US4254823A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process for separating mineral wool fibers from nonfibrous materials
Assignee: Nouryon Surface Chemistry AB
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Filing: 1977-04-27
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Granted: 1981-03-10
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Expires: 1997-04-27
Abstract
Abstract A process is provided for the separation of nonfibrous material from mineral wool fibers which comprises dispersing the fibers in an aqueous solution comprising a surfactant having at least one hydrophobic group containing at least eight carbon atoms and at least one cationic hydrophilic group having at least one nitrogen or sulfur atom, such as a quaternary ammonium surfactant. The fibrous material is dispersible in the surfactant solution, while the nonfibrous material is not and consequently can be separated by centrifuging or settling and decantation.
Inventors
- 👤 Nils G. Cederqvist
- 👤 Karl M. E. Hellsten
- 👤 Kerstin E. Henriksson
- 👤 Lars A. S. Waag
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 12:01
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B30/00; C04B30/02; C03; C03C; C03C25/00; C03C25/10; C03C25/24; C03C25/25; C04B24/00; C04B24/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A process for removing substantially all nonfibrous material from mineral wool fibrous material, which comprises dispersing an amount within the range from about 0.1 to about 4% mineral wool material comprising from about 20 to about 40% by weight nonfibrous material and the remainder mineral wool fibrous material in an aqueous solution of a cationic surfactant having at least one hydrophobic group containing at least eight carbon atoms and at least one cationic hydrophilic group having at least one nitrogen atom or one sulphur atom, thereby forming a suspension of the fibrous material substantially free from nonfibrous material that is sufficiently stable to permit separation of the nonfibrous material therefrom; separating the nondispersed nonfibrous mineral wool material from the dispersed fibrous material; and then recovering the mineral wool fibrous material substantially free from nonfibrous material from the surfactant solution.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A process for removing substantially all nonfibrous material from mineral wool fibrous material, which comprises dispersing an amount within the range from about 0.1 to about 4% mineral wool material comprising from about 20 to about 40% by weight nonfibrous material and the remainder mineral wool fibrous material in an aqueous solution of a cationic surfactant having at least one hydrophobic group containing at least eight carbon atoms and at least one cationic hydrophilic group having at least one nitrogen atom or one sulphur atom, thereby forming a suspension of the fibrous material substantially free from nonfibrous material that is sufficiently stable to permit separation of the nonfibrous material therefrom; separating the nondispersed nonfibrous mineral wool material from the dispersed fibrous material; and then recovering the mineral wool fibrous material substantially free from nonfibrous material from the surfactant solution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the nonfibrous material is separated by settling and decantation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the nonfibrous material is separated by centrifuging.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is a truly cationic surfactant.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant ia an ampholytic surfactant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
88 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is a quaternary ammonium surfactant having the formula ##STR27## wherein: R 1 and R 2 are each hydrocarbon groups having from about eight to about forty carbon atoms; R 3 and R 4 are each selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, and hydroxyethyl; each A is an oxyalkylene group having from two to four carbon atoms; n 1 and n 2 are numbers within the range from 0 to 20; and X is an anion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is a quaternary ammonium surfactant having the general formula ##STR28## wherein R 1 and R 2 are each aliphatic groups having from about ten to about twenty-two carbon atoms, and R 3 and R 4 are each selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl and hydroxyethyl.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is a primary alkylene ether amine having at least one aliphatic group having from about ten to about twenty-two carbon atoms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is an imidazoline having the general formula ##STR29## wherein: R is a hydrocarbon group having from about ten to about twenty-two carbon atoms; and X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyalkyl and aminoalkyl having from one to about six carbon atoms in the alkyl.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is an amine oxide having the general formula ##STR30## wherein: R 1 is a hydrocarbon group having from about eight to about sixteen carbon atoms; and R 2 and R 3 are each methyl, ethyl or hydroxyethyl.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
97 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is a betaine having the general formula ##STR31## wherein: R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each selected from the group consisting of alkyl having from one to about twenty-two carbon atoms and alkylphenyl wherein the alkyl has from about one to about eighteen carbon atoms; and R 4 is a bivalent hydrocarbon group having from 1 to about 22 carbon atoms, the number of carbon atoms joining the nitrogen with the carboxylic or sulphonic acid groups being from 1 to about 8.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
97 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is a sulpho-betaine having the general formula ##STR32## wherein: R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each selected from the group consisting of alkyl having from one to about twenty-two carbon atoms and alkylphenyl wherein the alkyl has from about one to about eighteen carbon atoms; and R 4 is a bivalent hydrocarbon group having from 1 to about 22 carbon atoms, the number of carbon atoms joining the nitrogen with the carboxylic or sulphonic acid groups being from 1 to about 8.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
129 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant has the general formula ##STR33## wherein: R is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic and cycloaliphatic groups having from about six to about twenty-two carbon atoms and aromatic groups substituted by one or more alkyl groups having a total of from about four to about eighteen carbon atoms in the alkyl; R 1 and R 2 are each alkyl having from one to about three carbon atoms; p 1 , p 2 and p 3 are each 2, 3 or 4; n 1 , n 2 and n 3 are each numbers from 0 to 10, the sum of n 1 , n 2 and n 3 not exceeding 10; and q is 1, 2 or 3.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
119 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of (a) monoalkylamino monocarboxylic acids, (b) monalkylamino dicarboxylic acids, and (c) dialkylamino monocarboxylic acids having the general formulae ##STR34## respectively, wherein: R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl having from about ten to about twenty-two carbon atoms and alkylphenyl wherein the alkyl has from one to about eighteen carbon atoms; R 1 and R 2 are each bivalent hydrocarbon groups having from one to about eight carbon atoms; R 3 is alkyl having from one to about twelve carbon atoms; and salts thereof with a cation selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, and amine.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is an imidazoline carboxylate or sulphonate having the general formula ##STR35## wherein: R is an aliphatic group having from about eight to about twenty-two carbon atoms; R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or carboxyalkyl; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of carboxyalkyl or sulphonic acid-containing alkyl; and X - is an anion and salts thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is added in an amount within the range from about 0.001 to about 5% by weight of the mineral wool fibrous material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the cationic surfactant is added in an amount with the range from about 0.01 to about 3% by weight of the mineral wool fibrous material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-03-09 | 1984-09-08 | 1985-03-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-03-09 | 1988-09-08 | 1989-03-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-03-09 | 1992-09-08 | 1993-03-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |