Hollingsworth & Vose Company

Thermal barrier materials are generally described. The thermal barrier materials described herein can have a number of advantages. For example, in some embodiments, a thermal barrier material has desirable thermal properties, such as low thermal conductivity and/or high thermal stability. As another example, in some embodiments, a thermal barrier material has desirable structural properties, such as having a high porosity, high pore tortuosity, and/or a low air permeability. In some embodiments, one or more of the desirable structural properties of a thermal barrier material may enhance the mechanical resiliency of the material. For example, in some embodiments, the structural properties of the material may enhance the compressibility and/or the elasticity of the material. In some embodiments, one or more of the desirable structural properties of a thermal barrier material may enhance the thermal insulation performance of the thermal barrier material. For instance, a thermal barrier material may have a structural property that reduces the thermal conductivity of the thermal barrier material. The thermal barrier materials described herein may also have a combination of desirable thermal and structural properties.

Thermal barrier materials are generally described. The thermal barrier materials described herein can have a number of advantages. For example, in some embodiments, a thermal barrier material has desirable thermal properties, such as low thermal conductivity and/or high thermal stability. As another example, in some embodiments, a thermal barrier material has desirable structural properties, such as having a high porosity, high pore tortuosity, and/or a low air permeability. In some embodiments, one or more of the desirable structural properties of a thermal barrier material may enhance the mechanical resiliency of the material. For example, in some embodiments, the structural properties of the material may enhance the compressibility and/or the elasticity of the material. In some embodiments, one or more of the desirable structural properties of a thermal barrier material may enhance the thermal insulation performance of the thermal barrier material. For instance, a thermal barrier material may have a structural property that reduces the thermal conductivity of the thermal barrier material. The thermal barrier materials described herein may also have a combination of desirable thermal and structural properties.

Filter media, such as electret-containing filtration media for filtering gas streams (e.g., air), are described herein. In some embodiments, the filter media may be designed to have desirable properties such as stable filtration efficiency over the lifetime of the filter media, increased normalized gamma, relatively low pressure drop (i.e. resistance), and/or relatively low basis weight. In certain embodiments, the filter media may be a composite of two or more types of fiber layers where each layer may be designed to enhance its function without substantially negatively impacting the performance of another layer of the media. For example, one layer of the media may be designed to have a relatively low basis weight and/or a relatively high air permeability, and another layer of the media may be designed to have stable filtration efficiency and/or a relatively high efficiency throughout the filter media's lifetime. The filter media described herein may be particularly well-suited for applications that involve filtering gas streams (e.g., face masks, cabin air filtration, vacuum filtration, room filtration, furnace filtration, respirator equipment, residential or industrial HVAC filtration, high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filters, ultra-low particular air (ULPA) filters, medical equipment), though the media may also be used in other applications.

Filter media for filtering gas streams (e.g., air) are described herein. In some embodiments, the filter media may be designed to have desirable properties such as stable filtration efficiency, high oil repellency, low instantaneous resistance, and/or stable service life. In certain embodiments, one or more layers of the media may have a certain value of basis weight over air permeability (and/or a ratio of a value of basis weight over air permeability between two layers). The filter media may optionally comprise a support layer with a relatively high air permeability (e.g., greater than or equal to 1100 CFM). In some cases, the filter media may have a relatively low initial resistance and/or may have a particular final E1 efficiency. The filter media described herein may be particularly well-suited for applications that involve filtering gas streams (e.g., face masks, cabin air filtration, vacuum filtration, respirator equipment, as well as residential heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and industrial HVAC systems), though the media may also be used in other applications.

Battery separators comprising embossments are generally provided. The embossments may take the form of indentations formed in a surface of the battery separator, such as indentations formed by an embossing process. The embossments may comprise intersections with a first edge and a second edge of the battery separator, which may be the same or different.

Filter media comprising non-woven fiber webs having one or more advantageous physical properties are generally described. In some embodiments, a filter media and/or non-woven fiber web described herein comprises a combination of fibers that results in enhanced physical properties. For example, the non-woven fiber web may comprise a combination of fiber types that is advantageous, such as a combination comprising fibrillated fibers, glass fibers, and/or binder fibers. In some cases, the filter media and/or non-woven fiber web comprising the combination of fibers may be formed into undulations (e.g., by a creping and/or microcreping process) to further enhance the physical properties of the filter media and/or non-woven fiber.

Filter media including nonwoven fiber webs comprising nanofibers, and related methods, are generally described.

Filter media may be bonded to a filter housing during filtration processes. However, bonding between the filter media and filter housing sufficient to prevent delamination during filtration processes may be challenging as some filter media may be challenging to adhere sufficiently well to the filter housing. Furthermore, for use in consumer water applications, it may be desirable for filter media may undergo sterilization processes (e.g., using an autoclave) that expose the filter media to relatively high temperatures and pressures, which may decrease the adhesion strength between the filter media and the filter housing. Accordingly, there is a need for strategies for bonding filter media to filter housings that do not compromise the performance of the filter media and/or that can undergo sterilization processes without unacceptably compromising the structural integrity of the bond between the filter media and the filter housing.

Filter media may be bonded to a filter housing during filtration processes. However, bonding between the filter media and filter housing sufficient to prevent delamination during filtration processes may be challenging as some filter media may be challenging to adhere sufficiently well to the filter housing. Furthermore, for use in consumer water applications, it may be desirable for filter media may undergo sterilization processes (e.g., using an autoclave) that expose the filter media to relatively high temperatures and pressures, which may decrease the adhesion strength between the filter media and the filter housing. Accordingly, there is a need for strategies for bonding filter media to filter housings that do not compromise the performance of the filter media and/or that can undergo sterilization processes without unacceptably compromising the structural integrity of the bond between the filter media and the filter housing.

Filter media comprising water-repellent additives and/or fibrillated fibers are generally provided. In some embodiments, the filter media comprises fibrillated fibers, such as lyocell fibers. In some embodiments, the filter media comprise water-repellent additives, such as fluorinated water-repellent additives and/or water-repellent additives having minimal or no fluorine atoms. Filter media disclosed herein may include fluorinated water-repellent additives but not water-repellent additives having minimal or no fluorine atoms, water-repellent additives having minimal or no fluorine atoms but not fluorinated water-repellent additives, or both fluorinated water-repellent additives and water-repellent additives having minimal or no fluorine atoms.