Extruded thermoplastic foams and uses in applications requiring strength and lightweight

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025154330-A1
Application number	US-202418946192-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 13, 2024
Priority date	Nov 13, 2023
Publication date	May 15, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are extruded foam comprising an extruded thermoplastic, closed-cell foam having at least a first surface and comprising: (i) thermoplastic polymer cell walls formed by an extrusion step, with the walls being comprised of at least about 0.5% by weight of ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally one or more co-monomer moieties; (ii) blowing agent contained in at least a portion of said closed cells; and a material different than said thermoplastic, closed-cell foam attached to and/or integral with at least a portion of said first foam surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wind turbine blade comprising:
a. a blade shell; and b. an extruded foam in the blade shell, said extruded foam having (1) a foam density of from about 70 kg/m 3 to about 250 kg/m 3 and (2) a tensile strength of from about 1.8 to about 8, and comprising a thermoplastic foam comprising:
(1) thermoplastic polymer cells comprising cell walls forming closed cells, wherein said thermoplastic polymer comprises; and
(b) 1234ze (E) contained in the closed cells.

2 . The wind turbine blade of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic polymer comprises from about 0.5 mole % to about 100 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties.

3 . The wind turbine blade of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic polymer further comprises at least about 0.5 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties.

4 . The wind turbine blade of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic polymer (i) comprises from about 0.5 mole % to about 99.5 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and from 0.5 mole % to about 99.5 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties; and (ii) has a molecular weight of from about 25,000 to about 140,000.

5 . The wind turbine blade of claim 1 wherein at least about 75% of the cells are closed cells.

6 . The wind turbine blade of claim 1 wherein said extruded foam has a foam density of from about 70 kg/m 3 to about 150 kg/m 3 .

7 . A faced foam comprising:
a. an extruded thermoplastic foam core having (1) a foam density of from about 70 kg/m 3 to about 250 kg/m 3 and (2) a tensile strength of from about 1.8 to about 8, and comprising polymer cells comprising cell walls forming closed cells, wherein said thermoplastic polymer comprises ethylene furanoate moieties and 1234ze (E) contained in the closed cells; and b. a facing attached to and/or integral with at least a portion of said first foam.

8 . An article of manufacture comprising the faced foam of claim 7 .

9 . An energy generating device comprising the faced foam of claim 7 .

10 . The energy generating device of claim 9 comprising a blade, foil or rotor located in a wind turbine electricity generator.

11 . A foam article comprising:
a. an extruded thermoplastic, closed-cell foam having (1) a foam density of from about 70 kg/m 3 to about 250 kg/m 3 and (2) a tensile strength of from about 1.8 to about 8, and (3) at least a first foam surface; and b. a material different than said thermoplastic, closed-cell foam attached to and/or integral with at least a portion of said first foam surface, wherein:
(i) said thermoplastic polymer cells comprise cell walls comprising at least about 0.5% by weight of ethylene furanoate moieties; and
(ii) said closed cells contain 1234ze (E).

12 . The foam article of claim 11 wherein said extruded foam has foam density of from about 70 kg/m 3 to about 150 kg/m 3 and a tensile strength of from about 1.8 MPa to about 8 MPa.

13 . The foam article of claim 11 wherein said thermoplastic polymer cells comprise cell walls comprising at least about 1% by weight of ethylene furanoate moieties.

14 . The foam article of claim 13 wherein at least about 75% of the cells are closed cells.

15 . The foam article of claim 14 wherein said thermoplastic polymer comprises from about 0.5 mole % to about 99.5 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and from 0.5 mole % to about 99.5 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties.

16 . The foam article of claim 15 wherein said thermoplastic polymer has a molecular weight of from about 25,000 to about 140,000.

17 . The foam article of claim 15 wherein said thermoplastic polymer has a molecular weight of from about 80,000 to about 130,000.

18 . An article of manufacture comprising the foam article of claim 17 .

19 . An energy generating device comprising the foam article of claim 17 .

20 . The energy generating device of claim 19 comprising a blade, foil or rotor located in a wind turbine electricity generator.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Abrevaya Hayim
• Lehuta Keith
• Martins Susie

Classifications

• C08J2207/00

  Foams characterised by their intended use · CPC title

• C08J2205/052

  Closed cells, i.e. more than 50% of the pores are closed · CPC title

• C08J2201/03

  Extrusion of the foamable blend · CPC title

• C08J2203/162

  Halogenated unsaturated hydrocarbons, e.g. H2C=CF2 · CPC title

• C08J9/146 Primary

  only fluorine as halogen atoms · CPC title