Wet-Laid Nonwoven Composite for High Fiber Content Strength

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing fiber-reinforced composite materials face limitations in increasing fiber content while maintaining high strength and are costly, and there is a growing need for environmentally friendly solutions due to the increasing demand for recycling carbon fibers.

Innovation Solution

A composite material is produced by mixing a wet-laid nonwoven fabric of inorganic fibers with a resin, using a method that includes adding inorganic fibers, a wetting agent, and a dispersant to a solvent to create a fiber dispersion, forming and drying to produce a wet-laid nonwoven fabric, and then mixing it with a resin to form a prepreg, which can include recycled fibers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If chopped fibers or dry-laid nonwoven fabrics are used to increase fiber amount, then fiber content increases, but processing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber amountVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical state and arrangement parameters of fibers by using wet-laid nonwoven fabric instead of chopped fibers or dry-laid fabrics. This allows high fiber content (60-90 wt%) to be achieved while maintaining processability, as the wet-laid structure enables better fiber distribution and resin infiltration without requiring complex processing equipment or procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure by combining inorganic fibers with organic matrix material in a wet-laid nonwoven fabric configuration. This composite approach allows the inorganic fibers to provide structural strength while the matrix material ensures proper bonding and stress transfer, achieving high fiber content without compromising processing ease

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If yams are used to increase fiber amount, then fiber content increases, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber contentVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive pre-bundled yam structures with individually processed inorganic fibers arranged in a wet-laid nonwoven fabric. This approach uses simpler, more readily available fiber materials and processing methods, significantly reducing manufacturing cost while achieving comparable or superior fiber content (60-90 wt%) and mechanical properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If carbon fibers are recovered and reused, then environmental friendliness improves, but fiber quality and strength may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidfiber strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a fiber recovery and reuse system where carbon fibers from discarded CFRPs are collected, processed, and reintegrated into new composite materials. The wet-laid nonwoven fabric structure allows recovered fibers to be evenly distributed and properly oriented, maximizing their remaining strength potential and achieving high fiber content (60-90 wt%) while maintaining acceptable mechanical properties and reducing environmental impact

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The resulting composite material exhibits high tensile and flexural strengths, suitable for various applications, and can be environmentally friendly when using recycled fibers.

Implementation Method 1

adding inorganic fibers, a wetting agent, and a dispersant to a solvent to prepare an inorganic fiber dispersion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWetting: Wetting

Implementation Method 2

adding inorganic fibers, a wetting agent, and a dispersant to a solvent to prepare an inorganic fiber dispersion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDispersion: Dispersion (of waves)

Implementation Method 3

removing the solvent from the prepared fiber dispersion and performing forming and drying to produce a wet-laid nonwoven fabric

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS20260071362A1Composite material containing wet-laid nonwoven fabric and method for producing same
Publication Date: 2026.03.12 HANSOL CHEM

AI summary

Proposed are a composite material containing inorganic fibers and a method for producing the same. A composite material according to the present disclosure produced by mixing a wet-laid nonwoven fabric including inorganic fibers with a resin can exhibit excellent physical properties in terms of tensile strength and flexural strength.