Graded Glass Bubbles Withstand 100 MPa Hydrostatic Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing glass bubbles used in polymeric compounds lack sufficient strength and durability, often breaking during processing due to high pressures, which limits their application in industries requiring robustness without compromising density and cost-effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A method of classifying glass bubbles to create a graded fraction with a higher strength-to-density ratio, achieved by removing smaller and larger bubbles from the distribution, resulting in glass bubbles with an average true density of up to 0.55 g/cm³ and a median size of 15-40 micrometers, capable of withstanding hydrostatic pressures exceeding 100 MPa.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If glass bubbles are used to lower weight and improve processing, then density is reduced and processing properties are improved, but strength is insufficient and bubbles break during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the size distribution of glass bubbles (median size 15-40 micrometers) and their density (up to 0.55 g/cm³). By optimizing these parameters and removing outliers (bubbles ≤10 micrometers and ≥40 micrometers), the invention achieves a balance where bubbles provide sufficient strength (withstanding 100 MPa hydrostatic pressure) while maintaining low density for weight reduction in polymer composites.
2Strength
If high strength glass bubbles are selected to avoid crushing during processing, then strength is improved, but density increases reducing cost-effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the density parameter of glass bubbles to a specific range (up to 0.55 g/cm³) and controls size distribution (median 15-40 micrometers) to achieve the desired strength-to-density ratio. This parameter optimization ensures bubbles withstand processing pressures while maintaining low density for cost-effective applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing glass bubbles from the size distribution that do not meet the optimal criteria - specifically removing bubbles with size ≤10 micrometers and ≥40 micrometers. This selective removal ensures the remaining bubbles have the optimal balance of strength and density, eliminating weaker or less effective bubbles that would compromise performance or increase density unnecessarily.
3Strength
If small glass bubbles are removed from distribution to improve strength, then strength is improved, but quantity of small bubbles decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by removing only the extreme small bubbles (≤10 micrometers) and extreme large bubbles (≥40 micrometers) from the distribution. This selective removal targets specific size ranges that do not contribute optimally to strength, while preserving the majority of bubbles in the optimal 15-40 micrometer range, thus maintaining sufficient quantity for effective reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by creating a non-uniform size distribution with peaks at specific size ranges (15-40 micrometers) rather than a uniform distribution. This localized concentration of bubbles in the optimal size range ensures that the majority of bubbles contribute maximally to strength, while minimizing the presence of suboptimal sizes.
4Strength
If glass bubbles with median size 15-40 micrometers are used to achieve high strength, then strength is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent defines specific parameter ranges for glass bubble production - median size of 15-40 micrometers and density up to 0.55 g/cm³ - that balance strength requirements with manufacturability. These parameter specifications provide clear manufacturing targets that achieve high strength (100 MPa hydrostatic pressure resistance) without requiring extreme precision, making the process industrially viable.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a plurality of glass bubbles having an average true density of up to about 0.55 grams per cubic centimeter and a size distribution including a median size in a range from about 15 micrometers to 40 micrometers. A hydrostatic pressure at which ten percent by volume of the plurality of glass bubbles collapses is at least about 100 megapascals. In some embodiments, the plurality of glass bubbles is a graded fraction preparable by classifying a second plurality of glass bubbles, wherein the second plurality of glass bubbles has a higher percentage of glass bubbles with a size of up to ten micrometers than the first plurality of glass bubbles. Composites including the plurality of glass bubbles are also disclosed.