Composite material, molded body, electronic device with molded body, and method for fabricating a molded body

• US 9,239,251 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Original Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Inventors: Lopatin, Sergej, Uehlin, Thomas, Gugenberger, Alexander, Hugel, Michael, Roberg, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzgerald, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): HULS, NATALIE F
• Application Number:
  US13/813,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20130125647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 734/31, 252/194
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/183 Physical conditioning without chemical treatment, e.g. drying, granulating, coating, irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28026 Particles within, immobilised, dispersed, entrapped in or on a matrix, e.g. a resin
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/2803 Sorbents comprising a binder, e.g. for forming aggregated, agglomerated or granulated products
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28042 Shaped bodies; Monolithic structures
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3007 Moulding, shaping or extruding
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/34 Silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0654 against moisture or humidity

Abstract

A composite material comprises a polymer matrix; and zeolite, which is bonded in the polymer matrix; wherein the percent of volume of the zeolite in the volume of the composite material amounts to at least 50%, in particular at least 65%. The polymer matrix can in particular comprise a polymer, which is selected from a group of polymers that consist of fluoroplastics, polyaryletherketones, sulphur-containing polymers and high heat resistant polymers. The zeolite comprises in particular a zeolite of type A, in particular a zeolite 4A or 3A.

Claims

1. An electronic gauge pressure measurement transducer, which comprises:

at least one housing;

at least one inner space, which contains an electronic circuit;

a gauge pressure sensor for measuring the difference between a pressure of a medium and an ambient atmospheric pressure near said gauge pressure sensor; and

an atmospheric pressure line in order to expose said gauge pressure sensor to the atmospheric pressure; and

at least one molded body comprising a composite material comprising;

a polymer matrix; and

zeolite, which is bonded in said polymer matrix,

wherein;

the portion of volume of said zeolite in the volume of the composite material amounts to at least 65%;

said molded body is arranged in said inner space;

the volume of said molded body amounts to not less than 40% of the free volume of said inner space;

water vapor can enter into said at least one housing via said atmospheric pressure line;

said atmospheric pressure line runs through the molded body; and

said molded body is capable of adsorbing moisture ingressing via said atmospheric pressure line and thereby prevent water from condensing onto said electronic circuit over a time period of years.

2. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

the volume of said molded body amounts to not less than 60% of the free volume of said inner space.

3. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

said polymer matrix comprises a polymer, which is selected from a group of polymers that consists of fluoroplastics, polyaryletherketones, sulphur-containing polymers and high heat resistant polymers.

4. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

said zeolite comprises a 4A or 3A zeolite.

5. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

the average density of said composite material, in a dry condition, amounts to not more than 1.7 g/cm³.

6. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

the average density of said composite material, in a dry condition, amounts to not more than 1.5 g/cm³.

7. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

the packing density of said zeolite in said composite material in a dry condition amounts to not less than 0.8 g/cm³.

8. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

the packing density of said zeolite in said composite material in a dry condition amounts to not less than 1.0 g/cm³.

9. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

for the volume V_min of a minimal convex hull of said molded body and for the surface area A_min of the minimal convex hull, V_min^2/3/A_min>

1/20 is true.

10. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

for the volume V_min of a minimal convex hull of said molded body and for the surface area A_min of the minimal convex hull, V_min^2/3/A_min>

1/10 is true.

11. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

for the volume V_K of said molded body and for the surface area A_K of said molded body, V_K^2/3/A_K>

1/30 is true.

12. The transducer according to claim 1, wherein:

for the volume V_K of said molded body and for the surface area A_K of said molded body, V_K^2/3/A_K>

1/20 is true.

13. The electronic measurement device according to claim 1, wherein:

for the volume V_K of said molded body and for the surface area A_K of said molded body, V_K^2/3/A_K>

1/15 is true.