Electrospinning of PTFE with high viscosity materials
AssigneeZeus Industrial Products, Inc.
InventorsBruce L. Anneaux, Robert Ballard, David P. Garner
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Abstract
An improved process for forming a PTFE mat is described. The process includes providing a dispersion with PTFE, a fiberizing polymer and a solvent wherein said dispersion has a viscosity of at least 50,000 cP. An apparatus is provided which comprises a charge source and a target a distance from the charge source. A voltage source is provided which creates a first charge at the charge source and an opposing charge at the target. The dispersion is electrostatically charged by contact with the charge source. The electrostatically charged dispersion is collected on the target to form a mat precursor which is heated to remove the solvent and the fiberizing polymer thereby forming the PTFE mat.
Claims30
A process for forming a PTFE mat comprising:
- providing a dispersion comprising:
- PTFE;
- a fiberizing polymer;
- and
- a solvent wherein said dispersion has a viscosity of at least 50,000 cP;
- providing an apparatus comprising a charge source and a target a distance from said charge source;
- providing a voltage source to create a first charge at said charge source and an opposing charge at said target wherein said dispersion is electrostatically charged by contact with said charge source;
- collecting said electrostatically charged dispersion on said target to form a mat precursor;
- and
- heating said mat precursor to remove said solvent and said fiberizing polymer thereby forming said PTFE mat.
A process for forming a PTFE mat comprising:
- providing a dispersion comprising:
- PTFE with a particle size of at least 0.1 microns to no more than 0.8 microns;
- 1 wt % to no more than 10 wt % of polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of at least 50,000 to no more than 4,000,000;
- and
- a solvent wherein said dispersion has a viscosity of at least 50,000 cP;
- providing an apparatus comprising an orifice and a target a distance from said orifice;
- providing a voltage source to create a first charge at said orifice and an opposing charge at said target;
- forcing said dispersion through said orifice wherein said dispersion is electrostatically charged by contact with said orifice;
- collecting said electrostatically charged dispersion on said target to form a mat precursor;
- and
- heating said mat precursor to remove said solvent and said fiberizing polymer thereby forming said PTFE mat.
A process for forming a PTFE mat comprising:
- applying a voltage to establish an electrical charge differential between a charge source and a target;
- electrostatically charging a dispersion, wherein the dispersion is electrostatically charged by the charge source, wherein the dispersion comprises PTFE, a fiberizing polymer, and a solvent, and wherein the dispersion has a viscosity of at least 50,000 cP;
- collecting the electrostatically charged dispersion on the target, forming a mat precursor;
- and
- heating the mat precursor to remove the solvent and the fiberizing polymer thereby forming the PTFE mat.
A process for forming a PTFE mat comprising:
- applying a voltage to establish an electrical charge differential between a charge source and a target;
- electrostatically charging a dispersion, wherein the dispersion is electrostatically charged by the charge source, wherein the dispersion comprises
- PTFE with a particle size of at least 0.1 microns to no more than 0.8 microns,
- 1 wt % to no more than 10 wt % of polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of at least 50,000 to no more than 4,000,000, and
- a solvent,
- wherein said dispersion has a viscosity of at least 50,000 cP;
- collecting said electrostatically charged dispersion on said target, forming a mat precursor;
- and
- heating said mat precursor to remove said solvent and said fiberizing polymer thereby forming said PTFE mat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.