Fluoropolymer Composite Pipe Materials With Higher Compression Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermoplastic composite materials, particularly those with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and carbon fibers, lack sufficient compression strength, which is crucial for applications in the oil and gas industry where pipes need to withstand both tensile and compressive forces, especially during reeling and offshore installation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating milled carbon fibers with specific length and diameter ranges into a polymer matrix, along with continuous fibers, to enhance the mechanical properties of thermoplastic composite materials, forming a multilayer structure that includes a thermoplastic barrier layer and additional reinforcements for improved tensile and compressive strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If fiber content is increased to improve tensile strength, then tensile strength is improved, but processing and adhesion become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and size parameters of carbon fibers by milling them into smaller particles (5-50 μm). This parameter change allows the milled fibers to be more easily incorporated into the PVDF matrix during processing while still providing enhanced mechanical properties, thus improving ease of manufacture without sacrificing strength.
2Strength
If unidirectional fiber arrangement is used to improve tensile strength, then tensile strength is improved, but compression strength mechanism is not well understood
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite fiber arrangement combining continuous unidirectional fibers with dispersed milled fibers. This composite structure provides both the tensile strength benefits of unidirectional alignment and the compression strength enhancement from the milled fibers, making the compression mechanism understandable through the known behavior of short fiber reinforcement.
Data Source
AI summary
Composite materials are described herein. The composite materials include a polymer matrix comprising at least one fluorinated homo- or copolymer and continuous fibers dispersed within the polymer matrix. The continuous fibers are present within the composite material in an amount between about 10 wt % and about 90 wt % of a weight of the composite material. The composite materials also include a filler dispersed within the polymer matrix. The filler is present within the composite material in an amount between about 5 wt % and about 25 wt % of an amount of the polymer matrix.