Hydrogen Barrier Hose Composition for Low-Temperature Flexibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current hydrogen transport components face challenges in maintaining gas barrier properties and flexibility under low temperature environments, which affects their durability.

Innovation Solution

A hydrogen transport component is designed with a hydrogen gas barrier layer formed from a resin composition containing polyamide 11 and a modified olefin-based elastomer, a reinforcement layer, and an outer covering layer made of polyamide resin, where the modified olefin-based elastomer content ranges from 15% to 50% by mass, and the composition is substantially free of plasticizers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional resin composition is used to form the hydrogen gas barrier layer, then the gas barrier property may be maintained, but the flexibility and durability under low temperature environment deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas barrier propertyVSAvoidflexibility under low temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite resin composition consisting of polyamide 11 (60-80 mass%) and modified olefin-based elastomer (20-40 mass%). This composite material combines the gas barrier properties of polyamide 11 with the low-temperature flexibility of the modified elastomer, resolving the contradiction between maintaining gas barrier performance and improving flexibility under low temperature conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the resin composition by controlling the specific content ratio of polyamide 11 to modified olefin-based elastomer (60-80% to 20-40%). This parameter optimization ensures both sufficient gas barrier properties and improved low-temperature flexibility, eliminating the need for plasticizers while achieving the desired balance between barrier performance and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If plasticizers are added to improve flexibility under low temperature, then flexibility may be enhanced, but the durability and gas barrier property deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility under low temperatureVSAvoiddurability and gas barrier property
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates plasticizers from the resin composition entirely. Instead of using plasticizers to achieve flexibility, the invention relies on the intrinsic properties of the modified olefin-based elastomer and the optimized composition ratio of polyamide 11 to elastomer (60-80% to 20-40%), thereby maintaining durability and gas barrier properties while achieving the required flexibility under low temperature conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the content of modified olefin-based elastomer is increased to improve flexibility, then flexibility under low temperature improves, but the gas barrier property deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility under low temperatureVSAvoidgas barrier property
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the content parameter of modified olefin-based elastomer to 20-40 mass% (with polyamide 11 at 60-80 mass%). This precise parameter control ensures that sufficient elastomer is present to provide low-temperature flexibility while maintaining enough polyamide 11 to preserve the gas barrier property, thus resolving the contradiction between flexibility and barrier performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a balanced composite material system where polyamide 11 provides gas barrier properties and the modified olefin-based elastomer provides flexibility. The optimized composition ratio (60-80% polyamide 11 to 20-40% elastomer) ensures that neither component dominates excessively, achieving simultaneous improvement in both gas barrier property and low-temperature flexibility without requiring plasticizers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3587882B1Hydrogen transport component
Publication Date: 2022.02.16 BRIDGESTONE CORP

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a hydrogen transport component that is excellent in a barrier property for hydrogen gas, also can improve flexibility under a low temperature environment, and consequently can improve durability under a low temperature environment. The hydrogen transport component of the present disclosure includes: a hydrogen gas barrier layer formed from a resin composition containing polyamide 11 and a modified olefin-based elastomer; a reinforcement layer arranged on an outside of the hydrogen gas barrier layer; and an outer covering layer containing a polyamide resin and arranged on an outside of the reinforcement layer, wherein a content of the modified olefin-based elastomer in the resin composition is 15% by mass to 50% by mass with respect to the total amount of the polyamide 11 and the modified olefin-based elastomer; and the resin composition is substantially free of a plasticizer.