Method for producing bi-continuous and high internal phase nanostructures
First Claim
1. A method for forming a solid bi-continuous composition, comprising blending a base polymer material formed of one or more polymers with a surfactant material formed of one or more nanoparticle surfactants, in the presence or absence of a solvent, by:
- (a) blending a block copolymer with the surfactant material, in the presence of a solvent and then removing a solvent, or cooling the composition;
(b) solvent blending two immiscible or partially miscible polymers with the surfactant material and then removing the solvent under conditions to form a film in which the bi-continuous structure has domain sizes below 500 nm;
or (c) melt blending two immiscible or partially miscible polymers with the surfactant material and then cooling under conditions to form a bi-continuous bulk composition
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for producing bi-continuous morphologies in polymer melts and solids, wherein two distinct domains or phases percolate and macroscopically connect throughout the composition. The process proceeds by simply mixing the components in a common solvent and casting a film by slow removal of the solvent. Bulk materials can be produced by mixing the components in an extruder, compounder, or other specialized equipment for processing molten polymers, and forming into a pellet, fiber, film, sheet, or molded part. The invention allows the production of materials with unique or unusual combinations of transparency, high electronic or ionic conductivity, high vapor transport rates, and/or high absorption rates of moisture or vapors . Particles used in the present invention are 5-10 nm to yield a scale of the bi-continuous structures of 10-50 nm. The materials can be produced in bulk form, or in films 1-100 microns thick.
33 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for forming a solid bi-continuous composition, comprising blending a base polymer material formed of one or more polymers with a surfactant material formed of one or more nanoparticle surfactants, in the presence or absence of a solvent, by:
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(a) blending a block copolymer with the surfactant material, in the presence of a solvent and then removing a solvent, or cooling the composition;
(b) solvent blending two immiscible or partially miscible polymers with the surfactant material and then removing the solvent under conditions to form a film in which the bi-continuous structure has domain sizes below 500 nm;
or(c) melt blending two immiscible or partially miscible polymers with the surfactant material and then cooling under conditions to form a bi-continuous bulk composition - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A solid bi-continuous composition comprising a base polymer material formed of one or more polymers blended with a surfactant material formed of one or more nanoparticle surfactants in which the base polymer material is:
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(a) a block copolymer blended with the surfactant material (b) two immiscible or partially miscible polymers selected from homopolymers, random copolymers, or statistical copolymers that are solvent blended with the surfactant material and formed into a film with phase or domain sizes below 500 nm;
or(c) two immiscible or partially miscible polymers selected from homopolymers, random copolymers, or statistical copolymers that are melt blended with the surfactant material. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A product formed of a solid bi-continuous material comprising a base polymer material formed of one or more polymers blended with a surfactant material formed of one or more nanoparticle surfactants in which the base polymer is:
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(a) a block copolymer blended with the surfactant material;
(b) two immiscible or partially miscible polymers selected from homopolymers, random copolymers, or statistical copolymers that are solvent blended with the surfactant material and formed into a film with phase or domain sizes below 500 nm;
or(c) two immiscible or partially miscible polymers selected from homopolymers, random copolymers, or statistical copolymers that are melt blended with the surfactant material. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification