Water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating textile material and uses thereof

Abstract

This invention provides a water-based elastomeric composition free from aromatics or similar solvents comprising: an elastomer, a thickener, titanium dioxide, an antioxidant, a fungicide, water and optionally a coloring agent. The composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor and may be impregnated to a textile material, preferably a fiber glass textile.

Claims

1. A water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, comprising: an elastomer consisting of natural latex or styrene butadiene latex, or mixtures thereof; kaolin ranging from about 4 wt % to about 17 wt %; titanium dioxide ranging from about 1 wt % to about 15 wt %; a phenol compound ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 4 wt %; an aldehyde compound ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 3 wt %; water ranging from about 1 wt % to about 8 wt %; and sodium benzoate ranging from about 15 wt % to about 35 wt %.

2. The water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, according to claim 1, wherein the styrene butadiene latex does not exceed about 85% of the total weight percent of the composition and the natural latex is present from about 1% to about 80% of the total weight percent of the composition.

3. The water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, according to claim 1, comprising up to 3 wt % blue phthalocyanine.

4. The water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, according to claim 1, wherein the aldehyde compound is glutaraldehyde.

5. The water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, according to claim 1, wherein the phenol compound is a styrenated phenol.

6. A process to manufacture an impregnated fiber glass used to create insulting joints and seals which comprises: preparing a water base elastomeric mixture as claimed in claim 1; impregnating a fiber glass with the water-base elastomeric mixture by means of a calendaring process, where the fiber glass is impregnated with the support of rollers; and curing the impregnated fiber glass in a drying oven.

7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the curing temperature varies approximately about between 70 C. and 90 C.

8. A water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating wire inserted fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, comprising: an elastomer consisting of natural latex or styrene butadiene latex, or mixtures thereof; kaolin ranging from about 4 wt % to about 17 wt %; titanium dioxide ranging from about 1 wt % to about 15 wt %; a phenol compound ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 4 wt %; an aldehyde compound ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 3 wt %; water ranging from about 1 wt % to about 8 wt %; and sodium benzoate ranging from about 15 wt % to about 35 wt %.

9. The water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating wire inserted fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, according to claim 8, wherein the wire inserts are brass wire inserts, stainless steel wire inserts, or a mixture thereof.

10. The water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating wire inserted fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, according to claim 9, wherein the wire inserts are brass wire inserts.

11. The water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating wire inserted fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, according to claim 8, wherein the aldehyde compound is glutaraldehyde.

12. The water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating wire inserted fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, according to claim 8, wherein the phenol compound is a styrenated phenol.

13. A water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating wire inserted fiber glass textile materials of claim 8, comprising up to 3 wt % of blue phthalocyanine.

14. A wire inserted fiber glass material used for insulating, gasketing, joints or sealing purposes impregnated with a water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating wire inserted fiber glass textile materials, free from aromatic solvents, said composition comprising: an elastomer consisting of natural latex or styrene butadiene latex, or mixtures thereof; kaolin ranging from about 4 wt % to about 17 wt %; titanium dioxide ranging from about 1 wt % to about 15 wt %; a phenol compound ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 4 wt %; an aldehyde compound ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 3 wt %; water ranging from about 1 wt % to about 8 wt %; and sodium benzoate ranging from about 15 wt % to about 35 wt %; wherein said metallic inserts may help to maintain shape memory while folding during manufacturing.

15. The wire inserted fiber glass material used for insulating, gasketing, joints or sealing purposes according to claim 14, wherein the wire inserts are brass wire inserts, stainless steel wire inserts, or a mixture thereof.

16. The wire inserted fiber glass material according to claim 14, resisting temperatures up to about 400 C. and pressures up to about 40 bar.

17. A joint, gasket or insulating seal comprising the wire inserted fiber glass material of claim 14.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 represents a seal or joint (EV 180 style): fiberglass cloth impregnated with the water base elastomeric composition of the invention in white color.

(2) FIG. 2 represents a seal or joint (EV 180 B1 style): fiberglass cloth impregnated with water base elastomeric composition of the invention in light blue color.

(3) FIG. 3 represents a textile material impregnated with the water-base elastomeric composition (EV 185 style).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) The following definitions are provided to allow for a better comprehension of the invention:

(5) The use of the term approximately or about provides an additional determined range. The term is defined in the following way. The additional range provided by the term is approximately 10%. By way of example, but not limitative, if it reads approximately 40 cm, the exact range is between 36 to 44 centimeters.

(6) According to the present invention, the applicant has developed a water-based elastomeric composition for impregnating textiles, eliminating risk situations both for the environment, the factory workers and no less importantly, for the end user of the impregnated textile, especially for textile fibers, such as can be fiberglass.

(7) The water-based elastomeric composition of the invention comprises: an elastomer, a thickener, titanium dioxide, an antioxidant, a fungicide, water and optionally a coloring agent.

(8) In a preferred embodiment, the water-based elastomeric composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor.

(9) The elastomer is selected, for example, from natural latex, styrene butadiene latex, or mixtures thereof. The styrene butadiene latex may be present from about 0% to about 85% of the total weight percent of the composition, preferably from about 55-80 wt %, from about 40-60 wt %. The natural latex may be present from about 1% to about 80% of the total weight percent of the composition, preferably from about 58-70 wt %, from about 65-75 wt %, from about 7-17 wt %, from about 5.5-13.5 wt %.

(10) The thickener may be selected from kaolin. Said thickener may be present from about 0 wt % to about 17 wt %, preferably from about 4-17 wt %, from about 7-17 wt %, about 8-14 wt %, about 4.5-9.5 wt %, about 8-14 wt %, about 6-12 wt %.

(11) The antioxidant may be selected from, for example, phenols, such as, for instance, styrenated phenols such as those sold under the trademark WINGSTAY L. The antioxidant may be present from about 0% to about 4%, preferably from about 0.1% to about 4%, from about 1-3 wt %, from about 0.5-2.5 wt %, from about 0.5-2.0 wt %.

(12) The fungicide is selected from aldehyde compounds, such as, for instance, glutaraldehyde. The fungicide may be present from about from about 0 wt % to about 3 wt %, preferably from about 0.1 wt % to about 3 wt %, from about 0.5-2.0 wt %, from about 1.0-2.5 wt %, from about 0.5-2.0 wt %.

(13) The coloring agent is selected, for instance, from blue phthalocyanine and the pantones. The coloring agent may be present from about 0 to about 3 wt %.

(14) The corrosion inhibitor is selected, for example, from sodium benzoate or a water based composition comprising sodium benzoate such as, for example, Zerust Axxanol 8110. The corrosion inhibitor may be present from about 0 wt % to about 35 wt %, 20 wt % to about 35 wt %, preferably from about 22 wt % to about 30 wt %.

(15) The titanium dioxide may be present from about 0 wt % to about 15 wt %, preferably from about 1 wt % to about 15 wt %, preferably from about 2-6 wt %, about 8-14 wt %, about 2-5 wt %, about 7-11 wt %.

(16) The water may be present from about 1% to about 8% of the total weight percent of the composition, preferably from about 2-5 wt %, from about 3-6 wt %, from about 2-4 wt %, from about 3-6 wt %.

(17) As mentioned in previous lines, the elastomeric composition does not contain aromatics or similar solvents such as, for instance, ketones, alcohols, aromatics, aliphatics, gas solvents, chlorates, glycoethers and mixtures such as Thinner Standard.

(18) The textile material according to the present invention may be selected from fiber glass textile or fiber glass textile with wire inserts, such as, for example, brass wire inserts, stainless steel wire inserts, or a mixture thereof; or wire inserts from a different alloy. Said textile material is impregnated with the water-based elastomeric composition as disclosed.

(19) The resulting textile material thus impregnated has several applications, for instance, may be used to fabricate seals, gaskets, and joints as mentioned in previous lines, which have a resistance to high temperatures and pressures, for instance, temperatures up to about 400 C. and pressures up to about 40 bar.

(20) Further, the ability to identify a new product with a special distinctive color for application to boilers was also developed, for example a light blue, or even available in any other color by means of the addition of pantones, according to the required need.

(21) Additionally, when using seals, gaskets or joints fabricated with the impregnated textile material of the invention, the product end user can operate in high safety without requiring additional protection when repairing or providing maintenance to the equipments working at high temperatures and pressures. Further, the seals, gaskets or joints fabricated with the impregnated textile material of the invention do not leave residues on the surfaces of the equipments, thus facilitating the replacement of the piece.

(22) To illustrate the fiberglass cloth impregnated with the water base elastomeric mixture, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are presented.

(23) The following tables illustrate some preferred water-based elastomeric compositions that could be used to impregnate textile materials, especially fiberglass textiles. The given ranges in the tables are approximate. The approximate term allows a variation ranging between 0 to 10% of the lower range and of the upper range. As an example, the term from 5 to 7 minutes can mean from 5 to 7 minutes, as well as 4:30 to 7 minutes, 5 to 6:18 minutes, 4:30 to 6:18 minutes, 5:50 to 7:42 minutes, 4:30 to 7:42 minutes, etc.

(24) Composition 1 (EV 180 style)

(25) TABLE-US-00001 COMPONENT % STYRENE BUTADIENE 69 LATEX NATURAL LATEX 12 KAOLIN 9 TITANIUM DIOXIDE 4 ANTIOXIDANT 2 FUNGICIDE 1 WATER 4 TOTAL: 100
Composition 2 (EV 180 style)

(26) TABLE-US-00002 COMPONENT % STYRENE BUTADIENE 67 LATEX NATURAL LATEX 11 KAOLIN 8.5 TITANIUM DIOXIDE 4 ANTIOXIDANT 1.5 FUNGICIDE 1 WATER 4 COLOR (BLUE 3 PHTALOCYANINE TOTAL: 100
Composition 3 (EV 180 style)

(27) TABLE-US-00003 COMPONENT % NATURAL LATEX 70 KAOLIN 11 TITANIUM DIOXIDE 11 ANTIOXIDANT 1.5 FUNGICIDE 1.5 WATER 5.0 TOTAL: 100.00
Composition 4 (EV 180 style)

(28) TABLE-US-00004 COMPONENT % NATURAL LATEX 68 KAOLIN 10.5 TITANIUM DIOXIDE 10.5 ANTIOXIDANT 1.5 FUNGICIDE 1.5 WATER 5 COLOR (BLUE 3 PHTALOCYANINE) TOTAL: 100
Composition 5 (EV 185 style)

(29) TABLE-US-00005 COMPONENT % STYRENE BUTADIENE 50 LATEX NATURAL LATEX 8.50 KAOLIN 6.5 TITANIUM DIOXIDE 3 ANTIOXIDANT 1 FUNGICIDE 1 WATER 3 CORROSION INHIBITOR 27 TOTAL: 100
Composition 6 (EV 185 style)

(30) TABLE-US-00006 COMPONENT % STYRENE BUTADIENE 50 LATEX NATURAL LATEX 8 KAOLIN 6 TITANIUM DIOXIDE 2.5 ANTIOXIDANT 1 FUNGICIDE 1 WATER 3 CORROSION INHIBITOR 25.5 COLOR (BLUE 3 PHTALOCYANINE) TOTAL: 100
Composition 7 (EV 185 style)

(31) TABLE-US-00007 COMPONENT % NATURAL LATEX 64 KAOLIN 9 TITANIUM DIOXIDE 9 ANTIOXIDANT 1.5 FUNGICIDE 1.5 WATER 5 CORROSION INHIBITOR 10 TOTAL: 100
Composition 8 (EV 185 style)

(32) TABLE-US-00008 COMPONENT % NATURAL LATEX 61 KAOLIN 9 TITANIUM DIOXIDE 9 ANTIOXIDANT 1.5 FUNGICIDE 1.5 WATER 5 CORROSION INHIBITOR 10.0 COLOR (BLUE 3.0 PHTALOCYANINE) TOTAL: 100

(33) The materials mentioned grant special properties to the composition. For example, the latex provides the refinish over the textile, thus encapsulating the textile's fiber, specially the fiberglass, thus granting in equal form the adhesive property to the textile. The titanium dioxide whitens the mixture. The antioxidant avoids oxidation of the latex. The fungicide protects the fiber of the textile from fungi formed by moisture. The water creates a homogenous dilution. The kaolin acts as a thickener to the mixture. The alternative materials provide color, such as is the case with the blue phthalocyanine and the pantones. It is important to mention these compositions do not require the presence of vulcanizing agents or accelerants.

(34) Methods:

(35) The mixture of the components of the water-based elastomeric composition takes place in a mixture system by means of propellers within a mechanical agitator as those already known in the art comprising a container with fixed stirrers, a cap, drive motor and beating propeller. All the components are mixed for a period varying about between about 5 to about 15 minutes to be followed by the textile impregnation.

(36) The textile impregnation takes place by means of a calendaring process, where the textile is impregnated with the support of rollers through which the amount of the water-based elastomeric composition over the fiberglass can be controlled. After the impregnation, the textile is cured in a drying oven at a temperature varying between about 70 C. and 90 C., this grants the fiberglass the rubbery property, with which it is encapsulated to make it more manageable without the need of using skin protection, further granting in even form the gluing system for the formation of joints which shall be used in equipment such as boilers, ovens, among others. Alternatively, the impregnated textile could be cured at room temperature.

(37) The impregnation of the water-based elastomeric composition having different pigmentations was tested at the applicant's installations by means of a temperature resistance test with water vapor to force the maximum operational conditions of the textile to be tested, which can be reached in any field, in this way covering the possible curing ranges, the summarized description of the test is the following:

(38) TABLE-US-00009 Time Temperature 1 Hour 50 C. 4 Hours 75 C. 4 Hours 150 C. 4 Hours 300 C.

(39) So that the textile be approved, it must resist the temperature and the vapor, presenting a certain flexibility, since should the piece appear rigid and not be able to resist said conditions, it will cause breakage to the textile. In the same manner, it must leave the least possible marks within the test device, since that is indicative of minimum elastomeric detachment during the test.

EXAMPLES OF USE

(40) The following examples are illustrative in character and should in no way be interpreted as limitative.

Example 1

(41) Fiberglass Cloth Impregnated with Elastomeric Mixture Water Base and White and Blue Colors

(42) CONSTRUCTION: Woven cloth packaging based on textured fiberglass filaments, impregnated with the water base elastomeric composition of the invention and with a color according to the requested style, thickeners of 0.8 mm, 1 mm up to 3 mm, and widths varying from 1 meter to 1.80 meters and lengths of 50 meters.
APPLICATIONS: The packaging can be used in vapor, solvents, oils, organic chemicals, except for acids with a pH of 4 or lower and highly concentrated alkalis, as insulation in general, to manufacture joints for boilers, packaging for autoclaves, oven doors, etc.
Conditions of Service:
Temperature: Maximum of EV 180: 350 C. (662 F.) Maximum of EV 185: 400 C. (752 F.)
Pressure: Maximum of EV 180: 20 bar (290 psi) Maximum of EV 185: 40 bar (580 psi)
Approximate Kilograms Per Linear Meter:

(43) TABLE-US-00010 1/16 1 1.736 3.500 7.000 N/A N/A N/A N/A

(44) Alterations to the disclosed structure in the present specification may be predicted by those skilled in the art. However, it should be understood that the present specification is related with the preferred embodiments of the invention, which is for illustrative purposes only, and should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. All the amendments that do not depart from the spirit of the invention shall be included within the scope of the attached claims.