US4557957A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microporous metal-plated polytetrafluoroethylene articles and method of manufacture
Assignee: W.L. Gore and Associates Inc
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Filing: 1983-03-18
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Granted: 1985-12-10
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Expires: 2003-03-18
Abstract
Abstract Microporous polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) articles, having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils also having continuous interporous metal coatings which encapsulate the nodes and fibrils of the PTFE while maintaining substantial porosity are disclosed, together with a method of producing temporary liquid-filled hydrophilic microporous article resulting in an improved metal plating manufacturing process.
Inventors
- 👤 James L. Manniso
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 16:28
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D67/00; B01D67/0081; B01D67/0088; B01D46/00; B01D46/10; B01D53/00; B01D53/34; B01D53/74; B01D53/86; B01D53/8637; B01D67/0039; B01D67/0069; B01D69/00; B01D69/12; B01D71/00; B01D71/02; B01D71/022; D; D06; D06M; D06M11/00; D06M11/83; H; H01; H01M; H01M4/00; H01M4/02; H01M4/64; H01M4/70; H01M4/80; H01M4/86; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/03; H05K1/0313; H05K1/032; H05K1/034; H05K9/00; H05K9/0073; H05K9/0081; H05K9/0084; H05K9/0088; H05K9/009; B01D2325/00; B01D2325/26; B01D2325/36; B01D2325/38; C; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/1601; C23C18/1633; C23C18/1635; C23C18/1644; C23C18/18; C23C18/20; C23C18/2006; C23C18/2046; C23C18/2073; C23C18/2086; C23C18/28; C23C18/285; C23C18/30; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/13; Y10T428/1352; Y10T428/1355; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/2495; Y10T428/24967; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249978; Y10T428/249979; Y10T428/249981; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/3154; Y10T428/31544; Y10T428/31678; Y10T428/31692
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
A metal-coated article wherein said article is a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene tube having a micro-structure of nodes interconnected by fibrils, said metal coating substantially encapsulating at least some of the individual nodes and fibrils, the tube having inner and outer surfaces, said tube also being flexible and electrically conductive through at least a portion of the microporous structure while retaining porosity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
60 words
A metal-coated article wherein said article is a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene tube having a micro-structure of nodes interconnected by fibrils, said metal coating substantially encapsulating at least some of the individual nodes and fibrils, the tube having inner and outer surfaces, said tube also being flexible and electrically conductive through at least a portion of the microporous structure while retaining porosity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The article as in claim 1 wherein the metal coating has encapsulated the fibrils and nodes of a portion of said inner surface, penetrating into the depth but not through to the outside surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The article as in claim 1 wherein the metal coating has encapsulated the fibrils and nodes of a portion of said outer surface, penetrating into the depth but not through to the inside surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The article as in claim 1 wherein the metal coating has encapsulated the fibrils and nodes of portions of both of said inner and outer surfaces of the tubular membrane but has not penetrated throughout its volume.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The article as in claim 1 wherein the metal coating has encapsulated the fibrils and nodes of portions of both of said inner and outer surfaces of the tubular membrane and has penetrated through its volume.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article as in claim 1 wherein the metal-coated surface area is microporous and hydrophilic and any nonmetal-coated volume portion is hydrophobic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
A metal-coated microporous article comprising: (a) a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils, and (b) a continuous interporous coating of conductive metal, said metal coating substantially encapsulating at least some of the individual nodes and fibrils, wherein at least one surface of the article is electrically conductive and wherein at least a portion of volume of the article beneath said one surface is electrically conductive while returning porosity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
A metal-coated microporous article comprising: (a) a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils, and (b) a continuous interporous coating of conductive metal, said metal coating substantially encapsulating at least some of the individual nodes and fibrils, wherein at least one surface of the article is electrically conductive and wherein at least a portion of volume of the article beneath said one surface is electrically conductive while returning porosity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The article as in claim 7 wherein the metal-coated volume portion is hydrophilic and any non metal-coated volume portion is hydrophobic.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The article as in claim 7 wherein the article is a sheet and is conductive along both sheet surfaces and through the entire sheet thickness.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The sheet as in claim 9 wherein the ratio of the resistivity per unit length along a sheet surface divided by the resistivity per unit length through the sheet thickness is greater than about 0.1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The sheet as in claim 7 or 9 wherein the ratio of the permeability of the article divided by the permeability of the uncoated substrate is greater than about 0.1.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The article as in claim 7 or 9 wherein the average pore size is less than about 100 um.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The article as in claim 7 or 9 which is flexible.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The article as in claim 7 or 9 which has high abrasion resistance.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The article as in claim 7 or 9 wherein the metal-coated volume portion is hydrophilic.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The article as in claim 7 or 9 having an average bulk density of less than about 10 gm/cc.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The sheet as in claim 7 or 9 wherein the permeability of the uncoated substrate is between about less than 0.1 fn and 100 fn, permeability being measured on the fraziometer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The article as in claim 7 or 9 wherein the metal is selected from a group consisting of nickel, copper, silver, gold, platinum, or rhodium and the thickness of the metal coating surrounding the nodes and fibrils is about 10 to 1000 Å.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article as in claim 7 or 9 wherein the effective surface area of said coated volume is greater than 1 m2/gram.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
111 words
A layered article comprising: (a) a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene first layer having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils and a continuous interporous coating of conductive metal, said metal coating substantially encapsulating at least some of the individual nodes and fibrils, said first layer also being flexible and electrically conductive along at least one layer surface and also from said one surface along a path perpendicular to said one surface through at least a portion of the first layer thickness while retaining porosity, said first layer also having a bulk density less than about 10 g.p.m./cc; and (b) a second layer contacting said first layer at the surface opposite said one surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
111 words
A layered article comprising: (a) a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene first layer having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils and a continuous interporous coating of conductive metal, said metal coating substantially encapsulating at least some of the individual nodes and fibrils, said first layer also being flexible and electrically conductive along at least one layer surface and also from said one surface along a path perpendicular to said one surface through at least a portion of the first layer thickness while retaining porosity, said first layer also having a bulk density less than about 10 g.p.m./cc; and (b) a second layer contacting said first layer at the surface opposite said one surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
The article as in claim 7, 20 or 1 wherein the coated metal thickness is nonuniform throughout the microporous structure, said micropores having a smaller cross-sectional flow area at said conductive surface compared to the cross-sectional flow area in said volume beneath said conductive surfaces.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
The article as in claim 20 wherein said second layer is flexible.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The article as in claim 20 wherein said second layer is conductive along its surface opposite said first layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The article as in claim 20 wherein said second layer is conductive through the second layer thickness.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The article as in claim 20 wherein said second layer is permeable.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
12 words
The article as in claim 20 wherein said second layer is hydrophilic.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The article as in claim 20, wherein said second layer is hydrophobic.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article as in claim 20 wherein the average pore size of the coated first layer is less than about 50 um.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
65 words
The article as in claim 20 wherein said first layer is a thin membrane conductive through its total thickness and having a thickness of about 0.5 mils, and said second layer is a porous, fabric backing with a thickness of about 5 mils, and wherein said fabric backing is coated with a conductive metal, said fabric backing layer being conductive along a second layer surface.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
40 words
The article as in claim 29 wherein the ratio of the resistivity per unit length along the first layer surface divided by the resistivity per unit length through the combined first and second layer thicknesses is greater than about 0.1.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article as in claim 29 wherein the metal coating on said fabric backing surrounds the individual fibers and the fabric backing is conductive through the entire second layer thickness.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
The article as in claim 29 or 31 wherein the ratio of the permeability of the uncoated article divided by the permeability of the coating article is greater than about 0.1 fn.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
32 words
The article as in claim 31 wherein the conductive metal coating on said membrane and said fabric backing is selected from a group consisting of nickel, copper, silver, gold, platinum, or rhodium.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-12-09 | 1989-06-10 | 1989-12-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-12-09 | 1993-06-10 | 1993-12-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-12-09 | 1997-06-10 | 1997-12-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |