Microcellular foam dielectric for use in transmission lines

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a novel foamed polymer material for use as a dielectric in electric transmission lines. The foam dielectric of the present invention is obtained from extrusion of a polymer alloy and a supercritical fluid, especially carbon dioxide. Specifically, the foam polymer dielectric is made by: (1) feeding a polymer alloy into an extruder and heating the polymer alloy, (2) feeding a supercritical fluid into the extruder, (3) mixing the polymer alloy and the supercritical fluid, (4) exiting the polymer alloy and the supercritical fluid from the extruder, and (5) passing the polymer alloy and the supercritical fluid through a crosshead. The foam dielectric of the present invention may be used in coaxial transmission lines. In this embodiment, an inner conductor is surrounded by the foam dielectric, which is further surrounded by a second conductor. Stripline and microstripline transmission lines may also be manufactured using the disclosed foam dielectric.

1 . A foam dielectric, comprising: 
 a foamed polymer alloy obtained using a supercritical fluid as a foaming agent, 
 wherein said polymer alloy comprises at least two different polymers or a graft polymer of said polymers.  
   
     
     
         2 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer alloy has a glass transition temperature greater than 100° C.  
     
     
         3 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 1 , wherein the foam dielectric has a cell size of not more than 100 μm.  
     
     
         4 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 3 , wherein the foam dielectric has a cell size of not more than 60 μm.  
     
     
         5 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer alloy comprises polypropylene and polystyrene.  
     
     
         6 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer alloy comprises: 
 (1) about 20 to about 80 weight % polypropylene-grafted-polystyrene containing about 5 to about 70% styrenic monomer;    (2) about 20 to about 80 weight % of an olefinic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene. polypropylene or ethylene-propylene copolymer;    (3) less than about 30 weight % of a rubber modifier; and    (4) less than about 5 weight % of a stabilizer.    
     
     
         7 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 6 , wherein said olefinic polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polypropylene, modified polypropylene, and ethylene-propylene impact modified polypropylene comprising about 14% rubber and about 8.5% ethylene.  
     
     
         8 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 6 , wherein said rubber modifier is a member selected from the group consisting of high impact polystyrene, hydrogenated styrene isoprene diblock copolymer, styrene butadiene styrene tri-block copolymers, and hydrogenated styrene butadiene styrene copolymers.  
     
     
         9 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 8 , wherein said hydrogenated styrene isoprene diblock copolymer comprises 37% styrene and 63% isoprene, and said hydrogenated styrene butadiene styrene copolymer comprises 29% styrene and 71% butadiene.  
     
     
         10 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 6 . wherein said stabilizer is a member selected from the group consisting of antioxidant and a metal deactivator.  
     
     
         11 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 10 , wherein said antioxidant is a member selected from the group consisting of phosphonite stabilizers and phenolic stabilizers.  
     
     
         12 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 10 , wherein said metal deactivator is ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.  
     
     
         13 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 1 , wherein said supercritical fluid is supercritical carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         14 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 1 , where the foam dielectric has a density of not more than about 0.2 g/cm 3 .  
     
     
         15 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 14  wherein the foam dielectric has a density of about 0.03 g/cm 3  to about 0.2 g/cm 3 .  
     
     
         16 . The foam dielectric according to  claim 15  wherein the foam dielectric has a density of about 0.03 g/cm 3  to 0.08 g/cm 3 .  
     
     
         17 - 83 . (canceled)