Inert Substrate-Bonded Fluoroelastomer Components and Related Methods
Included within the scope of the invention is an article of cured fluoroelastomer composition bonded to an inert substrate. The cured fluoroelastomer composition includes a fluoropolymer, a silica, and an acrylate compound. The fluoroelastomer composition is bonded to the inert substrate with a bind having a bond durability of at least about 1500 pounds load at 20° C. The inert substrate may be a metal substrate or a ketone-based polymer substrate. Also included are methods of bonding a fluoroelastomer composition to an inert substrate that may be, for example, a metal substrate or a ketone-based polymer substrate. The methods include contacting a curable fluoroelastomer composition to an inert substrate and curing the fluoroelastomer composition to form a bond between the composition and the inert substrate. The curable fluoroelastomer composition of the methods includes an acrylate compound, a curing agent, silica, and a fluoropolymer that comprises at least one cure site monomer.
1 . An article comprising a cured fluoroelastomer composition bonded to an inert substrate, wherein the cured fluoroelastomer composition comprises a fluoropolymer, a silica, and an acrylate compound.
2 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the bond has a bond durability of at least about 1500 pounds load at 20° C.
3 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the fluoroelastomer is a perfluoroelastomer.
4 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the inert substrate is a metal substrate.
5 . (canceled)
6 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the inert substrate is chosen from a titanium alloy, a copper alloy, a beryllium copper alloy, a nickel silver alloy, a nickel titanium alloy, a chromium alloy, and steel.
7 . (canceled)
8 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer comprises a monomer chosen from a fluorine-containing ethylenically unsaturated monomer, tetrafluoroethylene, a perfluorinated olefin, hexafluoropropylene, and perfluoro(ethyl vinyl ether).
9 - 11 . (canceled)
12 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the acrylate compound is a metal acrylate.
13 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the acrylate compound is zinc diacrylate.
14 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the acrylate compound is chosen from a methacrylate compound, a dimethacrylate compound, zinc dimethacrylate, and copper diacrylate.
15 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the fluoroelastomer composition further comprises an additive chosen from a filler, a plasticizer, a polymer blend, and a colorant.
16 . (canceled)
17 . A method of bonding a fluoroelastomer composition to a inert substrate, the method comprising:
(a) contacting a curable fluoroelastomer composition to an inert substrate, wherein the curable fluoroelastomer composition comprises an acrylate compound, a curing agent, silica, and a curable fluoropolymer that comprises a cure site monomer; and
(b) curing the fluoroelastomer composition to form a bond between the composition and the inert substrate.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the bond formed in step (b) has a bond durability of at least about 1500 pound at 20° C.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the fluoroelastomer composition is a perfluoroelastomer composition.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the inert substrate is a metal substrate.
21 - 22 . (canceled)
23 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the perfluoropolymer comprises a monomer chosen from a fluorine-containing ethylenically unsaturated monomer, tetrafluoroethylene, a perfluorinated olefin, hexafluoropropylene, and perfluoro(ethyl vinyl ether).
24 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the acrylate compound is a metal acrylate.
25 . (canceled)
26 . A curable fluoroelastomer composition for bonding to a inert substrate comprising:
(a) a fluoropolymer comprising at least one cure site monomer;
(b) a curing agent;
(c) silica; and
(d) an acrylate compound;
wherein, upon cure, the bond durability of the composition to the inert substrate is at least about 1500 pounds load at 20° C.
27 - 29 . (canceled)
30 . The composition of claim 26 , wherein the acrylate compound is a metal acrylate.
31 - 34 . (canceled)
35 . A method of forming an article comprising a inert substrate bonded to a fluoroelastomer composition comprising:
(a) forming a preform comprising a curable fluoroelastomer composition, wherein the fluoroelastomer composition comprises a curable fluoropolymer having at least one cure site monomer, an acrylate compound, silica, and a curing agent;
(b) contacting the preform to an inert substrate; and
(c) curing the preform to form a bond between the fluoroelastomer composition and the inert substrate that has a bond durability of at least about 1500 pounds load at 20° C.
36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the inert substrate is chosen from a metal substrate and a ketone-based polymer substrate.
37 . (canceled)
38 . A downhole tool comprising an inert substrate bonded to a cured fluoroelastomer composition, wherein the fluoroelastomer composition comprises a fluoropolymer, silica, and an acrylate compound.
39 . The tool of claim 38 , wherein the bond has a bond durability of at least about 1500 pounds load at 20° C.
40 . The tool of claim 38 , wherein the substrate is chosen from a metal substrate and a ketone-based polymer substrate.
41 - 44 . (canceled)
45 . The tool of claim 38 , wherein the curing agent is chosen from a peroxide curing agent, an organotin curing agent, an amino curing agent, a bisaminophenol curing agent, a bisaminothiophenol curing agent, a bisamidrazone curing agent, and a functionalized biphenyl-based curing agent.
46 . (canceled)