Method for altering polymer properties for molding of parts
AssigneeArris Composites Inc.
InventorsRiley REESE, Ethan ESCOWITZ
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for altering polymer properties for the molding of parts comprises exposing, to a scission-causing stressor, a region of a polymer form. The scission-causing stressor is controlled to achieve, in a relatively higher molecular-weight polymer at the region, an amount of scission that results in a reduction in the molecular weight of the relatively higher molecular-weight polymer, thereby forming a relatively lower molecular-weight polymer at the region.
Claims16
A method comprising exposing, to a first scission-causing stressor, a first region of a first polymer form, wherein:
- a first parameter of the first scission-causing stressor is controlled to achieve a first amount of scission in a first relatively higher molecular-weight polymer at the first region,
- the first amount of scission resulting in a reduction in a weight average molecular weight of the first relatively higher molecular-weight polymer, thereby forming a first relatively lower molecular-weight polymer at the first region,
- the reduction is in a range of about 10 to about 50 percent, and
- the weight average molecular weight of the first relatively higher molecular-weight polymer at a second region of the first polymer form is not reduced.
A method comprising:
- exposing, to a scission-causing stressor, a first region of a first polymer form and a first region of a second polymer form, wherein the first and second polymer forms abut one another at the respective first regions thereof, and wherein:
- the scission-causing stressor is controlled to achieve a first amount of scission in a relatively higher molecular-weight polymer at the first regions,
- the first amount of scission resulting in a reduction in a weight average molecular weight of the relatively higher molecular-weight polymer, thereby forming a relatively lower molecular-weight polymer at the first regions,
- the weight average molecular weight of the relatively higher molecular-weight polymer at a second region of each of the first and second polymer forms is not reduced;
- and
- applying heat to the first polymer form and the second polymer form, wherein the heat is applied at or above a melt temperature of the relatively lower molecular-weight polymer, and below the melt temperature of the relatively higher molecular-weight polymer, thereby bonding the first and second polymer forms together at the respective first regions.
A method comprising:
- placing, in a mold cavity, a first polymer form having a relatively lower molecular-weight polymer at a first region thereof and a relatively higher molecular-weight polymer at a second region thereof;
- applying heat and pressure to the mold cavity;
- and
- molding a part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.