PTC CONDUCTIVE POLYMER COMPOSITIONS AND DEVICES COMPRISING THEM AND A METHOD OF MAKING THEM

Abstract: The inventon relates to PTC conductive polymer compos­ itions and devices containing them. The novel compositions contain a conductive filler, e.g. carbon black, which is dis­ persed a mixture of two crystalline polymers of different melt­ ing points. The higher melting of the two polymers has a melting point which is at least 160°C and at least 25°C higher than the melting point of the other polymer. A preferred mix­ ture of polymers is poly(vinylidene fluoride) and an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer. The compositions do not increase in resistivity by a factor more than 2 when maintained at 150°C for 1000 hours, and are therefore particu­ larly suitable for self-limiting heaters which can be used on apparatus which is periodically subjected to high tempera­ ture, e.g. during steam-cleaning thereof. The compositions are preferably annealed at a temperature between the melting points of the two polymers. The novel compositions are rela­ tively brittle and preferred devices are rendered more flex-­ resistant by the presence of a layer of a relatively flexible composition which is melt-fused to a PTC element composed of the novel composition. A preferred heater is illustrated in Figure 1.

Description: PTC CONDUCTIVE POLYMER COMPOSITIONS AND DEVICES COMPRISING THEM AND A METHOD OF MAKING THEM This invention relates to the PTC condu-ct-ive polymer compositions and electrical devices containing them, especially self-limiting heaters. PTC conductive polymer compositions are##known for use in self-limiting heaters and in other electrical devices. Reference may be maae for example to U. S Patents Nos. 3,793,716, 3,823,217, 3,861,029, 3,914,363, 4,177,376 and German OLS Nos. 2,755,076, 2,755,077, 2,821,799, 2,948,281, 2,949,173 and 3,002,721. For details of more recent developments, reference may be made to theapplications corresponding to U.S. Serial Nos. 41,071, 67,207, 88,304, 97,711, 141,984, 141,987, 141,988, 141,989, 141,990, 141,991, 142,053 and 142,054. The known PTC conductive polymer compositions are not satisfactory for use an situations in which they,may be externally heated to temperatures substantially higher than the temperatures which they reach during their normal use. For example the known self-limiting strip heaters are unsatisfactory for heating pipes which are periodically subjected to steam cleaning, because they increase rapidly in resistance when subjected to the elevated temperatures employed during such steam-cleaning. The present invention provides improved PTC compositions which increase relatively slowly in resistivity when exposed to elevated temperatures. In one aspect, the present invention provides a conductive polymer composition (1) which exhibits PTC behavior; (2) which comprises (a) a polymer component which comprises a mixture of a first crystalline polymer having a first melting point, T1, and a second crystalline polymer having a second melting point, T2, which is at least 1600C and at least (T1 + 25) C, and (b) a particulate filler component which has been dispersed in said polymer component and which comprises a conductive filler; and (3) which, after being-subjected to a heat treatment in which the composition is main tainted at a temperature of 1500C for 1000 hours, has a resistivity at 25 C, 6 1000 which is less than 2 x eo, where eo is the resistivity of the composition at 25 C prior to said heat treatment. T2 is preferably at least (T1 + 50) C, particularly at least (T1 + 70) C, especially at least (T1 + 90) C. T2 is preferably at least 200 C, especially at least 230 C. The polymer component generally comprises a physical mixture of two distinct polymers, but may comprise more than two polymers or may be a single polymer, e.g. a block copolymer, having distinct segments such that##the polymer has two distinct melting points. The melting points referred to are the peak values of the peaks of a DSC (differential scanning calorimeter) curve. T1 is selected for the desired switching temperature (Ts) of the composition, and may be for example 1000 to 1750C. One orboth of the polymers may be a fluorinated polymer; forexample the lower melting polymer may be polyvinylidene fluoride and the higher melting polymer an ethylene/ tetrafluoroethylene polymer. Each of the polymers is crystalline, and this term is used herein to mean that that the polymer has a crystallinity of at least 1%, preferably at least 5%, particularly at least 10so1 especially at least 20%, as measured by X-ray diffraction. The polymer component can also contain other polymers, e.g.#elastomers, preferably in amounts which do not substantially affect the electrical characteristics of the composition, usually less than 25%, preferably less than 15%, especially less than 10%, by weight of the polymer component. The ratio by weight of the first polymer to the second polymer is preferably from 1:3 to 3:1, particularly from 1:2 to 2:1, especially from 0.5:1 to 1:1, more especially from 0.6:1 to 0.8:1. The first and second polymers sre generally incompatible with each other. The conductive iller will often consist of or contain one or more carbon blacks, though other conductive fillers can be used. The amount of conductive filler will be selected with a view to the required resistivity after any annealing which is carried out, e.g. 102 to 5 ohm.cm at 25 C for a heater. When using a carbon black as the conductive filler, the amount thereof may be for example 8 to 40 by weight of the composition, e.g. 10 to 15%, with the polymer component providing 50 to 85 by weight of the composition. The particulate filler component may in addition contain a non-conductive filler, e.g. in amount 10 to 25 by weight of the composition. The compositions can be processed into strip heaters and other devices by methods known in the art, and for this purpose are preferably melt-shapeable. Such devices generally contain two or more electrodes which can be connected to a power supply and which, when so connected, cause current to flow through the PTC element. The electrode(s) may be in physical contact with the PTC element or separated therefrom by electrically conductive material, e.g. another conductive polymer. Especially since the second polymer has a melting point greater than 1600±, melt-shaping of the compositions may be facilitated by including a suitable processing aid in the composition. After shaping, the composition can if desired be cross linked, e.g. by irradiation, but when either or both of the crystalline polymers is a fluorinated polymer, cross-linking is preferably avoided. It zis often desirable to anneal the compositions, after they hawe been shaped, in order to reduce their resistivity. We have discovered that improved products. are obtained if annealing is carried out at a temperature TA which is between T1 and T2, usually closer to T1 than to T2, preferably between (T1 + 5) C and (T2 - OC, especially between CT1 + 10) C and (T2 - 40) C, particularly between (T1 + 10) C and (T2 - 75) C, for a time sufficient to reduce the resistivity at 230C of the FTC composition from a first value, dex prior to said annealing, to a second value, eo, which is less than 0.8 x ex, e.g. 0.1 x ex to 0¯8 x ex, preferably less than 0.6 x ex, with eo preferably being from 102 to i05 ohm.cm. The annealing time will usually be at least 2 hours, e.g. 4 to 10 hours. Although the compositions of the invention have substantially improved properties in many respects, they are relatively brittle compared to known PTC compositions. We have discowered that this disadvantage can be substantially mitigated by means of a layer of a second polymeric composition having substantially greater flexibility at 25 C than the PTC composition of the invention, the layer being adjacent to, end preferably surrounding, the PTC composition and being melt-fused thereto. The second polymeric composition has greater flexibility than the PTC conductive polymer composition at room temperatwre (250±), preferably at all temperatures between Oc and the higher of 100 C and the T5 of the PTC composition, especially between -20 C and the higher of 1000C and the T5 of the PTC composition. The second polymeric composition and the thickness of the layer thereof should be such that it substantially enhances the flex life of the device in a flex test of the kind described below, and in its broadest sense the term "having greater flexibility" should be construed accordingly. Normally the layer will be of uniform composition, but the invention includes for example a first layer composed of a hot melt adhesive which is melt-bonded on one surface to the PTC element and on the other surface to a layer of another polymeric composition. The second polymeric composition is often an electrical insulator and ispreferably substantially free of (i.e. contains 0 to 10 by weight of) fillers and other additives. The second polymeric composition should be compatible with the PTC composition to ensure melt-fusion, and preferably the second polymeric composition comprises at least 50 by weight of units which are the same as units constituting at least 50 by weight of the polymer providing the continuous phase in the PTC element. Preferably the second polymeric composition contains at least 90 by weight of the polymer providing the continuous phase of the PTC element. The layer of the second polymeric composition is preferably melt-extruded around the PTC element, e.g. using a cross-head die. Thus in a preferred procedure, the PTC composition is melt-extruded around two (or more) electrodes, e.g. to provide the core for a self-limiting strip heater, and the layer of the second polym#eric composition is applied. thereto by simultaneous or subsequent melt extrusion, e-.g by coextrusion. The layer of tne second polymeric composition need not be applied in a separate operation and the invention includes for example formation of the layer by appropr;i:ate adjustment of the extrusion conditions so that the PTC element is of non-uniform composition, with the outer -layer having the desired characteristics. When, as is preferred, the layer of the second polymeric composition is applied separately in a melt-extrusion operation, the extrusion conditions can be adjusted so that melt-fusion takes place essentially simultaneously with the extrusion, so that no separate heating step is required. Inmany cases, however, a separate heating step is more conveniently carried out. Especially is this so when it is desired to anneal the PTC composition to reduce its resistivity, in which case the annealing step is preferably carried out under conditions such that the desired melt fusion is effected at the same time. Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, wire electrodes 1 and 2 are embedded in PTC element 3, which is surrounded by, and melt-fused at the interface to, a layer of an insulating polymeric composition 3, which is itself surrounded by a further layer of another insulating composition 5. Referring now to Figure 2, strip heater 10 is secured at its upper end to a holder 11, and a weight of 1 lb. (0.45 kg) is secured to its lower end. The strip heater passes between and just contacts two fixed mandrels 12 and 13, each of 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) diameter. To determine the behavior of the strip heater on flexing, the holder is moved in the arc of a circle first to one side and then to the other, as shown by the dotted lines, at P rate of 40 cycles per minute. The number of cycles required to initiate and to complete breaking are determined. The invention is¯illustrated by the following Example. EXAMPLE The ingredients used in this Example are given in the Table below. The ingredients for Composition A were dry-blended and the blend fed to a Werner Pfleiderer ZSK extruder heated to about 2600C and fitted with a pelletizing die. The extrudate was chopped into pellets. The ingredients for Composition B were dry-blended and the blend fed to a Werner-Pfleiderer ZSK extruder heated to 315-345 C and fitted with a pelletizing die. The extrudate was chopped into pellets. Two imparts by weight of the pellets of Composition B and one part by weight of the pellets of composition A were dry-blended together and then dried in air for about 16 hours at about 1500C. The dried blend was melt-extruded at 315-340 C through a single screw extruder fitted with a cross-head die around two pre-heated 18 AWG (0.127 cm. diameter) strarnded nickel-coated copper wires whose centers were about 0.Z9 inch (0.74 cm) apart, to produce an extrudate having a cross-section of dumbbell shape as shown in Figure 1, the distance between the closest points of the electrodes being about 0.235 inch (0.6 cm) the thickness of the central section (t) being about 0.030 inch (0.076 cm) and the thickness of the end sections (d) being about 0.070 inch (0.18 cm). After the extrudate had cooled, two jackets were extruded around it, the inner jacket being 0.02 inch (0.051 cm) thick and composed of pÏlyvinylidene fluoride having a melting point tof about 156 C (Kynar 460 from Pennwalt) and the outer being 0.025 inch (0.064 cm) thick and composed of a fluorinated ethylene/propylene copolymer having a melting point of about 247 C (Teflon FEP 100 from du Pont). The jacketed strip was annealed at 175 C in air for 4 to 9 hours thus simtultaneously reducing the resistivity of the PTC composition and melt-fusing the Teflon jacket lo the PTC core. The product had a cross-section as shown in Figure 1. TABLE Comp. A Comp. B Final Mix Wl% Vol% WL% Vol% WL% Vol% Polysinylidene Fluoride having a melting 88.0 89.2 29.3 32.0 point Or about 160@C (Kynar 451 from Pennwall) CACO3 (Omya Bsh from Omya Inc.) 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.7 Carbon Black (Vulcan XC-72 from Cabol, 9.0 8.8 3.0 3.2 particle size 300 Angstroms, surface erea,254 m /9) Ethyl cnehetrarluoroethylene copolymer 64.6 75.5 43 1 48.4 having a melting point of about 270 C (Tefzel 2010) Carbon Black (Continex HAT from Continental 15.0 16.5 10.0 10.6 Carbon, particle size 290 Angstroms, surface area 80 mê/g) ZnB (KadoX 515 from Gulf and Western) 20.0 7.2 13.3 4.5 Progressing aid 0.4 0.8 0.3 0.6

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A conductive polymer composition (1) which exhibits PTC behavior; (2) which comprises (a) a polymer component which comprises a mixture of a first crystalline polymer having a first melting point, T1, and a second crystalline polymer having a second melting point, T2, which is at least 160 C and at least (T1 l 25) C, preferably at least C,T1 + 70)o±, and (b) a particulate filler component which has been dispersed in said polymer component and which comprises a conductive filler; and ¯ (3) which, after being subjected to a heat treatment in which the composition is main- tained at a temperature of 1500C for 1000 hours, has a resistivity at 250±, q000, which is less than 2 x eO, where eo is the resistivity of the composition at 25 C prior to said heat treatment. 2. A composition according to Claim 1 wherein said first and second crystalline polymers constitute at least 75% by weight of the polymer component, the ratio by weight of the first polymer to the second polymer is from 1:3 to 3:1, preferably from 1:2 to 2:1, and the conductive filler consists essentially of carbon black. 3. A composition according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein 2 is at least 2000±., preferably at least 2300±., and T1 is 100 C to 1750C, 4. A composition according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the first crystalline polymer is a fluorinated polymer, preferably polyvinylidene fluoride, and the second crystalline polymer is a fluorinated polymer, preferably an ethylene/ tetrafluoroethylene copolymer. 5. An electrical device, especially a flexible selflimiting heater, which comprises a PTC element composed of a PTC conductive polymer composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 and two electrodes which can be connected to a source of electrical power and which when so connected cause current to flow through the PTC element. A A device according to Claim 5 which is a flexible self-limiting electrical heating strip and in which the PTC conductive polymer composition has a resistivity at 25 C of 102 to 105 ohm.cm and comprises (i) 50 to 85%, by weight of the composition, of a polymer component which comprises a mixture of a first crystalline polymer having a first melting point, T1, which is from 100 C to 175 C and a second crystalline polymer having a second melting point, T2, which is at least 2000±, the ratio by weight of said first polymer to said second polymer being from 0.5:1 to 1: :1, and (ii) a particulate filler component which has been dispersed in said polymer component and which comprises carbon black in amount 8 to 40% by weight of the composition. 7. A method of making an electrical device according to Claim 5 or 6 which comprises annealing the device at a temperature TA which is between (T1 + 5) C and (T2 - 40) C, especially between (T1 + 10) C and (T2 - 75) C, for a time which is sufficient to reduce the resistivity at 250C of the PTC composition from a first value ex prior to said annealing to a second value eo after said annealing, where gO is less than 0.8 x ex. 8. An electrical device according to Claim 5 or 6 which further comprises a layer of a second polymeric composition having substantially greater flexibility at 250C than said PTC composition, said layer (1) being adjacent to, and preferably surrounding, said PTC element and (2) being melt-fused to said PTC element. 9. An electrical device according to Claim 8 wherein the second polymeric composition comprises a polymeric component which consists essentially of at least one polymer having a melting point of (T1 - 10) C to (T1 + 50) C and which preferably consists essentially of said first crystalline polymer. 10. A method of making an electrical device according to Claim 8 or 9 which comprises (l) melt-extruding the second polymeric composition in contact with said PTC element, and (2) heating the device to effect melt fusion of the PTC element and the layer, the PTC element preferably being heated to a temperature between (T1 + 5) C and (T2 - 40) C. for a time which is sufficient to reduce the resistivity at 250C of the PTC composition from a first value ex prior to said annealing to a second value after said annealing, where eO is less than 0.8 x ex.

Inventors: SOPORY, UMESH KUMAR
Applicants: RAYCHEM CORPORATION
Application year: 1981
Main classification: C08L27
IPC codes: H05B3, H01C7, B29C47