Importance

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Abstract

A noise reducing composite material for use in automotive applications, and methods for preparing the material, are disclosed. The composite includes a carpet layer and a noise reducing layer. The carpet layer can be a tufted carpet layer that includes a primary backing in which to position tufts of yarn, and a latex layer to lock in the tufts of yarn, or a nonwoven carpet layer with a coating of latex to lock in the fibers. The noise reducing layer is adhered to the carpet layer. The latex layer includes, as an additive, an adhesive of sufficient type and quantity to adhere the noise reducing layer to the carpet layer. Latex dispersions including such additives, which can be used to form the latex layer in the composite material, are also disclosed. Examples of noise reducing layers include heavily filled EVA, shoddy, and foam layers. For adhering shoddy and/or foam layers, the additive in the latex layer is a polyolefin, such as polyethylene. For adhering filled EVA layers, the additive in the latex layer is a water-based adhesive such as an ethylene acrylic acid ammoniated dispersion. The composite carpet materials described herein represent an improvement over the existing carpet materials, in that they can be manufactured using wet steps, without the need for organic solvents, and reduce the number of process steps by eliminating the need for an extruded polyethylene layer.

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First Claim