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US 7,452,577 B2Granted
Electron beam curing of fabricated polymeric structures
AssigneeFreudenberg-NOK General Partnership
InventorsEdward Hosung Park, Francis Joseph Walker, Alexander Berdichevsky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Admixtures either of a plastic and an elastomer, a plurality of thermoplastics, or a plurality of elastomers are formed into a shaped item for an article (such as a dynamic seal, a static seal, a gasket, a pump diaphragm, a hose, or an o-ring), and the thermoplastic is then cross-linked (cured). Radiation (preferably, electron beam radiation) is used for the cross-linking and for generating bi-modal molecules from the elastomer and the thermoplastic when both a thermoplastic and an elastomer are in the admixture.
Claims82
A method for making a shaped item adapted for an article comprising said shaped item, said method comprising:
- (a) admixing a dispersed phase of a plurality of vulcanized elastomeric portions into a continuous phase of thermoplastic polymer to form an admixture composition, said dispersed phase of vulcanized elastomer vulcanized to provide a compressive set value from about 50 to about 100 percent of the difference between a non-vulcanized compressive set value for said elastomer and a fully-vulcanized compressive set value for said elastomer;
- (b) forming said composition into said shaped item;
- and
- (c) cross-linking said continuous phase, wherein said cross-linking inter-bonds said continuous phase and said dispersed phase with at least one inter-bonding molecule corresponding to the formula
- AD
- wherein A is an elastomeric moiety from a free radical polymeric derivative derived from said elastomer of said dispersed phase, said elastomeric moiety having a collective atomic weight of from about 350 to about 10,000,000, and D is a polymeric carbon chain thermoplastic moiety, said polymeric carbon chain thermoplastic moiety from a free radical polymeric derivative of a thermoplastic molecule from said continuous phase, said thermoplastic molecule having a molecular weight of from about 120 to about 10,000,000.
3 more elements
A method for making a shaped item adapted for an article, comprising said shaped item, said method comprising:
- (a) admixing a dispersed phase of a plurality of non-vulcanized elastomeric portions into a continuous phase of thermoplastic polymer to form an admixture composition;
- (b) forming said composition into a shaped item;
- and
- (c) cross-linking said continuous and dispersed phases;
- wherein said cross-linking inter-bonds said continuous phase and said dispersed phase with at least one inter-bonding molecule corresponding to the formula
- AD
- wherein A is from a free radical polymeric derivative derived from an elastomer molecule of said dispersed phase, said elastomer molecule having a collective atomic weight of from about 350 to about 10,000,000, and D is from a free radical polymeric derivative of a thermoplastic molecule from said continuous phase, said thermoplastic molecule having a molecular weight of from about 120 to about 10,000,000.
4 more elements
A method for making a shaped article from an article comprising said shaped item, said method comprising:
- (a) admixing a dispersed phase of a plurality of thermoplastic portions into a continuous phase of elastomer to form an admixture composition;
- (b) forming said composition into said shaped item;
- and
- (c) cross-linking said continuous and dispersed phases;
- wherein said cross-linking inter-bonds said dispersed phase and said continuous phase with at least one inter-bonding molecule corresponding to the formula
- AD
- wherein A is from a free radical polymeric derivative derived from an elastomer molecule of said dispersed phase, said elastomer molecule having a collective atomic weight of from about 350 to about 10,000,000, and D is from a free radical polymeric derivative of a thermoplastic molecule from said continuous phase, said thermoplastic molecule having a molecular weight of from about 120 to about 10,000,000.
4 more elements
A method for making a shaped item adapted for an article comprising said shaped item, said method comprising:
- (a) forming said shaped item from an admixture composition of a dispersed phase of a plurality of vulcanized elastomeric portions in a continuous phase of thermoplastic polymer;
- and
- (b) cross-linking said continuous phase, wherein said cross-linking inter-bonds said continuous phase and said dispersed phase with at least one inter-bonding molecule corresponding to the formula
- AD
- wherein A is an elastomeric moiety from a free radical polymeric derivative derived from said elastomer of said dispersed phase, said elastomeric moiety having a collective atomic weight of from about 350 to about 10,000,000, and D is a polymeric carbon chain thermoplastic moiety, said polymeric carbon chain thermoplastic moiety from a free radical polymeric derivative of a thermoplastic molecule from said continuous phase, said thermoplastic molecule having a molecular weight of from about 120 to about 10,000,000.
2 more elements
A method for making a shaped item adapted for an article comprising said shaped item, said method comprising:
- (a) forming said shaped item from an admixture composition of a plurality of non-vulcanized elastomeric portions in a continuous phase of thermoplastic polymer;
- and
- (b) cross-linking said continuous and dispersed phases;
- wherein said cross-linking inter-bonds said continuous phase and said dispersed phase with at least one inter-bonding molecule corresponding to the formula
- AD
- wherein A is from a free radical polymeric derivative derived from an elastomer molecule of said dispersed phase, said elastomer molecule having a collective atomic weight of from about 350 to about 10,000,000, and D is from a free radical polymeric derivative of a thermoplastic molecule from said continuous phase, said thermoplastic molecule having a molecular weight of from about 120 to about 10,000,000.
3 more elements
A method for making a shaped item adapted for an article comprising said shaped item, said method comprising:
- (a) forming said shaped item from an admixture composition of a thermoplastic portions in a continuous phase of elastomer;
- and
- (b) cross-linking said continuous and dispersed phases;
- wherein said cross-linking inter-bonds said dispersed phase and said continuous phase with at least one inter-bonding molecule corresponding to the formula
- AD
- wherein A is from a free radical polymeric derivative derived from an elastomer molecule of said dispersed phase, said elastomer molecule having a collective atomic weight of from about 350 to about 10,000,000, and D is from a free radical polymeric derivative of a thermoplastic molecule from said continuous phase, said thermoplastic molecule having a molecular weight of from about 120 to about 10,000,000.
3 more elements
A method for making a shaped item for an article comprising said shaped item, the method comprising:
- (a) admixing a first elastomer and a second elastomer into an primary admixture that is free of thermoplastics, said first elastomer and said second elastomer independently selected from the group consisting of fluoroelastomer, acrylic acid ester rubber/polyacrylate rubber, ethylene acrylic rubber, silicone, nitrile butyl rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, natural rubber, ethylene-propylene-diamine monomer rubber/polypropylene thermoplastic vulcanizate, and polyurethane, wherein said second elastomer is a different elastomer from said first elastomer, said first and second elastomers each independently have a molecular weight from about 350 to about 10,000,000, and said first elastomer is from about 5 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of said primary admixture;
- (b) forming said primary admixture into said shaped item;
- and
- (c) cross-linking said first elastomer and said second elastomer by irradiating said shaped item.
1 more element
An article, comprising a shaped item made by a process comprising:
- (a) admixing a first elastomer and a second elastomer into an primary admixture that is free of thermoplastics, said first elastomer and said second elastomer independently selected from the group consisting of fluoroelastomer, acrylic acid ester rubber/polyacrylate rubber, ethylene acrylic rubber, silicone, nitrile butyl rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, natural rubber, ethylene-propylene-diamine monomer rubber/polypropylene thermoplastic vulcanizate, and polyurethane, wherein said second elastomer is a different elastomer from said first elastomer, said first and second elastomers each independently have a molecular weight from about 350 to about 10,000,000, and said first elastomer is from about 5 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of said primary admixture;
- (b) forming said primary admixture into said shaped item and
- (c) cross-linking said first elastomer and said second elastomer by irradiating said shaped item.
A method for making a shaped item for an article comprising said shaped item, said method comprising:
- (a) admixing a first thermoplastic and a second thermoplastic into an primary admixture that is free of elastomers, said first thermoplastic and said second thermoplastic independently selected from the group consisting of polyamide, nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 64, nylon 63, nylon 610, nylon 612, amorphous nylon, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, thermoplastic polyurethane, polybutylene, polyesteretherketone, polyimide, fluoroplastic, polyvinylidene fluoride, polysulfone, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacetal, perfluoroalkoxy (tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoromethylvinyl ether), tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoromethylvinyl ether, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene/vinylidene fluoride, tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene, polyester thermoplastic ester, polyester ether copolymer, polyamide ether copolymer, and polyamide thermoplastic ester), wherein said second thermoplastic is a different thermoplastic from said first thermoplastic, said first and second thermoplastics each independently have a molecular weight from about 120 to about 10,000,000, and said first thermoplastic is from about 5 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of said primary admixture;
- (b) forming said primary admixture into a shaped item for said article;
- and
- (c) cross-linking said first thermoplastic and said second thermoplastic by irradiating said shaped item.
1 more element
An article, comprising a shaped item made by a process comprising:
- (a) admixing a first thermoplastic and a second thermoplastic into an primary admixture that is free of elastomers, said first thermoplastic and said second thermoplastic independently selected from the group consisting of polyamide, nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 64, nylon 63, nylon 610, nylon 612, amorphous nylon, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, thermoplastic polyurethane, polybutylene, polyesteretherketone, polyimide, fluoroplastic, polyvinylidene fluoride, polysulfone, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacetal, perfluoroalkoxy (tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoromethylvinyl ether), tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoromethylvinyl ether, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, ethylene chiorotrifluoroethylene,tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene/vinylidene fluoride, tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene, polyester thermoplastic ester, polyester ether copolymer, polyamide ether copolymer, and polyamide thermoplastic ester), wherein said second thermoplastic is a different thermoplastic from said first thermoplastic, said first and second thermoplastics each independently have a molecular weight from about 120 to about 10,000,000, and said first thermoplastic is from about 5 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of said primary admixture;
- (b) forming said primary admixture into said shaped item;
- and
- (c) cross-linking said first thermoplastic and said second thermoplastic by irradiating said shaped item.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.