WO2017056011A1 - Compound material for hot-molding - Google Patents

Compound material for hot-molding Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2017056011A1
WO2017056011A1 PCT/IB2016/055793 IB2016055793W WO2017056011A1 WO 2017056011 A1 WO2017056011 A1 WO 2017056011A1 IB 2016055793 W IB2016055793 W IB 2016055793W WO 2017056011 A1 WO2017056011 A1 WO 2017056011A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
material according
molding
particles
elastomer
flame
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2016/055793
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Fabio Cappelli
Original Assignee
Tryonic Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tryonic Ltd filed Critical Tryonic Ltd
Publication of WO2017056011A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017056011A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
    • B29C70/58—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising fillers only, e.g. particles, powder, beads, flakes, spheres
    • B29C70/66—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising fillers only, e.g. particles, powder, beads, flakes, spheres the filler comprising hollow constituents, e.g. syntactic foam
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C44/00—Shaping by internal pressure generated in the material, e.g. swelling or foaming ; Producing porous or cellular expanded plastics articles
    • B29C44/34—Auxiliary operations
    • B29C44/36—Feeding the material to be shaped
    • B29C44/38—Feeding the material to be shaped into a closed space, i.e. to make articles of definite length
    • B29C44/44—Feeding the material to be shaped into a closed space, i.e. to make articles of definite length in solid form
    • B29C44/445—Feeding the material to be shaped into a closed space, i.e. to make articles of definite length in solid form in the form of expandable granules, particles or beads
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J9/00—Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof
    • C08J9/0014—Use of organic additives
    • C08J9/0038—Use of organic additives containing phosphorus
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J9/00—Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof
    • C08J9/0066—Use of inorganic compounding ingredients
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J9/00—Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof
    • C08J9/32—Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof from compositions containing microballoons, e.g. syntactic foams
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2027/00—Use of polyvinylhalogenides or derivatives thereof as moulding material
    • B29K2027/06—PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2105/00—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped
    • B29K2105/04—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped cellular or porous
    • B29K2105/048—Expandable particles, beads or granules
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2995/00—Properties of moulding materials, reinforcements, fillers, preformed parts or moulds
    • B29K2995/0012—Properties of moulding materials, reinforcements, fillers, preformed parts or moulds having particular thermal properties
    • B29K2995/0016—Non-flammable or resistant to heat
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J2300/00—Characterised by the use of unspecified polymers
    • C08J2300/26—Elastomers
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J2307/00—Characterised by the use of natural rubber
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J2327/00—Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a halogen; Derivatives of such polymers
    • C08J2327/02—Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a halogen; Derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after-treatment
    • C08J2327/04—Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a halogen; Derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after-treatment containing chlorine atoms
    • C08J2327/06—Homopolymers or copolymers of vinyl chloride
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J2375/00—Characterised by the use of polyureas or polyurethanes; Derivatives of such polymers
    • C08J2375/04—Polyurethanes
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J2383/00—Characterised by the use of macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming in the main chain of the macromolecule a linkage containing silicon with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only; Derivatives of such polymers
    • C08J2383/04—Polysiloxanes

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a composite material for hot molding.
  • the material is convenient to mold paddings, e.g. of helmets, or generally cushions to absorb shocks.
  • a compound material is known, e.g. from WO2012140473 or EP0585965, that thanks to the fact that it contains synthetic hollow microspheres can advantageously be used for many applications.
  • EP0585965 uses it to lighten the final product, while WO2012140473 exploits the expanding characteristics thereof during molding to better copy the mold cavity.
  • a first problem is that the material is highly hydrophilic. Its intrinsic porosity allows water to penetrate and stagnate into all of its volume, often with adverse consequences. Think e.g. when the material forms the padding of a helmet, which is in contact with sweat, rain or wash water. If subjected to high temperature (about 80 °C) the material swells up to +20% of its initial volume, making the helmet useless. Even a long transport in container under the sun would be just enough to create the same conditions of humidity and temperature to the same dimensional defect, which is obviously limitative.
  • One solution could be coating the molded material with a waterproofing layer.
  • the most practical way is to spray or smear the coating, which has, however, always a solvent that enters inside the material and unfortunately actually behaves as the water that one wants to impede: substantially the material swells under the pressure of the solvent.
  • a second problem of the material is its poor resistance to fire. It is not taken into account that the microspheres contain flammable gas, therefore the overall speed of flame propagation is always high enough to not succeed the current safety tests. It is evident how restrictive this flaw is, and involves an immediate ban for many applications of the material, otherwise very favorable.
  • the current anti-fire solution is to coat it with a fire resistant layer or remove it altogether.
  • the main object of the invention is to propose a material of the abovementioned type that has one or more of these advantageous characteristics.
  • the base material to be molded is preferably compound by weight by 20- 50% of expanded particles and 80-50% of non-expanded particles, the particles being made of plastic material, of closed-shape, hollow and filled with (flammable) gas. These values guarantee advantageous performance and weight, and suitable to applications, particularly the excellent results of impact absorption and lightness.
  • the expanded particles are essential for the invention, and serve as binder or filler for the other non-expanded particles.
  • the expanded particles are the filler element (filler) and act as binder preventing that the other expandable particles (not expanded yet), which are heavier, precipitate by gravity on the bottom of the mold and are clustered. Instead, this way the expanded particles maintain the expandable particles suspended in all the material and in a uniform manner. That is why the presence of expanded and unexpanded microspheres ensures the density homogeneity of the whole piece, thereby ensuring uniformity of the mechanical performance.
  • the particles are generally spherical in shape and are very small ( 10-40 um in diameter). Note, however, that the size is not essential.
  • plastics microspheres filled with gas, can be used.
  • An advantage of the material is that it gives the molded product shape memory. When the product undergoes a deformation, the expanded and unexpanded little spheres compress or expand in its mass. Thanks to the elasticity of the spheres, when the stress ceases every sphere goes back to its original state, and thus the material regains the starting shape. Note also that the molded product reacts to a second deformation in the same way as the first one, with obvious advantages for safety and shock response repeatability.
  • Another advantage of the material is to have a lower density than that of EPS. Lighter items can be produced, volume being equal, or the adsorbing capacity for the same volume can be boosted.
  • the elastomer may be atomized and sprayed over the particles, to wet them all and evenly.
  • liquid elastomer As liquid elastomer, one can use
  • plasticizer a plasticizer for plastics, a substance added to the material to decrease the stiffness of the polymer so as to allow processing thereof at room temperature or at temperatures sufficiently low so as not to risk the thermal degradation of the polymer during processing.
  • plasticizer As a plasticizer one can use: organic phosphates, organic esters of the phosphoric acid, phthalates, adipates, sebacates, esters of fatty acids, esters of adipic acid, of sebacic acid and of other fatty acids, esters of glycerine; - a polyurethane, e.g. like Cellasto® or Elastollan® of BASF Company.
  • the selection criterion is the viscoelastic ratio and hardness after molding, paying attention to its poor stability in temperature (a window of about 20 °C);
  • a silicone e.g. BLUESIL® of Bluestar company.
  • the criterion of choice is the viscoelastic ratio and hardness after molding, paying attention though to the poor tendency to make the microspheres expand during molding.
  • the elastomer allows the microspheres of the material to expand during molding, and expand with them in the same way (same firing and expansion speed).
  • the polymer then would rather be liquid or semi-liquid until its cooling; this behavior is guaranteed by the PVC and in part by the polyurethane.
  • the material can be used as an expanding core in the molding of the composite material (e.g. carbon or glass fiber, aramid), because it is not subject to shrinkage and therefore does not allow the composite, at the end of molding, to shrink.
  • the composite material e.g. carbon or glass fiber, aramid
  • a composition by weight with good features in the final molded material is:
  • liquid elastomer preferably in the form of plasticizer and powder PVC: between 50 and 95%;
  • expanded and unexpanded microspheres between 5 and 50% (where the % of expanded microspheres is about 25% and the % of unexpanded ones is about the remaining 75%).
  • an anti-flame inorganic substance or element may be added to the base material before the molding.
  • the anti-flame substance or element is advantageously selected inorganic to avoid affinity with the microspheres, so as to let them expand freely without slowing the expansion thereof and therefore compromising their performance. If the anti-flame substance interacted with the microspheres and/ or bound to the microspheres, the anti-flame-property could fail.
  • anti-flame inorganic substance or element one may use a phosphate and/ or preferably tri-hydrated alumina, which performs well with the microspheres when the firing is over. When tri-hydrated alumina heats, it releases water that slows propagation of a flame.
  • - a substance comprising molecules capable of releasing water during combustion (such as tri-hydrated alumina and derivatives of boric acid).
  • plasticizer + PVC 80 to 90%, preferably 84%
  • expanded and unexpanded microspheres 8 to 16%, preferably 12% (in which the % of expanded microspheres is about 25% and the % of expanded one is 75%),
  • anti-flame substance 2 to 6%, preferably 4%.
  • a typical hot molding cycle (firing) for the material of the invention is as follows:
  • the mold is closed; the material is brought to about 180 °C for about 2-5 minutes (the firing temperature in the mold may range from 100 °C to 200 °C);
  • the firing temperature should be chosen depending on the speed of desired expansion for the particles (it is proportional). E.g. for the composite's molding it is preferred a temperature toward the lower bound of the range, because the curing of the resin, which occurs more slowly, is waited for.
  • the flame speed for a material according to the invention was measured experimentally. From 160 mm/min of a conventional material it drops to 70 mm/min.
  • the material may include both the anti-flame substance and the liquid elastomer, to obtain a material which solves or mitigates simultaneously the two above-mentioned problems.
  • a third aspect of the invention relates to an expanding core insertable into a mold to mold an object in composite material, e.g. comprising carbon, comprising, or consisting solely of, the material according to any one of the previous variants.
  • composite material e.g. comprising carbon

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Alloys Or Alloy Compounds (AREA)
  • Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)

Abstract

A composite material is described for hot-molding an object, comprising by weight a base material formed by 20-50% of expanded particles and 80- 50% of non-expanded particles, the particles being made of plastic material, of closed-shape, hollow and filled with gas, and a liquid elastomer. The material is water repellant and does not deform swelling.

Description

COMPOSITE MATERIAL FOR HOT-MOULDING
The invention relates to a composite material for hot molding. In particular, the material is convenient to mold paddings, e.g. of helmets, or generally cushions to absorb shocks.
A compound material is known, e.g. from WO2012140473 or EP0585965, that thanks to the fact that it contains synthetic hollow microspheres can advantageously be used for many applications. EP0585965 uses it to lighten the final product, while WO2012140473 exploits the expanding characteristics thereof during molding to better copy the mold cavity.
However, the material is not without drawbacks.
A first problem is that the material is highly hydrophilic. Its intrinsic porosity allows water to penetrate and stagnate into all of its volume, often with adverse consequences. Think e.g. when the material forms the padding of a helmet, which is in contact with sweat, rain or wash water. If subjected to high temperature (about 80 °C) the material swells up to +20% of its initial volume, making the helmet useless. Even a long transport in container under the sun would be just enough to create the same conditions of humidity and temperature to the same dimensional defect, which is obviously limitative.
One solution could be coating the molded material with a waterproofing layer. The most practical way is to spray or smear the coating, which has, however, always a solvent that enters inside the material and unfortunately actually behaves as the water that one wants to impede: substantially the material swells under the pressure of the solvent.
A second problem of the material is its poor resistance to fire. It is not taken into account that the microspheres contain flammable gas, therefore the overall speed of flame propagation is always high enough to not succeed the current safety tests. It is evident how restrictive this flaw is, and involves an immediate ban for many applications of the material, otherwise very favorable. For this material, and for all the other equivalents of its such as e.g. polystyrene, the current anti-fire solution is to coat it with a fire resistant layer or remove it altogether.
Despite the danger of fire, the microspheres find application in various sectors. E.g. US7563485 describes the production of so light a fishing line that it floats on water. It has an outer coating made of plastisol PVC with non-expanded microspheres dispersed inside, just to make them expand during the firing process and decrease the overall density of the line.
US7563485 does not disclose the use of foamed particles.
In sum, in the prior art there is no material of the above type that is resistant to fire and / or unresponsive to water.
The main object of the invention is to propose a material of the abovementioned type that has one or more of these advantageous characteristics.
The base material to be molded is preferably compound by weight by 20- 50% of expanded particles and 80-50% of non-expanded particles, the particles being made of plastic material, of closed-shape, hollow and filled with (flammable) gas. These values guarantee advantageous performance and weight, and suitable to applications, particularly the excellent results of impact absorption and lightness. The expanded particles are essential for the invention, and serve as binder or filler for the other non-expanded particles.
In fact, the expanded particles are the filler element (filler) and act as binder preventing that the other expandable particles (not expanded yet), which are heavier, precipitate by gravity on the bottom of the mold and are clustered. Instead, this way the expanded particles maintain the expandable particles suspended in all the material and in a uniform manner. That is why the presence of expanded and unexpanded microspheres ensures the density homogeneity of the whole piece, thereby ensuring uniformity of the mechanical performance.
The particles are generally spherical in shape and are very small ( 10-40 um in diameter). Note, however, that the size is not essential.
As particles, plastics microspheres, filled with gas, can be used.
An advantage of the material is that it gives the molded product shape memory. When the product undergoes a deformation, the expanded and unexpanded little spheres compress or expand in its mass. Thanks to the elasticity of the spheres, when the stress ceases every sphere goes back to its original state, and thus the material regains the starting shape. Note also that the molded product reacts to a second deformation in the same way as the first one, with obvious advantages for safety and shock response repeatability. Another advantage of the material is to have a lower density than that of EPS. Lighter items can be produced, volume being equal, or the adsorbing capacity for the same volume can be boosted. To solve the first problem, according to a first aspect of the invention before the molding a liquid elastomer may be added to the base material. The advantages of the elastomer liquid are:
- to be able to mix all of the microspheres before molding obtaining a kind of paste in which they are, after mixing, homogeneously dispersed or dispersible. By coating each particle one has the guarantee that the material is homogeneous, and a protective film is created in all the material against the entry of moisture, that would make it fragile. A powder elastomer would fail in this sense, preventing the molding; because it would not end up coating all the particles but it will locate between them, and would tend to gather on the bottom of the mold. The liquid elastomer gives warranty of total coating, powder does not. The elastomer increases the resistance of the material, which without is fragile;
- to convey water resistance and flexibility to the material;
- to be able to give a desired color to the molded product;
- to coat a whole particle with a minimum quantity of elastomer;
- to isolate after molding the base material by water, avoiding infiltration and thus solving the first problem;
- to form a matrix which incorporates the base material dispersed in it, so as to neutralize the intrinsic brittleness of the base material molded alone;
- to confer anti-flame properties to the molded product mitigating also the second problem.
The elastomer may be atomized and sprayed over the particles, to wet them all and evenly.
As liquid elastomer, one can use
- preferably liquid PVC (powder PVC + a plasticizer, e.g. Plastisol®), which has the advantage of not containing water and to cure forming a solid and compact molded piece. By plasticizer it is meant a plasticizer for plastics, a substance added to the material to decrease the stiffness of the polymer so as to allow processing thereof at room temperature or at temperatures sufficiently low so as not to risk the thermal degradation of the polymer during processing. As a plasticizer one can use: organic phosphates, organic esters of the phosphoric acid, phthalates, adipates, sebacates, esters of fatty acids, esters of adipic acid, of sebacic acid and of other fatty acids, esters of glycerine; - a polyurethane, e.g. like Cellasto® or Elastollan® of BASF Company. The selection criterion is the viscoelastic ratio and hardness after molding, paying attention to its poor stability in temperature (a window of about 20 °C);
- rubber or caoutchouc, but paying attention to their content of water, being emulsions;
- a silicone, e.g. BLUESIL® of Bluestar company. The criterion of choice is the viscoelastic ratio and hardness after molding, paying attention though to the poor tendency to make the microspheres expand during molding.
It is preferable that the elastomer allows the microspheres of the material to expand during molding, and expand with them in the same way (same firing and expansion speed). The polymer then would rather be liquid or semi-liquid until its cooling; this behavior is guaranteed by the PVC and in part by the polyurethane.
Advantageously the material can be used as an expanding core in the molding of the composite material (e.g. carbon or glass fiber, aramid), because it is not subject to shrinkage and therefore does not allow the composite, at the end of molding, to shrink. When the PVC is consolidating definitively (gelling) the expanding microspheres are still pushing the composite against the walls of the mold, indeed compensating the volume change in carbon and thus eliminating shrinkages thereof.
A composition by weight with good features in the final molded material is:
liquid elastomer, preferably in the form of plasticizer and powder PVC: between 50 and 95%;
expanded and unexpanded microspheres: between 5 and 50% (where the % of expanded microspheres is about 25% and the % of unexpanded ones is about the remaining 75%).
With the material of the invention there is no more absorption of water, and therefore there is no longer any bulging.
To solve the second problem, according to a second aspect of the invention an anti-flame inorganic substance or element may be added to the base material before the molding. The anti-flame substance or element is advantageously selected inorganic to avoid affinity with the microspheres, so as to let them expand freely without slowing the expansion thereof and therefore compromising their performance. If the anti-flame substance interacted with the microspheres and/ or bound to the microspheres, the anti-flame-property could fail.
As anti-flame inorganic substance or element one may use a phosphate and/ or preferably tri-hydrated alumina, which performs well with the microspheres when the firing is over. When tri-hydrated alumina heats, it releases water that slows propagation of a flame.
Other usable elements are those based on boron or borates.
In general for the anti-flame substance or element one may use
- a halogen-based substance, and/or
- a substance comprising molecules capable of releasing water during combustion (such as tri-hydrated alumina and derivatives of boric acid).
A composition by weight found to be effective is:
plasticizer + PVC: 80 to 90%, preferably 84%,
expanded and unexpanded microspheres: 8 to 16%, preferably 12% (in which the % of expanded microspheres is about 25% and the % of expanded one is 75%),
anti-flame substance: 2 to 6%, preferably 4%.
A typical hot molding cycle (firing) for the material of the invention is as follows:
1. a quantity of material is deposited in a mold;
2. the mold is closed; the material is brought to about 180 °C for about 2-5 minutes (the firing temperature in the mold may range from 100 °C to 200 °C);
3. the material solidifies; in particular the (plasticizer + PVC) becomes gel;
4. the material is allowed to cool before removing it from the mold.
The firing temperature should be chosen depending on the speed of desired expansion for the particles (it is proportional). E.g. for the composite's molding it is preferred a temperature toward the lower bound of the range, because the curing of the resin, which occurs more slowly, is waited for. The flame speed for a material according to the invention was measured experimentally. From 160 mm/min of a conventional material it drops to 70 mm/min.
The material may include both the anti-flame substance and the liquid elastomer, to obtain a material which solves or mitigates simultaneously the two above-mentioned problems.
A third aspect of the invention relates to an expanding core insertable into a mold to mold an object in composite material, e.g. comprising carbon, comprising, or consisting solely of, the material according to any one of the previous variants.

Claims

1. Composite material for hot-molding an object, comprising by weight: a base material formed by 20-50% of expanded particles and 80-50% of non-expanded particles,
the particles being made of plastic material, of closed-shape, hollow and filled with gas, and
a liquid elastomer.
2. Material according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer comprises or consists of liquid PVC.
3. Material according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer comprises or consists of a
polyurethane.
4. Material according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer comprises or consists of rubber or caoutchouc.
5. Material according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer comprises or consists of silicone.
6. Material according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an inorganic anti-flame substance.
7. Material according to claim 6, wherein the anti-flame substance comprises or consists of a phosphate.
8. Material according to claim 6, wherein the anti-flame substance comprises or consists of tri-hydrated alumina.
9. Material according to claim 6, wherein the anti-flame substance comprises or consists of a phosphate.
10. Expanding core insertable into a mold to mold an object made of a composite material, e.g. comprising carbon, comprising the, or constituted solely by, the material according to any one of the preceding claims.
PCT/IB2016/055793 2015-10-01 2016-09-28 Compound material for hot-molding WO2017056011A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITUB2015A004114A ITUB20154114A1 (en) 2015-10-01 2015-10-01 Composite material for hot stamping
IT102015000057094 2015-10-01

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2017056011A1 true WO2017056011A1 (en) 2017-04-06

Family

ID=55085807

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2016/055793 WO2017056011A1 (en) 2015-10-01 2016-09-28 Compound material for hot-molding

Country Status (2)

Country Link
IT (1) ITUB20154114A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2017056011A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3375599A1 (en) * 2017-03-16 2018-09-19 Tryonic Ltd Microsphers and pvc containing material for hot-moldung
ES2700293A1 (en) * 2017-08-14 2019-02-14 Cnex Asesoramiento Para La Imp Y Exportacion S L COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND ITS USE (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0711815A1 (en) * 1994-11-14 1996-05-15 Casco Nobel Ab Coating composition

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0711815A1 (en) * 1994-11-14 1996-05-15 Casco Nobel Ab Coating composition

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3375599A1 (en) * 2017-03-16 2018-09-19 Tryonic Ltd Microsphers and pvc containing material for hot-moldung
ES2700293A1 (en) * 2017-08-14 2019-02-14 Cnex Asesoramiento Para La Imp Y Exportacion S L COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND ITS USE (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITUB20154114A1 (en) 2017-04-01

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP2524800B1 (en) Flame retardant polymeric foam material and manufacturing method thereof
KR100479218B1 (en) Expanded polystyrene bead having functional skin layer, manufacturing process thereof, and functional eps product and manufacturing process thereof using the same
US2888407A (en) Manufacture of cellular material from bitumen and styrene
CN103261299B (en) Polylactic acid resin foam particle and polylactic acid resin foam particle molding
KR20110126484A (en) Highly flame-retardant expanded polystyrene molded product using multi-layer coated expanded polystyrene particle
ES2939295T3 (en) High-temperature cellular materials with reduced resin absorption for the production of sandwich materials
WO2017056011A1 (en) Compound material for hot-molding
JP2012525464A (en) Expanded polystyrene particles having a skin layer excellent in moldability, a method for producing the same, and an expanded polystyrene molded article using the same
EP1275688A1 (en) Foamable thermoplastic composition containing volatile blowing agent and expandable microspheres
CA3014267C (en) Method for producing a sound and/or thermal insulation element and sound and/or thermal insulation element
WO2020031803A1 (en) Pre-expanded polyamide beads, molded polyamide foam, and production method therefor
JP2009227867A (en) Foam sheet, and manufacturing method therefor
CN110879018A (en) Fiber-reinforced composite plastic for motorcycle helmet and preparation method thereof
WO2021125264A1 (en) Method for producing polyamide resin foamed particles
EP3375599B1 (en) Microspheres and pvc containing material for hot-molding
US4216136A (en) Fire retardant resin compositions and articles formed thereof
US6476087B1 (en) Method of manufacturing syntactic foam
Vahabi et al. Hydrogel and aerogel‐based flame‐retardant polymeric materials: A review
KR101584133B1 (en) Expanded articles using different types of expanded particles and process for producing the same
JP5577332B2 (en) Polypropylene resin pre-expanded particles and method for producing the same
JP6322999B2 (en) Foam molding
EP3372366B1 (en) Hot-molding method
KR20180102784A (en) Organic insulation including expanding inorganic aggregate
KR102235854B1 (en) Foamed article containing functional coating layer and method of preparing the same
EP4043125A1 (en) Porous and cellular metals and metal structures of open porosity impregnated with cork, production processes thereof and uses of same

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 16794731

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 2016794731

Country of ref document: EP

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 16794731

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1