3m Innovative Properties Company

James E Thorson

Peter D Condo

Kristin LaVelle Thunhorst

Jeremy O Swanson

William J Schultz

Jung-Sheng Wu

James M Nelson

Wendy L Thompson

Chad A Haraldson

Zai-Ming Qiu

Raghunath Padiyath

Emily S Goenner

Nathan E Schultz

Douglas P Goetz

Steven C Hackett

Daniel P Decabooter

A nanocomposite is provided including spherical pyrogenic silica nanoparticles dispersed in a curable resin or a curing agent. The nanocomposite contains less than 2% by weight solvent and less than 0.5% by weight dispersant based on the nanoparticle weight. A composite is also provided including from about 4 to 70 weight percent of spherical pyrogenic silica nanoparticles dispersed in a cured resin, and a filler embedded in the cured resin. Optionally, the composite further contains a curing agent. Further, a method of preparing a nanoparticle-containing curable resin system is provided including mixing from 10 to 70 weight percent of aggregated spherical pyrogenic silica nanoparticles with a curable resin to form a mixture. The mixture contains less than 2% by weight solvent and less than 0.5% by weight dispersant based on the nanoparticle weight. The method also includes milling the mixture in an immersion mill containing milling media to form a milled resin system including silica nanoparticles dispersed in the curable resin.

Nanocomposites containing spherical pyrogenic silica nanoparticles and composites, articles, and methods of making same

A nanocomposite is provided including silica nanoparticles and a dispersant dispersed in a curable resin or a curing agent, where the nanocomposite contains less than 2% by weight solvent. The silica nanoparticles include nonspherical silica nanoparticles and/or spherical pyrogenic silica nanoparticles. A composite is also provided including from about 4 to 70 weight percent of silica nanoparticles, and a dispersant, dispersed in a cured resin, and a filler embedded in the cured resin. Optionally, the composite further contains a curing agent. Further, a method of preparing a nanoparticle-containing curable resin system is provided including mixing from 10 to 70 weight percent of aggregated silica nanoparticles with a curable resin and a dispersant to form a mixture. The mixture contains less than 2% by weight solvent. The method also includes milling the mixture in an immersion mill containing milling media to form a milled resin system including silica nanoparticles dispersed in the curable resin.

Nanocomposites containing silica nanoparticles and dispersant, composites, articles, and methods of making same

A nanocomposite is provided including nonspherical silica nanoparticles dispersed in a curable resin or a curing agent, where the nanocomposite contains less than 2% by weight solvent. A composite is also provided including from about 4 to 70 weight percent of nonspherical silica nanoparticles dispersed in a cured resin, and a filler embedded in the cured resin. Further, a method of preparing a nanoparticle-containing curable resin system is provided including mixing from 10 to 70 weight percent of aggregated silica nanoparticles with a curable resin and optionally a dispersant, a catalyst, a diluent, a surface treatment agent, and/or a curing agent, to form a mixture. The mixture contains less than 2% by weight solvent. The method also includes milling the mixture in an immersion mill containing milling media to form a milled resin system including nonspherical silica nanoparticles dispersed in the curable resin.

Nanocomposites containing nonspherical silica nanoparticles, composites, articles, and methods of making same

Methods of compounding nanoparticles with a resin, e.g., a curable resin and one or more surface modifying agents are described. The methods use wet milling technology, including both continuous and batch milling processes, and can be used to functionalize the nanoparticles and disperse the functionalized nanoparticles into the resin system in a single process. Methods of compounding curable resin systems containing reactive diluents are also disclosed.

Solventless functionalization, milling, and compounding process with reactive diluents

Compositions comprising surface-modified nanocalcite particles dispersed in a curable resin, and to coatings and fibrous composites incorporating such compositions are described. The surface-modifying agents include a binding group ionically associated with the calcite and a compatiblizing segment, compatible with the curable resin. The surface-modifying agent may also include a reactive group capable of reacting with the curable resin. Methods of preparing nanocalcite composites and coating a fibrous composites prepared from such nanocalcite composites are also described.

Nanocalcite composites

A multilayer film article is disclosed. The multilayer film article includes an infrared light reflecting multilayer film having alternating layers of a first polymer type and a second polymer type, a hardcoat layer that is the reaction product of a mixture that includes a curable, crosslinkable fluoro-acrylate-containing compound; a curable, crosslinkable non-fluorinated organic compound; infrared light absorbing nanoparticles; and a polymerization initiator. The hardcoat layer being disposed adjacent the multilayer film.

Solar control multilayer film

Methods of compounding nanoparticles (e.g., surface-modified silica nanoparticles) with a resin (e.g., a curable resin) are described. The methods use continuous wet milling technology and can be used to compound nanoparticles, including highly aggregated and agglomerated surface-modified nanoparticles, into a resin or resin precursor.

Growing community of inventors

Hudson, WI, United States of America

James E Thorson