Cold-shrink article and method of making cold-shrink article

• US 7,553,894 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Vora, Krishnakant P., Evoniuk, Christopher J., Bandyopadhyay, Pradip K.
• Primary Examiner(s): SANDERS, KRIELLION ANTIONETTE
• Application Number:
  US11/191,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20070027236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 264/413, 428/421, 524/114, 524/544
• US Class Current: 524/114
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 61/065 Preforms held in a stressed condition by means of a removable support; Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2019/00 Use of rubber not provided for in a single one of main groups B29K2007/00 - B29K2011/00, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/14 Macromolecular compounds according to C08L59/00 - C08L87/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/12 containing fluorine atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/16 Homopolymers or copolymers or vinylidene fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/18 Homopolymers or copolymers or tetrafluoroethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/03 Polyepihalohydrins
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 47/22 using shrink-down material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

An elastomeric composition that includes a fluorelastomer and an epichlorohydrin. The elastomeric composition can be formed into cold-shrink articles that are resistant to tearing at elevated temperatures.

Claims

1. A cold-shrink composition comprising:

a fluoroelastomer;

an epichlorohydrin; and

a peroxide cross-linking agent

wherein the composition, when cured and formed into a tubular elastomeric article, exhibits a permanent set of less than about 35%.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition includes about 10 parts or greater of fluoroelastomer and about 60 parts or less of fluoroelastomer, per 100 total parts of fluoroelastomer and epichlorohydrin.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition includes about 40 parts or greater of epichlorohydrin and about 90 parts or less of epichlorohydrin, per 100 total parts of fluoroelastomer and epichlorohydrin.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition includes about 10 parts or greater of fluoroelastomer and about 60 parts or less of fluoroelastomer, per 100 total parts of fluoroelastomer and epichlorohydrin, and about 40 parts or greater of epichlorohydrin and about 90 parts or less of epichlorohydrin, per 100 total parts of fluoroelastomer and epichlorohydrin.

5. The composition of claim 1, and further comprising:

a filler material.

6. The composition of claim 5, wherein the filler material is selected from the group consisting of reinforcement-grade carbon blacks, silica-based fillers, clays, fluoroplastics, metal oxides, and combinations thereof.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein an article formed from the composition exhibits less than about a 25% weight increase when immersed in diesel fuel for 24 hours at a temperature of about 49°

C. or less.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein an article formed from the composition exhibits less than about a 10% weight increase when immersed in hydraulic fluid for 24 hours at a temperature of about 71°

C. or less.

9. The composition of claim 1, and further comprising:

an energy beam absorbent;

wherein the composition is capable of being marked by a focused energy beam.

10. A cold-shrink article comprising:

an elastomeric member in an expanded state, the elastomeric member comprising a composition that comprises the reaction product of a mixture comprising a fluoroelastomer, a peroxide cross-linking agent, and an epichlorohydrin; and

a removable core supporting the elastomeric member in the expanded state.

11. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the composition includes about 10 parts or greater of fluoroelastomer and about 60 parts or less of fluoroelastomer, per 100 total parts of fluoroelastomer and epichlorohydrin.

12. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the composition includes about 40 parts or greater of epichlorohydrin and about 90 parts or less of epichlorohydrin, per 100 total parts of fluoroelastomer and epichlorohydrin.

13. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the composition includes about 10 parts or greater of fluoroelastomer and about 60 parts or less of fluoroelastomer, per 100 total parts of fluoroelastomer and epichlorohydrin, and about 40 parts or greater of epichlorohydrin and about 90 parts or less of epichlorohydrin, per 100 total parts of fluoroelastomer and epichlorohydrin.

14. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the composition further comprises filler material selected from the group consisting of reinforcement-grade carbon blacks, silica-based fillers, clays, fluoroplastics, metal oxides, and combinations thereof.

15. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric member exhibits a permanent set at 100°

C. of less than about 35%.

16. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric member exhibits a permanent set at 100°

C. of less than about 25%.

17. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric member, when held at a temperature of 150°

C., exhibits an elongation at break of at least about 200%.

18. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric member exhibits less than about a 25% weight increase when immersed in diesel fuel for 24 hours at a temperature of about 49°

C. or less.

19. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric member exhibits less than about a 10% weight increase when immersed in hydraulic fluid for 24 hours at a temperature of about 71°

C. or less.

20. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric member does not tear while being held for seven days at a temperature of 150°

C. in a 200% radially expanded state.

21. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, wherein the cold-shrink article includes a plurality of elastomeric members having walls that define elongate cavities through each elastomeric member, the cavities in communication with each other.

22. The cold-shrink article of claim 10, and further comprising:

an energy-beam induced identifier on an external surface of the elastomeric member, wherein the composition further comprises an energy beam absorbent.

23. The cold-shrink article of claim 22, wherein the composition further comprises a pigment.

24. A method comprising:

blending components to form a composition, the components comprising a fluoroelastomer, an epichiorohydrin, and a peroxide cross-linking agent;

forming the composition into an elastomeric article;

expanding at least a portion of the elastomeric article; and

inserting a removable core into the expanded portion of the elastomeric article.

25. The method of claim 24, and further comprising:

curing the elastomeric article.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein curing the elastomeric article comprises irradiating the elastomeric article.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the elastomeric article is subjected to an irradiation dosage of less than about 15 Mrads.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein curing the elastomeric article comprises curing the elastomeric article in an oxygen-free atmosphere.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein curing the elastomeric article in an oxygen-free atmosphere comprises curing the elastomeric article in an atmosphere consisting essentially of nitrogen.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein curing the elastomeric article in an oxygen-free atmosphere comprises autoclaving the elastomeric article.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein curing the elastomeric article comprises curing the elastomeric article in a water-free atmosphere.