Composite of metal and thermoset plastic

Abstract

An integrally bonded composite structure of a substrate part or layer of metal or the like, an elastic interface layer, and a thermoset plastic wall or layer molded in place against it is formed by: (1) coating the substrate, as by spraying, with a thin coating of a thermosetting soluble elastomer, such as a chloroprene rubber (Neoprene), formulated to chemically bond to the substrate surface, and also containing a coupling agent which will react with the thermoset plastic layer during curing of the latter; (2) heating the coating to dry and stabilize the same on the substrate so as to withstand transfer flow of molding composition but without completely curing the coating composition; and (3) molding the plastic layer against the coated substrate under heat and pressure as in a heated molding die while the coating is in incompletely cured state, and thereby completing the curing of the coating as the molded plastic layer is cured and producing an integral chemical bond from the molded layer through the interface layer to the substrate. This gives an impervious seal between the substrate and the plastic and a bond with very high resistance to separation. The parts and the interface between them may be of either simple or complex shape.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.