Sintered polymeric materials and applications thereof

• US 20080197065A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Porex Corporation (FGI Equity LLC)
• Original Assignee: Porex Corporation (FGI Equity LLC)
• Inventors: Mao, Guoqiang, Wingo, James P., Reed, Deborah B., Kunth, Gerald, Haldopoulos, Ike Iaokim, Witover, Michael E., Tan, Take Huat, Maertens, Andre, Fullerton, Daniel George
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/198.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1661 sintered or bonded
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0275 Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips

Abstract

The present invention provides sintered polymeric materials and methods of making the same which are useful in a variety of applications. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a sintered polymeric material comprising at least one plastic and at least one elastomer.

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

a sintered polymeric material comprising at least one plastic and at least one elastomer.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastomer comprises thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyisobutylene, polybutenes, polyethylene-propylene copolymer, polyethylene-butene copolymer, polyethylene-octene copolymer, polyethylene-hexene copolymer, chlorinated polyethylene, chloro-sulfonated polyethylene, styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene, or 1,3-dienes or combinations thereof.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein 1,3-dienes comprise styrene-1,3-butadiene, carboxylated styrene-1,3-butadiene, acrylonitrile-1,3-butadiene, or isobutylene-isoprene or combinations thereof.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one plastic comprises polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, rigid polyurethanes, polyacrylonitriles, polycarbonates, polyvinylchloride, polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethersulfones, polystyrenes, polyether imides, polyetheretherketones, or polysulfones or combinations thereof.

5. The composition of claim 4, wherein polyolefins comprise polyethylene or polypropylene or combinations thereof.

6. The composition of claim 5, wherein polyethylene comprises high density polyethylene.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastomer is present in an amount ranging from about 10 weight percent to about 90 weight percent.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the sintered polymeric material is porous.

9. The composition of claim 8, wherein the sintered porous polymeric material has an average pore size ranging from about 1 μ

m to about 200 μ

m.

10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the sintered polymeric material is an applicator, a filtration medium, or a barrier medium.

11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the barrier medium further comprises at least one super-absorbent material.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a housing; and

at least one filtration medium or at least one barrier medium, wherein the at least one filtration medium and the at least one barrier medium comprise the composition of claim 1.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the housing comprises a vacuum filtration housing, a chromatographic column, a funnel, a tube, a duct, a syringe, a catheter, or a pipette tip.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one filtration medium and the at least one barrier medium further comprise at least one color change indicator.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is a filter, a pipettor, or a catheter.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one barrier medium further comprises at least one super-absorbent material.

26. A method of producing a polymeric material of claim 1 comprising:

providing particles of the at least one elastomer;

providing particles of the at least one plastic; and

sintering the plastic particles and the elastomer particles.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one elastomer comprises thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyisobutylene, polybutenes, polyethylene-propylene copolymer, polyethylene-butene copolymer, polyethylene-octene copolymer, polyethylene-hexene copolymer, chlorinated polyethylene, chloro-sulfonated polyethylene, styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene, or 1,3-dienes or combinations thereof.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one plastic comprises polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, rigid polyurethanes, polyacrylonitriles, polycarbonates, polyvinylchloride, polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethersulfones, polystyrenes, polyether imides, polyetheretherketones or polysulfones or combinations thereof.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the polymeric material is an applicator, a filtration medium, or a barrier medium.

38. A method of producing an apparatus comprising:

providing a filtration medium or a barrier medium comprising the composition of claim 1;

providing a housing; and

disposing the filtration medium or the barrier medium in the housing.

12. A composition comprising:

a continuous sintered polymeric material comprising a flexible region and a rigid region, wherein the flexible region comprises a first plastic and at least one elastomer, and the rigid region comprises a second plastic.

39. A method of producing an apparatus comprising:

providing a filtration medium or a barrier medium comprising the composition of claim 12;

providing a housing; and

disposing the filtration medium or the barrier medium in the housing.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising forming a seal between the flexible region and the housing.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the housing comprises a pipette tip.

13. The composition of claim 13, wherein the sintered polymeric material is an applicator, a filtration medium, or a barrier medium.

14. An applicator comprising:

a sintered porous polymeric component; and

a fibrous component coupled to the sintered porous polymeric component.

15. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the sintered porous polymeric component comprises at least one plastic and at least one elastomer.

16. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the at least one plastic comprises high density polyethylene.

17. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the sintered porous polymeric component further comprises at least one color change indicator.

18. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the sintered porous polymeric component comprises a flexible region continuous with a rigid region, the flexible region comprising a first plastic and at least one elastomer and the rigid region comprising a second plastic.

19. The applicator of claim 14 further comprising a reservoir.

20. The applicator of claim 19, wherein the reservoir is the fibrous component.

32. A method of producing an applicator of claim 14 comprising:

providing the sintered porous polymeric component;

providing the fibrous component; and

coupling the fibrous component to the sintered porous polymeric component.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein providing the sintered porous polymeric component comprises providing particles of at least one plastic, providing particles of at least one elastomer, and sintering the plastic particles and the elastomer particles.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein providing the sintered porous polymeric component comprises disposing particles of a first plastic mixed with particles of at least one elastomer in a first part of a mold, disposing particles of a second plastic in a second part of the mold adjacent to the first part of the mold, and sintering the first plastic particles, the second plastic particles, and the elastomer particles.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing a reservoir and coupling the reservoir to the fibrous component.

37. A method of applying a composition to a surface comprising:

providing an applicator of claim 14;

disposing at least a portion of the composition on the applicator; and

contacting the surface with the composition on the applicator.

30. A method of producing a polymeric material comprising:

disposing particles of a first plastic mixed with particles of at least one elastomer in a first part of a mold;

disposing particles of a second plastic in a second part of a mold adjacent to the first part of the mold; and

sintering the first plastic particles, the elastomer particles, and the second plastic particles.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the polymeric material comprises a flexible region and a rigid region.

36. A method of applying a composition to a surface comprising:

providing an applicator comprising a sintered porous polymeric material comprising at least one plastic and at least one elastomer;

disposing at least a portion of the composition on the applicator; and

contacting the surface with the composition on the applicator.