| FLAME RESISTANT SAFETY PRODUCTS
Felts and fabrics of KynolTM novoloid fibers, either alone or in combination with other fibers and materials, are used in safety apparel and accessories to provide protection from acute risk of flame or fire, as well as insulative protection from intense heat. Specifications of the fabrics produced by Nippon Kynol itself will be found in the catalog section. The line includes aluminized fabrics for additional protection against radiant heat, as well as FR rubber-coated fabrics with exceptional strength and resistance to flame, chemicals, and molten metal.
2) Safety accessories Sewn and knitted gloves, with and without extra insulation; aprons, hoods, socks, sleeves, spats and masks 3) Flame barriers and liners for upholstered furniture
4) Other consumer goods
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| ASBESTOS REPLACEMENT | |
| Because of their infusibility, excellent chemical and flame resistance, low evolution of smoke and toxic gases, and low specific gravity KynolTM novoloid fibers are used, either alone or in combination with other materials, to replace asbestos in many applications. For example, heavy woven KynolTM fabrics, often reinforced with glass filaments and coated with aluminum or FR rubber, are used in place of asbestos textiles in areas requiring resistance to flame and molten metal splash; these KynolTM materials are much lighter and easier to manipulate than the conventional asbestos materials providing equivalent levels of protection.
In a number of areas where there is strong incentive for the replacement of asbestos it has become apparent that there is no one fiber which can fill all of the roles hitherto performed by asbestos, and that a combination of materials will provide the best solution. In such cases the high compatibility of KynolTM fibers with resins and elastomers and their ability to cross-link chemically with such materials (see the following |
section) result in their inclusion in the asbestos-replacement mix. For instance, in high-temperature gaskets and in friction materials such as brakes and clutch facings, glass, aramid, or metallic fibers provide the required tensile strength while KynolTM novoloid fibers contribute increased dimensional and thermal stability by crosslinking with the basic matrix material.
Typical Applications
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| COMPOSITES | |
| KynolTM fibers and textile materials are used in combination with a wide variety of matrices, including thermosetting and thermoplastic resins, elastomers, and ceramics, to create composite materials with improved performance in such properties as heat resistance, impermeability, compressive strength, shock resistance, dimensional stability, and hardness. Due to the comparatively modest strength of the fibers themselves tensile strength generally is not markedly increased by the addition of KynolTM fibers; however the low specific gravity of the fibers often leads to a reduction in weight of the composite material.
In such composite applications KynolTM fibers generally display easy and uniform dispersion and excellent fiber-to-matrix wetting and adhesion. Moreover the novoloid molecular structure includes a significant number of methylol (-CH2OH) groups (see sketch) which are available for cross-linking with reactive sites in the matrix material. This ability of the fibers to react chemically with such materials as phenolic and epoxy resins and high-performance synthetic rubbers frequently leads to remarkable synergistic improvements in the high-temperature performance and stability of composite materials - improvements which would not be expected solely on the basis of the properties of the fiber and matrix viewed separately. |
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THERMOPLASTIC RESINS Addition of small amounts of KynolTM fiber to polypropylene has been demonstrated to produce improvements in heat resistance and reduction in specific gravity; results are even more interesting when the chemistry of the thermoplastic matrix provides the opportunity for cross-linking as described above. Thus addition of KynolTM fibers to PVC raises the melting point of the resin and with a fiber contents of about 15 wt% the material becomes non-melting. Similar results are seen with polyamides (nylon). Potential applications include printed circuit boards and electrical panels. In combination with polyester resins KynolTM fibers provide lightweight, readily machinable composites with excellent cold resistance for water piping and similar applications. KynolTM paper surface mats and veils, applied in combination with polyester and other resins, are used to create long-lasting tank linings for use with such highly corrosive materials as hydrofluoric acid. |
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THERMOSETTING RESINS Because of the similarity in chemical structure, KynolTM novoloid fibers are particularly suitable as fillers for phenolic resins. As much as 70 wt% of the fiber may be incorporated into a resole matrix. A novoloid-resole composite as better thermal stability (up to 230 C), thermal insulation, electrical resistance, high-temperature shock resistance, and machinability than resins filled with other fibers. Similar results are obtained with epoxies and other reactive resins. Applications include heat-resistant automotive and electrical parts and chemical-resistant composites. |
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ELASTOMERS KynolTM novoloid fibers are excellent candidates for improving the high-temperature performance of such elastomers as chlorinated polyethylene (CPE); ethylene-propylene, acrylic, and nitrile rubbers; chlorosulfonated polyethylene; and polytetra-fluoroethylene (PTFE). High ratios of uniform rubber incorporation, better than 50 wt% if required, are obtained with conventional rubber-processing equipment due to the high compatibility of the fiber with these materials. The cross-linking reaction described earlier plays an important part in the upgrading of high-temperature performance of elastomers. As an example, CPE is a difficult material to reinforce because the HCl released on curing attacks most fibers. KynolTM fibers are not only unaffected by HCl; the acid actually serves to catalyze the cross-linking reaction. In fact the fiber itself may be used as the sole curing agent for pure (unformulated) CPE, yielding a composite product with good hardness, dimensional stability, and resistance to heat, flame, and chemical attack. (Because of the relatively low resistance of KynolTM fibers to sulfuric acid, sulfur-based curing systems should be avoided in favor of peroxide-based cures.) Applications for novoloid-filled elastomers include cushion boards and rollers; chemical, solvent, and fuel hoses; ducts, gaskets, and packings; and the coating or saturation of novoloid fabrics for use in ducts and hoses and as protective sheets and drop cloths. |
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CERAMICS Addition of small amounts of KynolTM fibers to unfired ceramics serves to stabilize the material during firing and increases the strength and integrity of the final product. Applications include daubable furnace linings and fire bricks. The fiber is also used in clay-based sprayable fire-protective coatings for electrical cables: in the event of a fire, the fiber maintains the integrity of the coating until the temperature becomes high enough for the material to ceramicize. |
OTHER INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
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