W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Fachhochschule Jena

Wolfgang Bürger

John W Dolan

Rudolf Steffl

Wolfgang Ecke

Michael Wendlandt

Jens Bliedtner

Reinhardt Willsch

Leonard Schlichting

Jürgen Bolle

Klaus Zweinert

John William Dolan

The present invention relates to a process for producing a fluoropolymer article having a high surface roughness and high coarseness which comprises the following steps: The present invention further relates to a fluoropolymer article obtainable by a process according to the invention. The present invention furthermore relates to a fiber comprising, or consisting of, a fluoropolymer having a surface roughness expressed as a peak to valley distance (Rt) greater than 10 micrometer and/or an average surface roughness (Ra) greater than 1.5 micrometer. The present invention furthermore relates to a membrane comprising, or consisting of, a fluoropolymer having a coarseness index &#x3c1;/EBP of at least 0.3, an air permeability of 15 ft/ft/min or higher and a node aspect ratio of below 25.

Processes for forming fluoropolymer articles

Fluoropolymer articles having a high surface roughness and high coarseness are provided. In one embodiment, a fiber is provided that has a surface roughness expressed as a peak-to-valley distance (Rt) greater than 10 micrometers and an average surface roughness (Ra) greater than 1.5 micrometers. In another embodiment, a membrane having a coarseness index &#x3c1;/EBP of at least 0.3 g/cm/psi and an air permeability of 15 ft/ft/min or higher is provided. The fluoropolymer articles are produced by a process that includes forming a paste-formed fluoropolymer product at a temperature lower than 50&#xb0; C., densifying the paste-formed product, and then stretching the dens Pied paste-formed fluoropolymer product in at least one direction. In exemplary embodiments, the fluoropolymer may be polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a modified PTFE, a TFE copolymer, a fluorothermoplastic, a fluoroelastomer, or combinations thereof.

Fluoropolymer articles having a high surface roughness and high coarseness

The present invention relates to the use of an ionic fluoropolymer in its H-form for the formation of an antistatic coating on a non-conductive substrate, and to a cable comprising an outermost non-conductive layer with a coating thereon which comprises an ionic fluoropolymer in its H-form.

Use of an ionic fluoropolymer as antistatic coating

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Burgrain, Germany

Wolfgang Bürger