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Fluoropolymer coating and casting compositions and films derived
A fluoroplastic resin dispersion is modified by the addition of a
fluoroelastomer latex to yield a fluid coating or casting composition. The
fluoroplastic resin dispersion, preferably an aqueous dispersion of a
perfluoroplastic, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is modified by
blending with a fluoroelastomer composition, preferably a latex, such that
the fluoroplastic comprises up to about 95%, preferably up to about 90%,
by weight of the invention composition. The fluoroelastomer component
comprises at least about 5% by weight of the blend. The fluid compositions
according to the invention may preferably comprise from about 10-95% by
weight fluoroplastic and from about 5-95% fluoroelastomer.
Effenberger; John A. (Bennington, VT), Keese; Frank M. (Hoosick Falls, NY)
Primary Examiner: Schofer; Joseph L.
Assistant Examiner: Sarofim; N.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:Brumbaugh, Graves Donohue & Raymond
1. A fluid composition which comprises a blend of a perfluoroelastomer and a perfluoroplastic, wherein the perfluoroplastic component comprises up to about 95% by weight of the
2. A fluid composition according to claim 1 which comprises a blend of about 10-95% by weight perfluoroplastic and about 5-9% by weight perfluoroelastomer.
3. A fluid composition according to claim 1 wherein the perfluoroplastic comprises up to about 90% by weight of the blend.
4. A fluid composition according to claim 1 wherein the perfluoroplastic is in an aqueous dispersion.
5. A fluid composition according to claim 1 wherein the perfluoroplastic is polytetrafluoroethylene or fluorinated ethylene propylene.
6. A fluid composition according to claim 1 wherein the perfluoroelastomer is a latex.
7. A fluid composition according to claim 6 wherein the perfluoroelastomer is a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene or perfluoromethylvinyl ether.
This invention relates to fluoropolymer coating and casting compositions and films which may be derived from such compositions.
It is well known that perfluoroplastic coatings resulting from the simple deposition of an aqueous dispersion on a surface will tend to develop cracks while undergoing consolidation during drying or fusing operations if their thickness exceeds a
certain maximum value, commonly referred to as the "critical cracking thickness". In the case of polytetrafluoroethylene, this thickness is generally expected to be on the order of 0.001 inches, for coatings applied to smooth horizontal surfaces under
ideal conditions. For fluorinated ethylenepropylene (FEP) or perfluoroalkoxy modified polytetrafluoroethylene (PFA) the value is less than 0.0005 inches. When such dispersions are applied to vertical surfaces, as is often desirable or necessary in the
continuous coating of substrates in web form and in the dip or spray coating of objects, the effective critical cracking thickness is substantially reduced, often to less than half of the ideal values. In the case of relatively uneven or textured planar
substrates, e.g. woven glass, it is difficult in practice to apply coatings of uniform thickness, since the coating fluids, under the influence of gravitional or capillary forces, tend to flow as they seek a position of minimum potential energy. This
leads inevitably to a variation in the depth of such fluids and a resultant variation in the thickness of coalesced solids derived therefrom. Cracks can then develop when the thickness of deposited solids exceeds the critical value. In the case of
three dimensional objects, surface tension and rapidly rising viscosity associated with coalescence often results in beading of the coating fluids along edges or corners of the object, resulting in thick resin deposits susceptible to cracking.
For certain purposes, such as in the coating of textiles, it is often necessary or desirable to apply uniform and continuous films of polytetrafluoroethylene or other fluoroplastics in thicknesses greater than the critical cracking thickness. A
number of techniques for accomplishing this objective are well-known in the art.
Relatively thick crack-free coatings can be achieved through multiple, consecutive applications of coating fluid, each of which results in solid deposition less than the critical cracking thickness. Each application preferably involves drying
and fusing of the solids between subsequent applications of the coating fluid. In the nown production of coated textiles as by dip coating, this multiple coat build-up has shortcomings. The technique requires that the textile substrate to which the
coating is applied be repeatedly subjected to the high temperatures required to melt fluoroplastics, i.e. above 650.degree. F. in the case of polytetrafluoroethylene. Such repeated heating to such high temperature can result in degradation of the
physical properties of the reinforcement and create mechanical stress concentrations in the coating matrix.
In the case of PTFE applied from relatively viscous fluid formulations, the problems associated with critical cracking thickness are dealt with by accepting the presence of cracks in an unfused or semi-fused condition, and subsequently attempting
to heal them by calendaring at a temperature sufficient to soften the resin, but insufficient to melt it. The inability to uniformly deliver pressure to the resin thus consolidated due to the presence of hard and relatively stiff textile reinforcements
reduces the effectiveness of this approach and some degree of microcracking remains even in the finished, fused products. This method is, moreover, limited to the coating of flexible, planar substrates and is not applicable to the coating of irregular
surfaces or objects.
While mineral fillers may be employed to increase the nominal critical cracking thickness, their presence is often undesirable for reasons related to the end-use of products so manufactured.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,681,324 to Hochberg describes the addition of large quantities of aqueous dispersions of polymeric materials, such as alkyl acrylates and blends threof, butyl methacrylate, styrene, styrene/butadiene copolymers, acrylonitrile,
or butadiene/acrylonitrile copolymers, to polytetrafluoroethylene dispersions to form codispersions which can be used to apply relatively thick, crackfree poly tetrafluoroethylene coatings. These materials are thermally unstable at temperatures well
below those required to fuse polytetrafluoroethylene and are for the most part fugitive in normal processes with attendant shrinkage of the coalescing film. U.S. Pat. No. 2,710,266, to Hochberg describes the addition of aqueous solutions of alkali
metal silicates, for example sodium silicate, to polytetrafluoroethylene dispersions for the same purpose. While suitable for certain substrates, such compositions are largely unsuitable for the more commonly employed textile substrates, such as glass
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a fluid fluoropolymer coating composition which can be used to produce, with fewer applications of the fluid, relatively thick, crack-free coatings.
It is also an object of this invention to produce films, supported or unsupported, which are considerably thicker than those which can be readily produced from known formulations, and which may be formed as a planar sheet or a three-dimensional
product, such as a glove, bladder, or other shape by dipping or spraying a removable mandrel.
It is a further object of the invention to provide fluoropolymer coating compositions which are process compatible with known fluoroplastics in that films formed therefrom can be thermally welded to them as well as to each other and to
fluoroplastics, including perfluoroplastics.
It is also an object of this invention to provide fluid fluoropolymer coating compositions which may be useful which may be useful for the improvement of fluoropolymer-containing articles by ameliorating undesirable behavior stemming from
mudcracking and limited build rate inherent to known compositions and methods.
It is another object of this invention to provide fluoropolymer coatings, composites or film properties the mechanical behavior of which can be controlled through selective formulations of fluoroplastics and fluoroelastomers.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide fluoropolymer coatings or films with physical, chemical and electrical characteristics different from those obtainable with known fluoropolymers.
It is finally an object of this invention to provide a fluoropolymer coating composition able to bridge the relatively substantial discontinuities associated with many textile substrates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, a fluoroplastic resin dispersion is modified by the addition of a fluoroelastomer latex to yield a fluid coating or casting composition. The fluoroplastic resin dispersion, preferably an aqueous dispersion of a
perfluoroplastic, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is modified by blending with a fluoroelastomer composition, preferably a latex, such that the fluoroplastic comprises up to about 95%, preferably up to about 90%, by weight of the invention
composition. The fluoroelastomer component comprises at least about 5% by weight of the blend. The fluid compositions according to the invention may preferably comprise from about 10-95% by weight fluoroplastic and from about 5-90% fluoroelastomer.
It should be understood that variations in the properties of the fluoroplastic and fluoroelastomer components may be made to accomplish a desired objective. For example, where a problem associated with the critical cracking thickness of a
fluoroplastic resinous composition otherwise suitable, is to be overcome, the blend should comprise at least about 10% fluoroelastomer.
The term "fluoroplastic" as used herein to define the resin compositions to be modified encompasses both hydrogen-containing fluoroplastics and hydrogenfree perfluoroplastics. Fluoroplastic means polymers of general paraffinic structure which
have some or all of the hydrogen replaced by fluorine, including, inter alia, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluroinated ethylene propylene (FEP) copolymer, perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) resin, homopolymers of chlorotrifluoroethylene and its copolymers with
VF.sub.2, such as KEL-F, or TFE, ethylene-chloro-trifluoroethylene (ECTFE) copolymer and its modifications, ethylenetetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) copolymer and its modifications, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polyvinylfluoride.
The term "fluoroelastomer" as used herein shall encompass both hydrogen-containing fluoroelastomers as well as hydrogen-free perfluoroelastomers. Fluoroelastomer means any polymer exhibited elastomeric behavior or having a low flexural modulus,
i.e. high compliance, and containing one or more fluorinated monomers having ethylenic unsaturation, such as vinylidene fluoride, and one or more comonomers containing ethylenic unsaturation. The fluorinated monomer may be a perfluorinated mono-olefin,
for example hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, or perfluoroalkyl vinyl ethers, e.g. perfluoro (methyl vinyl ether) or (propyl vinyl ether). The fluorinated monomer may also be a partially fluorinated mono-olefin for example vinylidene fluoride,
pentafluoropropylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene, and which may contain other substituents, e.g. hydrogen, chlorine or perfluoroalkoxy. The mono-olefin is preferably a straight or branched chain compound having a terminal ethylenic double bond. The
elastomer preferably consists of units derived from fluorine-containing monomers. Such other monomers include, for example, olefins having a terminal ethylenic double bond, especially ethylene and propylene. The elastomer will normally consist of
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and fluorine atoms. Any fluoropolymer component may contain a functional group such as carboxylic and sulfonic acid and salts thereof, halogen, as well as a reactive hydrogen on a side chain.
Preferred elastomers are copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and at least one other fluorinated monomer, especially one or more of hexafluoropropylene, pentafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene. Available
fluoroelastomers include copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene, sold by DuPont as VITON and by 3M as FLUOREL and by Daiken as DAIEL. Additionally, elastomeric copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and
chlorotrifluoroethylene are available from 3M as KEL-F. The use of AFLAS, which is a copolymer of TFE and propylene, as manufactured by Ashai, is also contemplated.
Preferred perfluoroelastomers include elastomeric copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene with perfluoro alkyl comonomers, such as hexafluoropropylene or perfluoro (alkyl vinyl ether) comonomers represented by ##STR1## in which R.sub.f is a
perfluoroalkyl or perfluoro (cyclo-oxa alkyl) moiety. Particularly preferred are the perfluorovinyl ethers in which R.sub.f is selected from the groups --CF.sub.3, --C.sub.3 F.sub.7, ##STR2## where n=1-4 and X=H, Na K or F. KALREZ, a copolymer of TFE
and perfluoromethylvinyl ether (PMVE), or its modifications, is a particularly useful fluoroelastomer.
The fluoroelastomer polymer, preferably a latex or blend of latexes, should be compatible with (a) the fluoroplastic dispersion to be modified, (b) the processing conditions to which the composition must be subjected, and (c) the end use for
which the material or articles containing it is being manufactured.
The invention also encompasses a film comprising one or more resinous components derived from the fluid coating or casting compositions hereinbefore described. Such a film may be constructed as a sequence of lamellae the composition of which may
be varied to induce the desired combination of electrical physical and chemical properties. If desired, a non-resinous component, such as a metallic component, such as a metallic component, may be interspersed among the resinous lamellae; e.g., a thin
metallic deposit to modify permeability, electrical, magnetic, or optical behavior of the film. The utility of such deployment of the film lamellae to affect the mechanical and chemical behavior of composites derived from such films is described in our
copending application Ser. No. 484,594, filed Apr. 13, 1983, now abandoned, and its C-I-P application filed Apr. 13, 1984, which we incorporated herein by reference.
In an embodiment of the invention, the invention films may be supported by a member to which the film can be bonded to provide greater strength, dimensional stability or rigidity. For example, a film according to the invention may be supported
by any suitable reinforcement material treated where necessary to facilitate bonding of the films thereto. Examples of suitable reinforcement materials include, inter alia, glass, fiberglass, ceramics, graphite (carbon), PBI (polybenzimidazole), PTFE,
polyaramides, such a KEVLAR and NOMEX, metal, including motal wire, polyolefins such as TYVEK, polyesters such as REEMAY, polyamides, polyimides, thermoplastics such as KYNAR and TEFZEL, polypheynlene sulfide, polyether oxides, polyether sulfones,
polyether ketones, novoloid phenolic fibers such as KYNOL, cotton, asbestos and other natural as well as synthetic textiles. The substrate may comprise a yarn, filament, monofilament or other fibrous material either as such or assembled as a textile, or
any woven, non-woven, knitted, matted, felted, etc. material.
Furthermore, the invention compositions are valuable in the manufacture of fluoropolymer coated textiles having a thick, crack-free coating matrix, without specific regard for the mechanical or other properties of the film or coating itself. For
example, they may be used to reduce the number of operations required to apply a coating of a desired thickness. Such processing may result in composites which more efficiently utilize the inherent physical properties of a reinforcement than otherwise
The following additivies may be included in formulating the composition of the fluids and films according to the invention: a surface active agent such as an anionic active agent or or non-ionic active agent; a creaming agent such as sodium or
ammonium alginate; a viscosity-controlling agent or a thickener such as methyl cellulose or ethyl cellulose; a wetting agent such as a fluorinated alkyl-carboxylic acid, an organic solvent, or sulfonic acid; or a film former.
In addition, relatively small amounts of crosslinking accelerators, such as triallyl isocyanurate, triallyl imidazole, and the like, may be used to cross-link one or more of the resins contained in the coating layers, as desired, by use of high
energy electrons or actinic irradiation.
The invention and its advantages are illustrated, but are not intended to be limited by, the following examples. The examples illustrate coating compositions and films employing a variety of fluoroplastic
and fluoroelastomer components contemplated by the invention. The test procedures used for the chemical and physical testing and property determinations for the composites prepared according to the invention and the controls are identified below:
______________________________________ PROPERTY TEST PROCEDURE ______________________________________ Weight (oz/sq yd) FED STD 191-5041 Thickness (ins) FED STD 191-5030 Tensile Strength (lbs/in) ASTM D-412 Coating Adhesion (lbs/in) *
Dielectric Strength (volts) ASTM D-902 Film Elongation at break ASTM D-412 Tear Strength ASTM D-624 (die C) ______________________________________ *This test measures the adherence of the coating matrix to a substrate by subjecting a specimen
(prepared from two pieces of the sample composite joined face to face as in making a production type joint or seam) to an Instron Tester, Model 1130, whereby the pieces forming the specimen are separated for a special length (3") at a specified rate
of strain (2"/min.). The average reading during separation is deemed the adhesion value in lbs./in.
A modified PTFE dispersion containing 60 percent by weight of PTFE and 40 percent by weight of a vinylidine fluoride/hexafluoropropylene/tetrafluoroethylene terpolymer fluoroelastomer was prepared by combining 100 parts by weight of TE-3313 (PTFE
dispersion containing 60 percent by weight PTFE) and 64 parts by weight of VTR-5307 (fluoroelastomer latex containing 62.5 percent by weight fluoroelastomer). Both ingredients were purchased from E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Inc., Wilmington,
Del. (DuPont). The resulting mixture had a specific gravity of approximately 1.45 and a viscosity of 40 centipoise, measured at 70.degree. F., using a Brookfield Model LVF viscometer with No. 2 spindle at 60 RPM. Two methods were employed to
investigate the coating or casting qualities of this composition, as follows.
In Method A, a film of variable thickness was cast on a horizontal aluminum foil substrate, air dried, and baked. The film thus provided was examined at 30.times. magnification for the presence of cracks. The fluid formulation was applied
using a Gardner Film Casting Knife, 6 inches wide (available from Pacific Scientific, Gardner Laboratory Division, Bethesda, Md.) with the blade set at an angle so that clearance was close to zero at one end and between 0.020 to 0.035 inches at the
other. The aluminum foil support was 0.0032 inches thick and was held in a horizontal plane. A quantity of the modified dispersion was filtered through paper (code no. 01-4103-05, Schwartz Maufacturing Co., Two Rivers, Wis.), vacuum de-aired for
approximately 5 minutes, and poured along one edge of the supporting foil. The film was made by slowly hand drawing the composition with a knife. The film was allowed to air dry. When dry, the supported film was placed in an air circulating oven at
approximately 500.degree. F. The oven temperature was increased to 720.degree. F. over a period of about 15 minutes, whereupon the specimen was removed to room temperature and allowed to cool.
The film thus produced varied in thickness from approximately 0.003 to 0.010 inches. There were no cracks whatsoever in that portion of the film which measured less than 0.005 to 0.006 inches. While isolated and occasional shrinkage cracks were
observed in that portion of the film thicker than 0.006 inches, no overall mud cracking was observed even in the thickest portions of the film.
In Method B, the invention composition was cast in a film of variable thickness on a vertical substrate, and subsequently dried and baked. A foil substrate was drawn through a bath of the invention composition at rates varying between 6 and 24
inches per minute to produce a film of continuously incresing thickness. The film was dried in air at 200.degree. to 240.degree. F. and baked for 2 minutes at 650.degree. to 750.degree. F.
The thickness of the film thus produced was measured and found to be approximately 0.0015 inches at its maximum. The film was a uniform cream color and was smooth and unbroken, exhibiting no mudcracking or isolated cracks whatsoever.
An unmodified TE-3313 PTFE dispersion was evaluated by Methods A and B described in Example 1, with results shown in the table below.
A number of additional compositions were prepared and evaluated and described in Example 1, as shown in the following Table A.
TABLE A __________________________________________________________________________ EXAMPLE NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 __________________________________________________________________________ fluoroplastic TE-3313 100 100 -- -- 100 100 42.
100 100 100 dispersion (parts Teflon 30B.sup.1 -- -- 100 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- by weight) TE-9503.sup.2 -- -- -- 100 -- -- 45 -- -- -- fluoroelastomer VTR-5307 64 -- 64 55 11 32 80 -- -- -- latex (parts by L-6517.sup.3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 73
-- -- weight) L-9025.sup.4 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 61 -- AFLAX (latex).sup.5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 129 fluoroplastic/fluoroelastomer 60/40 100/0 60/40 60/40 90/10 75/25 (25,25)/50 60/40 60/40 60/40 (wt. %) maximum thickness of
crack- >6.0 0.6 4.0 0.8 -- >1.2 1.1 >6.0 >3.5 >1.2 free film formed per method A (mils) maximum thickness of crack- >1.5 0.3 -- 0.5 >1.0 >1.0 -- -- >1.5 -- free film formed per method B (mils)
__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.1 A PTFE dispersion, approximately 60 percent solids, purchased from DuPont. .sup.2 An FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene) dispersion, approximately 55 percent solids,
purchased from DuPont. .sup.3 A vinylidinefluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer elastomer in latex form, approximately 55 percent solids. .sup.4 L9025 is a vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene/tetrafluoroethylene terpolymer elastomer in latex
form, approximately 66 percent solids. .sup.5 A tetrafluoroethylene/propylene copolymer fluoroelastomer latex, approximately 31 percent solids.
A sample of CHEMFAB TCGF 100-10, PTFE coated glass fabric nominally 0.010 in. thick and 14 to 15 oz/yd weight, was obtained and weight, dielectric breakdown, and coating adhesion were measured. A coating of a modified PTFE dispersion prepared
according to Example 1 was applied to this sample by dipping, drying, and fusing in a vertical coating tower by a single application. Weight, dielectric strength, and coating adhesion were measured on the coated sample. The results are shown below.
______________________________________ Property Units 100-10 Example 11 ______________________________________ Weight oz/yd 14.9 16.2 Dielectric 1/4 in. elec. volts 7400 9000 Breakdown 2 in. elec. 5500 8500 Coating lbs/in. 8.0 8.9 adhesion
The above example illustrates the property of the invention composition to improve the integrity and uniformity of PTFE coatings. The measured increase in dielectric breakdown strength, especially as measured with the 2 inch diameter electrode,
is significant. The coating adhesion of the treated composite is greater than that of the original product indicating that the coating derived from the invention composition can be strongly bonded to a PTFE surface.
Invention compositions were prepared by blending Teflon 30B and VTR-5307 as follows:
______________________________________ Example 12 A B C D E ______________________________________ Teflon 30B (pbw) 66 83 99 111 116 VTR-5307 (pbw) 97 81 65 53 48 ______________________________________
Films derived from these compositions were produced by casting on a carrier, drying and baking at 700.degree. F. Tests performed on the materials and the results obtained are presented in Table B below. The modulus and draw values were obtained
from the tensile stress/strain curves as shown in FIG. 1.
TABLE B __________________________________________________________________________ TABLE A - PROPERTIES OF PTFE/FLUOROELASTOMER CAST FILMS Property Units Test Method EX. 12A EX. 12B EX 12C EX. 12D EX. 12E
__________________________________________________________________________ PTFE content wt % -- 40 50 60 67 70 Elas. content wt % -- 60 50 40 33 30 Tensile Strength (.sigma..sub.B) psi ASTM D-412 1480 1860 2450 2530 3260 Elongation at Break
(.epsilon..sub.B) % ASTM D-412 470 500 480 445 425 Tear Strength lbs/in. ASTM D-624 150 160 200 225 260 (die C) Dielectric Strength volts/mil, avg. ASTM D-902 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 (1/4 in elec.) Initial Tensile Modulus (E) 10.sup.3 psi
See FIG. 1 3.3 5.3 5.9 18.7 19.1 Initial Draw Modulus (d.sub.1) 10.sup.3 psi See FIG. 1 .15 .17 .17 .27 .18 Final Draw Modulus (d.sub.2) 10.sup.3 psi See FIG. 1 .27 .35 1.03 .54 .62 Yield Stress (.sigma..sub.y) .sup. psi See FIG. 1 530 700
990 1040 1290 Hardening Stress (.sigma..sub.h) .sup. psi See FIG. 1 870 1030 1400 1740 2530 Hardening Strain (.epsilon..sub.h) % See FIG. 1 200 210 250 240 220 __________________________________________________________________________ Strain
rate: 20 in/min (1000%/min) Temp: 70.degree. F.
Representative tensile stress-strain curves for each configuration of Example 12 are shown in FIG. 2. The weight percent as well as the film thickness and width of each sample is indicated parenthetically in FIG. 2.
While representative applications and embodiments of the invention have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations and modifications of such embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit of the
invention, and it is intended to claim all such variations and modifications as fall within the true scope of the invention.