Thermally conductive nanomaterials in flexible foam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11814566-B2
Application number	US-202016927119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2020
Priority date	Jul 13, 2020
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A flexible cellular foam or composition contains a flexible foam structure that comprises a plurality of highly thermally conductive solids including nanomaterials. The thermally conductive solids may be carbon nanomaterials or other metallic or non-metallic solids. The carbon nanomaterials may include, but are not necessarily limited to, carbon nanotubes and graphite nanoplatelets. The highly thermally conductive solids may include but are not limited to micro-sized solids that may include graphite flakes, for example. When mixed within flexible foam, the presence of nanomaterials may impart greater support factor, greater thermal conductivity, and/or a combination of these improvements. The flexible foam composition may be polyurethane foam, latex foam, polyether polyurethane foam, viscoelastic foam, high resilient foam, polyester polyurethane foam, foamed polyethylene, foamed polypropylene, expanded polystyrene, foamed silicone, melamine foam, among others.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composite comprising:
a flexible cellular foam; and
a plurality of highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials dispersed in the flexible cellular foam, wherein the surface area of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials is between 3 square meters per gram of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials and less than 500 square meters per gram of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials, inclusively.

2. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials are selected from a group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphite nanoplatelets, graphene nanoplatelets, graphite oxide, graphene oxide, diamond nanoparticles, carbonado nanoparticles, carbon nanodots, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotips, carbon nanowhiskers, and mixtures thereof.

3. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the flexible cellular foam is produced by an in-situ process comprising polymerizing a polyol with a poly-isocyanate in the presence of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials.

4. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the flexible cellular foam is selected from the group consisting of an open-celled polyether polyurethane foam, closed-celled polyether polyurethane foam, partially open-celled polyether polyurethane foam, open-celled polyester polyurethane foam, closed-cell polyester polyurethane foam, partially open-celled polyester polyurethane foam, and combinations thereof.

5. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite comprises the highly-thermally conductive nanomaterials in an amount between about 0.0001% and about 30.0% by weight of the composite weight after gas loss.

6. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite comprises the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials in an amount between about 0.0005% and about 15.0% by weight of the composite weight after gas loss.

7. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite comprises the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials in an amount between about 0.0005% and about 2.0% by weight of the composite weight after gas loss.

8. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials are present in an amount of between 1 parts per million to 100 parts per million of the composite, inclusively.

9. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials have a length in any one dimension in the range from 1 to 1000 nanometers.

10. The composite of claim 1 , wherein said highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials have a length in any one dimension between 1 nanometer and 500 nanometers, inclusively.

11. An article of manufacture comprising the composite of claim 1 .

12. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the highly thermally-conductive nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in the flexible cellular foam.

13. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the highly thermally-conductive nanoparticles are non-homogeneously dispersed in the flexible cellular foam.

14. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the highly thermally-conductive nanoparticles are dispersed in a swirl pattern in the flexible cellular foam.

15. An article of manufacture containing the composite of claim 1 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of a cushion foam, a mattress, a mattress topper pad, and combinations thereof, the article of manufacture comprises at least one zone selected from the group consisting of a longitudinal zone, a lateral zone, and combinations thereof, and the at least one zone comprises the composite of claim 1 .

16. An article of manufacture selected from the group consisting of medical cushioning foams, mattresses, pillows, bedding products, mattress pillow toppers, quilted mattress toppers, mattress toppers, pet beds, shoe soles, indoor cushioning foams, indoor furniture foams, outdoor cushioning foams, outdoor furniture foams, outdoor bedding pads, outdoor pillows, and combinations thereof, where the article of manufacture further comprises the composite of claim 1 .

17. A composite comprising:
a flexible cellular foam; and
highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials dispersed in the flexible cellular foam, wherein said highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials are selected from the group consisting of natural flake graphite, powder graphite, graphene, synthetic graphite, graphite-based particulates, aluminum nitride, diamond, diamond crystal powder, natural diamond crystal powder, type IIa diamond powder, carbanado (“Black Diamond”) nanoparticles, silicon carbide, boron nitride, carbon nanomaterials, and combinations thereof, wherein the surface area of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials is between 3 square meters per gram of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials and less than 500 square meters per gram of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials, inclusively.

18. A flexible cellular foam composite comprising:
a foam selected from the group containing a cross-linked latex foam, a cross-linked melamine foam, and a polyurethane foam; and
highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials dispersed in the foam, wherein the surface area of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials is between 3 square meters per gram of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials and less than 500 square meters per gram of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials, inclusively.

19. The flexible cellular foam composite of claim 17 wherein said highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials are selected from a group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphite nanoplatelets, graphene nanoplatelets, graphite oxide, graphene oxide, diamond nanoparticles, carbonado nanoparticles, carbon nanodots, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotips, carbon nanowhiskers, and mixtures thereof.

20. A composite comprising:
a flexible cellular foam; and
highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials dispersed in the flexible cellular foam, wherein said highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials are selected from a group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphite nanoplatelets, graphene nanoplatelets, graphite oxide, graphene oxide, diamond nanoparticles, carbonado nanoparticles, carbon nanodots, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotips, carbon nanowhiskers, and mixtures thereof, wherein the surface area of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials is between 3 square meters per gram of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials and less than 500 square meters per gram of the highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials, inclusively.

21. An article of manufacture made from the composite of claim 19 .

22. A composite comprising:
a flexible cellular foam; and
a plurality of highly thermally-conductive non-metallic solids dispersed in the flexible cellular foam, said solids containing an aggregate surface area per gram of non-metallic solids ranging from 3 to less than 500 square meters.

23. The composite of claim 22 , wherein said highly thermally-conductive non-metallic solids comprise solids selected from a group consisting of micro-sized graphite or graphene, exfoliated graphite, and carbon nanomaterials.

24. The composite of claim 22 , wherein said highly thermally-conductive nanomaterials have a thermal conductivity between 10 W/mK and 10,000 W/mK.

25. The composite of claim 22 , wherein sa

Assignees

• L&P Property Man Co

Inventors

• Stojanovic Heidi
• Gramlich Tiffany

Classifications

• C09K5/14 Primary

  Solid materials, e.g. powdery or granular · CPC title

• C08J9/008

  Nanoparticles · CPC title

• C08J9/0076

  Nanofibres · CPC title

• C08J9/04

  using blowing gases generated by a previously added blowing agent · CPC title

• C08K3/041

  Carbon nanotubes · CPC title