Patent Application
20080085387
The present application is based on Japanese patent application No. 2006-257425, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electromagnetic shielding material and, in particular, to an electromagnetic shielding material that can be applied to a cable-like product such as a coaxial cable. Also, this invention relates to a coaxial cable using an electromagnetic shielding material, and to a method of making an electromagnetic shielding material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, medical device and electronics information device etc. are highly needed to be reduced in weight, size and thickness, and the cable used in the devices is also needed to be reduced in diameter furthermore.
Conventionally, a served shield material formed by winding metal single wires transversely and a braided shield material formed by braiding the metal single wires were used as an electromagnetic shielding material of a cable, but the reduction in diameter of the metal single wire have limitations, thus, the reduction in weight, size and thickness of the cable also have limitations.
Therefore, cables having a shielding material comprising metal thin film etc. are proposed (refer to e.g. Patent Literature 1, 2)
Patent Literature 1: JP-B-2929161
Patent Literature 2: JP-A-2002-203437
Patent Literature 3: JP-A-2005-330624
Patent Literature 4: JP-A-H08-96625
Patent Literature 5: JP-A-S64-38909
Patent Literature 6: JP-A-H04-355008
Patent Literature 7: JP-A-H05-325660
Patent Literature 8: JP-A-2005-93368
However, while the coaxial cable described in Patent Literature 1 has a high effect based on the reduction in diameter of the cable, the production process is extremely complex, so that the production cost is increased and there is a problem in mass productivity.
While the cable described in Patent Literature 2 has a high effect based on the reduction in outer diameter of the cable, a metal plating as a shielding material (a shielding layer) is directly disposed on a surface of an insulation layer, so that it is difficult to separate the shielding material from the insulation layer when the cable terminal is connected. Further, when the cable is bent repeatedly the metal plating breaks, so that there is a problem in also a repeated bending durability.
It is an object of the invention to provide an electromagnetic shielding material used as a shielding material for a cable etc. which is capable of being reduced in weight, size and thickness, and comprise a good mass productivity and a good repeated bending durability.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a coaxial cable using an electromagnetic shielding material.
It is a furthermore object of the invention to provide a method of making an electromagnetic shielding material.
(I) According to one embodiment of the invention, an electromagnetic shielding material comprises:
a tubular electromagnetic shielding material comprising a vinyl based conductive polymer fiber represented by the following general formula (2), the tubular electromagnetic shielding material produced by forming a tubular compact comprising a vinyl based conductive polymer precursor fiber represented by the following general formula (1), heat-treating the tubular compact, and eliminating a leaving group from the precursor fiber.
[Vinyl Based Conductive Polymer Precursor]
(In formula (1), R1, comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a hetero hydrocarbon group, and R2 represents the leaving group.)
[Vinyl Based Conductive Polymer]
(In formula (2), R1 comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a hetero hydrocarbon group.)
In the above embodiment (I), the following modifications and changes can be made.
(i) The tubular electromagnetic shielding material comprises the vinyl based conductive polymer fiber doped with a dopant.
(ii) The dopant is sulfuric acid.
(iii) The vinyl based conductive polymer fiber comprises a diameter of several dozen nm to several μm.
(II) According to another embodiment of the invention, a coaxial cable uses the electromagnetic shielding material of the above embodiment (I) as an external conductor.
(III) According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of making an electromagnetic shielding material comprises the steps of:
dissolving a vinyl based conductive polymer precursor represented by the following general formula (1) in a solution including a volatile solvent,
rotating a target electrode comprising a metal core, and simultaneously spraying the vinyl based conductive polymer precursor fiber onto the target electrode by electro spinning, so as to form a tubular compact, and
heating the tubular compact to eliminate a leaving group from the precursor fiber, so as to form a tubular electromagnetic shielding material comprising a vinyl based conductive polymer fiber represented by the following general formula (2).
[Vinyl Based Conductive Polymer Precursor]
(In formula (1), R1 comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a hetero hydrocarbon group, and R2 represents the leaving group.)
[Vinyl Based Conductive Polymer]
(In formula (2), R1 comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a hetero hydrocarbon group.)
(IV) According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of making an electromagnetic shielding material comprises the steps of:
dissolving a vinyl based conductive polymer precursor represented by the following general formula (1) in a solution including a volatile solvent,
rotating an insulation covered wire disposed between a solution side electrode and a target electrode, and simultaneously spraying the vinyl based conductive polymer precursor fiber onto the insulation covered wire by an electro spinning, so as to form a tubular compact, and
heating the tubular compact to eliminate a leaving group from the precursor fiber, so as to form a tubular electromagnetic shielding material comprising a vinyl based conductive polymer fiber represented by the following general formula (2).
[Vinyl Based Conductive Polymer Precursor]
(In formula (1), R1, comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a hetero hydrocarbon group, and R2 represents the leaving group.)
[Vinyl Based Conductive Polymer]
(In formula (2), R1, comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a hetero hydrocarbon group.)
In the above embodiments (III) and (IV), the following modifications and changes can be made.
(iv) The heat-treatment is conducted in vacuum or in the presence of inert gases.
According to the invention, an electromagnetic shielding material used as a shielding material for a cable etc. which can be reduced in weight, size and thickness, and comprises a good mass productivity and a good repeated bending durability can be provided.
The preferred embodiments according to the invention will be explained below referring to the drawings, wherein:
As shown in
[Vinyl Based Conductive Polymer Precursor]
(In formula (1), R1 is an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a hetero hydrocarbon group, and R2 is the leaving group.)
[Vinyl Based Conductive Polymer]
(In formula (2), R1 is an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a hetero hydrocarbon group.)
Further, a vinyl based conductive polymer precursor means a precursor of vinyl based conductive polymer which can form vinyl group by elimination of side chain, of polymer compounds including aromatic hydrocarbon or hetero hydrocarbon in main chain.
Furthermore, a vinyl based conductive polymer means a conductive polymer in which side chain of a vinyl based conductive polymer precursor is eliminated and forms vinyl group, and which is fibrous.
In particular, it is preferable that the following groups are used as R1 and R2 in formula (1) or (2).
That is, R1 includes at least one selected from the group consisting of benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, pyrene, azulene, fluorene, isothianaphthene, ethylenedioxythiophene, pyrrole, thiophene, furan, selenophene, tellurophene, and derivatives thereof. Of these, benzene is preferable, since it comprises a high stability and reliability, and is easily synthesized. If R1 is benzene, formula (2) is poly(p-phenylenvinylene), hereinafter referred to as “PPV”.
R2 includes: at least one selected from the group consisting of alkylsulfonium salt such as dimethylsulfonium salt, diethylsulfonium salt, dipropylsulfonium salt and tetrahydrothiophenium salt; alkoxy group such as methoxy group, ethoxy group and propoxy group; and derivatives thereof. X includes at least one of halide ion such as chloride ion, bromide ion, iodide ion and hydroxide ion. Of these, tetrahydrothiophenium chloride is preferable, since it is easily synthesized and comprises a high reliability.
The tubular electromagnetic shielding material can be formed by adding a dopant to the vinyl based conductive polymer fiber.
When an operation of adding the dopant to the vinyl based conductive polymer fiber (a doping operation) is conducted, electrical conductivity of the vinyl based conductive polymer fiber is remarkably increased than that before conducting the doping operation. The dopant used for the doping operation includes at least one selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, iodine, bromine, arsenic fluoride, perchloric acid, tetrafluoroboric acid, hexafluorophosphoric acid, toluenesulfonic acid, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, perfluorosulfonic acid, polystyrenesulfonic acid, and derivatives thereof. Of these, sulfuric acid is preferable, since it can easily adjust a high electrically conductive property.
It is preferable that the vinyl based conductive polymer fiber comprises a diameter of several dozen nm to several μm, since if within the range, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 can be reduced in thickness than ever before.
Hereinafter, an electro spinning device to conduct electro spinning will be explained referring to
The electro spinning means a method of conducting spinning by using a high voltage. The principle of the method is described below. When the high voltage is applied, electrical charges are induced and accumulated in a surface of raw material solution. These electrical charges repel each other, and the repelling power opposes the surface tension of the solution. When the electrical field force exceeds the critical value, the repelling power of the electrical charges exceeds the surface tension, so that a jet of the charged solution is sprayed. The sprayed jet comprises a large surface area for volume, so that solvent is efficiently vaporized, and charge density is increased by decrease in volume, so that the jet is split into further smaller jet. The method comprises the steps described above, and by the steps the fiber can be made from the raw material solution
As shown in
In the example of the electro spinning device 21, the syringe 22 is disposed in the upper side, the solution side electrode 23 is disposed in the lower portion of the syringe 22, and the target electrode 24 is disposed in the lower portion of the solution side electrode 23, so that if the voltage is not applied between both electrodes 23, 24, the solution s falls in drops having a certain volume by gravity.
The solution side electrode 23 is disposed to be movable in the up-and-down direction and slidable in the horizontal (left-and-right in
The target electrode 24 comprising a metal core is used. The wiring between the target electrode 24 and the voltage source 25 is conducted through e.g. a collector ring. In the electro spinning device 21, by using the voltage source 25, the voltage is applied between both electrodes 23, 24, but instead of this, a charging device to charge (electrify) the solution s can be installed in the target electrode 24 and simultaneously, an accelerating electrode to accelerate the charged droplets down below can be installed near to the lower portion of the solution side electrode 23.
If the voltage applied to both electrodes 23, 24 is low, the repelling power can not overcome the surface tension of the solution s to fall in drops from the solution side electrode 23, and the jet j of the solution s can not be formed, or even if the jet j can be formed, the charging of the droplets is not sufficient, so that the solvent is not vaporized perfectly until the jet j reaches the target electrode 24, and a good nano or micro fiber can not be obtained.
Therefore, in consideration of stability of the jet j and volatility of the solvent, it is preferable that the applied voltage is controlled to be 10 to 30 kV.
The diameter of the vinyl based conductive polymer fiber can be controlled to arbitrary size by adequately adjusting applied voltage, each concentration of the precursor and the solvent in the solution s, shape of the nozzle of the solution side electrode 23, and distance between both electrodes 23, 24.
Next, a method of making the electromagnetic shielding material 1 will be explained.
The method of making the electromagnetic shielding material 1 in the preferred embodiment is conducted by using the electro spinning device 21 explained in
The method comprises the steps of:
dissolving a vinyl based conductive polymer precursor represented by the above general formula (1) in a solution including a volatile solvent,
rotating a target electrode 24, and simultaneously spraying the vinyl based conductive polymer precursor fiber onto the outer circumference of the target electrode 24 by an electro spinning, so as to form a tubular compact, and
heating the tubular compact to eliminate a leaving group of the precursor fiber, so as to form a tubular electromagnetic shielding material comprising a vinyl based conductive polymer fiber represented by the above general formula (2).
In order to form a vinyl based conductive polymer fiber, first, a vinyl based conductive polymer precursor is dissolved in a solution comprising water, pure water, volatile solvent, or mixed solvent thereof. The volatile solvent includes at least one selected from a group consisting of alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, nitrites, ethers, dimethylformamides and monoalkyl halides.
When the electro spinning is applied to a solution s using a mixed solvent of water and methanol as a solvent, if the methanol content of the solution s is 0 to 99 weight %, nano or micro fiber can be formed, but if the methanol content is low, the precursor strongly keep water, so that when the fiber adheres to the target electrode 24, the solvent remains therein. On the other hand, if the methanol content is too high, the concentration of the precursor is too low, so that the fiber can not be formed.
Therefore, in consideration of dry condition and production speed of the fiber to be obtained, it is preferable that the methanol content of the solution s is controlled to 40 to 90 weight %.
The step of forming the tubular compact is conducted while the solution side electrode 23 and the target electrode 24 are slid.
It is preferable that the heat-treatment is conducted in vacuum or in the presence of inert gases. If the precursor fiber is heat-treated in vacuum or in the presence of inert gases, the precursor fiber becomes the vinyl based conductive polymer fiber comprising vinyl group formed by elimination of side chains. However, the precursor fiber is heat-treated in the atmosphere, deterioration etc. due to thermal decomposition and oxidation occurs, so that strength and electrical conductivity of the fiber is reduced.
When the tubular compact is heat-treated and the target electrode 24 is pulled out, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 shown in
Hereinafter, a function of the preferred embodiment will be explained.
The electromagnetic shielding material 1 comprises a tubular electromagnetic shielding material comprising a vinyl based conductive polymer fiber produced by forming a tubular compact comprising a vinyl based conductive polymer precursor by using the target electrode 24 comprising a bar-like or prismatic shape, heating the tubular compact to eliminate a leaving group from the precursor fiber.
Conventionally, the target electrode comprises a plate-like shape and only a fiber comprising a sheet-like shape can be formed on the target electrode, but the target electrode 24 comprising a bar-like shape is used, so that a tubular (circular tubular or polygonal tubular) electromagnetic shielding material can be easily formed on an outer circumference of the target electrode 24, and the shielding material can be reduced in size and thickness in comparison with conventional shielding material.
Further, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 comprises the vinyl based conductive polymer fiber assembly, so that it has a good repeated bending durability.
Furthermore, while conventional shielding material comprises metal, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 comprises the conductive polymer fiber instead of metal, so that the shielding material can be also reduced in weight.
According to the making method in the preferred embodiment, the electro spinning is conducted while the target electrode 24 comprising a metal core is rotated, so that a tubular shielding material can be easily formed on the outer circumference of the target electrode 24. Further, if the target electrode 24 is changed or replaced, the existing electro spinning device can be used at the minimum change and replacement of the parts.
If the electromagnetic shielding material 1 is used as an external conductor (a shielding layer), a coaxial cable 51, for example shown in
It is preferable that as the insulation layer 54 fluorine resin (e.g. PFT) and silicone rubber which comprise a high heat resistance are used, because it is needed that the insulation layer 54 is protected from the thermal damage due to the heat-treatment at forming the electromagnetic shielding material 1.
The coaxial cable 51 using the electromagnetic shielding material 1 can be reduced in weight, diameter and thickness in comparison with conventional shielding material using metal single wire or metal plating as an external conductor, and can be easily made, so that the cable 51 has a good mass productivity and a good repeated bending durability.
Further, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 comprises the same properties as polymer material except for comprising conductive property, so that the terminal workability of the coaxial cable 51 can be enhanced.
The electromagnetic shielding material 1 can be used as an external conductor of a coaxial cable. Therefore, it can be also formed to a tube-like shape by using a cylindrical object to be sprayed such as an insulation covered wire.
The insulation covered wire includes the insulation covered wire 41 shown in
Next, a method of making the electromagnetic shielding material 1 using an insulation covered wire.
In the making method, an electro spinning device 31 shown in
The device 31, while not shown in detail, comprises a holding portion to hold both ends of the insulation covered wire 41, a rotation means to rotate the holding portion, so as to rotate the insulation covered wire 41 around the axis, and a moving means to slide and move the holding portion.
Method of making the electromagnetic shielding material 1 using the insulation covered wire comprises the steps of:
dissolving the vinyl based conductive polymer precursor represented by the above general formula (1) in a solution including a volatile solvent,
The step of forming the tubular compact is conducted while the solution side electrode 23 or the insulation covered wire 41 is slid.
The diameter of the vinyl based conductive polymer fiber can be controlled to arbitrary size by adequately adjusting applied voltage, each concentration of the precursor and the solvent in the solution s, shape of the nozzle of the solution side electrode 23, distance between both electrodes 23, 24, and distance between the solution side electrode 23 and the insulation covered wire 41.
The making method using the device 31 has basically the same content as the making method using the device 21 shown in
The method of making the electromagnetic shielding material using the insulation covered wire 41 can also easily provide the tubular electromagnetic shielding material 1. In the method, the tubular electromagnetic shielding material 1 is directly formed on the outer circumference of the insulation covered wire 41, so that particularly, it is more effective in the case of using the electromagnetic shielding material 1 as the external conductor of the coaxial cable, and the coaxial cable 51 shown in
Hereinafter, other example of the electro spinning device used in the method of making the electromagnetic shielding material 1 shown in
The electro spinning device 61 shown in
If the device 61 is used, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 comprising a long size can be efficiently and easily formed by spraying the precursor fiber onto the outer circumference of the target electrode 24 by a plurality of the syringes 22 with the solution side electrodes 23, so as to form a tubular compact, and heat-treating the tubular compact.
If the electromagnetic shielding material 1 comprising a long size is made, the electro spinning device 71 shown in
Also in the device 71, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 comprising a long size can be efficiently and easily formed by rotating and simultaneously moving the target electrode 24, spraying the precursor fiber onto the outer circumference of the target electrode 24 by a plurality of the syringes 22 with the solution side electrodes 23, so as to form a tubular compact, and heat-treating the tubular compact.
Further, if the an electro spinning device similar to the device 61 shown in
In Example 1, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 was made by using the device 21 shown in
A copper wire of 0.110 mm in diameter was used as the target electrode 24 comprising the metal core. And, the target electrode 24 was rotated at the rotation speed of 10 rpm, simultaneously a direct current voltage of 20 kV was applied, and the electro spinning was conducted at 200 mm as the distance between the electrodes 23, 24 for 30 seconds. As a result, PPV precursor fiber comprising a tube-like shape and a thickness of 0.010 mm was piled on the outer circumference of the target electrode 24.
After that, the tubular PPV precursor fiber was heat-treated in vacuum at 250° C. for 8 hours, and a tubular PPV fiber was obtained. The target electrode 24 was pulled out, and the tubular electromagnetic shielding material 1 was obtained, the shielding material 1 comprising an inner diameter of 0.110 mm and a thickness of 0.010 mm, and comprising the PPV fiber.
The shielding material 1 was doped with sulfuric acid, so that the tubular electromagnetic shielding material 1 comprising a high conductive property was obtained.
The insulation covered wire 41 was covered with the tubular electromagnetic shielding material 1 being obtained, the insulation covered wire 41 comprising the central conductor 53 formed by that seven copper wires comprising a single wire diameter of 0.020 mm are twisted, and the insulation layer 54 comprising fluororesin (PFA resin) and a thickness of 0.025 mm and being formed by an extrusion molding on the outer circumference of the central conductor 53, and the insulation covered wire 41 covered with the shielding material 1 was covered with PFA resin as the jacket 55, so that the coaxial cable 51 comprising an outer diameter of 0.180 mm was obtained.
When the terminal work was conducted to the coaxial cable 51, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 was easily separated from the insulation covered wire 41, so that the connecting work was easily achieved. Further, bending of 1 mm in a diameter was repeated 1000 times to the coaxial cable 51, but breakage of the electromagnetic shielding material 1 was not observed.
In EXAMPLE 2, the electromagnetic shielding material 1 was made by using the device 31 shown in
A copper plate comprising a length of 300 mm, a width of 300 mm and a thickness of 2 mm was used as the target electrode 34. Further, the insulation covered wire 41 comprising an outer diameter of 0.110 mm was used, the insulation covered wire 41 comprising the central conductor 53 formed by that seven copper wires comprising a single wire diameter of 0.018 mm are twisted, and the insulation layer 54 comprising fluororesin (PFA resin) and a thickness of 0.028 mm and being formed by an extrusion molding on the outer circumference of the central conductor 53. And, in a condition of distance between electrodes 23, 34 being 300 mm and distance from the solution side electrode 23 to the insulation covered wire 41 being 250 mm, the insulation covered wire 41 was rotated at the rotation speed of 5 rpm, simultaneously a direct current voltage of 20 kV was applied, and the electro spinning was conducted for 30 seconds. As a result, PPV precursor fiber comprising a thickness of 0.010 mm was piled on the outer circumference of the insulation covered wire 41.
After that, the insulation covered wire 41 piled by the tubular PPV precursor fiber was heat-treated in vacuum at 220° C. for 12 hours, and a product comprising the insulation covered wire 41 and the PPV fiber piled on the outer circumference of the insulation covered wire 41 as the electromagnetic shielding material 1 was obtained. The PPV fiber of the product was doped with sulfuric acid, so that the electromagnetic shielding material 1 comprising a high conductive property was obtained. After that, the doped product was covered with PFA resin comprising a thickness of 0.025 mm as the jacket 55, so that the coaxial cable 51 comprising an outer diameter of 0.180 mm was obtained.
A copper plating of 0.010 mm in thickness was disposed on the same insulation covered wire 41 as Example 1, and as well as Example 1, the plated insulation covered wire 41 was covered with PFA resin comprising a thickness of 0.02 mm as the jacket, so that the coaxial cable comprising an outer diameter of 0.180 mm was obtained.
When the terminal work was conducted to the coaxial cable, it was difficult for the shielding material to be separated from the insulation covered wire. Further, bending of 1 mm in a diameter was repeated 1000 times to the coaxial cable, and breakage of the shielding material was observed.
As shown in
As a result, the coaxial cable 51 of Example 2 can be reduced in the outer diameter by 10% in comparison with that of the coaxial cable 81 of Comparative Example 2, and can be reduced in the weight by 7%. In particular, if the electromagnetic shielding material of the invention is used for medical probe cable comprising several hundred of the coaxial cables 51 which are bound together, a remarkable reduction in weight, diameter and thickness can be achieved in comparison with the conventional probe cable.
Although the invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments for complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art which fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-257425 | Sep 2006 | JP | national |
