Coated abrasive article and method of making the same

Abstract

A method of making a coated abrasive article comprises sequential steps: disposing a curable composition on a major surface of a backing b) adhering abrasive particles to the curable composition; c) at least partially curing the free-radically polymerizable component; and d) at least partially curing the phenolic resin component to provide an at least partially cured composition. The curable composition comprises a phenolic resin component, a free-radically polymerizable component, and an organic polymeric rheology modifier, wherein the organic polymeric rheology modifier comprises an alkali-swellable/soluble polymer, and wherein, on a solid basis, the organic polymeric rheology modifier comprises from 0.001 to 5 weight percent of the phenolic resin component, the free-radically polymerizable component, and the organic polymeric rheology modifier combined. A variant wherein step b) effectively occurs after step c) is also disclosed. Abrasive articles made according to the methods are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a coated abrasive article comprising sequential steps:
 a) disposing a curable composition on a major surface of a backing, wherein the backing has first and second opposed major surfaces, wherein the curable composition comprises a phenolic resin component, a free-radically polymerizable component, and an organic polymeric rheology modifier, wherein the organic polymeric rheology modifier comprises an alkali-swellable/soluble polymer, and wherein, on a solids basis, the organic polymeric rheology modifier comprises from 0.001 to 5 weight percent of the phenolic resin component, the free-radically polymerizable component, and the organic polymeric rheology modifier combined;   b) adhering abrasive particles to the curable composition;   c) at least partially curing the free-radically polymerizable component; and   d) at least partially curing the phenolic resin component to provide an at least partially cured composition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the organic polymeric rheology modifier is selected from the group consisting of alkali-swellable/soluble acrylic polymers, hydrophobically-modified alkali-swellable/soluble acrylic polymers, hydrophobically-modified ethoxylated urethane polymers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, on a solids basis, the phenolic resin component comprises from 75 to 99 weight percent of the phenolic resin component, the free-radically polymerizable component, and the organic polymeric rheology modifier combined. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, on a solids basis, the free-radically polymerizable component comprises from 1 to 25 weight percent of the phenolic resin component, the free-radically polymerizable component, and the organic polymeric rheology modifier combined. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive particles comprise shaped abrasive particles. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the shaped abrasive particles comprise precisely-shaped abrasive particles. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the shaped abrasive particles comprise precisely-shaped triangular platelets. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the free-radically polymerizable component comprises a free-radically polymerizable compound and a free-radical photoinitiator. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the free-radically polymerizable compound comprises at least two (meth)acryl groups. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 disposing a size layer precursor onto at least a portion of the abrasive particles and said at least partially cured composition; and   at least partially curing the size layer precursor.   
     
     
         11 . An abrasive article comprising abrasive particles adhered to a substrate by a binder material comprising an at least partially cured reaction product of components comprising a phenolic resin component, a free-radically polymerizable component, and an organic polymeric rheology modifier, wherein the organic polymeric rheology modifier comprises an alkali-swellable/soluble polymer, and wherein, on a solids basis, the organic polymeric rheology modifier comprises from 0.001 to 5 weight percent of the phenolic resin component, the free-radically polymerizable component, and the organic polymeric rheology modifier combined. 
     
     
         12 . The abrasive article of  claim 11 , wherein the organic polymeric rheology modifier is selected from the group consisting of alkali-swellable/soluble acrylic polymers, hydrophobically-modified alkali-swellable/soluble acrylic polymers, hydrophobically-modified ethoxylated urethane polymers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The abrasive article of  claim 11 , wherein, on a solids basis, the phenolic resin component comprises from 75 to 99 weight percent of the phenolic resin component, the free-radically polymerizable component, and the organic polymeric rheology modifier combined. 
     
     
         14 . The abrasive article of  11 , wherein, on a solids basis, the free-radically polymerizable component comprises from 1 to 25 weight percent of the phenolic resin component, the free-radically polymerizable component, and the organic polymeric rheology modifier combined. 
     
     
         15 . The abrasive article of  claim 11 , wherein the abrasive particles comprise shaped abrasive particles. 
     
     
         16 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , wherein the shaped abrasive particles comprise precisely-shaped abrasive particles. 
     
     
         17 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , wherein the shaped abrasive particles comprise precisely-shaped triangular platelets. 
     
     
         18 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , wherein the free-radically polymerizable compound comprises at least two (meth)acryl groups. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a coated abrasive article comprising sequential steps:
 a) disposing a curable composition on a major surface of a backing, wherein the backing has first and second opposed major surfaces, wherein the curable composition comprises a phenolic resin component, a free-radically polymerizable component, and an organic polymeric rheology modifier, wherein the organic polymeric rheology modifier comprises an alkali-swellable/soluble polymer, and wherein, on a solids basis, the organic polymeric rheology modifier comprises from 0.001 to 5 weight percent of the phenolic resin component, the free-radically polymerizable component, and the organic polymeric rheology modifier combined;   b) at least partially curing the free-radically polymerizable component to provide a partially cured composition;   c) adhering abrasive particles to the partially cured composition; and   d) at least partially curing the phenolic resin component.