Process for forming a component

A method for forming a diaphragm, comprising:

• selecting as a resin
• (i) a first powder including:
• a first particle set of a first fluoropolymer of an average particle diameter from about 475 μm to about 625 μm,
• less than about 1 wt % perfluoroether and/or perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether) (PPVE), and
• less than about 1 wt % of elements other than carbon and fluorine,
• wherein the first fluoropolymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene and/or a first copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene comonomer and less than about 1 wt % first non-tetrafluoroethylene comonomer, and
• wherein the first powder has a bulk density from about 600 g/L to about 800 g/L, or
• (ii) a second powder including:
• a second particle set of a second fluoropolymer of an average particle diameter from about 400 μm to about 550 μm,
• less than about 1 wt % perfluoroether and/or perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether) (PPVE), and
• less than about 1 wt % of elements other than carbon and fluorine,
• wherein the second fluoropolymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene and/or a second copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene comonomer and less than about 1 wt % second non-tetrafluoroethylene comonomer, and
• wherein the second powder has a bulk density from about 600 g/L to about 800 g/L, or
• (iii) a composition, including:
• the first powder and the second powder,
• preforming the resin, including:
• loading a pre-determined amount of the resin into a mold, and
• compressing the resin in the mold at a preforming pressure from about 800 psi (5.5 MPa) to about 2400 psi (16.6 MPa),
• sintering the resin at from about 680° F. (360° C.) to about 780° F. (416° C.),
• coining the resin by applying a coining pressure from about 348 psi (2.40 MPa) to about 398 psi (2.74 MPa) and a coining temperature from about 630° F. (332° C.) to about 730° F. (389° C.) and by stamping the resin,
• quenching the resin by applying a quenching pressure from about 838 psi (5.78 MPa) to about 908 psi (6.26 MPa) and a quenching temperature from about 630° F. (332° C.) to about 730° F. (388° C.), and
• stabilizing the resin at a stabilizing temperature from about 40° F. (4° C.) to about 110° F. (43° C.)
• to form the diaphragm as the stabilized resin.

A method for forming a diaphragm, comprising:

• selecting as a resin
• (i) a first powder including:
• a first particle set of a first fluoropolymer of an average particle diameter from about 400 μm to about 700 μm,
• wherein the first fluoropolymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene and/or a first copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene comonomer and less than about 1 wt % first non-tetrafluoroethylene comonomer, or
• (ii) a second powder including:
• a second particle set of a second fluoropolymer of an average particle diameter from about 325 μm to about 625 μm,
• wherein the second fluoropolymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene and/or a second copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene comonomer and less than about 1 wt % second non-tetrafluoroethylene comonomer, or
• (iii) a composition, including:
• the first powder and the second powder, sifting the resin,
• wherein the sifting comprises allowing the resin to pass through a sifter having holes of diameter from about 500 μm to about 1000 μm, preforming the resin, including:
• loading a pre-determined amount of the resin into a mold, and
• compressing the resin in the mold at a preforming pressure from about 800 psi (5.5 MPa) to about 2400 psi (16.6 MPa) for from about 0.5 min. (30 sec.) to about 6 min. (360 sec.),
• sintering the resin, including:
• increasing a temperature of the resin to a sintering temperature from about 680° F. (360° C.) to about 780° F. (416° C.),
• maintaining the temperature at from about 680° F. (360° C.) to about 780° F. (416° C.) for from about 15 min. (900 sec.) to about 45 min. (2700 sec.), and
• decreasing the temperature to a cooled temperature from about 180° F. (82° C.) to about 220° F. (104° C.),
• coining the resin, including:
• maintaining the resin at a coining pressure from about 348 psi (2.40 MPa) to about 398 psi (2.74 MPa) and at a coining temperature from about 630° F. (332° C.) to about 730° F. (389° C.) for from about 2 min. (120 sec.) to about 8 min. (480 sec.), and
• stamping the resin to coin the resin,
• quenching the resin, including
• maintaining the resin at a quenching pressure from about 838 psi (5.78 MPa) to about 908 psi (6.26 MPa) and at a quenching temperature from about 630° F. (332° C.) to about 730° F. (388° C.) for from about 1 min. (60 sec.) to about 3 min. (180 sec.), and
• stabilizing the resin at a stabilizing temperature from about 40° F. (4° C.) to about 110° F. (43° C.) for from about 1 hr. (3600 sec.) to about 48 hr. (173,000 sec.) to form the diaphragm as the stabilized resin.