PTFE Fabric Articles and Method of Making Same

• US 20100159171A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: Gore Enterprise Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Clough, Norman Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 7,968,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/36.100
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/00 Woven fabrics designed to make specified articles
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/283 synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/41 with specific twist
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/12 characterised by thread material
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/042 polymers of fluorinated hydrocarbons, e.g. polytetrafluoroethene [PTFE]
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/04 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/00 Medical; Hygiene
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1362 Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile containing [e.g., web, net, woven, knitted, mesh, nonwoven, matted, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/10 Scrim [e.g., open net or mesh, gauze, loose or open weave or knit, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3089 Cross-sectional configuration of strand material is specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/425 Including strand which is of specific structural definition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/608 Including strand or fiber material which is of specific structural definition

Abstract

Unique PTFE fabric structures, and methods for making same, are described which comprise a plurality of PTFE fibers overlapping at intersections, at least a portion of the intersections having PTFE masses which mechanically lock the overlapping PTFE fibers.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a plurality of PTFE fibers overlapping at intersections,

wherein at least a portion of the intersections have PTFE masses extending from at least one of the overlapping PTFE fibers, and

which mechanically lock the overlapping PTFE fibers.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein said plurality of PTFE fibers overlapping at intersections comprises a structure selected from the group consisting of knitted fibers, woven fibers, a laid scrim of fibers and nonwoven fibers.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein said PTFE fibers comprise expanded PTFE.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein said PTFE fibers comprise a plurality of PTFE monofilaments combined in a twisted configuration.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein said PTFE fibers comprise one or more forms selected from the group consisting of monofilaments, multifilaments and staple fibers.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein said PTFE fibers comprise one or more geometries selected from the group consisting of round, flat and twisted.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein said PTFE fibers comprise at least one additional material.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein said article further comprises PTFE islands on at least some PTFE fibers.

9. The article of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional material incorporated in said article.

10. The article of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional material coated on at least a portion of said PTFE fibers.

11. The article of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional material impregnated into the article.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein said at least one additional material comprises at least one ionomer.

13. The article of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a layer of a multi-layered structure.

14. The article of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a component of an electrochemical cell.

15. The article of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a component of an electrochemical cell.

16. The article of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a component of an acoustic device.

17. The article of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a component of a filter.

18. The article of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a component of a medical device.

19. The article of claim 1 having a geometry selected from the group consisting of a membrane, a tube, a sheet and a three dimensional shape.

20. The article of claim 18, incorporated as a component of an implantable medical device.

21. A method for forming a PTFE article comprising:

forming a plurality of PTFE fibers into a structure having intersections of overlapping PTFE fibers;

subjecting the structure to a plasma treatment;

then

subjecting the plasma treated structure to a heat treatment,

whereby at least a portion of the intersection of the resulting structure have PTFE masses, said PTFE masses extending from at least one of the overlapping PTFE fibers.