POLYMERIC MATERIALS

• US 20180044470A1
• Filed: 03/29/2016
• Published: 02/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Victrex Manufacturing Limited (Victrex PLC)
• Original Assignee: Victrex Manufacturing Limited (Victrex PLC)
• Inventors: Small, Geoff, Ainsworth, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 10,457,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2650/40 containing ketone groups, e.g. polyarylethylketones, PEEK or PEK
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 65/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain of the macromolecule
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 65/4012 Other compound (II) containing a ketone group, e.g. X-Ar-C(=O)-Ar-X for polyetherketones
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/00 Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0673 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0675 with details of composition
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG

Abstract

An assembly or apparatus for use in relation to an assembly, wherein said assembly is subjected to a temperature of less than −50° C. in use, wherein said assembly or apparatus includes a component which comprises a polymeric material (A) having a repeat unit of formula —O—Ph—O—Ph—CO—Ph—(I) wherein Ph represents a phenylene moiety; and wherein said polymeric material (A) has a melt viscosity of at least 0.50 kNsm⁻².

Claims

1. An assembly or apparatus for use in relation to an assembly, wherein said assembly is subjected to a temperature of less than −

50°

C. in use, wherein said assembly or apparatus includes a component which comprises a polymeric material (A) having a repeat unit of formula

—

O—

Ph—

O—

Ph—

CO—

Ph—

 

 

I

wherein Ph represents a phenylene moiety; and

wherein said polymeric material (A) has a melt viscosity of at least 0.50 kNsm<sup>−

2</sup>.

2. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said assembly or apparatus and/or wherein said component is subjected to a temperature of less than −

100°

C. or less than −

140°

C. in use.

7. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said assembly is associated with liquid natural gas (LNG) handling, transport or storage.

8. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said assembly is a LNG storage tank or a part associated therewith, or wherein said component is a part of the storage tank or a part associated therewith.

10. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said component is selected from the group comprising a seal, a valve, a part of a valve, a gasket, a bearing, a part of a bearing, a housing, a ring, a pipe, a part of a pipe, a pipe liner, a connector, insulation, and a bush.

11. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least 95% of the number of phenylene moieties in polymeric material (A) have 1,4-linkages to moieties to which they are bonded;

and the phenylene moieties in repeat unit of formula I are unsubstituted.

12. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said polymeric material (A) includes at least 68 mol % of repeat units of formula I.

13. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said repeat unit of formula I has the structure

14. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said polymeric material (A) has a MV of at least 0.60 kNsm⁻

2.

15. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said polymeric material (A) has a MV in the range 0.55 to 0.75 kNsm⁻

2.

16. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said component includes at least 95 wt % of said polymeric material (A).

17. An assembly or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said polymeric material (A) is manufactured by aromatic nucleophilic substitution, wherein said aromatic nucleophilic substitution comprises reacting a nucleophile with a 4,4′

-difluorobenzophenone monomer, and wherein said 4,4′

-difluorobenzophenone monomer has a purity of at least 99.7% w/w by difference, as measured using HPLC-UV analysis as set out in Test 3 herein.

26. A method of making a component for an assembly or apparatus as described in claim 1, the method comprising:

(i) selecting the polymeric material (A);

(ii) melt processing the polymeric material (A);

(iii) forming said component during and/or after step (ii).

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein step (ii) comprises extrusion or injection moulding.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein the component, assembly, apparatus and polymeric material (A) are as described in any preceding claim.

29. A liquid natural gas (LNG) assembly which comprises a component as described in claim 1.

30. An assembly according to claim 29, said assembly being associated with LNG handling, transport or storage.

31. An assembly according to claim 30, wherein said assembly is a LNG storage tank and/or a part associated therewith.

3-6. -6. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

18-21. -21. (canceled)

22. The use of a polymeric material (A) for making a component for use in an environment in which the temperature is less than −

50°

C. or in which the temperature may fall to less than −

50°

C., wherein said polymeric material (A) has a repeat unit of formula

—

O—

Ph—

O—

Ph—

CO—

Ph—

 

 

(I)

wherein Ph represent a a phenylene moiety; and

wherein said polymeric material (A) has a melt viscosity of at least 0.50 kNsm<sup>−

2</sup>.

23. The use according to claim 22, wherein the temperature in the environment is less than −

100°

C.,

24-25. -25. (canceled)