Patent GB-443890-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to materials simulating wood, and process for their manufacture
IPC: C08L61/10
Filed: 1934-06-02
Abstract: Porous material for use as a substitute for wood is made by felting organic fibres and bringing into intimate contact with the fibres a dispersion of a heat-hardenable binder, other than ceramic material, either in the presence of the liquid with which the fibres were mixed in the preliminary step to the felting or during the felting or after the fibres have been felted and dried, drying the felted mass containing the binder and simultaneously or subsequently applying heat to harden the binder, any pressure which may be applied to compact the mass containing the binder during the drying and/or heat hardening treatment being regulated so as not to destroy the porosity of the product.  Instead of a dispersion of the binder a solution may be used in which case the binder is precipitated on the fibres by adding a non-solvent therefor.  The binder may comprise heat-hardenable artificial resins, such as a phenolformaldehyde condensation product, with or without natural resins and is preferably one which can remain liquid or can be made liquid by the application of heat just prior to becoming solid.  When a dispersion of the binder is used an aqueous dispersion of the binder is preferably used and a protective colloid such as gum arabic may be incorporated therein. When a solution of the binder is used an alcoholic solution may be used and the binder precipitated by means of water.  Fibrous materials specified are wood pulp, e.g. pine pulp; cellulose wood, bamboo and sugar cane fibre; straw and cotton. Reinforcing material such as wire, textile threads, woven wire or textile material and filling material such as cork or wood flour may also be incorporated in the mass.ALSO:Porous material for use as a substitute for wood is made by felting organic fibres and bringing into intimate contact with the fibres a dispersion of a heat-hardenable binder, other than ceramic material, either in the presence of the liquid with which the fibres were mixed in the preliminary step to the felting or during the felting or after the fibres have been felted and dried, drying the felted mass containing the binder and simultaneously or subsequently applying heat to harden the binder, any pressure which may be applied to compact the mass containing the binder during the drying and/or heat-hardening treatment being regulated so as not to destroy the porosity of the product.  Instead of a dispersion of the binder a solution may be used in which case the binder is precipitated on the fibres by adding a non-solvent therefor.  The binder, may comprise heat-hardenable artificial resins such as a phenol-formaldehyde condensation product, with or without natural resins and is preferably one which can remain liquid or can be made liquid by the application of heat just prior to becoming solid.  When a dispersion of the binder is used an aqueous dispersion of the binder is preferably used and a protective colloid such as gum arabic may be incorporated therein. When a solution of the binder is used an alcoholic solution may be used and the binder precipitated by means of water.  Fibrous materials specified are wood pulp, e.g. pine pulp; cellulose, wood, bamboo and sugar cane fibre; straw and cotton.  Reinforcing material such as wire, textile threads, woven wire or textile material and filling material such as cork or wood flour may also be incorporated in the mass.  According to the Provisional Specification any hardenable binder may be used, e.g. binders which may be hardened by a chemical treatment such as oxidation or tanning; linseed oil and natural resins are specified as binders.