Laminate Structure Comprising a Nanoparticle Quasi-Thermoset Polymer

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a laminate structure comprising a nanoparticle quasi-thermoset polymer. The laminate structure can comprise a first substrate, a second substrate, and a third substrate. The second substrate can comprise a quasi-thermoset polyurethane polymer, carbon nanoparticles, ultraviolet stabilizer aids, siloxane aids, and dispersion aids. The second substrate can be between the first substrate and the third substrate.

Claims

1. A laminate structure comprising a first substrate; a second substrate comprising a quasi-thermoset polyurethane polymer, carbon nanoparticles ultraviolet stabilizer aids, siloxane aids, and dispersion aids; an a third substrate, said second substrate between said first substrate and said third substrate.

2. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein said carbon nanoparticles are in a range of 0.001% to 1% of said second substrate by volume.

3. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein said UV stabilizer is in a range of 0.001% to 3% of said second substrate by volume.

4. The laminate structure of claim 1, wherein said siloxane aids and said dispersion aids are in a range of 1% to 3% of said second substrate by volume.

5. The laminate structure of claim 1 wherein said UV stabilizer, said siloxane aids, and said dispersion aids together are 3% or less of said second substrate by volume.

6. The laminate structure of claim 1 wherein said first substrate is rigid.

7. The laminate structure of claim 6 wherein said first substrate is glass.

8. The laminate structure of claim 1 wherein said first substrate is non-rigid.

9. The laminate structure of claim 1 wherein said third substrate is rigid.

10. The laminate structure of claim 9 wherein said third substrate is glass.

11. The laminate structure of claim 1 wherein said second substrate is non-rigid.

12. The laminate structure of claim 1 wherein said quasi-thermoset polyurethane polymer is a cast aliphatic urethane.

13. The laminate structure of claim 12 wherein said cast aliphatic urethane is an ultra-high modulus, super elastic shape memory thermoplastic polyurethane (UHMTPE)

14. The laminate structure wherein said second substrate is between 0.02 and 0.08 inches thick.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a laminated structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the examples discussed, below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all feathers of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decision must be made to achieve the designers' specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skilled in the field of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term and/or includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The various embodiments of the present invention and their advantages can be well understood by referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing. However, the elements of the drawing are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. The invention may be provided in other specific forms and embodiments without departing from the essential characteristics as described herein. The embodiments described above are to be considered in all aspects as illustrative only and not restrictive in any manner. The following claims rather than the foregoing description indicate the scope of the invention.

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a laminated structure 100. Laminated structure 100 can comprise a plurality of substrates 101. In one embodiment, substrate 101 can comprise a first substrate 101a, a second substrate 101b, and a third substrate 101c. In such embodiment, first substrate 101a can be a rigid structure. Non-limiting examples of a rigid structure can include glass, polycarbonate, acrylic, or plastic. Glass as discussed within this disclosure assumes a very broad term as there are many base material combinations for glass that one skilled in the art could devise and utilize. Glass material combinations could result in a transparent, semi-transparent, colored, non-colored or opaque material. For example, bullet resistant glass is sometimes constructed with several glass sheets connected together with thin sheets of polyvinyl butyral, or polyester interposed there between with a polycarbonate or acrylic layer bonded on the inside face of the final glass sheet using a thermoplastic polyurethane layer. A polycarbonate or acrylic layer provides additional strength, and to a small degree, elasticity, to the glass upon impact but is used primarily to provide good resistance to spalling. In another embodiment, first substrate 101a can comprise of a non-rigid material such as fabric, animal products, plant materials, minerals, or synthetic materials. Examples include tactical and non-tactical nylons and ballistic fabrics. Similarly, substrate layer 101c can be a rigid or non-rigid structure as described above, and can be transparent or opaque.

[0022] Second substrate 101b can in reality be a single layer or multiple layers. Second substrate 101b can comprise of a quasi-thermoset polyurethane polymer. Unlike true thermoset materials, this polyurethane polymer exhibits thermoplastic characteristics as far as flow, elasticity and self-healing shape memory. When positioned between substrates to form a laminated structure, the substrates can provide structural stability to the polymer, reducing gross deformation to the laminated structure related to kinetic energy at a point of impact. During an impact event, second substrate 101b increases material interface between the first substrate 101a and third substrate 101c, allowing for local impact energies to be dispersed and dissipated over a greater surface area thereby improving management of the impact event. This is a result of super elastic shape memory provided by the extremely long molecular chain associated with the polymer and is measured at a 27 in accordance with measurements contained in the ASTM D790. Second substrate 101b may be between 0.002 inches to about 0.008 inches thick, depending upon the desired properties to be achieved. Laminate structure 100 can be assembled by a conventional process using iterative application of heat (e.g. up to about 360 degrees Fahrenheit and pressure (ranging from 10 psi to 60 psi).

[0023] One example of such polymer is a cast aliphatic urethane. Further, such cast aliphatic urethane can be an ultra-high modulus, super elastic shape memory thermoplastic polyurethane (UHMTPE). Second layer 101b can further comprise carbon nanoparticles in a range of 0.001%-1% by volume, an anti-oxidant ultra-violet (UV) stabilizer aid in a range of 0.001%-3% volume, and/or a siloxane process aid and a dispersion aid in a range of 1%-3% by volume. In a preferred embodiment, the UV stabilizer and siloxane process aid and dispersion aide is not more than 3% of the mixture by volume. UV absorber filters harmful UV light and can prevents discoloration that degrades light transmission and prevents delamination when heating. The characteristics of the UHMTPE can be achieved with an ether-based, rather than ester-based aromatic thermoplastic, long molecular chain, polyurethane composition. The anti-oxidant prevents thermally induced oxidation of polymers during coating and heat lamination and traps free radicals formed during heating in the presence of oxygen and prevent discoloration and change of mechanical properties incumbent to the polymer. In other words, mechanical properties such as elasticity and light transmissiveness are preserved. When used together they have complimentary synergistic effect.

[0024] Carbon nanoparticles can be lightweight, long, high surface area materials with exceptional mechanical strength allowing even longer molecule chains to form, thus further improving covalent bonds. Carbon nanoparticles may be carbon nanotubes, single walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphene sheets, graphene nanoribbons, or any combination thereof. The addition of carbon nanoparticles encased, integrated or functionalized in the base resin can be beneficial in areas of shock absorption and energy dispersion. Characteristics of carbon nanoparticles enable them to impart strength, toughness, and crack/impact resistance to a variety of materials. Carbon nanoparticles enable load transfer and energy dissipation between layers and have shown an increase in ballistic resistance performance, shock absorption and improved strength and fatigue life and enhance chemical and mechanical covalent bonding. The addition of carbon nanoparticles can be beneficial in enhancing tear strength when two materials are laminated together.

[0025] First substrate 101a, second substrate 101b, and third substrate 101c can be laminated together using heat up to 360 F and pressure up to 60 psi. In one embodiment, laminate structure can reduce back face deformation or trauma by absorbing the energy force at the point of impact and dispersing it over the entire surface area when laminated between the inner sides of a rigid or non rigid substrate.

[0026] In another embodiment laminate structure 100 can improve tear strength of laminated fabrics where attachment openings singular or multiple are cut using an automated laser cutting process and tested with an Instron 3366 10 kN Dual Column Testing System; used in conjunction with Webbing Capstan Grips, webbing style 1 in 63361 (MIL-SPEC A-A-55301 T-III).

[0027] Lastly, laminate structure, in one embodiment, can be a better manager of the chain of events necessary to stop a projectile in a laminated rigid or non-rigid substrate by absorbing the force of the impact at the point of impact and increasing material interface between the layers and allows for local impact energies to be dispersed and dissipated over a greater surface area thereby improving management of the impact event.

[0028] While embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited thereto, since modification may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. It is, therefore, contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications that incorporate those features or those improvements that embody the spirit and scope of the present invention.