A method of making a coated abrasive article, the method comprising: 
 impregnating a vulcanized fiber backing having first and second major surfaces with a curable material;    at least partially curing the curable material to provide a reinforcing material wherein the reinforcing material comprises from 0.1 to 20 percent by weight, based on the combined weight of the reinforcing material and vulcanized fiber backing, and wherein the reinforcing material comprises a reaction product of an aqueous organic curable material selected from the group consisting of phenolic resins, aldehydes, aminoplasts, urea-formaldhyde resins, polyaziridines, polyepoxides, polyisocyanates, curable latex emulsions, and combinations thereof; and    affixing an abrasive layer to the first major surface of the reinforced vulcanized fiber backing.    
   
   
       14 . A method of making a coated abrasive article according to  claim 13 , wherein the curable material is selected from the group consisting of phenolic resins, aminoplasts, urea-formaldehyde resins, curable latex emulsions, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       15 . A method of making a coated abrasive article according to  claim 13 , wherein the reinforcing material comprises from 5 to 15 percent by weight, based on the combined weight of the reinforcing material and vulcanized fiber backing.  
   
   
       16 . A method of making a coated abrasive article according to  claim 13 , wherein the resin impregnated vulcanized fiber backing has a thickness in a range of from 0.15 to 1.8 millimeters.  
   
   
       17 . A method of making a coated abrasive article according to  claim 13 , wherein the abrasive layer comprises make and size layers.  
   
   
       18 . A method of making a coated abrasive article according to  claim 17 , further comprising applying a supersize to the size layer.  
   
   
       19 . A method of making a coated abrasive article according to  claim 13 , wherein the abrasive layer comprises a slurry layer.  
   
   
       20 . A method of making a coated abrasive article according to  claim 13 , wherein the abrasive article comprises an abrasive disc.  
   
   
       21 . A method of making a coated abrasive article according to  claim 13 , wherein the abrasive article comprises an endless abrasive belt.  
   
   
       22 . A method of making a coated abrasive article according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the make or size layers comprises a reaction product of components comprising at least one of a polyepoxide, a poly(meth)acrylate, urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, phenolic resin, or a combination thereof.