Laminate Facing for Fiber Reinforced Materials and Composite Materials Formed Therefrom

Abstract

The present invention provides a laminate material having a polyester film and a web of polyester fibers cohesively bonded directly thereto, such that portions of the fibers are bonded to the polyester film and portions of the fibers are free from the polyester film. The invention may also include a glass reinforced polymer layer formed on the laminated facer where the polymer of the glass reinforced polymer layer is commingled with the nonwoven of the laminated facer. The laminate may further include a second polymer layer having a thickness joined to the fiber layer and/or a layer of hot melt adhesive applied to the polyester fibers. Also presented is a composite material having a polyester film, a layer of polyester fibers bonded to the second polymer layer; a second polymer layer joined to the polyester film; and a glass reinforced polymer layer formed on the laminated facer, where the polymer of the glass reinforced polymer layer is commingled with the nonwoven of the laminated facer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laminate material comprising:
 a base layer of a polymer film   a heat sealable polymer film having a thickness of 0.5-5 mil, and   a bonded fiber web having a density of 17-100 GSM and including polymer fibers cohesively bonded directly thereto, such that portions of the fibers are bonded to the polymer film and portions of the fibers are free from the polymer film.   
     
     
         2 . The laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer film is a polyester film. 
     
     
         3 . The laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer film is a polyethylene terephthalate film. 
     
     
         4 . The laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer fibers comprise polyester. 
     
     
         5 . The laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         6 . The laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer film is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, poly(methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyvinyl fluoride, polyester, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurea, polyvinyl chloride, EMA, or EVA. 
     
     
         7 . The laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, poly(methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyvinyl fluoride, polyester, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurea, polyvinyl chloride, EMA, or EVA. 
     
     
         8 . The laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer has a softening point T1 and the and the heat sealable layer has a softening point T2, such that T2<T1. 
     
     
         9 . The laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the monocomponent fibers have a softening point T3 such that T3>T2. 
     
     
         10 . The laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein a polymer in the multicomponent fibers has a softening point T4 such that T4<T1 
     
     
         11 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the bonded fiber web includes a mixture of monocomponent fibers and multicomponent fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the bonded fiber has a density of 20-50 GSM and the web includes staple fibers. 
     
     
         13 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the bonded fiber has a density of 20-50 GSM and the web includes continuous fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the cohesive bond is selected from the group consisting of melt bonding, point bonding and roll bonding. 
     
     
         15 . The laminate of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a layer selected from the group consisting of: a metal layer, an ink layer, a polymer layer deposited on at least one surface of the laminate.   
     
     
         16 . The laminate of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a layer applied to the base layer opposite heat sealable layer, the layer se      polymers (polyethylene, low melt PET, acrylic, polyurethane, ink, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurea or polyvinyl chloride) or a vapor deposited metals   
     
     
         17 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester film has a thickness of 0.5-3.0 MIL. 
     
     
         18 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester film has a thickness of 0.5-3.0 MIL and the nonwoven has a density of 30-65 GSM. 
     
     
         18 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester film has a thickness of 0.5-1.5 MIL and the nonwoven has a density of 17-35 GSM. 
     
     
         19 . The laminate of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an extrusion coated polymer layer having a thickness of 30-260 GSM joined to the nonwoven.   
     
     
         20 . The laminate of  claim 19 , wherein the extrusion coated polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyester, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurea, polyvinyl chloride, EMA, or EVA. 
     
     
         21 . A composite material, comprising:
 a laminated facer having a polymer film having a thickness of 0.5-5 mil and a bonded fiber web having a density of 17-100 GSM fibers being cohesively bonded directly to the polymer film, such that portions of the fibers are bonded to the polymer film and portions of the fibers are free from the polymer film; and   a fiber reinforced polymer layer formed on the laminated facer;
 whereby, the polymer of the reinforced polymer layer is commingled with the nonwoven of the laminated facer. 
   
     
     
         22 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein the polymer film is a polyester film. 
     
     
         23 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein the polymer film is a polyethylene terephthalate film. 
     
     
         24 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein the polymer fibers comprise polyester. 
     
     
         25 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein the polymer polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         26 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein the polymer film is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, poly(methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyvinyl fluoride, polyester, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurea, polyvinyl chloride, EMA, or EVA. 
     
     
         27 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein the polymer fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, poly(methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyvinyl fluoride, polyester, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurea, polyvinyl chloride, EMA, or EVA. 
     
     
         28 . The material of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a layer selected from the group consisting of: a metal layer, an ink layer, a polymer layer deposited on at least one surface of the laminate.   
     
     
         29 . The laminate of  claim 21 , wherein the polyester film has a thickness of 0.5-3.0 MIL and the nonwoven has a density of 17-50 GSM. 
     
     
         30 . A laminate material comprising:
 a polyester film having a thickness of 0.5-2 mil,   a bonded fiber web having a density of 17-100 GSM and including 20% PET fibers and 80% PET bicomponent fibers cohesively bonded directly to the polyester film, such that portions of the fibers are bonded to the polyester film and portions of the fibers are free from the polyester film.