Expanded PTFE articles and method of making same

Abstract

Unique PTFE structures comprising islands of PTFE attached to an underlying expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) structure and to methods of making such structures is disclosed. The ePTFE material may or may not have been exposed to amorphous locking temperatures. These unique structures exhibit islands of PTFE attached to and raised above the expanded PTFE structures.

1 . An article comprising: 
 a first PTFE material having a microstructure characterized by nodes interconnected by fibrils, and    islands of a second PTFE material on the surface of the first PTFE material.    
   
   
       2 . The article of  claim 1  in the form of a fiber.  
   
   
       3 . The article of  claim 1  in the form of a membrane.  
   
   
       4 . The article of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one filler material.  
   
   
       5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one filler is in the first PTFE material.  
   
   
       6 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one filler is in the second PTFE material.  
   
   
       7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said islands of said second PTFE material are oriented on said first PTFE in a patterned configuration.  
   
   
       8 . A process for forming a PTFE article comprising: 
 subjecting an expanded PTFE article to a plasma treatment; and    subjecting the plasma treated material to a heat treatment.    
   
   
       9 . An article comprising: 
 a first PTFE material having a microstructure characterized by nodes interconnected by fibrils, and    islands of a second PTFE material on the surface of the first PTFE material,    wherein said article is in the form of a dental floss.    
   
   
       10 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein said dental floss has a drag resistance of at least 0.17.  
   
   
       11 . A dental floss comprising a fluoropolymer, said dental floss having a drag resistance of at least 0.175.  
   
   
       12 . The dental floss of  claim 11 , wherein said dental floss has a drag resistance of at least 0.190.  
   
   
       13 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein said dental floss incorporates at least one filler.  
   
   
       14 . An article comprising: 
 a first PTFE material having a microstructure characterized by nodes interconnected by fibrils, and    islands of a second PTFE material on the surface of the first PTFE material,    wherein said article is in the form of a fishing line.    
   
   
       15 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein said fishing line has a fishing line fray score of less than 100.  
   
   
       16 . The article of  claim 14  wherein said fishing line comprises a monofilament fiber.  
   
   
       17 . The article of  claim 14  wherein said fishing line comprises a multifilament fiber.  
   
   
       18 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein said fishing line comprises twisted fiber.  
   
   
       19 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein said fishing line has a density of at least 1.9 g/cc.  
   
   
       20 . A fishing line comprising PTFE having a fishing line fray score of less than 50.  
   
   
       21 . An article comprising: 
 a first PTFE material having a microstructure characterized by nodes interconnected by fibrils, and 
 islands of a second PTFE material on the surface of the first PTFE material,  
   wherein said article is in the form of a suture.    
   
   
       22 . The article of  claim 21 , wherein said suture has a diameter of about 0.025 mm.  
   
   
       23 . The article of  claim 21 , wherein said suture has a diameter of about 0.015 mm.  
   
   
       24 . An article comprising a monofilament fluoropolymer fiber having a density greater than 1 g/cc and a fiber fray score of less than about 100.  
   
   
       25 . The article of  claim 24 , wherein said monofilament fluoropolymer fiber has a fiber fray score of less than about 20.  
   
   
       26 . The article of  claim 24 , further comprising a plurality of said monofilament fluoropolymer fibers combined in a twisted configuration.  
   
   
       27 . A dental floss comprising a fluoropolymer, said dental floss having a density greater than 1 g/cc and a fiber fray score of less than about 100.