Method and apparatus for producing gas occlusion-free and void-free compounds and composites

Abstract

The present invention discloses a generic method for producing void and gas occlusion free materials, as well as apparatuses for batch and continuous production of same. This generic method can be utilized in the production of a wide variety of polymeric compounds and composites and specifically encompasses the two ends of the polymeric composite spectrum, that is, polymer concretes on the one hand, and fiber-reinforced polymer composites on the other. The composite materials of the present invention are characterized by visual count as being void and gas occlusion free to the level of 1 micron at 1250× magnification. Concomitantly, the invention produces useful polymer concrete materials which exhibit substantially improved integrity for easy machining at high speeds, and high dielectric and mechanical strength, as compared with composite materials produced by conventional methods. Thus, one particularly well-suited application for the materials of the present invention is the class of high voltage electrical insulating materials and insulators where the presence of voids, or gas occlusion flaws, may have deleterious effects, leading to their early failure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for producing at least a two primary phase compound material substantially free of air and other gases by separate treatment of the solid primary phase and the liquid primary phase prior to bringing them in contact at mixing.  
     
     
         2 . A method for producing at least a two primary phase compound material substantially free of air and other gases comprising the steps of: 
 washing a primary solid phase with a condensable gas, so as to substantially remove and replace void contents;    mixing said primary solid phase with a primary solidifiable liquid phase so that the said two phases and only said condensable gas phase are present in a mixed state; and    condensing said condensable gas phase such that it liquifies in said mixed state such that said solidifiable compound comprises at least said solid phase and said solidifiable liquid phase.    
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said washing step comprises the step of streaming said condensable gas through said primary solid phase prior to said mixing step.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 2   , further comprising the steps of: 
 placing the two primary phase solidifiable compound in a solidifying device; and    solidifying said two primary phase solidifiable compound so as to produce a composite material substantially free of voids.    
     
     
         5 . The method of    claim 4   , wherein said composite material is substantially free of voids in that there are substantially no visible voids of about 1 micron at about 1250× magnification in any random sample of said composite material of at least 400 mm 2  area.  
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said solid phase comprises particulate materials.  
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said solid phase comprises fibrous materials.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said solid phase comprises any combination of particulate and fibrous materials.  
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said washing step is carried out in a batch process prior to said mixing step.  
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said washing step is carried out in continuous process prior to said mixing step.  
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said washing step is carried out by any continuous or batch process, or any combination of said processes, such that air and other gases are replaced by a condensable gas prior to said mixing step.  
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said mixing step is carried out in a batch process.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said mixing step is carried out in a continuous process.  
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein said mixing is carried out by any continuous or batch process, or any combination of said processes.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 2   , further comprising the step of storing said two primary phase solidifiable compound in which the gaseous phase present is substantially condensable gas.  
     
     
         16 . A solidifiable compound material in mixed state, comprising: 
 at least one primary solid phase;    at least one primary solidifiable liquid phase at least, in part, solidifiable; and    at least one gas phase comprising substantially a condensable gas;    said solidifiable compound when solidified becomes a substantially void free composite.    
     
     
         17 . The material of    claim 16   , wherein said condensable gas is condensed prior to or at solidification of said compound.  
     
     
         18 . The material of    claim 16   , wherein the primary liquid phase is substantially completely solidifiable.  
     
     
         19 . The material of    claim 16   , wherein the condensable gas comprises at least one substance normally in liquid state at process temperature and below 50 atmosphere pressure.  
     
     
         20 . The material of    claim 16   , wherein the solidifiable compound comprises the two primary phases and the condensable gas.  
     
     
         21 . The material of    claim 16   , wherein the solidifiable compound comprises two primary phases with any combination of condensable gas and condensed gas.  
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for the continuous and substantially void-free production of a two primary phase solidifiable compound, comprising: 
 an enclosed container for a solid primary phase;    a vacuum applied to said container for said primary solid phase;    a continuous two primary phase mixing device in communication with said enclosed container for receiving said primary solid phase;    an inlet for a condensable gas communicating with said enclosed container in the initial region of said mixing device, so that said condensable gas is a continuous counterflow stream with the flow of said primary solid phase in said enclosed container; and    a primary liquid phase inlet communicating with said enclosed container and downstream of said condensable gas inlet;    said mixing device continuously mixing and at least, in part, condensing said condensable gas.    
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of    claim 22    further comprising a discharge port for said solidifiable compound substantially free of air and other gases.  
     
     
         24 . An electrical insulator, comprising: 
 a body with at least one electrical contact; and    said body constructed from a polymer concrete composite material substantially void free and not having visible voids of about 1.0 micron at about 1250 times magnification and, said body formed by machining.    
     
     
         25 . Any structural shaped product, comprising: 
 a product with a given shape; and    said product constituted from a polymer concrete substantially void free not having visible voids of 1.0 micron at 1250 times magnification.    
     
     
         26 . Any dielectric shaped product, comprising 
 a product with a given shape;    and said product constituted from a polymer concrete substantially void free not having visible voids of 1 micron at 1250× magnification.    
     
     
         27 . An apparatus for the batch and substantially void-free production of a solidifiable polymer concrete material, comprising: 
 an enclosed mixing chamber;    an enclosed molding chamber; and    an enclosed conduit communicating said mixing chamber with said molding chamber;    said apparatus being rotatable to cause the contents of said mixing chamber to flow by gravity into said molding chamber.    
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of    claim 26   , wherein said apparatus is rotatable about both a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis.  
     
     
         29 . An apparatus for batch production of a two primary phase solidifiable compound substantially free of air and other gases and voids, comprising: 
 a closed revolving chamber for containing and mixing a solid primary phase, a primary solidifiable liquid phase and a condensable gas;    a source of vacuum applied to said chamber;    a source of pressure applied to said chamber; and    a mold attached to the discharge of said chamber.    
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of    claim 29   , wherein the mold is detachable from the closed chamber.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of    claim 28   , wherein said enclosed molding chamber of said apparatus is interchangeable with a material holding hopper equipped with a intermittent dispensing device for discharging discrete amounts of solidifiable polymer concrete material from the apparatus.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of    claim 29   , wherein the two primary phase solidifiable compound with condensable gas is placed in the mold in an air-free manner.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of    claim 32   , further comprising a source of pressure to condense the condensable gas in the mold.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of    claim 33   , wherein said solidifiable compound can be solidified in the mold.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of    claim 30   , wherein the condensable gas is vaporized from a gasifiable liquid placed inside the revolving chamber with the primary solid phase.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of    claim 29   , further comprising a manifold discharge for unloading the solidifiable compound in mixed state with condensable gas into one or more attached molds.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of    claim 22   , wherein the discharge of the two primary phase solidifiable compound is through an airtight, expandable spout enabling intermittent discharges of discrete amounts of said characterized compound in air-free conditions while the mixing apparatus is running continuously.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of    claim 29   , wherein said chamber revolves about a longitudinal axis for mixing.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of    claim 29   , wherein said apparatus rotates about a transverse axis for material handling.  
     
     
         40 . A method of removing air and other voids from a solid material adapted for use in the production of void-free compounds, comprising the step of: 
 surrounding said solid material with a condensable gas in an enclosed air-free environment to replace said air and other voids with said condensable gas.    
     
     
         41 . The method of    claim 40   , further comprising the step of mixing said solid material with a solidifiable liquid phase to form a two-phase solidifiable compound existing substantially solely in the presence of said condensable gas.  
     
     
         42 . The method of    claim 41   , wherein the solidifiable liquid phase comprises a thermoplastic polymeric resin system.  
     
     
         43 . The method of    claim 41   , wherein the solidifiable liquid phase comprises a thermosetting polymeric resin system.  
     
     
         44 . The method of    claim 41   , wherein the solidifiable liquid phase comprises any combination of thermosetting and thermoplastic polymeric resin systems.  
     
     
         45 . The method of    claim 41   , wherein the solidifiable liquid phase comprises an inorganic bonding system.  
     
     
         46 . The method of    claim 41   , further comprising the step of storing said solidifiable void-free compound in an airtight container.  
     
     
         47 . The method of    claim 41   , further comprising the step of condensing said condensable gas.  
     
     
         48 . The method of    claim 47   , further comprising the step of solidifying said compound under pressure or temperature, or any combination of the two.