Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Coated or structually defined flake – particle – cell – strand,... – Rod – strand – filament or fiber
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-05
2001-01-30
Edwards, Newton (Department: 1774)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand,...
Rod, strand, filament or fiber
C428S372000, C428S375000, C428S378000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06180233
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to sorbent materials and in particular to sorbent glass fiber materials.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Sorbent materials are useful in medical, personal hygiene and pollutant recovery applications, among others. Fibrous materials such as wools and felts, including glass fiber materials, have been used for such applications.
FIG. 1
illustrates a mass of conventional glass fiber insulation material
10
in contact with a quantity of water
12
disposed on a solid substrate
14
.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,215,407 and 5,078,890, for example, respectively disclose the use of loose-fill (i.e., unbindered) and glass fiber felt (i.e., bindered) glass fibers as means for cleaning up spills of oils and other liquid pollutants. U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,407 discloses the use of bundles of shredded blown glass fibers for absorbing materials such as oil from water and other surfaces. For such spills, glass fibers that preferentially absorb oil rather than water are preferred. U.S. Pat No. 5,078,890 discloses the use of felts made of mineral fibers for absorbing petroleum products from bodies of water. The felts include glass wool or rock wool, and comprise highly compressed fibers. Prior to compression, the fibers are cut into particles of less than 4 cm. The fibers are compressed with a binding agent, which is preferably of a water-repellent material, thus enhancing the hydrophobicity of the felts. Such hydrophobic materials may not be adequate for absorbing water and aqueous liquids.
A continued need exists, therefore, for materials capable of sorbing liquids, including water-soluble and water-based liquids.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention is a sorbent material comprising a glass fiber material and at least one hydrophilic particulate material.
Another aspect of the invention is a method for sorbing a liquid, comprising contacting the liquid with a sorbent material comprising a glass fiber material and at least one hydrophilic particulate material.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4429001 (1984-01-01), Kolpin et al.
patent: 4914170 (1990-04-01), Chang et al.
patent: 5078890 (1992-01-01), Conche et al.
patent: 5215407 (1993-06-01), Brelsford
patent: 5314325 (1994-05-01), Bosler
patent: 5516580 (1996-05-01), Frenette et al.
patent: 5571618 (1996-11-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 5921055 (1999-07-01), Romes et al.
patent: 6012263 (2000-01-01), Church et al.
patent: 6013325 (2000-01-01), Houben et al.
Certain-Teed Corporation
Duane Morris & Heckscher LLP
Edwards Newton
Gray J. M.
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