Articles containing functional polymeric phase change materials and methods of manufacturing the same

• US 9,234,059 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2008
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Outlast Technologies GmbH
• Original Assignee: Outlast Technologies, Incorporated
• Inventors: Hartmann, Mark, Eyal, Aharon
• Primary Examiner(s): Salvatore, Lynda
• Application Number:
  US12/185,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20100015869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,716 Days
• Field of Search: 428/913, 428/402, 428/402.21, 428/402.22, 428/402.23, 428/402.24, 428/221, 428/375, 428/500, 428/392, 428/304.4, 428/475.8, 428/507, 252/70, 442/59
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 120/32 containing epoxy radicals
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/1818 C13or longer chain (meth)acrylate, e.g. stearyl (meth)acrylate
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/325 containing glycidyl radical, e.g. glycidyl (meth)acrylate
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/14 Esterification
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/063 Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/10 Other agents for modifying properties
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/28 from organic cellulose esters or ethers, e.g. cellulose acetate
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/38 comprising unsaturated nitriles as the major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/263 of unsaturated carboxylic acids; Salts or esters thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/273 of unsaturated carboxylic esters having epoxy groups
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2101/06 cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2400/01 Creating covalent bondings between the treating agent and the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 Coated or with bond, impregnation or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2964 Artificial fiber or filament
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31743 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomer[s]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3188 Next to cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/20 Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer

Abstract

An article comprises a substrate and a functional polymeric phase change material bound to the substrate. In some aspects the functional polymeric phase change material is chemically bound to the substrate and can be accomplished by at least one of covalent bonding or electrovalent bonding. The functional polymeric phase change material can comprise a reactive function selected from the group consisting of an acid anhydride group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an alkyl group, an aldehyde group, an amide group, an amino group and their salts, a N-substituted amino group, an aziridine, an aryl group, a carbonyl group, a carboxy group and their salts, an epoxy group, an ester group, an ether group, a glycidyl group, a halo group, a hydride group, a hydroxy group, an isocyanate group, a thiol group, a disulfide group, a silyl or silane group, an urea group, and an urethane group, and wherein the substrate comprises at least one of cellulose, wool, fur, leather, polyester and nylon. Methods of producing the articles are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A temperature regulating article comprising:

a molded substrate;

a first functional polymeric phase change material mixed with and bound to the molded substrate, wherein the first functional polymeric phase change material dynamically absorbs and releases heat to adjust heat transfer at or within a temperature stabilizing range and has at least one phase change temperature in the range between −

10°

C. and 100°

C. and a phase change enthalpy of at least 2 Joules per gram, the first functional polymeric phase change material including a plurality of polymer chains, at least one of the plurality of polymer chains including;

a plurality of monomer units,

a backbone chain,

a plurality of side chains, and

at least one crystallizable section,

a second phase change material contained within a containment structure,

wherein the plurality of side chains form the at least one crystallizable section and wherein the functional polymeric phase change material carries at least one reactive function on at least one of the plurality of side chains or the backbone chain, wherein the reactive function forms at least a first covalent bond with a portion of the molded substrate or with a connecting compound capable of reacting with reactive functions of the substrate;

wherein a first portion of the plurality of side chains includes a reactive function that cross-links one or more of the first portion of the plurality of side chains to a similar side chain, and

wherein a second portion of the plurality of side chains are bonded with the molded substrate through entanglement to enhance the mechanical strength between the second portion of the plurality of side chains and the molded substrate.

2. An article according to claim 1, wherein the functional polymeric phase change material is chemically bound to the molded substrate.

3. An article according to claim 2, wherein the chemical bonding is at least one of covalent bonding or electrovalent bonding.

4. An article according to claim 2, wherein the bonding is accomplished through direct bonding.

5. An article according to claim 2, wherein the bonding is accomplished by a connecting compound.

6. An article according to claim 1, further comprising at least one ingredient selected from a group consisting of an additional functional polymeric phase change material, an additional phase change material, encapsulated phase change materials, a binder, a formulation, an additive, crosslinkers, blending polymers, compatibilizers, wetting agents, and combinations of the foregoing.

7. An article according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of, foams, plastic, polymeric layers, plastic films, plastic sheets, laminates or combinations of the foregoing.

8. An article according to claim 1, wherein the functional polymeric phase change material comprises a reactive function selected from the group consisting of an acid anhydride group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an alkyl group, an aldehyde group, an amide group, an amino group and their salts, a N-substituted amino group, an aziridine, an aryl group, a carbonyl group, a carboxy group and their salts, an epoxy group, an ester group, an ether group, a glycidyl group, a halo group, a hydride group, a hydroxy group, an isocyanate group, a thiol group, a disulfide group, a silyl or silane group, an urea group, and an urethane group, and wherein the substrate comprises at least one of cellulose, wool, fur, leather, polyester and nylon.

9. An article according to claim 2, wherein the functional polymeric phase change material comprises an anhydride function and the substrate comprises at least one of cellulose, polyester and nylon.

10. An article according to claim 2, wherein the functional polymeric phase change material comprises an isocyanate function and the substrate comprises at least one of cellulose, polyester and nylon.

11. An article according to 2, wherein the functional polymeric phase change material comprises a reactive function selected from a group consisting of an amine function and an amide function and the substrate comprises at least one of cellulose, polyester and nylon.

12. An article according to claim 2, wherein the functional polymeric phase change material comprises a silane function and the substrate comprises at least one of cellulose, polyester and nylon.

13. An article according to claim 2, wherein the functional polymeric phase change material comprises a double bond.

14. An article according to claim 1, characterized in having phase change enthalpy of at least 2.0 Joules per gram.

15. An article according to claim 1, wherein the functional polymeric phase change material comprises a hydrophilic crystallizable section.

16. An article according to claim 1, wherein the functional polymeric phase change material comprises a hydrophobic crystallizable section.

17. An article according to claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises at least one of starch and modified starch.

18. The article of claim 17 wherein the modified starch is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyl starch, hydroxypropyl starch, starch acetate, starch phosphate, starch, cationic starches , anionic starches and combinations of the foregoing.

19. The article of claim 1 wherein the containment structure is a microcapsule.

20. The article of claim 1 wherein the molded substrate is a storage container.

21. The article of claim 1, wherein the molded substrate is a building component.

22. The article of claim 1, wherein the molded substrate comprises a medical device.

23. The article of claim 1, wherein the molded substrate comprises an electronic device.

24. The article of claim 1, wherein the second phase change material bonded to both the functional polymeric phase change material and the substrate, wherein the bonding between the functional polymeric phase change material and the substrate is a first reactive bond and the bonding between the containment structure and the substrate is a second reactive bond.

25. The article of claim 1 wherein the molded substrate is formed from plastic.

26. The article of claim 1 wherein the molded substrate is formed from a plastic film or a plastic sheet.