Method for making impact-absorptive material

Abstract

A method for making an impact-absorptive material is introduced. The method involves mixing silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) particles, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and an appropriate amount of an additive, allowing the mixture to settle until tiny bubbles in the mixture are evenly distributed, thereby forming a colloidal solution raw material, adding a crosslinking agent to the colloidal solution raw material to form a colloidal solution plastic material, filling a die with the colloidal solution plastic material, heating the colloidal solution plastic material in the die such that it takes shape and forms an effective impact absorbing material, quickly and at low costs, for use in physical education, medicine, transportation, and safety-enhancing equipment.

Claims

1. A method for making an impact-absorptive material, the method comprising the steps of: (step 1) mixing silicon dioxide particles, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and an additive, performing a compounding process on the mixture to form a liquid mixture essentially comprising silicon dioxide and PDMS, settling the liquid mixture until tiny bubbles therein are evenly distributed, and performing a ripening process on the liquid mixture to form a colloidal solution raw material; (step 2) adding a crosslinking agent to the colloidal solution raw material, mixing the crosslinking agent and the colloidal solution raw material until foaming occurs, so as to form a colloidal solution plastic material; and (step 3) filling a die with the colloidal solution plastic material, and heating the colloidal solution plastic material in the die to 80120 C. for 24 hours until the colloidal solution plastic material cures to thereby allow the colloidal solution plastic material to take shape and form the impact-absorptive material; wherein the PDMS is of a molecular weight of 2005,000.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon dioxide particles are of a diameter of 50500,000 nm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the additive is one of ethanol and isopropanol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein silicon dioxide particles account for 3060% wt of the colloidal solution raw material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the crosslinking agent is at least one of PU and EVA.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the die is made of a material which tolerates 200 C. and above.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a surface of the die undergoes passivation so as to facilitate mold release.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the colloidal solution plastic material takes shape when heated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

(1) Objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention are hereunder illustrated with specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for making an impact-absorptive material according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) To enable persons skilled in the art to fully understand the objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, the present invention is hereunder illustrated with specific embodiments.

(4) Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a method for making an impact-absorptive material according to the present invention. As shown in the diagram, the process flow of the method comprises the steps as follows:

(5) Step 1: blending silicon dioxide particles of a diameter of 5,000 nm, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) of a molecular weight of 3,500, and an appropriate amount of isopropanol so as to form a liquid mixture essentially comprising silicon dioxide and PDMS, allowing the liquid mixture to settle until tiny bubbles in the liquid mixture are evenly distributed, thereby forming a colloidal solution raw material, wherein silicon dioxide particles account for 50% wt of the colloidal solution raw material.

(6) Step 2: adding an appropriate amount of PU to the colloidal solution raw material formed in step 1, so as to form a crosslinking agent, and blending the mixture until a colloidal solution plastic material is formed.

(7) Step 3: filling a die with the colloidal solution plastic material formed in step 2, and heating the colloidal solution plastic material in the die at 100 C. for 3 hours until the colloidal solution plastic material takes shape and forms an impact-absorptive material.

(8) The present invention is disclosed above by preferred embodiments. However, persons skilled in the art should understand that the preferred embodiments are illustrative of the present invention only, but should not be interpreted as restrictive of the scope of the present invention. Hence, all equivalent modifications and replacements made to the aforesaid embodiments should fall within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the legal protection for the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.