# US 2013/0189510 A1 · Pressure resistant material and method of manufacturing such a material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0189510 A1 - Document ID: US20130189510A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/817,095 - Filed: 2011-09-08 - Published: 2013-07-25 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-08 - Assignees: Compbuoy AS - Inventors: Andreas Echtermeyer; Kristin Lippe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130189510A1 ## CPC - C08K 7/26: Silicon- containing compounds - C08K 3/34: Silicon-containing compounds - C08K 9/08: Ingredients agglomerated by treatment with a binding agent - Y10T 428/249973: Mineral element - C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The invention is a pressure resistant material (22) for use under submerged conditions, comprising light expanded clay agglomerate beads (1) distributed in a matrix (21) of a polymer material (2) ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -49. (canceled) ### Claim 50 A pressure resistant material for use under submerged conditions, said pressure resistant material shaped in one or more blocks covered by one or more membranes of very low permeability to water, comprising porous mineral beads of light expanded clay agglomerates, said porous mineral beads being generally of rounded or spherical shape and having a diameter of 1 to 8 mm and distributed in a matrix of a polymer material, said porous mineral beads generally not in bead-to-bead contact, wherein all porous mineral beads near an outer surface of said material are entirely enveloped by said matrix, said pressure resistant material withstanding a hydrostatic pressure of 200 Bar or more for 1000 hours. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The pressure resistant material of claim 50, said porous mineral beads comprising a surface sealing layer of very low permeability to said polymer material. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The pressure resistant material of claim 51, said surface layer consolidated under vacuum. ### Claim 53 (depends on 51) The pressure resistant material of claim 51, said surface sealing layer being thermoplastic and having a higher melting temperature than the bulk of said matrix material. ### Claim 54 (depends on 53) The pressure resistant material of claim 53, said surface sealing layer comprising a polypropylene layer or polyethylene layer preferably of higher melting temperature than the bulk of said matrix material of said polymer material. ### Claim 55 (depends on 50) The pressure resistant material of claim 50, said polymer material being a thermoplastic. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) The pressure resistant material of claim 55, said polymer material comprising polypropylene or its copolymers. ### Claim 57 (depends on 50) The pressure resistant material of claim 50, said polymer material comprising a thermoset material such as a first epoxy in said polymer material. ### Claim 58 (depends on 50) The pressure resistant material of claim 50, having a density less than that of water, particularly of seawater. ### Claim 59 (depends on 50) The pressure resistant material of claim 50, said pressure resistant material having a thermal conductivity of less than (0.5+/−0.15) W/mK. ### Claim 60 (depends on 50) The pressure resistant material of claim 50, said polymer material comprising polyethylene or its copolymers. ### Claim 61 (depends on 50) The pressure resistant material of claim 50, one or more blocks arranged in a structural support and mounted onto a subsea device such as a riser pipe, the pressure resistant material providing buoyancy. ### Claim 62 (depends on 50) The pressure resistant material of claim 50, one or more of said blocks arranged on a subsea device such as a subsea pipeline, a valve housing, the pressure resistant material being thermally insulating. ### Claim 63 A method of manufacturing a pressure resistant material for use under submerged conditions, comprising providing porous mineral beads of light expanded clay agglomerates in a polymer material; forming a matrix of said polymer material, said matrix enveloping each and all of said porous mineral beads, said porous mineral beads generally not in mutual non-bead-to-bead mineral contact, forming said pressure resistant material in one or more blocks, consolidating said matrix with said porous mineral beads to form said blocks of pressure resistant material covering one or more of said blocks of said pressure resistant material with one or more layers of water resistant membrane. ### Claim 64 (depends on 63) The method of claim 63, forming said matrix by providing said polymer material in molten form, for subsequently consolidating said matrix. ### Claim 65 (depends on 63) The method of claim 63, forming said matrix by providing said polymer material in dry state, melting said dry polymer material to its molten form, for subsequently consolidating said matrix. ### Claim 66 (depends on 63) The method according to any claim 63, comprising a step of sealing generally each said porous mineral bead with a surface layer, said sealing surface layer preferably made of polypropylene, before distributing said porous mineral beads in said polymer material. ### Claim 67 (depends on 66) The method of claim 66, comprising forming said bead sealing layer of epoxy and allowing said second epoxy to harden. ### Claim 68 (depends on 66) The method of claim 66, comprising forming said surface sealing layer of a thermoplastic having a higher melting temperature than the bulk of said matrix material, such as of polypropylene or polyethylene. ### Claim 69 (depends on 63) The method according to claim 63, distributing said porous mineral beads in said polymer material by arranging first layers of said porous mineral beads alternating with second layers of said polymer material, and melting and consolidating said polymer material to form said matrix.