Method for producing radiation-resistant polymer composite materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016208073-A1
Application number	US-201614996487-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 15, 2016
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for producing a polymer-metal oxide composite material resistant to degradation resulting from exposure to gamma irradiation, the method comprising exposing a composite precursor comprised of a heat-resistant polymer in which metal oxide nanoparticles are incorporated to gamma irradiation of at least 1 MRad in a flowing gas atmosphere for a period of at least 12 hours. The resulting radiation-resistant composite material and shaped articles of the material are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for producing a polymer-metal oxide composite material resistant to degradation resulting from exposure to gamma irradiation, the method comprising exposing a composite precursor comprised of a heat-resistant polymer in which metal oxide nanoparticles are incorporated to gamma irradiation of at least 1 MRad in a flowing gas atmosphere for a period of at least 12 hours.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said gamma irradiation is at least 5 MRad.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said gamma irradiation is at least 10 MRad.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said gamma irradiation is at least 20 MRad.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said gamma irradiation is up to 150 MRad.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said gas is argon or nitrogen.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said gas is air.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said method further comprises subjecting the composite precursor, during exposure to gamma irradiation, to an elevated temperature of at least 40° C. and below a thermal degradation temperature of the heat-resistant polymer.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said elevated temperature is at least 50° C.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said elevated temperature is at least 80° C.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said elevated temperature is at least 100° C.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said heat-resistant polymer is selected from a polyimide, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), polyaryletherketone (PAEK), polyetherimide (PEI), ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE) synthetic rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polysulfone, polybenzimidazole (PBI), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), polyphthalamide (PPA), silicone rubber (SiR), polybenzoxazole, polybenzothiazole, poly(p-phenylene sulfide), and polyquinoxaline, and blends and composites thereof.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal oxide comprises an alkaline earth metal oxide.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal oxide comprises a main group metal oxide, wherein said main group metal is selected from boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, antimony, and bismuth.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal oxide comprises a transition metal oxide.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal oxide is present in an amount of at least 1 wt % and up to 10 wt % by weight of the polymer-metal oxide composite material.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal oxide is present in an amount of at least 1 wt % and up to 5 wt % by weight of the polymer-metal oxide composite material.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal oxide is present in an amount of at least 1 wt % and up to 3 wt % by weight of the polymer-metal oxide composite material.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal oxide is present in an amount of at least 3 wt % and up to 5 wt % by weight of the polymer-metal oxide composite material.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composite precursor is prepared prior to exposing the composite precursor to gamma irradiation.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composite precursor has a tubular shape.

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composite precursor has a planar shape.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc

Inventors

• Paranthaman Mariappan Parans
• Saito Tomonori
• Aytug Tolga
• Leonard Keith John
• Duckworth Robert C
• Polyzos Georgios
• Hong Kunlun

Classifications

• C08K3/22 Primary

  of metals · CPC title

• C08K2003/222

  Magnesia, i.e. magnesium oxide · CPC title

• C08K3/36

  Silica · CPC title

• C08J2323/06

  Polyethene · CPC title

• C08J7/123

  Treatment by wave energy or particle radiation (C08J7/18 takes precedence) · CPC title