Provided is a filter material which can enhance the particle holding capacity of a filter while keeping the particle capture efficiency thereof and which thus ensures a prolonged filter life. The present invention pertains to a filter material comprising a spun lace nonwoven fabric which contains a thermoplastic synthetic filament nonwoven fabric as the intermediate layer.

Provided is a filter material which can enhance the particle holding capacity of a filter while keeping the particle capture efficiency thereof and which thus ensures a prolonged filter life. The present invention pertains to a filter material comprising a spun lace nonwoven fabric which contains a thermoplastic synthetic filament nonwoven fabric as the intermediate layer.

Disclosed are an annular fibrous preform and a method of preparing the same. The preform is formed by superposing and needle-punching annular units (5) containing an annular composite fabric (4), and the annular composite fabric (4) is shaped by needle-punching sector-shaped fibrous fabric (3) of the same type with an annular fibrous web (1) in advance. The method of preparing a preform involves needle-punching an annular fibrous fabric (2) formed of abutted sector-shaped fibrous fabrics with an annular fibrous web (1) in advance and fixedly joining the same into an annular composite fabric (4), and then needle-punching and forming annular units (5) to realize the preparation of the annular fibrous preform. The present method effectively eliminates the occurrence of deformation and misplacement of sector-shaped abutted fibrous fabric during needle-punching at a later stage such that the in-plane and interlayer uniformity and consistency are good, and has advantages such as high fiber content, excellent mechanical performance, and a high utilization rate of raw material, so that the friction performance of friction material is improved after a C/C composite is formed, and the combination property is excellent. The method can be applied to the production of composite material preforms for aircraft brake discs, and can also be applied to the production of friction material preforms in baking systems of high-speed trains and high-end automobiles.

Disclosed are an annular fibrous preform and a method of preparing the same. The preform is formed by superposing and needle-punching annular units (5) containing an annular composite fabric (4), and the annular composite fabric (4) is shaped by needle-punching sector-shaped fibrous fabric (3) of the same type with an annular fibrous web (1) in advance. The method of preparing a preform involves needle-punching an annular fibrous fabric (2) formed of abutted sector-shaped fibrous fabrics with an annular fibrous web (1) in advance and fixedly joining the same into an annular composite fabric (4), and then needle-punching and forming annular units (5) to realize the preparation of the annular fibrous preform. The present method effectively eliminates the occurrence of deformation and misplacement of sector-shaped abutted fibrous fabric during needle-punching at a later stage such that the in-plane and interlayer uniformity and consistency are good, and has advantages such as high fiber content, excellent mechanical performance, and a high utilization rate of raw material, so that the friction performance of friction material is improved after a C/C composite is formed, and the combination property is excellent. The method can be applied to the production of composite material preforms for aircraft brake discs, and can also be applied to the production of friction material preforms in baking systems of high-speed trains and high-end automobiles.

A microfiber nonwoven composite includes: at least one layer S that contains a first fiber component; and at least one layer M that contains a second fiber component. The second fiber component is forced at least in part into the layer S. Fibers of the first fiber component comprise melt-spun include filaments deposited as a nonwoven fabric, and which are at least partially split and solidified to form elementary filaments having an average titer of less than 1 dtex. Fibers of the second fiber component include melt-blown fibers.

A microfiber nonwoven composite includes: at least one layer S that contains a first fiber component; and at least one layer M that contains a second fiber component. The second fiber component is forced at least in part into the layer S. Fibers of the first fiber component comprise melt-spun include filaments deposited as a nonwoven fabric, and which are at least partially split and solidified to form elementary filaments having an average titer of less than 1 dtex. Fibers of the second fiber component include melt-blown fibers.

A cross-lapped multilayered batt, and a method of making the same is presented. The batt includes one or more layers of a carded web of staple fibers, and one or more continuous filament fiber layers. At least some of the staple fibers and, in some instances, some of the continuous filament fibers are mechanically entangled through a thickness of the batt. The method includes folding both the carded web and the continuous filament fiber layers together, and subjecting the folded layers to a needle-punching process to impart structural stability and enhance the Z-directional strength of the batt.

A cross-lapped multilayered batt, and a method of making the same is presented. The batt includes one or more layers of a carded web of staple fibers, and one or more continuous filament fiber layers. At least some of the staple fibers and, in some instances, some of the continuous filament fibers are mechanically entangled through a thickness of the batt. The method includes folding both the carded web and the continuous filament fiber layers together, and subjecting the folded layers to a needle-punching process to impart structural stability and enhance the Z-directional strength of the batt.

A surface covering element can have a rigid core. The rigid core can include at least one densified fiber batt. The rigid core can have a first surface and an opposed second surface that are spaced apart along a first axis. The rigid core can have a plurality of edges that define a periphery of the rigid core. The plurality of edges can include at least a first edge and an opposed second edge that are spaced along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. The first edge can include a tongue, and the second edge can define a groove.

A surface covering element can have a rigid core. The rigid core can include at least one densified fiber batt. The rigid core can have a first surface and an opposed second surface that are spaced apart along a first axis. The rigid core can have a plurality of edges that define a periphery of the rigid core. The plurality of edges can include at least a first edge and an opposed second edge that are spaced along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. The first edge can include a tongue, and the second edge can define a groove.