Patent · US Expired

Fluoropolymer composite tube and method of preparation

US5958532A · kind A · utility

19Cited by
52References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 14, 1995
Grant dateSep 28, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 14, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/31544
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Described herein is a method of preparing a fluoropolymer composite tube comprising the steps of forming a fluoropolymer substrate, and thereafter layering and chemically bonding the fluoropolymer with a polymer layer, preferably a thermosetting or thermoplastic elastomer. The fluoropolymer substrate can be activated by subjecting the substrate to a charged gaseous atmosphere formed by electrically ionizing a gas which contacts the substrate. Thereafter, a layer of a thermosetting or thermplastic elastomer is applied to the activated fluoropolymer substrate resulting in a stronger chemical bond. The ionizing step can be described as a mixed gas plasma discharge or an electrically formed plasma. The thermosetting elastomer can, but does not have to contain a curing agent. In particular, this invention describes a fuel pipe comprised of an inner fluorocarbon layer having electrostatic discharge resistance and hydrocarbon evaporative emission resistance, and on top of and integral with the fluorocarbon layer, an outer layer of a thermosetting or thermoplastic elastomer chemically bonded to the fluorocarbon layer. Fluoropolymer layers have excellent chemical resistance.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.