Polymer Mechanical Damping Composites and Methods of Production
AssigneeThe Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorJoseph B. Schlenoff
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Abstract
A method of reshaping an article comprising a polyelectrolyte complex, the polyelectrolyte complex comprising an intermolecular blend of a predominantly positively-charged polyelectrolyte and a predominantly negatively charged polyelectrolyte by controlling the salt doping level.
Claims21
An article comprising a polyelectrolyte complex, the polyelectrolyte complex comprising an intermolecular blend of a predominantly positively-charged polyelectrolyte polymer and a predominantly negatively charged polyelectrolyte polymer and being free of salt crystals, the article having no transverse dimension less than about 100 micrometers, the article further comprising one or more additives selected from the group consisting of metal oxide particles, magnetic particles, silicon oxide, zirconium oxide, clay minerals, carbon power, graphite, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, polymer fibers, cellulose fibers and combinations thereof.
An article comprising a polyelectrolyte complex, the polyelectrolyte complex comprising an intermolecular blend of a predominantly positively-charged polyelectrolyte and a predominantly negatively charged polyelectrolyte and being free of salt crystals, the article having no transverse dimension less than about 100 micrometers the, the article further comprising magnetic particles having at least one transverse dimension between about 1 nanometer and about 100 micrometers.
A method for modifying a complex shear modulus of an article comprising a polyelectrolyte complex, the polyelectrolyte complex being an intermolecular blend of a predominantly positively-charged polyelectrolyte polymer and a predominantly negatively charged polyelectrolyte polymer and containing at least about 20 wt. % water, the method comprising:
- contacting the article with a first solution to increase the doping level ratio in the polyelectrolyte complex from a first salt doping level ratio to a second doping level ratio, whereby increasing the doping level ratio in the polyelectrolyte complex decreases the complex shear modulus of the polyelectrolyte complex from a first complex shear modulus to a second complex shear modulus;
- applying a mechanical force to compact the polyelectrolyte complex into a persistent shape at the second complex shear modulus;
- contacting the compacted polyelectrolyte complex with a second solution to change the doping level ratio in the polyelectrolyte complex from the second doping level ratio to a third doping level ratio, whereby changing the doping level ratio in the polyelectrolyte complex changes the complex shear modulus of the polyelectrolyte complex from the second complex shear modulus to a third complex shear modulus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.