W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

Edison Polymer Innovation Corporation

Anit Dutta

Brian Farnworth

Cedomila Ristic-Lehmann

Bradley E Reis

William P Mortimer, Jr

Heidi Flannery

Ryan Kenaley

Leslie N Rikleen

Robert L Henn

Edward J Daniel

Robert C Willmann

David T De Guiseppi

Lindsey Notigan

Leslie S Nachbar

Valerie Regina Binetti

Vivek Agarwal

Cedomilla Ristic-Lehmann

A composite that includes an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane having a porous microstructure. The porous microstructure of the ePTFE membrane is impregnated with a stiffening polymer. An acoustic device assembly that includes the composite and an acoustic device is also described. The composite and the acoustic device assembly can exhibit an insertion loss of less than 7 dB at 1 kHz when measured by the Acoustic Response Measurement ('ARM') Test.

Acoustic composite including a stiffening polymer, devices, and assemblies including the same

An expanded polytetrafluoroethylene substrate comprising a microporous microstructure, an interlayer over at least a portion of the microstructure, the interlayer containing a reactive functionality, and a functional layer attached to the interlayer, the interlayer comprising a sol-gel or a polyvinylalcohol. The functional layer of the substrate having functional sites with a density of at least 50 nanomoles/cm.

Functional porous substrates for attaching biomolecules

Porous air permeable expanded PTFE composite with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties are described. The node and fibril microstructure of expanded PTFE is coated on and within the node and fibril microstructure with a suitably chosen polymer to impart property enhancement while maintaining porosity. The coating polymer content of the composite is maintained between 3 and 25 weight percent of the composite and the areal mass of the composite is less than 75 gm/m. Exemplary enhancement to properties may include, among others, Average Tensile Strength (ATS) (in MPa)&#xd7;Z strength (in MPa) of 50 MPaor greater, preferably 100 MPaor greater, with air flow less than 500 Gurley seconds. Coating polymers with appropriate temperature resistance provides composites which further exhibit shrinkage of less than 10% at temperatures up to 300&#xb0; C. with air flow of less than 500 Gurley seconds.

Porous air permeable polytetrafluoroethylene composites with improved mechanical and thermal properties

A substrate comprising a microporous microstructure, an interlayer over at least a portion of the microstructure and a functional layer attached to the interlayer, the functional layer having functional sites with a density of at least 50 nanomoles/cm.

An acoustically reactive composite can include an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane formed of a highly fibrillated ePTFE microstructure with an elastomer fully impregnated within the ePTFE membrane. The composite can have an acoustic loss of less than 7 dB at 1 kHz and a water entry pressure (WEP) of at least 20 PSI. A layered assembly for protecting an acoustic device can include an acoustically reactive composite as described above and an adhesive layer arranged to define an acoustic cavity. An acoustic device can incorporate an acoustically reactive composite or layered assembly as described above, with the acoustically reactive composite or layered assembly arranged to span an acoustic cavity proximate to a transducer of the acoustic device.

Vibro acoustic cover using expanded PTFE composite

A material comprising aerogel particles and a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) binder is formed having a thermal conductivity of less than or equal to 25 mW/m K at atmospheric conditions. The material is moldable or formable, having little or no shedding of filler particles, and may be formed into structures such as tapes or composites, for example, by bonding the material between two outer layers. Advantageously, composites may be flexed, stretched, or bent without significant dusting or loss of insulating properties.

Aerogel/PTFE composite insulating material

The invention is a stretchable layered fabric laminate which is air impermeable and waterproof while being permeable to water vapor. The stretchable fabric laminate includes a stretchable composite material layer consisting of a hydrophobic protective layer of a porous polymeric material on each side of a layer of hydrophilic water-vapor-permeable synthetic polymer. The composite material layer is laminated to at least one layer of stretchable fabric. The stretchable layered fabric laminate has excellent stretch and recovery properties in both machine and transverse directions, and is useful for the manufacture of form-fitting articles of protective clothing and other end uses.

Growing community of inventors

Wilmington, DE, United States of America

Anit Dutta