Process of making a composite membrane
US6492431B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 5, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 10, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 29, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/249987
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention relates to methods of fabricating composite membranes wherein at least one of the components is initially provided in the form of a precursor. The composite material comprising the precursor is processed to transform the precursor and obtain a membrane having a desired property. Including a thermoplastic precursor to a desired component, which itself is less thermoplastic, permits separate pieces of the membrane to be joined by welding or other thermal processes relying on the meltability of the components to achieve a bond. The invention also encompasses fabricating a reinforced ion conducting membrane by melting and mixing a non ion-conducting precursor to an ion-conducting polymer with an essentially inert polymer. The composite material is then processed to transform the non ion-conducting polymer into the ion-conducting form. The mixing of the precursor and the inert polymer may also be achieved by co-precipitating a solution of the precursor and a suspension of the inert polymer; impregnating the precursor onto the walls of the pores of a porous, essentially inert polymer; filling the pores of a porous, essentially inert polymer with a solution comprisin…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.