Structured dense fluoropolymer films and methods of making same
AssigneeW. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
InventorsMichael E. Kennedy, Shaofeng Ran
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Abstract
A structured fluoropolymer film including a plurality of structures having a height at least two times a thickness of a corresponding unstructured fluoropolymer film and at least a 20% increase in displacement induction period when compared to the corresponding unstructured fluoropolymer film when measured in a biaxial tensile curve at a temperature of about 125° C. In addition, the structured fluoropolymer film has a methane permeability of less than 500 μg*μm/cm2/min. The structured fluoropolymer film exhibits a higher resistance to strain and retain barrier properties during manufacture and/or use.
Claims11
A method of making a structured fluoropolymer film, the method comprising:
- stretching an elastic substrate,
- applying a dense fluoropolymer film onto the stretched elastic substrate such that the dense fluoropolymer film reversibly adheres to the elastic substrate;
- and
- relaxing the elastic substrate with the dense fluoropolymer film thereon to obtain a structured fluoropolymer film, the structured fluoropolymer film including a plurality of structures having a height at least two times a thickness of the dense fluoropolymer film from the applying step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.