Patent Application
20230103345
The present patent application relates to multilayer composite structures for transporting, distributing, or storing hydrogen, in particular for distributing or storing hydrogen, and the method for producing same.
Hydrogen tanks are currently attracting a lot of attention from numerous manufacturers, especially in the automotive sector. One of the goals sought is to propose increasingly fewer polluting vehicles. Thus, electric or hybrid vehicles comprising a battery aim to progressively replace combustion engine vehicles such as either gas or diesel vehicles. It has turned out that the battery is a relatively complex vehicle component. Depending on the positioning of the battery in the vehicle, it may be necessary to protect it from impact and from the outside environment, which can have extreme temperatures and variable humidity. It is also necessary to avoid any risk of flames. Additionally, it is important that the operating temperature thereof not exceed 55° C. in order to not break down the cells of the battery and to preserve the life thereof. Conversely, for example in winter, it may be necessary to increase the battery temperature so as to optimize operation thereof.
Moreover, electric vehicles still suffer today from several problems, namely battery range, the use in these batteries of rare earth metals, the resources for which are not infinite, much longer recharging times than the length of time taken to fill a tank, as well as a problem of electricity production in various countries in order to be able to recharge the batteries.
Hydrogen is therefore an alternative to the electric battery, since hydrogen can be converted into electricity by means of a fuel cell and thus power electric vehicles.
Hydrogen tanks usually consist of a metallic liner (or sealing layer) that must prevent hydrogen from permeating out. One of the types of tank envisaged, referred to as Type IV, is based on a thermoplastic liner around which a composite is wound.
Their basic principle is to separate the two essential functions of sealing and mechanical strength and manage them independently of each other. In this type of tank, the liner (or sealing sheath) made of thermoplastic resin is combined with a reinforcement structure consisting of fibers (glass, aramid, carbon), also known as a reinforcement sheath or layer, which makes it possible to operate at much higher pressures while reducing weight and avoiding risks of explosive rupture in the event of severe external attacks.
Liners must have certain fundamental characteristics:
The possibility to be transformed by extrusion blow molding, rotational molding, injection molding or extrusion
Low permeability to hydrogen, indeed, the permeability of the liner is a key factor in limiting hydrogen losses from the tank;
Good mechanical properties (fatigue) at low temperatures (−40 to −70° C.); Thermal resistance at 120° C.
Indeed, it is necessary to increase the filling speed of the hydrogen tank, which should be roughly equivalent to that of a fuel tank for an internal combustion engine (about 3 to 5 minutes), but this increase in speed causes more significant heating of the tank, which then reaches a temperature of about 100° C.
The assessment of the performance and safety of hydrogen tanks can be determined in a European reference laboratory (GasTeF: hydrogen tank testing facility), as described in Galassi et al. (World hydrogen energy conference 2012, Onboard compressed hydrogen storage: fast filing experiments and simulations, Energy Procedia 29, (2012) 192−200).
The first generation of type IV tanks used a liner based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
However, HDPE has the disadvantage of having too low a melting point and high permeability to hydrogen, which represents a problem with new requirements in terms of thermal resistance and does not make it possible to increase the filling speed of the tank.
Liners based on polyamide PA6 have been in development fora number of years.
Nonetheless, PA6 has the disadvantage of having a low resistance to cold.
International application WO 2016/166326 describes a method for manufacturing an internal shell of a composite type IV reservoir delimiting an internal cavity intended to receive a pressurized fluid and comprising at least a metal base, and a subsequent step of depositing, on the outer surface of the internal shell, a fibrous material in order to form the outer casing of the tank.
International application WO95/22030 describes a high pressure reservoir liner made from thermoplastic material, said thermoplastic material being a material selected from the group composed of a modified nylon 6 and nylon 11.
French application FR2923575 describes a tank for storing fluid under high pressure comprising, at each end thereof along the axis thereof, a metallic end piece, a liner surrounding said end pieces, and a structural layer made of fiber impregnated with thermoset resin surrounding said liner.
The international application WO18155491 describes a hydrogen transport component having a three-layer structure, the inner layer of which is a composition consisting of PA11, from 15 to 50% of an impact modifier and from 1 to 3% of plasticizer, or devoid of plasticizer, which has hydrogen barrier properties, good flexibility and durability at low temperature. However, this structure is suitable for pipes for transporting hydrogen but not for the storage of hydrogen.
Thus, there is still a need to optimize, on the one hand, the matrix of the composite so as to optimize its mechanical strength at high temperature and, on the other hand, the material composing the sealing sheath, so as to optimize its operating temperature. Thus, the optional modification of the composition of the material composing the sealing liner which will be carried out must not result in a significant increase in the manufacturing temperature (extrusion blow molding, injection molding, rotational molding, etc.) of this liner compared to what is practiced today.
These problems are solved by providing a multilayer structure of the present invention intended for transporting, distributing or storing hydrogen
Throughout this description, the terms “liner” and “sealing sheath” have the same meaning.
The present invention therefore relates to a multilayer structure intended for transporting, distributing and storing hydrogen, comprising, from the inside to the outside, a sealing layer (1) and at least one composite reinforcement layer (2),
said innermost composite reinforcement layer being wound around said sealing layer (1),
said sealing layer consisting of a composition predominantly comprising: a thermoplastic polyamide polymer PA11,
up to less than 15% by weight of impact modifier, especially up to 12% by weight of impact modifier relative to the total weight of the composition,
up to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer relative to the total weight of the composition,
said composition being devoid of nucleating agent and polyether block amide (PEBA),
and at least one of said composite reinforcement layers consisting of a fibrous material in the form of continuous fibers, which is impregnated with a composition predominantly comprising at least one polymer P2j (j=1 to m, m being the number of reinforcement layers), in particular an epoxide resin or epoxide-based resin,
said structure being devoid of an outermost layer and adjacent to the outermost composite reinforcement layer made of a polyamide polymer.
The inventors therefore found, unexpectedly, that the use of a polyamide thermoplastic polymer PA11 comprising a limited proportion of impact modifier and of plasticizer, for the sealing layer, with a different polymer for the matrix of the composite, and especially an epoxide resin or epoxide-based resin, wound around the sealing layer, made it possible to obtain a structure suitable for transporting, distributing or storing hydrogen and especially an increase in the maximum temperature of use that can extend up to 120° C., thus making it possible to increase the filling speed of the tanks.
The thermoplastic polymer PA11 (or polyamide 11) is marketed by the company Arkema and is notably the result of the polycondensation of 11-aminoundecanoic acid.
“Multilayer structure” should be understood to mean a tank comprising or consisting of several layers, namely a sealing layer and several reinforcement layers, or a sealing layer and a reinforcement layer.
The multilayer structure is therefore understood to exclude a pipe or a tube.
Polyether block amides (PEBAs) are copolymers with amide units (Ba1) and polyether units (Ba2), said amide unit (Ba1) corresponding to an aliphatic repeating unit chosen from a unit obtained from at least one amino acid or a unit obtained from at least one lactam, or a unit X.Y obtained from the polycondensation:
of at least one diamine, said diamine preferentially being chosen from a linear or branched aliphatic diamine or a mixture thereof, and
of at least one carboxylic diacid, said diacid preferentially being chosen from:
a linear or branched aliphatic diacid, or a mixture thereof, said diamine and said diacid comprising 4 to 36 carbon atoms, advantageously 6 to 18 carbon atoms;
said polyether units (Ba2) being especially derived from at least one polyalkylene ether polyol, especially a polyalkylene ether diol.
Nucleating agents are known to those skilled in the art and the term refers to a substance which, when incorporated into a polymer, forms nuclei for the growth of crystals in the molten polymer.
They may be selected for example from microtalc, carbon black, silica, titanium dioxide and nanoclays.
In one embodiment, PA6 is excluded from said composition.
The expression “said structure being devoid of an outermost layer and adjacent to the outermost composite layer made of a polyamide polymer” means that the structure is devoid of a polyamide polymer layer located over the outermost composite reinforcement layer.
In one embodiment, said multilayer structure consists of two layers; a sealing layer and a reinforcement layer.
The sealing layer is the innermost layer compared to the composite reinforcement layers, which are the outermost layers.
The tank may be a tank for the mobile storage of hydrogen, that is on a truck for transporting hydrogen, on a car for transporting hydrogen and for supplying a fuel cell with hydrogen, for example, on a train for supplying hydrogen or on a drone for supplying hydrogen, but it can also be a tank for the stationary storage of hydrogen in a station for distributing hydrogen to vehicles.
Advantageously, the sealing layer (1) is leaktight to hydrogen at 23° C., i.e., the permeability to hydrogen at 23° C. is less than 500 cc·mm/m2·24 h·atm at 23° C. under 0% relative humidity (RH).
The composite reinforcement layer(s) is (are) wound around the sealing layer by means of ribbons (or tapes or rovings) of fibers impregnated with polymer, which are deposited for example by filament winding.
When several layers are present, the polymers are different.
When the polymers of the reinforcement layers are identical, several layers may be present, but advantageously a single reinforcement layer is present which then has at least one full winding around the sealing layer.
This entirely automatic process which is well known to those skilled in the art makes it possible, layer by layer, to select the winding angles which will afford the final structure its ability to withstand internal pressure loading.
When only one sealing layer and a composite reinforcement layer are present, thus leading to a two-layer multilayer structure, then these two layers can adhere to one another, in direct contact with one another, especially because of the winding of the composite reinforcement layer over the sealing layer.
When a sealing layer is present and/or several composite reinforcement layers, then the sealing layer may or may not adhere to the innermost layer of said composite reinforcement layers.
The other composite reinforcement layers also may or may not adhere to one another.
Advantageously, only one sealing layer and one reinforcement layer are present, and do not adhere to one another.
Advantageously, only one PA11 sealing layer and one reinforcement layer are present, and do not adhere to one another, and the reinforcement layer consists of a fibrous material in the form of continuous fibers, which is impregnated with a composition predominantly comprising at least one polymer P2j, in particular an epoxide resin or an epoxide-based resin.
In one embodiment, only one sealing layer and one reinforcement layer are present, and do not adhere to one another, and the reinforcement layer consists of a fibrous material in the form of continuous fibers, which is impregnated with a composition predominantly comprising a polymer P2j which is an epoxy resin or an epoxy-based resin.
The expression “epoxy-based” throughout the description means that the epoxy represents at least 50% by weight of the matrix.
The sealing layer consists of a composition comprising predominantly at least one thermoplastic polyamide PA11.
The term “predominantly” means that said at least one polymer is present at more than 50% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition and of the matrix.
Advantageously, said at least one predominant polymer is present at more than 60% by weight, in particular at more than 70% by weight, particularly at more than 80% by weight, more particularly greater than or equal to 90% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition and of the matrix.
Said composition may also comprise impact modifiers up to 15% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition and/or a plasticizer and/or additives.
The additives may be selected from another polymer, an antioxidant, a heat stabilizer, a UV absorber, a light stabilizer, a lubricant, an inorganic filler, a flame retardant, a dye, carbon black and carbonaceous nanofillers, with the exception of a nucleating agent; in particular, the additives are selected from an antioxidant, a heat stabilizer, a UV absorber, a light stabilizer, a lubricant, an inorganic filler, a flame retardant, a dye, carbon black and carbonaceous nanofillers, with the exception of a nucleating agent.
Said other polymer may be another semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer or a different polymer and especially an EVOH (Ethylene vinyl alcohol).
Advantageously, said composition predominantly comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0 to less than 15% of impact modifier, especially from 0 to 12% of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0 to less than 15% of impact modifier, especially from 0 to 12% of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0 to less than 15% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 0 to 12% by weight of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100% by weight.
Advantageously, said composition consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0 to less than 15% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 0 to 12% by weight of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, especially from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, especially from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% by weight of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% by weight of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, especially from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier, from 0.1 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, especially from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% by weight of impact modifier, from 0.1 to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% by weight of impact modifier, from 0.1 to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer and from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, especially from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier, from 0.1 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, especially from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier, from 0 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% by weight of impact modifier, from 0.1 to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% by weight of impact modifier, from 0.1 to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
In one embodiment, said composition comprises an impact modifier from 0.1 to less than 15% by weight, especially from 0.1 to less than 12% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 5 to 12% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition.
In one embodiment, said composition is devoid of impact modifier.
In this embodiment, said composition therefore predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0 to 1.5% of impact modifier and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition therefore consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0 to 1.5% of plasticizer, from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
In this case, the predominant PA11 is in a mixture with another polyimide.
Advantageously, said composition consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0 to 1.5% of plasticizer and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
In one embodiment, said composition is devoid of plasticizer.
In this embodiment, said composition therefore predominantly comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition therefore consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier, from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
In this case, the predominant PA11 is in a mixture with another polyamide.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11, from 0.1 to less than 15% of impact modifier, in particular from 0.1 to 12% of impact modifier and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
In yet another embodiment, said composition is devoid of impact modifier and plasticizer.
In this other embodiment, said composition therefore predominantly comprises said thermoplastic polymer PA11 and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition therefore consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11 and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11 and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
In this case, the predominant PA11 is in a mixture with another polyamide.
Advantageously, said composition consists of said thermoplastic polymer PA11 and from 0.1 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100%.
In another embodiment, said composition comprises an impact modifier from 0.1 to less than 15% by weight, especially from 0.1 to 12% by weight, in particular from 5 to 12% by weight of impact modifier and said composition is devoid of plasticizer relative to the total weight of the composition.
In another embodiment, said composition comprises an impact modifier from 0.1 to less than 15% by weight, especially from 0.1 to less than 12% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 5 to 12% by weight and from 0.1 to 1.5% by weight of plasticizer relative to the total weight of the composition.
The number-average molecular weight Mn of said polyamide thermoplastic polymer PA11 is preferably in a range extending from 10,000 to 85,000, especially from 10,000 to 60,000, preferentially from 10,000 to 50,000, even more preferentially from 12,000 to 50,000. These Mn values may correspond to inherent viscosities greater than or equal to 0.8, as determined in m-cresol according to standard ISO 307:2007 but by changing the solvent (use of m-cresol instead of sulfuric acid and the temperature being 20° C.).
The nomenclature used to define the polyamides is described in ISO standard 1874−1:2011 “Plastiques—Matériaux polyamides (PA) pour moulage et extrusion—Partie 1: Dé signation”, especially on page 3 (Tables 1 and 2) and is well known to the person skilled in the art.
Polyamide PA11 is a homopolyamide but it would not depart from the scope of the invention if the constituent composition of the sealing layer comprised a PA11-based copolyamide in which the PA11 unit was predominant, i.e. greater than 50% by weight, particularly greater than 60% by weight, greater than 70% by weight, greater than 80% by weight, greater than 90% by weight, with respect to the total units in said copolyamide or a mixture thereof.
Advantageously, the polyamide PA11 is a homopolyamide.
The impact modifier may be any impact modifier as long as it is a polymer having a modulus below that of the resin, having good adhesion to the matrix, so as to dissipate cracking energy.
The impact modifier advantageously consists of a polymer having a flexural modulus below 100 MPa measured according to standard ISO 178 and a Tg below 0° C. (measured according to standard 11357-2 at the inflection point of the DSC thermogram), in particular a polyolefin.
In one embodiment, PEBAs are excluded from the definition of impact modifiers.
The polyolefin of the impact modifier may be functionalized or non-functionalized or be a mixture of at least one functionalized polyolefin and/or least one non-functionalized polyolefin. To simplify, the polyolefin is denoted (B) and functionalized polyolefins (B1) and non-functionalized polyolefins (B2) are described below.
A non-functionalized polyolefin (B2) is classically a homopolymer or copolymer of alpha-olefins or diolefins, such as for example, ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-octene, butadiene. By way of example, mention may be made of:
the homopolymers and copolymers of polyethylene, particularly LDPE, HDPE, LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene), VLDPE (very low density polyethylene) and metallocene polyethylene.
homopolymers or copolymers of propylene.
ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers such as ethylene/propylene, EPR (abbreviation for ethylene-propylene-rubber) and ethylene/propylene/diene (EPDM).
styrene/ethylene-butene/styrene (SEBS), styrene/butadiene/styrene (SBS), styrene/isoprene/styrene (SIS), styrene/ethylene-propylene/styrene (SEPS) block copolymers.
copolymers of ethylene with at least one product chosen from the salts or esters of unsaturated carboxylic acids such as alkyl (meth)acrylate (for example methyl acrylate), or the vinyl esters of saturated carboxylic acids such as vinyl acetate (EVA), where the proportion of comonomer can reach 40% by weight.
The functionalized polyolefin (B1) may be a polymer of alpha-olefins having reactive units (functionalities); such reactive units are acid, anhydride, or epoxy functions. By way of example, mention may be made of the preceding polyolefins (B2) grafted or co- or ter-polymerized by unsaturated epoxides such as glycidyl (meth)acrylate, or by carboxylic acids or the corresponding salts or esters such as (meth)acrylic acid (which can be completely or partially neutralized by metals such as Zn, etc.) or even by carboxylic acid anhydrides such as maleic anhydride. A functionalized polyolefin is for example a PE/EPR mixture, the ratio by weight whereof can vary widely, for example between 40/60 and 90/10, said mixture being co-grafted with an anhydride, especially maleic anhydride, according to a graft rate for example of 0.01 to 5% by weight.
The functionalized polyolefin (B1) may be chosen from the following, maleic anhydride or glycidyl methacrylate grafted, (co)polymers wherein the graft rate is for example from 0.01 to 5% by weight:
of PE, of PP, of copolymers of ethylene with propylene, butene, hexene, or octene containing for example from 35 to 80% by weight of ethylene;
ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers such as ethylene/propylene, EPR (abbreviation for ethylene-propylene-rubber) and ethylene/propylene/diene (EPDM).
styrene/ethylene-butene/styrene (SEBS), styrene/butadiene/styrene (SBS), styrene/isoprene/styrene (SIS), styrene/ethylene-propylene/styrene (SEPS) block copolymers.
ethylene and vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA), containing up to 40% by weight of vinyl acetate;
ethylene and alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymers, containing up to 40% by weight of alkyl (meth)acrylate;
ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) and alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymers, containing up to 40% by weight of comonomers.
The functionalized polyolefin (B1) may also be selected from ethylene/propylene copolymers with predominantly maleic anhydride grafted propylene condensed with a mono-amine polyamide (or a polyamide oligomer) (products described in EP-A-0,342,066).
The functionalized polyolefin (B1) may also be a co- or terpolymer of at least the following units: (1) ethylene, (2) alkyl (meth)acrylate or vinyl ester of saturated carboxylic acid and (3) anhydride such as maleic anhydride or (meth)acrylic acid or epoxy such as glycidyl (meth)acrylate.
By way of example of functionalized polyolefins of the latter type, mention may be made of the following copolymers, where ethylene represents preferably at least 60% by weight and where the termonomer (the function) represents for example from 0.1 to 10% by weight of the copolymer:
ethylene/alkyl (meth)acrylate/(meth)acrylic acid or maleic anhydride or glycidyl methacrylate copolymers;
ethylene/vinyl acetate/maleic anhydride or glycidyl methacrylate copolymers;
ethylene/vinyl acetate or alkyl (meth)acrylate/(meth)acrylic acid or maleic anhydride or glycidyl methacrylate copolymers.
In the preceding copolymers, (meth)acrylic acid can be salified with Zn or Li.
The term “alkyl (meth)acrylate” in (B1) or (B2) denotes C1 to C8 alkyl methacrylates and acrylates, and may be chosen from methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, 2-ethyl-hexyl acrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate.
Moreover, the previously cited polyolefins (B1) may also be crosslinked by any appropriate method or agent (diepoxy, diacid, peroxide, etc.); the term functionalized polyolefin also comprises mixtures of the previously cited polyolefins with a difunctional reagent such as a diacid, dianhydride, diepoxy, etc. that can react with these or mixtures of at least two functionalized polyolefins that can react together.
The copolymers mentioned above, (B1) and (B2), may be copolymerized in a statistical or sequenced way and have a linear or branched structure.
The molecular weight, the index MFI, the density of these polyolefins may also vary widely, which the person skilled in the art will know. MFI, abbreviation for Melt Flow Index, is a measure of fluidity in the molten state. It is measured according to standard ASTM 1238.
Advantageously the non-functionalized polyolefins (B2) are selected from homopolymers or copolymers of polypropylene and any ethylene homopolymer or ethylene copolymer and a higher alpha-olefin comonomer such as butene, hexene, octene or 4-methyl-1-pentene. Mention may be made for example of PPs, high-density PEs, medium-density PEs, linear low-density PEs, low-density PEs, very low-density PEs. These polyethylenes are known by the person skilled in the art as being produced according to a “free-radical” method, according to a “Ziegler” catalysis method, or, more recently, a “metallocene” catalysis.
Advantageously the functionalized polyolefins (B1) are chosen from any polymer comprising alpha-olefin units and units carrying polar reactive functions like epoxy, carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid anhydride functions. By way of examples of such polymers, mention may be made of terpolymers of ethylene, of alkyl acrylate and of maleic anhydride or of glycidyl methacrylate like Lotader® from the Applicant or polyolefins grafted by maleic anhydride like Orevac® from the Applicant and terpolymers of ethylene, alkyl acrylate and (meth)acrylic acid. Mention may also be made of homopolymers or copolymers of polypropylene grafted by a carboxylic acid anhydride then condensed with polyamides or monoamine polyamide oligomers.
Advantageously, said composition constituting said sealing layer(s) is devoid of polyether block amide (PEBA). In this embodiment, PEBAs are therefore excluded from impact modifiers.
Advantageously, said transparent composition is devoid of core-shell particles or core-shell polymers.
Core-shell particle must be understood as a particle whose first layer forms the core and the second or all following layers form the respective shells.
The core-shell particle may be obtained by a method with several steps comprising at least two steps. Such a method is described for example in documents US2009/0149600 or EP0,722,961.
The plasticizer may be a plasticizer commonly used in compositions based on polyamide(s).
Advantageously, use is made of a plasticizer which has good thermal stability so that it does not form fumes during the steps of mixing the different polymers and transforming the composition obtained.
In particular, this plasticizer may be selected from:
benzenesulfonamide derivatives, such as n-butyl benzenesulfonamide (BBSA), the ortho and para isomers of ethyl toluenesulfonamide (ETSA), N-cyclohexyl toluenesulfonamide and N-(2-hydroxypropyl)benzenesulfonamide (HP-BSA),
esters of hydroxybenzoic acids, such as 2-ethylhexyl para-hydroxybenzoate (EHPB) and 2-decylhexyl para-hydroxybenzoate (HDPB),
esters or ethers of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, such as oligoethyleneoxytetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, and esters of citric acid or hydroxymalonic acid, such as oligoethyleneoxymalonate.
A preferred plasticizer is n-butyl benzenesulfonamide (BBSA).
Another, more particularly preferred plasticizer is N-(2-hydroxypropyl)benzenesulfonamide (HP-BSA). Indeed, the latter has the advantage of preventing the formation of deposits at the extrusion screw and/or die (“die drool”) during a step of transformation by extrusion.
Of course, it is possible to use a mixture of plasticizers.
The polymer P2j can be a thermoplastic polymer or a thermoset polymer.
One or more composite reinforcement layers may be present.
Each of the said layers consists of a fibrous material in the form of continuous fibers impregnated with a composition predominantly comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer P2j, j corresponding to the number of layers present.
j is comprised from 1 to 10, in particular from 1 to 5, especially from 1 to 3, preferentially j=1.
The term “predominantly” means that said at least one polymer is present at more than 50% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition and of the matrix of the composite.
Advantageously, said at least one predominant polymer is present at more than 60% by weight, especially at more than 70% by weight, particularly at more than 80% by weight, more particularly greater than or equal to 90% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition.
Said composition may further comprise impact modifiers and/or additives.
The additives may be selected from an antioxidant, a heat stabilizer, a UV absorber, a light stabilizer, a lubricant, an inorganic filler, a flame retardant, a plasticizer and a dye, with the exception of a nucleating agent.
Advantageously, said composition predominantly consists of said thermoplastic polymer P2j, from 0 to 15% by weight of impact modifier, in particular from 0 to 12% by weight of impact modifier, from 0 to 5% by weight of additives, the sum of the constituents of the composition being equal to 100% by weight.
Said at least one predominant polymer in each layer may be the same or different.
In one embodiment, a single predominant polymer is present at least in the composite reinforcement layer and does not adhere to the sealing layer.
In one embodiment, each reinforcement layer comprises the same type of polymer, in particular an epoxy resin or epoxy-based resin.
Thermoplastic, or thermoplastic polymer, refers to a material that is generally solid at ambient temperature, which may be semi-crystalline or amorphous, in particular semi-crystalline, and that softens during a temperature increase, in particular after passing its glass transition temperature (Tg) and flows at a higher temperature when it is amorphous, or that may exhibit a sharp transition upon passing its so-called melting point (Tm) when it is semi-crystalline, and which becomes solid again when the temperature decreases below its crystallization temperature Tc, (for a semi-crystalline) and below its glass transition temperature (for an amorphous).
The Tg, Tc, and Tm are determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) according to standard 11357-2:2013 and 11357-3:2013, respectively.
The number-average molecular weight Mn of said thermoplastic polymer is preferably in a range extending from 10,000 to 40,000, preferably from 10,000 to 30,000. These Mn values may correspond to inherent viscosities greater than or equal to 0.8, as determined in m-cresol according to standard ISO 307:2007 but by changing the solvent (use of m-cresol instead of sulfuric acid and the temperature being 20° C.).
Examples of suitable semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymers in the present invention include:
polyamides, in particular comprising an aromatic and/or cycloaliphatic structure, including copolymers, for example polyimide-polyether copolymers, polyesters,
polyaryletherketones (PAEK),
polyetheretherketones (PEEK),
polyetherketoneketones (PEKK),
polyetherketone etherketone ketones (PEKEKK),
polyimides, in particular polyetherimides (PEI) or polyamide-imides,
polylsulfones (PSU), in particular polyarylsulfones such as polyphenylsulfones
polyethersulfones (PES).
Semi-crystalline polymers are more particularly preferred, and in particular polyamides and their semi-crystalline copolymers.
The nomenclature used to define the polyamides is described in ISO standard 1874-1:2011 “Plastiques—Matériaux polyamides (PA) pour moulage et extrusion—Partie 1: Dé signation”, especially on page 3 (Tables 1 and 2) and is well known to the person skilled in the art.
The polyamide may be a homopolyamide or a co-polyamide or a mixture thereof.
Advantageously, the semi-crystalline polyamides are semi-aromatic polyamide, especially a semi-aromatic polyamide of formula X/YAr, as described in EP1505099, particularly a semi-aromatic polyamide of formula A/XT wherein A is selected from a unit obtained from an amino acid, a unit obtained from a lactam and a unit corresponding to the formula (Ca diamine).(Cb diacid), with a representing the number of carbon atoms of the diamine and b representing the number of carbon atoms of the diacid, a and b each being between 4 and 36, advantageously between 9 and 18, the unit (Ca diamine) being selected from linear or branched aliphatic diamines, cycloaliphatic diamines and alkylaromatic diamines and the unit (Cb diacid) being selected from linear or branched aliphatic diacids, cycloaliphatic diacids and aromatic diacids;
X.T denotes a unit obtained from the polycondensation of a Cx diamine and terephthalic acid, with x representing the number of carbon atoms of the Cx diamine, x being between 5 and 36, advantageously between 9 and 18, especially a polyamide with formula N5T, A/6T, A/9T, A/10T, or A/11T, A being as defined above, in particular a polyamide chosen from among a PA MPMDT/6T, a PA11/10T, a PA 5T/10T, a PA 11/BACT, a PA 11/6T/10T, a PA MXDT/10T, a PA MPMDT/10T, a PA BACT/10T, a PA BACT/6T, PA BACT/10T/6T, a PA 11/BACT/6T, PA 11/MPMDT/6T, PA 11/MPMDT/10T, PA 11/BACT/10T, a PA 11/MXDT/10T, an 11/5T/10T.
T corresponds to terephthalic acid, MXD corresponds to m-xylylene diamine, MPMD corresponds to methylpentamethylene diamine and BAC corresponds to bis(aminomethyl)cyclohexane. Said semi-aromatic polyamides defined above especially have a Tg of greater than or equal to 80° C.
The thermoset polymers are selected from epoxy resins or epoxy-based resins, polyesters, vinyl esters and polyurethanes, or a mixture thereof, in particular epoxy resins or epoxy-based resins.
Advantageously, each composite reinforcement layer consists of a composition comprising the same type of polymer, in particular an epoxy resin or epoxy-based resin.
Said composition comprising said polymer P2j can be transparent to radiation suitable for welding.
In another embodiment, the composite reinforcement layer is wound around the sealing layer in the absence of any subsequent welding.
Said multilayer structure therefore comprises a sealing layer and at least one composite reinforcement layer which is wound around the sealing layer and which may or may not adhere to one another.
Advantageously, said sealing and reinforcement layers do not adhere to one another and consist of compositions that respectively comprise different polymers.
Nevertheless, said different polymers may be of the same type.
Thus, as the sealing layer consists of a composition comprising an aliphatic polyamide PA11, then the reinforcement layer or layers consist or consists of a composition comprising a polyamide that is not aliphatic and that is, for example, a semi-aromatic polyamide so as to have a high-Tg polymer as a matrix of the composite reinforcement.
Said multilayer structure can comprise up to 10 composite reinforcement layers of different natures.
Advantageously, said multilayer structure comprises one sealing layer and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten composite reinforcement layers.
Advantageously, said multilayer structure comprises one sealing layer and one, two, three, four or five composite reinforcement layers.
Advantageously, said multilayer structure comprises one sealing layer and one, two or three composite reinforcing layers.
Advantageously, they consist of compositions which respectively comprise different polymers.
Advantageously, they consist of compositions that respectively comprise polyamides corresponding to the polyamides PA11 and an epoxide resin or epoxide-based resin P2j.
In one embodiment, said multilayer structure comprises a single sealing layer and several reinforcement layers, said adjacent reinforcement layer being wound around said sealing layer and the other reinforcement layers being wound around the directly adjacent reinforcement layer.
In one advantageous embodiment, said multilayer structure comprises a single sealing layer and a single composite reinforcement layer, said reinforcement layer being wound around said sealing layer.
All combinations of these two layers are therefore within the scope of the invention, with the proviso that at least said innermost composite reinforcement layer is wound around said sealing layer, the other layers adhering to one another or not.
Advantageously, said polymer P2j is an epoxide resin or an epoxide-based resin.
Advantageously, in said multilayer structure, each reinforcement layer consists of a composition comprising the same type of polymer P2j, in particular an epoxy resin or epoxy-based resin.
Advantageously, the polyamide P2j is identical for all the reinforcement layers.
In one embodiment, in said multilayer structure, the sealing layer consists of a composition comprising a polyamide PA11 and each reinforcement layer consists of a composition comprising the same type of polymer P2j, particularly an epoxide resin or an epoxide-based resin.
In one embodiment, in said multilayer structure, the sealing layer consists of a composition comprising a polyamide PA11 and each reinforcement layer consists of a composition comprising the same type of polymer P2j, said polymer P2j being a semi-aromatic polyamide, particularly selected from a PA MPMDT/6T, a PA PA11/10T, a PA 11/BACT, a PA 5T/10T, a PA 11/6T/10T, a PA MXDT/10T, a PA MPMDT/10T, a PA BACT/10T, a PA BACT/6T, PA BACT/10T/6T, a PA 11/BACT/6T, PA 11/MPMDT/6T, PA 11/MPMDT/10T, PA 11/BACT/10T and a PA 11/MXDT/10T.
In one embodiment, said multilayer structure is composed of a single sealing layer and a single reinforcement layer wherein said polymer P2j is a semi-aromatic polyamide, particularly selected from a PA MPMDT/6T, a PA 11/10T, a PA 11/BACT, a PA 5T/10T a PA 11/6T/10T, a PA MXDT/10T, a PA MPMDT/10T, a PA BACT/10T, a PA BACT/6T, PA BACT/10T/6T, a PA 11/BACT/6T, PA 11/MPMDT/6T, PA 11/MPMDT/10T, PA 11/BACT/10T, and a PA 11/MXDT/10T.
In another embodiment, the multi-layer structure, consists of a single sealing layer and a single reinforcement layer in which said polymer P2j is an epoxide resin or epoxide-based resin.
Advantageously, said multilayer structure further comprises at least one outer layer consisting of a fibrous material made of continuous glass fibers, which is impregnated with a transparent amorphous polymer, said layer being the outermost layer of said multilayer structure.
Said outer layer is a second reinforcement layer, but transparent, which makes it possible to be able to place text on the structure.
Said outer layer does not correspond, under any circumstances, to the layer located over the outermost composite reinforcement layer made from polyamide polymer, the structure of which is devoid as above.
Regarding the fibers making up said fibrous material, they are in particular mineral, organic or plant fibers.
Advantageously, said fibrous material may be sized or unsized.
Said fibrous material can therefore comprise up to 3.5% by weight of an organic material (of thermoset or thermoplastic resin type), referred to as sizing.
The mineral fibers include carbon fibers, glass fibers, basalt or basalt-based fibers, silica fibers, or silicon carbide fibers, for example. The organic fibers include thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer-based fibers, such as semi-aromatic polyamide fibers, aramid fibers or polyolefin fibers, for example. Preferably, they are amorphous thermoplastic polymer-based and have a glass transition temperature Tg higher than the Tg of the polymer or thermoplastic polymer mixture constituting the pre-impregnation matrix when the latter is amorphous, or higher than the Tm of the polymer or thermoplastic polymer mixture constituting the pre-impregnation matrix when the latter is semi-crystalline. Advantageously, they are semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer-based and have a melting temperature Tm higher than the Tg of the polymer or thermoplastic polymer mixture constituting the pre-impregnation matrix when the latter is amorphous, or higher than the Tm of the polymer or thermoplastic polymer mixture constituting the pre-impregnation matrix when the latter is semi-crystalline. Thus, there is no melting risk for the organic fibers constituting the fibrous material during the impregnation by the thermoplastic matrix of the final composite. The plant fibers include natural linen, hemp, lignin, bamboo, silk, in particular spider silk, sisal, and other cellulose fibers, in particular viscose. These plant fibers can be used pure, treated or coated with a coating layer, in order to facilitate the adherence and impregnation of the thermoplastic polymer matrix.
The fibrous material may also be a fabric, a braid or woven with fibers.
It may also correspond to fibers with support threads.
These component fibers may be used alone or in mixtures. Thus, organic fibers can be mixed with the mineral fibers to be pre-impregnated with thermoplastic polymer powder and to form the pre-impregnated fibrous material.
The organic fiber strands may have several grammages. They can further have several geometries. The component fibers of the fibrous material can further assume the form of a mixture of these reinforcing fibers with different geometries. The fibers are continuous fibers.
Preferably, the fibrous material is selected from glass fibers, carbon fibers, basalt fibers or basalt-based fibers, or a mixture thereof, in particular carbon fibers.
It is used in the form of one roving or several rovings.
According to another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for producing a multilayer structure as defined above, characterized in that it comprises a step of preparing the sealing layer by extrusion blow molding, rotational molding, injection molding and/or extrusion.
In one embodiment, said method for producing a multilayer structure comprises a step of filament winding of the reinforcement layer as defined above around the sealing layer as defined above.
All the characteristics detailed above also apply to the method.
It is expressed in cc·mm/m2·24 h·atm. It can be expressed in cc. 25 μ/m2·24 h·Pa.
The permeability must then be multiplied by 101325.
In all examples, the reservoirs are obtained by rotational molding of the sealing layer (liner) at a temperature adapted to the nature of the thermoplastic resin used.
In the case of the composite reinforcement being made of epoxide resin or epoxide-based resin, use is then made of a process of wet filament winding, which consists in winding fibers around the liner, which fibers have been previously pre-impregnated in a bath of liquid epoxide or a bath of epoxide-based liquid. The reservoir is then polymerized in an oven for 2 hours.
In all other cases, a fibrous material previously impregnated with the thermoplastic resin (tape) is used. This tape is deposited by filament winding using a robot with a 1500 W laser heater at a speed of 12 m/min and there is no polymerization step.
Charpy Impact Test Notched at −40° C. According to ISO 179−1: 2010
Two long-chain liners made of PA11 and PA12 and two short-chain liners were prepared by rotational molding as above.
These four liners were tested via a Charpy impact test notched at −40° C. and the results are presented in
The resistance to cold of the PA11 liner is considerably greater than that of the long-chain PA12 liner and short-chain PA6 and PA66 liners.
Permeability of PA 11 and PA12 liners (Arkema) and HDPE liners (Marlex® HMN TR-942 (Chevron Phillips))
Two long-chain liners: one in PA11 (Arkema) and the second in PA12 (Arkema) and one HDPE liner were prepared by rotational molding and the permeability to hydrogen at 23° C. was tested.
This consists in flushing the upper face of the film with the test gas (Hydrogen) and in measuring by gas chromatography the flow that diffuses through the film in the lower part, flushed by the vector gas: Nitrogen
The experimental conditions are presented in Table 1:
The results are presented in
influence of the proportion of plasticizer (N-butylbenzenesulfonamide: BBSA) on the Charpy impact test notched at −40° C. according to ISO 179−1: 2010
Two PA11 and PA12 liners without plasticizer or comprising 7 or 12% plasticizer (BBSA) with respect to the total weight of the composition were prepared by rotational molding.
These four liners were tested via a Charpy impact test notched at −40° C. according to ISO 179−1: 2010 and the results are presented in
Indeed, the plasticizer has a more pronounced deleterious effect when cold for the PA12 than the PA11; it weakens the structure of the PA12 and increases the permeability, particularly from 50% with 7% BBSA.
Influence of the proportion of impact modifier (“LT cocktail” with the following composition: lotader® 4700 (50%)+lotader® AX8900 (25%)+Lucalen® 3110 (25%)) on the permeability to hydrogen of the PA11 liner.
The permeability to hydrogen of the PA11 liner, without a plasticizer and whether or not in the presence of an impact modifier was tested and is reported in Table 2.
The permeability can also be expressed in (cc. 25 μ/m2·24 h·Pa).
The permeability must then be multiplied by 101325.
The results show that the proportion of impact modifier influences the permeability to hydrogen.
The greater the proportion of impact modifier, the greater the permeability.
Type IV hydrogen storage tank, composed of a T700SC31E (produced by Toray) carbon fiber epoxide composite reinforcement (Tg 120° C.) and a PA11 sealing layer.
The operating temperature is sufficient for rapid filling of the tank, particularly in 3 to 5 minutes.
Type IV hydrogen storage tank, composed of a T700SC31E (produced by Toray) carbon fiber epoxide composite reinforcement (Tg 120° C.) and an HDPE sealing layer.
The operating temperature is too low for rapid filling of the tank, particularly in 3 to 5 minutes.
Type IV hydrogen storage tank, composed of a T700SC31E (produced by Toray) carbon fiber BACT/10T composite reinforcement and a PA11 sealing layer.
The selected BACT/10T composition has a melting temperature, Tm, of 283° C., a crystallization temperature, Tc, of 250° C. and a glass transition temperature of 164° C.
The Tg, the Tc and the Tm are determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) according to standards 11357−2:2013 and 11357−3:2013, respectively.
A PA BACT/10T-based composite has a high Tg matrix, but without long cross-linking, of the 8 h type at 140° C.
As a result, after depositing the fiber, the tank is complete, which saves 8-hours of process time.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR2000815 | Jan 2020 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR2021/050138 | 1/26/2021 | WO |
