SILICONE POLYMER DESICCANT COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME
A molded article including a blend of a self supporting silicone polymer and a sorbent, wherein the sorbent is homogeneously dispersed within the silicone polymer. A method of forming a molding composition including a silicone polymer and a sorbent, wherein the silicone polymer includes a first silicone material and a second silicone material, the first silicone material being different than the second silicone material, the method including the steps of: a) blending the first silicone material and the sorbent into a first blended composition, wherein the sorbent is homogeneously dispersed within the first silicone material; b) blending the second silicone material and the sorbent into a second blended composition, wherein the sorbent is homogeneously dispersed within the second silicone material; and, c) blending the first and second blended composition to form the molding composition, wherein the sorbent is homogeneously dispersed within the molding composition and the molding composition is heat curable.
1 . A molded article comprising:
a blend of a self supporting silicone polymer and a sorbent, wherein the sorbent is homogeneously dispersed within the silicone polymer.
2 . The molded article of claim 1 wherein the silicone polymer is a resin or an elastomer.
3 . The molded article of claim 1 wherein the sorbent is a molecular sieve, a silica gel, an ion exchange resin, an activated carbon, an activated alumina, a clay, a zeolite, a particulate metal, a salt comprising a CO 2 releasing anion, calcium oxide or a mixture thereof.
4 . The molded article of claim 1 wherein the sorbent is calcium oxide.
5 . The molded article of claim 1 wherein the blend comprises from about five percent (5%) to about fifty-five percent (55%) sorbent and from about forty-five (45%) to about ninety-five (95%) silicone polymer.
6 . The molded article of claim 1 wherein the blend comprises from about ten percent (10%) to about forty percent (40%) sorbent and from about sixty (60%) to about ninety (90%) silicone polymer.
7 . The molded article of claim 1 wherein the article is a gasket, a seal or an insert.
8 . The molded article of claim 1 wherein the silicone polymer comprises an alkyl silicone polymer and a vinyl silicone polymer.
9 . A molding composition comprising:
a silicone component; and,
a sorbent, wherein the sorbent is homogeneously dispersed within the silicone component.
10 . The molding composition of claim 9 wherein the silicone component is a fluid, a resin or an elastomer.
11 . The molding composition of claim 9 wherein the sorbent is a molecular sieve, a silica gel, an ion exchange resin, an activated carbon, an activated alumina, a clay, a zeolite, a particulate metal, a salt comprising a CO 2 releasing anion, calcium oxide or a mixture thereof.
12 . The molding composition of claim 9 wherein the sorbent is calcium oxide.
13 . The molding composition of claim 9 wherein the composition comprises from about five percent (5%) to about fifty-five percent (55%) sorbent and from about forty-five (45%) to about ninety-five (95%) silicone component.
14 . The molding composition of claim 9 wherein the composition comprises from about ten percent (10%) to about forty percent (40%) sorbent and from about sixty (60%) to about ninety (90%) silicone component.
15 . The molding composition of claim 9 wherein the silicone component comprises an alkyl silicone polymer and a vinyl silicone polymer.
16 . A method of forming a molding composition comprising a silicone polymer and a sorbent, wherein the silicone polymer comprises a first silicone material and a second silicone material, the first silicone material being different than the second silicone material, the method comprising the steps of:
a) blending the first silicone material and the sorbent into a first blended composition, wherein the sorbent is homogeneously dispersed within the first silicone material;
b) blending the second silicone material and the sorbent into a second blended composition, wherein the sorbent is homogeneously dispersed within the second silicone material; and,
c) blending the first and second blended composition to form the molding composition, wherein the sorbent is homogeneously dispersed within the molding composition and the molding composition is heat curable.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the first silicone material is an alkyl silicone polymer and the second silicone material is a vinyl silicone polymer.
18 . The method of claim 16 wherein the silicone polymer is a fluid, a resin or an elastomer.
19 . The method of claim 16 wherein the sorbent is a molecular sieve, a silica gel, an ion exchange resin, an activated carbon, an activated alumina, a clay, a zeolite, a particulate metal, a salt comprising a CO 2 releasing anion, calcium oxide or a mixture thereof.
20 . The method of claim 16 wherein the sorbent is calcium oxide.
21 . The method of claim 16 wherein the molding composition comprises from about five percent (5%) to about fifty-five percent (55%) sorbent and from about forty-five (45%) to about ninety-five (95%) silicone polymer
22 . The method of claim 16 wherein the molding composition comprises from about ten percent (10%) to about forty percent (40%) sorbent and from about sixty (60%) to about ninety (90%) silicone polymer.