US5183607A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Polymer membranes for separation process
Assignee: Corning Inc
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Filing: 1991-12-17
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Granted: 1993-02-02
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Expires: 2011-12-17
Abstract
Abstract Semi-permeable microporous polymer bodies, such as porous plates or membranes for separation processes, are provided, these being made of durable high-temperature thermoplastics, e.g., a liquid crystal polymer, by a process comprising melt-mixing the polymer with high loadings of leachable glass and then leaching the glass from the polymer to leave a continuous relict polymer network, the network typically demonstrating pore volumes of 50 percent or more and average pore diameters in the 0.1-10 micron range.
Inventors
- 👤 George H. Beall
- 👤 Kishor P. Gadkaree
- 👤 Thomas P. Grandi
- 👤 Candace J. Quinn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:47
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J9/00; C08J9/26; B; B01; B01D; B01D67/00; B01D67/0002; B01D67/0023; B01D67/003; B01D2323/00; B01D2323/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S264/00; Y10S264/48; Y10S264/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A method comprising: making a semi-permeable microporous polymer body having an intercommunicating pore structure, said body having a pore volume of at least about 50 percent and a mean pore diameter in the range of about 0.1-10 microns, by the steps of: (i) melt-mixing a batch mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and a finely divided leachable glass to form a two-phase glass-polymer blend comprising a continuous polymer network and an intercommunicating glass phase; (ii) forming the blend into a glass-polymer body of a selected shape; and (iii) leaching the intercommunicating glass phase from the glass-polymer body without disruption of the continuous polymer network; thus to provide a microporous polymer body comprising an intercommunicating pore structure.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
115 words
A method comprising: making a semi-permeable microporous polymer body having an intercommunicating pore structure, said body having a pore volume of at least about 50 percent and a mean pore diameter in the range of about 0.1-10 microns, by the steps of: (i) melt-mixing a batch mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and a finely divided leachable glass to form a two-phase glass-polymer blend comprising a continuous polymer network and an intercommunicating glass phase; (ii) forming the blend into a glass-polymer body of a selected shape; and (iii) leaching the intercommunicating glass phase from the glass-polymer body without disruption of the continuous polymer network; thus to provide a microporous polymer body comprising an intercommunicating pore structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polymer is composed at least predominantly of a high-temperature polymer selected from the group consisting of polyether ketones, poly(aryl ether) ketones, polyether amides, polyether ether ketones, polysulfones, liquid crystal polymers, and mixtures, copolymers, or other combinations thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the batch mixture comprises about 65-95% of glass and 5-35% of polymer by weight, and wherein the leachable glass is selected from the group consisting of alkali phosphate, borate, halophosphate, halide, and oxyhalide glasses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the leachable glass is a halophosphate glass comprising, in mole percent, about 25-55% P 2 O 5 , 10-40% R 2 O, wherein R is at least one alkali metal selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and lithium, and 10-40% ZnCl 2 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the leachable glass is an alkali phosphate glass comprising, in mole percent, about 35-70% P 2 O 5 , 2-65% R 2 O, wherein R is at least one alkali metal selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and lithium, and 0-10% of oxides selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 and B 2 O 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the alkali phosphate glass has a glass transition temperature in the range of about 200°-350° C. and a composition which consists essentially, in mole percent, of about 40-55% P 2 O 5 , 45-55% R 2 O, wherein R is at least one alkali metal selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and lithium, and 0-10% of Al 2 O 3 .
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4853001A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-02-02 | 1996-08-03 | 1997-02-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-02-02 | 2000-08-03 | 2001-02-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-02-02 | 2004-08-03 | 2005-02-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |