Syntactic Insulator with Co-Shrinking Fillers
AssigneePowdermet, Inc.
InventorsBrian P. Doud, Mark V. Grogan, Andrew Sherman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A syntactic foam insulator with co-shrinkage in the form of an insulating material formed by the inclusion of microballoons in a matrix material such that the microballoons and the matrix material exhibit co-shrinkage upon processing. The syntactic foam insulator can be formed by a variety of microballoon-matrix material combinations such as polymer microballoons in a preceramic matrix material. The matrix materials generally contain fine, rigid fillers.
Claims24
A method of manufacturing a thermally-insulating composite material formed from a shrinkable filler in a polymer-derived matrix material that exhibits co-shrinkage between the shrinkable filler and polymer-derived matrix during processing, which method includes:
- a. mixing the shrinkable filler and a thermosetting, curable polymer, said shrinkable filler including microspheres;
- b. molding or forming the mixed shrinkable filler and thermosetting, curable polymer into a shape;
- and,
- c. heat curing and pyrolization of said mixed shrinkable filler and thermosetting, curable polymer to form a syntactic ceramic composite.
A thermally-insulating composite material formed from a shrinkable filler in a polymer-derived matrix material that exhibits co-shrinkage between the shrinkable filler and polymer-derived matrix during processing, said polymer including a thermosetting, curable polymer, said shrinkable filler including microspheres, said microspheres formed of a material that co-shrinks with said polymer to lower or eliminate stress during sintering, pyrolization, curing, or combinations thereof of said polymer, said microspheres having a low thermal conductivity such that an overall thermal conductivity of said composite material is lower than a thermal conductivity of said polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.