Air-cured batting insulation

Abstract

Air-cured batting includes a nonwoven web. The batting contains 75 to 97.5 wt % of fiber mixture, and 2.5 to 25 wt % of resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate, wherein the resin is present on a first surface of the batting, and on a second surface of the batting, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin is adhered to fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that, by virtue of the resin, the air-cured batting has structural integrity that imparts handleability of the batting in sheet form. Articles comprising the air-cured batting and methods of making the air-cured batting are also provided.

1 . Air-cured batting comprising a nonwoven web, said batting comprising:
 75 to 97.5 wt % of fiber mixture; and   2.5 to 25 wt % of resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate,   wherein the resin is present on a first surface of the batting, and on a second surface of the batting, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin is adhered to fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that, by virtue of the resin, the air-cured batting has structural integrity that imparts handleability of the batting in sheet form.   
     
     
         2 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the batting is in the form of a sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises natural fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 4 , wherein the synthetic fibers comprise polyester fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 4 , wherein the synthetic fibers comprise siliconized fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 6 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises:
 25 to 90 wt % siliconized synthetic fibers.   
     
     
         8 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises:
 35 to 80 wt % microdenier fibers; and   20 to 65 wt % macrodenier fibers.   
     
     
         9 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 8 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises:
 50 to 75 wt % microdenier fibers; and   25 to 50 wt % macrodenier fibers.   
     
     
         10 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 8 , wherein the microdenier fibers comprise siliconized fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 8 , wherein the macrodenier fibers comprise siliconized fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 11 , wherein the macrodenier fibers additionally comprise non-siliconized fibers. 
     
     
         13 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber mixture comprises greater than 95 wt % polyester fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the air-cured batting does not comprise synthetic binder fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the air-cured batting does not comprise melted fibers. 
     
     
         16 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , wherein greater than 95% of the fibers in the fiber mixture are staple fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 16 , wherein the staple fibers have a staple length of 12 mm to 70 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , further comprising a scrim layer in contact with at least one of the first surface and the second surface. 
     
     
         19 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , said batting comprising a plurality of nonwoven web layers. 
     
     
         20 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of nonwoven web layers are crosslapped with one another. 
     
     
         21 . The air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , having a density of 1 to 8 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         22 . An article comprising the air-cured batting according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         23 . The article according to  claim 22 , wherein said article is selected from the group consisting of an outerwear product, clothing, a sleeping bag, and bedding. 
     
     
         24 . A method of making the air-cured batting according to  claim 1 , said method comprising:
 forming a nonwoven web from a fiber mixture and, optionally, layering two or more web layers, thereby creating an intermediate batting insulation structure having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface;   applying to the first surface and the second surface of the intermediate batting insulation structure a resin solution comprising:
 15 to 60 vol. % of resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate; 
 20 to 80 vol. % of a fast-drying solvent that is soluble in water; and 
 0 to 70 vol. % water, 
   thereby forming a solution-applied batting structure; and   exposing the solution-applied batting structure to air, thereby causing solvent in the resin solution to evaporate and resin to cure, thus forming the air-cured batting comprising 75 to 97.5 wt % of fiber mixture and 2.5 to 25 wt % of the resin, wherein the resin is adhered to fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that, by virtue of the resin, the air-cured batting has structural integrity that imparts handleability of the batting in sheet form.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the fast-drying solvent is isopropyl alcohol. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said forming a nonwoven web from the fiber mixture is performed using a carding machine or air-lay process. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said applying comprises spraying the resin solution on the first surface and the second surface of the intermediate batting insulation structure. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the method does not comprise heating the nonwoven web. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the method comprises heating the nonwoven web. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said exposing the solution-applied batting to air comprises subjecting the solution-applied batting to forced air or circulated air.