Structured Fluoropolymer Film for Barrier Retention Under Strain
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluoropolymer films lack thermal stability, high strength, thinness, chemical inertness, and retention of barrier properties against water vapor permeation, particularly when subjected to strain during manufacturing or use.
Innovation Solution
A structured fluoropolymer film with a plurality of structures having a height at least two times the thickness of unstructured films, featuring a structural density of at least 1/mm, void volume less than 20%, and matrix tensile strength greater than 7.0 MPa, is produced by stretching an elastic substrate and adhering a dense fluoropolymer film to form geometric structures that enhance strain resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dense fluoropolymer film is used to provide barrier properties against water vapor permeation, then chemical inertness and resistance to water vapor permeation are improved, but the barrier properties decrease or degrade when the film is subject to strain during manufacture or use
Solution Approach 1:
The film is divided into a dense fluoropolymer layer and a separate structuring layer that is applied to the surface. The structuring layer contains the geometric structures (pyramids, domes, or other three-dimensional shapes) that provide strain resistance, while the dense fluoropolymer layer maintains the barrier properties. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure by combining a dense fluoropolymer film with a structuring layer made of different material properties. The structuring layer may be made from elastomers, thermoplastics, or other materials that can deform under strain while maintaining the geometric structures. This composite approach allows the film to exhibit both excellent barrier properties and strain resistance.
2Length of moving object
If the fluoropolymer film is made thinner to achieve thinness, then the thinness requirement is met, but the strength and structural integrity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a thin dense fluoropolymer film as the barrier layer, accepting that the film itself must be thin to meet the thinness requirement. However, the structuring layer is applied to provide the necessary strength and structural integrity. The geometric structures in the structuring layer act as reinforcement elements that prevent the thin film from failing under stress.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to increase the thickness of the thin film to improve strength, the invention adds a third dimension by creating geometric structures (pyramids, domes, or other three-dimensional shapes) on the film surface. These structures extend in the z-direction (perpendicular to the film plane) and provide mechanical strength without increasing the film's base thickness.
3Strength
If geometric structures with height at least two times the thickness are created to increase strain resistance, then displacement induction period increases, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The geometric structures are pre-formed in the structuring layer before the dense fluoropolymer film is applied. The structuring layer is created with the desired geometric patterns (pyramids, domes, or other shapes) at the appropriate heights, and then the fluoropolymer film is deposited or adhered to this pre-structured surface. This preliminary formation of structures simplifies the overall manufacturing process compared to trying to create the structures after film deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The structuring layer acts as an intermediary between the substrate and the dense fluoropolymer film. It provides the geometric structures that enhance strain resistance while serving as a bonding interface for the fluoropolymer film. The structuring layer mediates between the requirements for strain resistance and the requirements for maintaining a simple, manufacturable structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A structured fluoropolymer film including a plurality of structures having a height at least two times a thickness of a corresponding unstructured fluoropolymer film and at least a 20% increase in displacement induction period when compared to the corresponding unstructured fluoropolymer film when measured in a biaxial tensile curve at a temperature of about 125° C. In addition, the structured fluoropolymer film has a methane permeability of less than 500 μg*μm/cm2/min. The structured fluoropolymer film exhibits a higher resistance to strain and retain barrier properties during manufacture and/or use.