Fiber-reinforced coated mats and mat-faced panels and methods

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced coated mats and fiber-reinforced coated mat-faced panels are provided herein, along with methods for making the same. Fiber-reinforced coated mats include a mat with a fiber-reinforced coating on one surface. Fiber-reinforced coated mat-faced panels include a fiber-coated mat and a panel material in contact with a surface of the mat opposite the fiber-reinforced coating. Methods include applying a fiber-reinforced coating to a surface of a mat to form a coated mat and drying the coated mat to cure the fiber-reinforced coating. Some methods also include combining the mat with a panel material to form a mat-faced panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a fiber-reinforced coated mat-faced panel, comprising:
 applying a fiber-reinforced coating to a first surface of a first mat to form a coated first mat;   drying the coated first mat to cure the fiber-reinforced coating; and   combining the first mat with a panel material to form a mat-faced panel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced coating comprises fibers and a coating base. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the coating base comprises resin, latex, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fibers are selected from the group consisting of: nylon fibers, polyester fibers, polypropylene fibers, glass fibers, wood cellulose fibers, aramid fibers, acrylic fibers, polyvinyl chloride fibers, polyvinyl acetate fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyurethane fibers, fire resistant or flame retardant polymer fibers, single-crystal calcium sulfate anhydrite whiskers, single-crystal magnesium aluminate whiskers, single-crystal magnesium silicate whiskers, single-crystal calcium silicate whiskers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fibers have a nominal length from about 1/16 inch to 1.5 inch, and an aspect ratio at least 10. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fiber-reinforced coating comprises fibers in an amount from about 0.01 weight percent to about 5 weight percent of the coating, on a wet basis. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fiber-reinforced coating comprises flake-shaped or ribbon-shaped materials selected from the group consisting of: polyester, aluminum, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylics, polyurethane, paper, mica, and graphite. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first mat comprises a non-woven mat of fibers having a longer average length than the fibers of the fiber-reinforced coating. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming the first mat comprising fibers in a wet-laid process; and   drying the first mat comprising fibers,   wherein applying the fiber-reinforced coating to the first surface of the first mat comprising fibers occurs prior to drying the first mat comprising fibers.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming the first mat comprising fibers in a wet-laid process; and   drying the first mat comprising fibers,   wherein applying the fiber-reinforced coating to the first surface of the first mat comprising fibers occurs after drying the first mat comprising fibers.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein combining the first mat with the panel material comprises:
 applying a panel material slurry onto a second surface of the first mat; and   drying the panel material and the first mat to form the mat-faced panel.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the panel material comprises gypsum or foam. 
     
     
         13 . A fiber-reinforced coated mat-faced panel, comprising:
 a first mat having a first surface and a second surface, the first mat comprising a fiber-reinforced coating on the first surface; and   a panel material in contact with the second surface of the first mat.   
     
     
         14 . The panel of  claim 13 , wherein the fiber-reinforced coating comprises fibers and a coating base. 
     
     
         15 . The panel of  claim 14 , wherein the coating base comprises resin, latex, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The panel of  claim 14 , wherein the fibers are selected from the group consisting of: nylon fibers, polyester fibers, polypropylene fibers, glass fibers, wood cellulose fibers, aramid fibers, acrylic fibers, polyvinyl chloride fibers, polyvinyl acetate fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyurethane fibers, fire resistant or flame retardant polymer fibers, single-crystal calcium sulfate anhydrite whiskers, single-crystal magnesium aluminate whiskers, single-crystal magnesium silicate whiskers, single-crystal calcium silicate whiskers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The panel of  claim 14 , wherein the fibers have a nominal length from about 1/16 inch to 1.5 inch, and an aspect ratio at least 10. 
     
     
         18 . The panel of  claim 14 , wherein the fiber-reinforced coating comprises fibers in an amount from about 0.01 weight percent to about 5 weight percent of the coating, on a wet basis. 
     
     
         19 . The panel of  claim 13 , wherein the first mat comprises a non-woven mat of fibers having a longer average length than the fibers of the fiber-reinforced coating. 
     
     
         20 . The panel of  claim 13 , wherein the panel material comprises gypsum or foam.