Patent ID: 7497978

Claim:
A process for forming an abrasion-resistant composite comprising the steps of: a. providing at least one fibrous layer, wherein a portion of the fibrous layer comprises staple fibers of about 6.6 decitex or less; b. providing a first layer of adhesive to the fibrous layer, wherein the melting point of the staple fibers is higher than the melting point of the resin; c. needle-punching each said at least one fibrous layer through said first layer of adhesive by driving a plurality of said staple fibers through said first layer of adhesive so that the driven staple fibers are held within the adhesive layer in substantially the normal position; and d. applying heat and pressure to the composite from the side opposite to the needle entries to form an abrasion resistant consolidated back-face layer of comprising adhesive and the driven staple fibers, by melting the adhesive and enveloping the driven staple fibers with the molten adhesive; wherein the count of said fiber ends is at least about 2,000/cm 2 and the density of needle-punching penetrations is greater than about 40 penetrations/cm 2 , and the Wyzenbeek abrasion resistance of the abrasion resistant consolidated back-face layer is higher than about 2,000 cycles using 80-grit abrasive paper.