Abstract: The present disclosure includes a regenerated cotton board material comprised of dry cut cotton lint fiber, and wood fiber. The regenerated cotton board material may further include non-cellulosic fibers such as synthetic fibers or other natural fibers. In an alternate embodiment, a cotton board material may be manufactured from a mixture of dry cut cotton lint fiber and a binder material. A method for forming a regenerated cotton board material according to the present disclosure includes forming an aqueous slurry fiber furnish from a combination of dry cut cotton lint fiber, and wood fiber. The fiber furnish is then wet processed, calendered to remove the bulk of the water, and dried.

Abstract: A solar roofing system includes components that can be made to mimic traditional tabbed asphalt roofing shingles in size, shape, and performance. Additionally, the shingles also include photovoltaic devices embedded in the shingle tabs. Shingles are installed in a traditional manner using traditional tools and fasteners in offset and overlapping rows. Electrical connectivity among tabs is made by contact between top and bottom surfaces of shingles without the need for additional wiring or hardware. The system includes multiple shingle shapes including a variation that can be cut apart into separate tabs. This solar roofing system can be integrated with non-photovoltaic components to fit irregularities found in a variety of roof surfaces. The system, once installed, creates a redundancy of electrical connectivity throughout a roof surface to allow for interruptions and irregularities in the roof surface and to allow for highly reliable output performance.

Abstract: A solar roofing system includes components that can be made to mimic traditional tabbed asphalt roofing shingles in size, shape, and performance. Additionally, the shingles also include photovoltaic devices embedded in the shingle tabs. Shingles are installed in a traditional manner using traditional tools and fasteners in offset and overlapping rows. Electrical connectivity among tabs is made by contact between top and bottom surfaces of shingles without the need for additional wiring or hardware. The system includes multiple shingle shapes including a variation that can be cut apart into separate tabs. This solar roofing system can be integrated with non-photovoltaic components to fit irregularities found in a variety of roof surfaces. The system, once installed, creates a redundancy of electrical connectivity throughout a roof surface to allow for interruptions and irregularities in the roof surface and to allow for highly reliable output performance.

Abstract: A cotton fiber particulate and method of manufacture including, generally, obtaining cotton fibers; mixing the cotton fibers with a solvent such as water to obtain a fiber furnish; milling the fiber furnish; and drying the fiber furnish to recover the cotton fiber particulate. Other steps include modifying the pH of the fiber furnish with a material such as calcium carbonate in an effort to make the fibers brittle, and filtering the fiber furnish to recover the cotton particulate. The fibers are milled to between 5-25 microns in length with a mean length of less than 50 microns with a mean length of 20 microns preferred.

Abstract: A composite web and process for manufacture from post-industrial scrap wherein the fibers are pre-opened and cut to an average fiber length of about 4 mm. A scrap fiber component and a cellulosic component of such fibers are blended into a fiber furnish. The scrap fiber component includes at least 15% synthetic fibers and may include a blend of natural fibers, high melting point synthetic fibers, and low melting point synthetic fibers. The cellulosic component may include post-industrial cotton fibers which may be refined before blending with the scrap fiber component. The fiber furnish is processed into an intermediate web such as by a drylaid or a wetlaid nonwoven process. The intermediate web is saturated with a latex binding agent and pressed and/or dried to form a composite web capable of further processing into molded or formed consumer or industrial products. The process is capable of producing a high basis weight composite web.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a regenerated cotton board material comprised of dry cut cotton lint fiber, and wood fiber. The regenerated cotton board material may further include non-cellulosic fibers such as synthetic fibers or other natural fibers. In an alternate embodiment, a cotton board material may be manufactured from a mixture of dry cut cotton lint fiber and a binder material. A method for forming a regenerated cotton board material according to the present disclosure includes forming an aqueous slurry fiber furnish from a combination of dry cut cotton lint fiber, and wood fiber. The fiber furnish is then wet processed, calendared to remove the bulk of the water, and dried.

Abstract: Provided is a process for preparing a smooth and glossy surfaced paper web. The process comprises subjecting the paper web to shear by using calender rolls driven at different speeds or calender rolls with different diameters. The resulting paper has a totally different structure than the original paper, as it has a much smaller void structure and a much higher degree of bonding between the elements of the sheet. The process is particularly applicable to improving the electrical insulation properties of an aramid paper web.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a non-woven fibrous web comprised of aramid fibers and aramid fibrid which comprises forming a foam furnish by agitating the fibers and fibrid in a foamed medium, and passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish. In effectively agitating the aramid fibers in the foamed medium, the agitating means is mounted for displacement within the foamed medium and includes a convex leading surface facing in the direction of displacement. The leading surface includes upper and lower portions converging in the direction of displacement to form a generally convex leading surface and driving means for displacing the agitating means in the direction of displacement for dispersing and mutually separating the aramid fibers within the foamed medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nonwoven web comprised of metal or refractory fibers with nylon as a binder. The nonwoven web is prepared by forming a foam furnish by agitating the fibers in a foamed medium, and passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish. It is preferred that the nylon binder is added to the foam furnish in the form of fibers. Once the furnish is defoamed to form a nonwoven web, the sheet is dried at a temperature sufficient to melt the nylon binder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a non-woven fibrous web comprised of aramid fibers and aramid fibrid which comprises forming a foam furnish by agitating the fibers and fibrid in a foamed medium, and passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish. In effectively agitating the aramid fibers in the foamed medium, the agitating means is mounted for displacement within the foamed medium and includes a convex leading surface facing in the direction of displacement. The leading surface includes upper and lower portions converging in the direction of displacement to form a generally convex leading surface and driving means for displacing the agitating means in the direction of displacement for dispersing and mutually separating the aramid fibers within the foamed medium.

Abstract: Provided is a paper structure comprised of cellulose pulp fiber, a polymeric binder, and an aramid component comprised of aramid fiber and/or fibrid. The paper structure can also comprise multiple layers of different composition, but at least one layer must comprise the aramid component and polymeric binder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nonwoven web comprised of metal or refractory fibers with poly(phenylene sulfide) as a binder. The nonwoven web is prepared by forming a foam furnish by agitating the fibers in a foamed medium, and passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish. It is preferred that the poly(phenylene sulfide) binder is added to the foam furnish in the form of fibers. Once the furnish is defoamed to form a nonwoven web, the sheet is heated at a temperature sufficient to melt the poly(phenylene sulfide) binder.

Abstract: Provided is a process for preparing a smooth and glossy surfaced paper web. The process comprises subjecting the paper web to shear by using calender rolls driven at different speeds or calender rolls with different diameters. The resulting paper has a totally different structure than the original paper, as it has a much smaller void structure and a much higher degree of bonding between the elements of the sheet. The process is particularly applicable to improving the electrical insulation properties of an aramid paper web.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for effectively agitating non-cellulosic fibers in a foamed medium, comprising agitating means mounted for displacement within the foamed medium and including a leading surface facing in the direction of displacement. The leading surface includes upper and lower portions converging in the direction of displacement to form a generally convex leading surface and driving means for displacing the agitating means in the direction of displacement for dispersing and mutually separating the metal fibers within the foamed medium. The present invention further relates to a method for forming a non-woven fibrous web comprised of non-cellulosic fibers which comprises forming a foam furnish by agitating the fibers in a foamed medium with the aforedescribed apparatus, and passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish.

Abstract: Provided is a low water paper product comprised of wood pulp having at least some of the water present in the amorphous regions of the cellulosic pulp fiber structure replaced with a polyhydroxy polymer. The preferred polyhydroxy polymer used to replace the water is polyvinyl alcohol. The resulting paper product exhibits improved dimensional stability, particularly when exposed to water or water vapor. Characteristics of the paper product make it quite suitable for use in transformers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nonwoven web comprised of metal or refractory fibers with nylon as a binder. The nonwoven web is prepared by forming a foam furnish by agitating the fibers in a foamed medium, and passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish. It is preferred that the nylon binder is added to the foam furnish in the form of fibers. Once the furnish is defoamed to form a nonwoven web, the sheet is dried at a temperature sufficient to melt the nylon binder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for effectively agitating non-cellulosic fibers in a foamed medium, comprising agitating means mounted for displacement within the foamed medium and including a leading surface facing in the direction of displacement. The leading surface includes upper and lower portions converging in the direction of displacement to form a generally convex leading surface and driving means for displacing the agitating means in the direction of displacement for dispersing and mutually separating the metal fibers within the foamed medium. The present invention further relates to a method for forming a non-woven fibrous web comprised of non-cellulosic fibers which comprises forming a foam furnish by agitating the fibers in a foamed medium with the aforedescribed apparatus, and passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a non-woven fibrous web comprised of refractory fibers which comprises forming a foam furnish by agitating the fibers in a foamed medium, and passing the foam furnish onto a screen and defoaming the furnish. The present invention employs a unique apparatus for effectively agitating the refractory fibers in the foamed medium, the agitating means being mounted for displacement within the foamed medium and including a convex leading surface facing in the direction of displacement. The leading surface includes upper and lower portions converging in the direction of displacement to form a generally convex leading surface and driving means for displacing the agitating means in the direction of displacement for dispersing and mutually separating the metal fibers within the foamed medium.

Abstract: Provided by the present invention is a process for making wet-layed metal fiber nonwoven sheet. The process comprises dispersing a mixture of metal fibers, wood pulp and a fibrillated material into an aqueous dispensing fluid. The amount of metal fibers dispersed generally ranges from 60 to 80 weight percent, based on the weight of solids, with the amount of wood pulp ranging from 15 to 30 weight percent and the amount of fibrillated material ranging from about 5 to 10 weight percent. The dispersed mixture in the aqueous dispensing fluid is then applied to a screen, with the aqueous dispensing fluid being removed to thereby form a metal fiber sheet.

Abstract: Provided by the present invention is a wet-layed, nonwoven sheet which is comprised of metal fiber and metal powder. Generally, the amount of metal fiber comprises from 20 to 95% by weight and the amount of metal comprises from 5 to 80% by weight of the sheet. Such a wet-layed nonwoven sheet is economically preferable to a sheet comprised totally of metal fiber, since the metal powder is much less expensive. Among other factors, the present invention is based upon the recognition that by using various process techniques, the combination of metal fiber and metal powder can be wet-layed to obtain a structure of sufficient strength for subsequent handling and sintering.