DENSIFIED CONDUCTIVE MATERIALS AND ARTICLES MADE FROM SAME

• US 20080064279A1
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Browning, Rhesa M., Mitchell, Charles, Lim, Jeffrey A., Ngin, Sywong
• Application Number:
  US11/764,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20080064279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/115
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/22 the conductive material comprising metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2418 Coating or impregnation increases electrical conductivity or anti-static quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2459 Nitrogen containing

Abstract

Disclosed are electromagnetically conductive articles comprising a densified core material and at least one electromagnetically conductive material. Also disclosed are electromagnetically conductive articles comprising at least one layer of a densified fabric material at least a portion of at least one surface of which is plated with one or more electromagnetically conductive particulate materials. Methods of making and using such electromagnetically conductive articles are also provided.

Claims

1. An electromagnetically conductive article comprising a densified core material and at least one electromagnetically conductive material.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the densified core material is a nonwoven fabric, and wherein the densified core material is positioned within close proximity to an RFID device.

3. The article of claim 2 wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a thermoplastic polymeric material.

4. The article of claim 3 wherein the thermoplastic polymeric material includes a polyester.

5. The article of claim 3 wherein the thermoplastic polymeric material includes polyethylene terephthalate.

6. The article of claim 2 wherein the nonwoven fabric is made from a melt processable polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyesters;

polyalkylenes;

polyamides;

polystyrenes; and

polyarylsulfones.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein the densified core material comprises a fabric made of a natural fiber material.

8. The article of claim 1 wherein the densified core material comprises a woven fabric.

9. The article of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetically conductive material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of:

noble metals;

non-noble metals;

noble metal-plated noble or non-noble metals;

non-noble metal-plated noble or non-noble metals;

noble or non-noble metal plated non-metals;

conductive non-metals; and

conductive polymers.

10. The article of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetically conductive material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of:

gold;

silver;

platinum;

nickel;

copper;

tin;

aluminum;

silver-plated copper, nickel, aluminum, tin, or gold;

nickel-plated copper or silver;

silver or nickel-plated graphite, glass, ceramics, plastics, elastomers, or mica;

carbon black or carbon fiber;

polyacetylene;

polyaniline;

polypyrrole;

polythiophene;

polysulfurnitride;

poly(p-phenylene);

poly(phenylene sulfide) or poly(p-phenylenevinylene); and

mixtures thereof.

11. The article of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetically conductive material includes copper and nickel.

12. The article of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of at least one surface of the article is coated with elemental silver.

13. The article of claim 1 wherein the densified core material is calendered.

14. The article of claim 1 wherein the densified core material is pressed.

15. The article of claim 1 further comprising a layer of adhesive disposed on at least a portion of at least one surface of the article.

16. The article of claim 15 wherein the adhesive contains nickel.

17. An electromagnetically conductive article comprising at least one layer of a densified fabric material at least a portion of at least one surface of which is plated with one or more electromagnetically conductive particulate materials.

18. The article of claim 17 wherein the densified fabric is made from a melt processable polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyesters;

polyalkylenes;

polyamides;

polystyrenes; and

polyarylsulfones, and wherein the densified fabric material is positioned within close proximity to an RFID device.

19. The article of claim 17 wherein the electromagnetically conductive material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of:

noble metals;

non-noble metals;

noble metal-plated noble or non-noble metals;

non-noble metal-plated noble or non-noble metals;

noble or non-noble metal plated non-metals;

conductive non-metals; and

conductive polymers.

20. The article of claim 17 wherein the electromagnetically conductive material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of:

gold;

silver;

platinum;

nickel;

copper;

tin;

aluminum;

silver-plated copper, nickel, aluminum, tin, or gold;

nickel-plated copper or silver;

silver or nickel-plated graphite, glass, ceramics, plastics, elastomers, or mica;

carbon black or carbon fiber;

polyacetylene;

polyaniline;

polypyrrole;

polythiophene;

polysulfurnitride;

poly(p-phenylene);

poly(phenylene sulfide) or poly(p-phenylenevinylene); and

mixtures thereof.

21. The article of claim 17 wherein the electromagnetically conductive material includes copper and nickel.

22. The article of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of at least one surface of the article is coated with elemental silver.

23. The article of claim 17 wherein the densified fabric is calendered.

24. The article of claim 17 wherein the densified fabric is pressed.

25. The article of claim 17 further comprising a layer of adhesive disposed on at least a portion of at least one surface of the article.

26. The article of claim 25 wherein the adhesive contains nickel.

27. An electromagnetically conductive article comprising at least one layer of a fabric material at least a portion of which is calendered and at least a portion of which is plated with one or more electromagnetically conductive materials.

28. An electromagnetically conductive article comprising a fabric plated with at least one electromagnetically conductive material wherein the air permeability of the fabric as measured along a plane dissecting the fabric through its smallest width is no greater than about 0.5 m³/min.

29. The article of claim 28 wherein the air permeability of the fabric as measured along a plane dissecting the fabric through its smallest width is no greater than about 0.25 m³/min.

30. The article of claim 28 wherein the air permeability of the fabric as measured along a plane dissecting the fabric through its smallest width is no greater than about 0.2 m³/min.

31. A method of making an electromagnetically conductive article comprising:

(a) densifying a fabric; and

(b) plating the fabric with one or more electromagnetically conductive materials.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the densifying comprises calendering, and further comprising positioning the fabric within close proximity to an RFID device.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising coating at least a portion of the fabric with a layer of elemental silver.

34. The method of claim 31 further comprising coating a layer of adhesive onto at least one surface of the fabric.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the adhesive contains nickel.