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

• Main Authors: MCGINNISS, VINCE, TOLBERT, BYRON, C, ANGEL, SUNDEE, SAYRE, JAY, R, JENKINS, KELLY, J, THURSTON, RACHEL, HUTSON, TIM, B, ELLIS, JEFFREY, L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 06.03.2014
• 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. L'invention porte sur un procédé de traitement de fibres pour améliorer la résistance à des températures et une humidité relative élevées, comprenant l'utilisation de fibres de poly(p-phénylène-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) et l'exposition des fibres de PBO à une atmosphère de CO2 supercritique saturé avec un époxysilane, c'est-à-dire du 3-glycidoxypropylméthyldiméthoxysilane. Les fibres de PBO sont soumises à une première étape de mise sous pression et de chauffage à une première température (50°C) pendant une première durée. Les fibres de PBO sont ensuite soumises à une seconde étape de mise sous pression et de chauffage comprenant l'augmentation de la température à une seconde température (110°C) et le maintien à la seconde température pendant une durée supplémentaire. Les fibres de PBO comprennent 2 à 5 % en poids de 3-glycidoxypropylméthyldiméthoxysilane après diffusion du CO2 hors des fibres de PBO. Les fibres sont particulièrement utiles dans la fabrication de composants de systèmes pare-balles légers.