PBO FIBERS WITH IMPROVED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES WHEN EXPOSED TO HIGH TEMPERATURES AND HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY

• Main Authors: TOLBERT, BYRON C, HUTSON, TIM B, ELLIS, JEFFREY L, MCGINNISS, VINCE, ANGEL, SUNDEE, JENKINS, KELLY J, SAYRE, JAY R, THURSTON, RACHEL
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 16.01.2014
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; ARMOUR; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; ARMOURED TURRETS; BLASTING; CHEMISTRY; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS; LAUNDERING; LIGHTING; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TEXTILES; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS,FABRICS, FEATHERS, OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS; USE OF INORGANIC OR NON-MACROMOLECULAR ORGANIC SUBSTANCES ASCOMPOUNDING INGREDIENTS; WEAPONS; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A method of treating fibers to improve resistance to high temperatures and relative humidity includes providing poly(p-phenylene~2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers, exposing the PBO fibers to an atmosphere of supercritical CO2 saturated with an epoxy silane, i.e. 3-glycidoxypropyl methyldimethoxysilane. The PBO fibers are subjected to a first pressurizing and heating stage at a first temperature (50°C) for a first period of time. The PBO fibers are then subjected to a second pressurizing and heating stage including increasing the temperature to a second temperature (110°C) and holding at the second temperature for an additional period of time. The PBO fibers include 2-5 wt% of 3-glycidoxypropyl methyldimethoxysilane after diffusing the CO2 out of the PBO fibers. The fibers are particularly useful in making lightweight body armor system components.