IP Library Granted Patent US 11,753,601
Granted Patent B2
US 11,753,601 · App. 17/670,796 · Granted Sep 12, 2023

Ultra-low friction materials for lubricating surfaces, devices therewith, and methods of manufacture and use thereof

Inventors: H. Thomas Chung (Powell, TN); Fei Fan (Knoxville, TN); Sung Ki Cho (Knoxville, TN); Sam Lukubira (Knoxville, TN); Caleb Michael Spradling (Knoxville, TN); Arturo Valencia (Knoxville, TN)
Assignee: Dura-Line LLC
C10M169/041A47C27/002A47C31/001C10M103/02C10M107/38C10M107/50C10M111/04C10M143/02C10M147/02C10M157/02A47C27/001A47C27/04A47C27/20C10M2201/0413C10M2205/022C10M2213/02C10M2213/0623C10M2229/025C10N2040/32C10N2050/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,753,601
App. No.
17/670,796
Granted
Sep 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A polymeric material mixture comprising a fluorine-containing polymer, a siloxane polymer, and at least two polymer processing additives (PPA), wherein the at least two polymer processing additives have different chemistries. For example, there can be a flexible coextruded pipe for providing a protective housing for cables, fluids, sludge or solids, the pipe comprising a pair of telescopically related inner and outer layers, where said inner layer is lubricated with the polymeric material mixture.

Claims (22)

1. A polymeric material mixture, comprising:

a fluorine-containing polymer, a siloxane polymer, and at least two polymer processing additives (PPAs), wherein the at least two PPAs have different chemistries, wherein the fluorine-containing polymer includes polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), wherein the siloxane polymer includes an ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) siloxane polymer having a viscosity of about 1 million mm 2 /s to about 100 million mm 2 /s, wherein the at least two PPAs collectively include a fluoropolymer-based material having a molecular weight of about 1,000,000 to about 5,000,000 and a polyethylene-based material having a molecular weight of 2,000,000 to 3,000,000, wherein the PTFE is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 20.0% (w/w), the UHMW siloxane polymer is in an amount of about 20.0% (w/w) to about 40.0% (w/w), the fluoropolymer-based material is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 15.0% (w/w), and the polyethylene-based material is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 25.0% (w/w), based on a total weight of the polymeric material mixture, wherein a particle size distribution of the PTFE has a D50 of about 40 μm to about 50 μm and a D90 of about 150 μm to about 200 μm, and wherein the D50 is a median value of particle size diameters in the particle size distribution and the D90 is a particle size value at which about 90% of the particle size distribution has a smaller size particle diameter.

2. The polymeric material mixture of claim 1 , wherein the D50 is about 46 μm and the D90 is about 166 μm.

3. The polymeric material mixture of claim 1 , further comprising graphene.

4. A polymeric material mixture, comprising:

a graphene, a siloxane polymer, and at least two polymer processing additives (PPA), wherein the at least two PPAs have different chemistries, wherein the siloxane polymer includes an ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) siloxane polymer having a viscosity of about 1 million mm 2 /s to about 100 million mm 2 /s, wherein the at least two PPAs collectively include a fluoropolymer-based material having a molecular weight of about 1,000,000 to about 5,000,000 and a polyethylene-based material having a molecular weight of 2,000,000 to 3,000,000, and wherein the graphene is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 40.0% (w/w), the UHMW siloxane polymer is in an amount of about 20.0% (w/w) to about 60.0% (w/w), the fluoropolymer-based material is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 15.0% (w/w), and the polyethylene-based material is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 25.0% (w/w), based on a total weight of the polymeric material mixture.

5. A flexible coextruded pipe providing a protective housing to a cable, a fluid, a sludge, or a solid, said flexible coextruded pipe comprising a pair of telescopically related inner and outer cylindrical layers, wherein said inner layer is lubricated with the polymeric material mixture of claim 1 , and wherein said outer layer comprises a polymeric material, metal, or composite.

6. A method of manufacturing a flexible coextruded pipe to provide a protective housing for a cable, a fluid, a sludge, or a solid, the method comprising: coating an inner layer of the flexible coextruded pipe comprising a pair of telescopically related inner and outer cylindrical layers with the polymeric material mixture of claim 1 .

7. A method for transporting a material through the flexible coextruded pipe, the method comprising passing the material including the solid, the sludge, or the fluid through the flexible coextruded pipe of claim 5 .

8. A device, comprising:

a surface coated with a mixture including a fluorine-containing polymer, a siloxane polymer, and a plurality of polymer processing additives (PPAs), wherein the PPAs have different chemistries, wherein the fluorine-containing polymer includes polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), wherein the siloxane polymer includes an ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) siloxane polymer having a viscosity of about 1 million mm 2 /s to about 100 million mm 2 /s, wherein the at least two PPAs collectively include a fluoropolymer-based material having a molecular weight of about 1,000,000 to about 5,000,000 and a polyethylene-based material having a molecular weight of 2,000,000 to 3,000,000, wherein the PTFE is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 20.0% (w/w), the UHMW siloxane polymer is in an amount of about 20.0% (w/w) to about 40.0% (w/w), the fluoropolymer-based material is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 15.0% (w/w), and the polyethylene-based material is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 25.0% (w/w), based on a total weight of the mixture, wherein a particle size distribution of the PTFE has a D50 of about 40 μm to about 50 μm and a D90 of about 150 μm to about 200 μm, and wherein the D50 is a median value of particle size diameters in the particle size distribution and the D90 is a particle size value at which about 90% of the particle size distribution has a smaller size particle diameter.

9. A mixture comprising:

a fluorine-containing polymer, a siloxane polymer, and a plurality of polymer processing additives (PPAs), wherein the PPAs have different the fluorine-containing polymer includes chemistries, wherein polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), wherein the siloxane polymer includes an ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) siloxane polymer having a viscosity of about 1 million mm 2 /s to about 100 million mm 2 /s, wherein the PPAs collectively include a fluoropolymer-based material having a molecular weight of about 1,000,000 to about 5,000,000 and a polyethylene-based material having a molecular weight of 2,000,000 to 3,000,000, wherein the PTFE is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 20.0% (w/w); the UHMW siloxane polymer is in an amount of about 20.0% (w/w) to about 40.0% (w/w), the fluoropolymer-based material is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 15.0% (w/w), and the polyethylene-based material is in an amount of about 10.0% (w/w) to about 25.0% (w/w), based on a total weight of the mixture, wherein a particle size distribution of the PTFE has a D50 of about 40 μm to about 50 μm and a D90 of about 150 μm to about 200 μm, wherein the D50 is a median value of particle size diameters in the particle size distribution and the D90 is a particle size value at which about 90% of the particle size distribution has a smaller size particle diameter.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the surface is an inner surface of a tube and engages a cable.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the cable is a fiber optic cable.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the cable is an electrical cable.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the surface is an inner surface of a tube and engages a wire, a rope, a chain, or a line.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the surface is an inner surface of a tube and engages a liquid.

15. The device of claim 8 , wherein the surface is an inner surface of a tube of a medical device.

16. The device of claim 8 , wherein the surface is an inner surface of a tube and engages a bead, a powder, or a particulate.

17. The device of claim 8 , wherein the surface is an outer surface of an object.

18. The device of claim 8 , wherein the surface is an inner surface of an object.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2022
From: DURA-LINE CORPORATION
To: DURA-LINE LLC
Reel/Frame 062068/0745 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2022
From: CHUNG, H. THOMAS; FAN, FEI; CHO, SUNG KI; LUKUBIRA, SAM; SPRADLING, CALEB MICHAEL; VALENCIA, ARTURO
To: DURA-LINE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059003/0321 →