Patent GB-1100373-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of fibrous material
IPC: D04H1/64
Filed: 1965-03-29
Abstract: Fibrous material is formed by causing an aqueous suspension of swollen collagen fibres of microscopic size to penetrate into an intermeshed fibre mat, the fibres of which are bonded to each other at points of adjacency, and thereafter removing the swelling water from the collagen, so that the collagen fibres are reaggregated into a larger collagen-fibre structure, which reinforces the intermeshed fibres of the mat against displacement. The fibre mat may be non-woven or woven, and may be of nylon, polyester, polyacrylic, polypropylene, wool, regenerated cellulose, cellulose acetate, long collagen, or cotton fibres, and may be needled. Its fibres may be bonded to one another by fusion or welding due to chemical, solvent or thermal softening, or by an added binder.  Binders referred to are: natural or synthetic resins or rubbers, polyesters and copolyesters, phenolaldehyde condensates, amine-aldehyde condensates, polyacrylates, polyamides, polychloroprene, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer, butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyurethanes, polyureas, and mixtures of these.  They are preferably used as solutions or dispersions, dilute enough to avoid filling the pores of the mat. The binder may also contain a tanning agent that will precipitate the swollen collagen fibres, e.g. a resorcinol-formaldehyde resin. A binder such as nitrocellulose may be redistributed by the action of a solvent after the penetration of the mat by the collagen fibres.  The suspension of collagen fibres may be made by beating skin or hide, which may be lightly tanned, in water.  The collagen may be deswelled by adjusting the pH of the suspension, after it has penetrated the mat, to the isoelectric range of the collagen. Alternatively, the collagen can be deswelled by extracting the fibrous mass with distilled water, or with a solvent such as acetone or a lower alcohol.  After deswelling, the product may be tanned, and then fat-liquored, coloured or coated in the conventional way.ALSO:Fibrous material is formed by causing an aqueous suspension of swollen collagen fibres of microscopic size to penetrate into an intermeshed fibre mat, the fibres of which are bonded to each other at points of adjacency, and thereafter removing the swelling water from the collagen, so that the collagen fibres are reaggregated into a larger collagen-fibre structure, which reinforces the intermeshed fibres of the mat against displacement. The fibre mat may be non-woven or woven, and may be of nylon, polyester, polyacrylic, polypropylene, wool, regenerated cellulose, cellulose acetate, long collagen, or cotton fibres, and may be needled.  Its fibres may be bonded to one another by fusion or welding due to chemical, solvent or thermal softening, or by an added binder.  Binders referred to are: natural or synthetic resins or rubbers, polyesters and copolyesters, phenol-aldehyde condensates, amine-aldehyde condensates, polyacrylates, polyamides, polychloroprene, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer, butadienestyrene copolymer, polyurethanes, polyureas, and mixtures of these.  They are preferably used as solutions or dispersions, dilute enough to avoid filling the pores of the mat. The binder may also contain a tanning agent that will precipitate the swollen collagen fibres, e.g. a resorcinol-formaldehyde resin a binder such as nitrocellulose may be redistributed by the action of a solvent after the penetration of the mat by the collagen fibres.  The suspension of collagen fibres may be made by beating skin or hide, which may be lightly tanned, in water.  The collagen may be deswelled by adjusting the pH of the suspension, after it has penetrated the mat, to the isoelectric range of the collagen. Alternatively, the collagen can be deswelled by extracting the fibrous mass with distilled water, or with a solvent such as acetone or a lower alcohol.  After deswelling, the product may be tanned, and then fat-liquored, coloured or coated in the conventional way.