High-strength nylon battery separator material and related method of manufacture

摘要

A nylon battery separator material for use in nickel-cadmium batteries has a laminated construction comprising a nonwoven web of nylon staple fibers sandwiched between a pair of webs of spun-bonded nylon fibers. The staple web comprises nylon 6 and nylon 6-6 fibers. The spun-bonded fibers are nylon 6-6. During manufacture the staple web is fed between the webs of spun-bonded nylon fibers. The three webs form a sandwich which is passed through a stack of heated calendar rolls. The maximum temperature of the stack of calendar rolls is greater than the softening temperature of the nylon 6 fibers, but less than the melting temperature of the nylon 6-6 fibers. Upon cooling, the webs of spun-bonded fibers will be bonded to the staple web by the re-solidified nylon 6 fibers, whereby the laminated battery separator material is formed.