Patent Description:
As a polymeric matrix of thermoset or thermoplastic with fiber reinforcement has attractive properties in terms of high strength to weight ratios. Sheet molding compositions (SMCs) have long been considered in automotive and aerospace applications as an alternative to metal body components. Similarly, thermoplastics with fiber reinforcements are able to meet performance requirements that could not be attained by thermoplastics absent such reinforcements. While there have been numerous attempts to develop models to create preforms, these have generally relied on a process of catching fibers from a slurry on a screen contoured in the shape of the desired preform, followed by a secondary drying to set the shape of the preform. Thermoplastic binders have been used in concert with heat to set the fibers in the preform shape. The preform is then subjected to optional trimming and impregnated with reactive resin through a reaction injection molding process to form a composite article. A molding technique is detailed, for example, in <CIT>. A lifting screen preform mold process and apparatus is provided for example in <CIT>.

To obtain reliable quality articles for automotive and other high stringency applications, it is important the fiber preforms and mats have piece-to-piece constituency and a uniform fiber density within various regions of the preform or mat. Typically, preforms tend to accumulate excess fibers proximal to edges while the center regions tend to be fiber deficient. This inhomogeneity in fiber density and also a degree of undesirable fiber preferential orientation are caused by fiber movement between contact with the preform mold screen and preform set of fiber position. While glass fibers are observed to have a nominal degree of fiber aggregation in a slurry that leads to the formation of an oriented clump of fibers being formed in a preform, these tendencies towards aggregation are more pronounced for other types of fibers such as carbon fibers and cellulosic-based fibers. While variant techniques have been explored, problems persist with slurry preform formation associated with limited throughput, and inhomogeneity of fiber densities within a preform.

The use of fiber inclusions to strengthen a matrix is well known to the art, and in the context of sheet molding composition (SMC) formulations and bulk molding composition (BMC) formulations; hereafter referred to collectively as "molding compositions", fiber strengthening has traditionally involved usage of chopped glass fibers. There is a growing appreciation in the field of molding compositions directed to replacing in part, or all, of the glass fiber in molding compositions with carbon fiber. However, this effort has met with limited success owing to differences between glass and carbon fibers. Specifically, these differences include fiber diameter with glass fibers used in molding compositions having typical diameters of between <NUM> and <NUM> microns while carbon fibers typically have diameters of between <NUM> and <NUM> microns. Additionally, whereas glass roving fabrics or bundles typically have tens to hundreds of individual fibers, carbon fiber tows typically come in bundles of thousands and even tens of thousands of individual fibers. A still further difference exists in the fiber-fiber interactions where glass fibers tend to scatter and debundle upon chopping, Van der Waals bonding and other inter-fiber surface interactions tend to make carbon fiber disinclined from debundling after chopping into desired lengths for use as reinforcement in a molding composition. While the debundling of carbon fiber tows is addressed in laboratory scale moldings through manual manipulation, problems exist for production scale debundling of carbon fiber tow into separate chopped carbon fibers.

Furthermore, difficulties have been encountered in producing mixed fiber resin matrix articles for the formation of a uniform layer of randomly oriented and intermixed glass fibers and carbon fibers. Similarly, the limited access to mixed fiber rovings and non-wovens has hampered efforts to reduce weight of vehicle body panels. Fibers for fiber reinforced resin molding are typically produced by chopping a tow formed of bundles of long fiber lengths into preselected lengths. While glass fibers are usually produced in tows of a few hundred fibers and cut cleanly to produce individual fibers, carbon fibers as stated previously have diameters of about <NUM> to <NUM> micrometers, much smaller than glass fibers with diameters of <NUM> to <NUM> micrometers, and are manufactured in tows that contain tens of thousands of fibers. Owing to physical and chemical differences carbon fibers tend to form clumps of fibers rather than randomly oriented, individual fibers commonly observed with glass fibers. <CIT> and <CIT> describe an apparatus to control the dispersion and deposition of chopped fibers. <CIT> describes an apparatus for uniformly dispersing and mixing chopped fibers using a truncated cone-shaped hood and a high speed downwards vortex jet.

Thus, there exists a need for a process to debundle fiber tow into separated chopped fibers in a continuous manner to provide for an even distribution of fibers in a preform, mat, or molding composition to enhance the strength of a resulting SMC, BMC, thermoplastics, and a structure formed thereof. There further exists a need for a process and system that affords a homogenous layer of randomly oriented fibers across a desired lateral extent.

A system for debundling fiber tow into chopped fibers is provided that has one or more reels of fiber tow, a cutting element configured to receive fiber tows to form chopped fibers from the fiber tows, and a cylindrical tube provided with means for directing into the tube an upward pressurized gas flow configured to receive the chopped fibers and to create a debundling vortex. A moving belt is positioned under the tube to collect the chopped fibers exiting the tube under gravity. A dispenser is positioned along the moving belt for applying a binder and optionally an additive to the chopped fibers. A treatment chamber receives the chemically treated chopped fibers.

A process for debundling fiber tow into chopped fibers as a mass on a moving belt for delivery to a treatment chamber is provided that supplies one or more reels of fiber tow to a cutting element to form chopped fibers, drops the chopped fibers into a cylindrical tube with an introduced upward pressurized gas flow to debundle the chopped fibers with formation of a debundling vortex, collects the chopped fibers exiting the tube on to the moving belt with gravity, chemically treats the chopped fibers from a dispenser above the moving belt, and provides the chemically treated chopped fibers to the treatment chamber.

The present invention has utility in debundling a large number of fibers collectively forming a tow into dispersed chopped fibers suitable for usage in molding composition formulations. According to the present invention, one or more fiber tow is fed into a fiber dosing and cutting machine where the chopped fibers are introduced into a downward airflow in a tubular tower that separates and disperses the chopped fibers onto a moving belt.

In certain embodiments, the tow is a single carbon fiber; a single glass fiber tow, or a hybrid tow containing both glass and carbon fibers that is chopped and distributed. In still other embodiments, multiple tows are simultaneously input, the multiple tows being carbon, glass, or a combination thereof. Typical lengths of chopped fibers used in the present invention typically range from <NUM> to <NUM> centimeters (cm). The diameters of fibers are appreciated to vary widely based on commercial sources with glass filler fibers having typical diameters of <NUM> to <NUM> millimeters (mm); carbon fibers having typical diameters of <NUM> to <NUM>. It should be appreciated that fiber dimensions outside of the aforementioned typical ranges exist and are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.

The tow or tows are subjected to a cutting element that divides the tow into preselected lengths of cylindrical bundles of fibers. The cutting element includes a variety of conventional blades including a spinning chopper blade, a liner actuated chopper blade, a water jet, and a laser cutter.

According to the present invention, chopped tow fibers are fed into a pressurized gas flow in a tube to induce a vortex of tumbling fibers. By controlling the time and rotation rate in the vortex, a desired degree of tow dispersion into small clusters of fibers, individual fibers or a combination thereof is obtained. The vortex formation dynamics are known to the art. While the use of a cylinder as a tube is appreciated to offer advantages in terms of uniformity owing to the limited ability of swirling gas and fibers to form eddies therein and is uniform in vertical cross-section, it is appreciated that other tube shapes are also operative herein including spherical, hemispherical, conical, and polygonal cross-section shapes, where the cross-section is triangular, square, and higher order right polygons. These other tube shapes are however not according to the invention. Briefly, by directing a pressurized gas flow into a cylindrical tube containing the chopped fibers with both rotary and vertical flow components, a vortex is formed. The dwell time of fibers in the cylindrical tube can be extended to near infinite time by controlling the upward gas flow. In some embodiments, the tube itself is rotated as well to further enhance fiber debundling and mixing in the vortex.

Gases suitable for forming a vortex in the cylindrical tube are limited only to compatibility with the fibers. Exemplary gases operative herein illustratively include air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, noble gases, and a combination thereof. It is appreciated that in addition to debundling fibers, the tube is readily provided with electrodes, <NUM> in <FIG>, to support an atmospheric pressure plasma to perform surface modification of the fibers during debundling. By way of example, surface functionality is added through plasma treatment during debundling or a fiber sizing is chemically modified to render the fiber more reactive toward a subsequently applied matrix. <CIT> is representative of such fiber modification.

In still other embodiments, the gas flow entrains a stream of particulate fillers so as to form a debundled fiber mass that includes such filler particles interspersed therethrough. Particulate fillers that are entrained within such a gas flow illustratively include inorganic particles such as silica, carbon black, calcium carbonate, a hollow glass microspheres; synthetic organic particles such as polymeric beads of polystyrene and hollow polymeric beads; and naturally occurring particles such as ground shells and husks of plants such as coconut, rice hulls, walnut shells, egg shells; and combinations thereof. Particles for entrainment are provided in a particulate reservoir <NUM> in <FIG> that meters particulate into a gas stream passing thereby.

Regardless of whether chemical modification occurs in the tube, the debundled fibers are gravity fed onto an underlying belt with a generally random fiber orientation in the plane defined by the belt. It is appreciated that such debundled fibers will tend to lay in the plane of the belt on initial deposition, defined by a zero degree angle relative to the belt plane, yet as the thickness of a layer of fibers builds on the belt, the average fiber angle of incline relative to the belt increases to values from greater than <NUM> to <NUM> degrees.

By sizing the tube relative to the width of the belt, a lateral distribution of fibers is obtained that varies by less than <NUM> fiber number percent across the width of the chopped fiber mass on the belt in some embodiments. While in other embodiments, the lateral distribution of fibers is less than <NUM> fiber number percent. It is appreciated that with resort to an inward angled rail, relative to the direction of movement of the belt, the fibers at the edges of the belt are preferentially urged inward to create a narrower lateral width of fibers on the belt, but a width that is more uniform. In some embodiments the tube is pivoted side to side relative to the direction of belt movement to vary the lateral distribution of chopped fibers on the belt.

The debundled fibers are chemically treated on the belt. Chemical treatments operative herein illustratively include silanes, silisequioxanes (SQs), and combinations thereof. It is appreciated that chemical treatments in some embodiments are accomplished with heating, actinic radiation, or plasma to promote bond formation between the additive and the fiber.

In some embodiments of the present invention, particulate filler is applied as a layer at this point in the belt transit. The particulate fillers including the aforementioned materials.

A binder is then sprayed on the chopped fiber mass. It is appreciated that the fiber mass in some embodiments is compressed prior to spray application of the binder. The binder is applied neat or a suspension or solvate in a solvent. Binders operative herein illustratively include latexes, epoxies, phenolic resins, and polyesters; and combinations thereof. It is appreciated that binder spray in some embodiments are accomplished with heating, actinic radiation, or plasma to promote bond formation between the binder and the fiber.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved fiber dispersion in terms of lateral uniformity, randomness in the plane of the belt, inclusion of particulate therein, debundling, or a combination of any of the aforementioned as compared to existing processes. The control of fiber properties and the continuous production process to produce a binder retained fiber mass according to the present invention is then available in certain embodiments to be dispersed in molding composition formulations prior to formulation cure, as well as for use in preform mats for use in composite molds illustratively including SMC and resin transfer molding (RTM). Preform mats formed by the inventive process and system are available for thermoset resin composition molding that upon cure form a variety of molded and fiber reinforced articles. Such articles are used in a variety of applications such as vehicle components such as bed lines, body components, trim, interior components, and undercar components; architectural components such as trim and doors; marine components such as hulls, trim, and cockpit pieces; and similar structures in aerospace settings.

Referring now to figures where like numerals correspond to the meanings ascribed thereto between figures, in <FIG> a cross sectional view of a fiber dosing and cutting machine is shown generally at <NUM>. One or more fiber tows <NUM> is fed from feeder reels <NUM> into a cutting element <NUM> as detailed above for chopping the tow. The one or more fiber tows may be the same material, or the tows may be a mixture of glass, carbon, natural, and chemical based tows. The chopped fibers are dropped downward through a tube <NUM> under helical gas flow in a vortex to separate and disperse the chopped fibers <NUM> on to a moving belt <NUM>. The tube <NUM> in some embodiments includes a plasma generation electrode set (not shown). As shown in the system view <NUM> in <FIG>, the chopped fibers <NUM> exiting from the fiber dosing and cutting machine <NUM> and on to the moving belt are coated with a binder applied from a dispenser <NUM>. The nature of the binder having been detailed above. It is appreciated that a similar dispenser to dispenser <NUM> is used to dispense a chemical additive prior to, or subsequent to the binder dispenser <NUM>. Such additives include the aforementioned. While not shown for visual clarity, the application of a binder or an additive each independently is accompanied with an activation energy input such as a thermal source, a light source, or a plasma source. The treated fibers are then moved into a treatment chamber <NUM> where the fibers are pressed with rollers <NUM> between the moving belt <NUM> and an upper moving belt <NUM> into a sheet or mat <NUM>. The treatment chamber has a first heating section <NUM> that cures the chemically treated fibers, and a second cooling section <NUM> prior to the exit of the sheet or mat from the chamber <NUM>. It is appreciated that the atmosphere in chamber sections <NUM> and <NUM> are each independently controlled at illustratively included air or inert gases of a preselected temperature.

The present invention is further detailed with respect to the following non-limiting example. This example is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A system for debundling fiber tow into chopped fibers comprising:
a cutting element (<NUM>) configured to receive fiber tows (<NUM>), preferably of glass, carbon, polyimides, polyesters, or polyamides, and combinations thereof, fed from one or more reels (<NUM>) of fiber tow, said cutting element preferably comprising a series of blades to form chopped fibers (<NUM>) from the fiber tows (<NUM>);
a cylindrical tube (<NUM>) configured to receive the chopped fibers and provided with means for directing into the tube (<NUM>) an upward pressurized gas flow with both rotary and vertical flow components to create a debundling vortex in the tube (<NUM>) for debundling the chopped fibers;
a moving belt (<NUM>) positioned under the tube, the moving belt being configured to collect the chopped fibers exiting the tube under gravity and to move in a direction into a treatment chamber (<NUM>);
a dispenser (<NUM>) positioned above the moving belt, the dispenser being configured to dispense a binder and optionally an additive onto the chopped fibers (<NUM>) collected on the moving belt, and thus forming chemically treated chopped fibers; and
the treatment chamber (<NUM>) is configured to receive the chemically treated chopped fibers and to form therewith a preformed mat (<NUM>).