Friction reducing coatings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air bags coated with elastomer base coats experience blocking issues during storage and inflation, leading to potential bag failure, and silicone elastomer coatings have high surface friction and unpleasant odor when used with certain organic resin base coats.
Innovation Solution
An aqueous coating composition containing a solid lubricant, such as talc or chlorite, and a modified clay mineral thickener, along with a water-soluble organic polymer, is applied as a top coat to reduce friction and blocking, while also incorporating a flame retardant to ensure compliance with flammability standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an elastomer base coat is applied to air bag fabric, then the air bag gains durability and sealing properties, but the coated surfaces stick together during storage and inflation (blocking)
Solution Approach 1:
A top coat composition is applied as an intermediary layer between the elastomer base coat layers. This top coat contains blocking prevention agents that prevent direct contact and adhesion between elastomer surfaces, thereby eliminating the blocking problem while preserving the durability provided by the elastomer base coat.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution uses a composite coating system consisting of an elastomer base coat combined with a top coat containing blocking prevention agents. This composite structure allows the elastomer to provide durability while the top coat layer prevents blocking, resolving the contradiction between reliability and blocking resistance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If silicone elastomer coating is applied to air bag, then the air bag gains flexibility and sealability, but the surface friction becomes very high causing stress during inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The top coat acts as an intermediary layer between elastomer surfaces, reducing the coefficient of friction to below 0.4. This mediator layer maintains the flexibility and sealability of the silicone elastomer while significantly reducing the high surface friction that causes stress during inflation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The coating composition effectively reduces friction and prevents blocking, maintaining air bag integrity and eliminating unpleasant odors, while ensuring the air bag meets stringent flammability tests.
Implementation Method 1
The top coat provides a low friction surface on the substrate to which it is applied... The coating composition effectively reduces friction and prevents blocking
Implementation Method 2
a modified clay mineral thickener, along with a water-soluble organic polymer... Aqueous coating compositions comprising a solid lubricant and a modified clay mineral having thickening properties
Data Source
AI summary
An aqueous coating composition for reducing friction and/or blocking at a surface, said composition comprising a solid lubricant and a modified or synthetic clay mineral having thickening properties such that a 2% by weight aqueous dispersion of the modified or synthetic clay mineral thickener has a viscosity of at least 1000 mPa.s. Preferred clay minerals used as thickeners are preferably smectite clays such as saponite, hectorite, stcvensite, sauconite, bentonitc, beidellite, nontronite, or montmorillonite.