Process for producing filled porous PTFE products
AssigneeW. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
InventorRobert W. Gore
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention provides a tetrafluoroethylene polymer in a porous form which has an amorphous content exceeding about 5% and which has a micro-structure characterized by nodes interconnected by fibrils. The material has high porosity and high strength. It can be used to produce all kinds of shaped articles such as films, tubes, rods, and continuous filaments. Laminations can be employed and impregnation and bonding can readily be used to produce a large variety of articles. Compressed articles of very high strength can also be produced from these porous forms.
Claims14
A process for the production of a porous article of manufacture of a polymer of tetrafluoroethylene containing a filler, which process comprises:
- (a) blending a powder consisting essentially of highly crystalline poly(tetrafluoroethylene) with a filler;
- (b) extruding said polymer powder and filler using a conventional lubricated extrusion technique to form an extrudate;
- (c) removing the lubricant from said extrudate by conventional methods;
- and
- (d) stretching said extrudate containing unsintered poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and filler at a rate exceeding about 10% per second, said stretching being performed while said extrudate is held at a temperature of about 35.degree. C to 327.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.