Method of manufacturing flexible laminate structure

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a flexible non-porous laminate film structure is provided comprising a textile substrate having a fluorinated film laminated thereto, which is laminated at a temperature lower than the softening point of the predominant polymeric component of the fluoropolymer fiber. The resulting product is resistant to delamination.

1 . A method of manufacturing a flexible non-porous film comprising:
 providing a fluoropolymer film layer of a first material and providing a textile substrate formed of fluoropolymer fibers of a second material, wherein the first material has a lower melting point than the second material; and   laminating the fluoropolymer film layer and the textile substrate at a temperature that is between the melting points of the first material and the second material to produce a flexible non-porous film.   
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1  which is conducted without surface etching. 
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 1  which is conducted without intermediary dispersions or glues, fibrils or nodes, or similar interconnecting paths on or in the surface of the fluoropolymer film conventionally used to create strong adhesion between substrate and film. 
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 1  which is conducted in the absence of fillers. 
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 1  which is conducted in the absence of cooling processing steps other than ambient cooling to fixate the lamination for dimensional stability. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer fibers comprise poytetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer fibers comprise poytetrafluoroethylene—polyfluoroalkoxy hybrid fluorocarbon fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer film layer is polyfluoroalkoxy. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer film layer is chemically modified polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer film layer wets out during processing. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein lamination occurs between 310° C. and 325° C., under steady pressure of at least 20 bars at a speed of 0.5 m/min to 6.5 m/min. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein lamination occurs between 310° C. and 325° C., under steady pressure of at 30-50 bars for approximately 10 seconds. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein laminating comprises
 pulling the textile substrate and the fluoropolymer film layer by counter-rotating steel belts of a double belt press laminator, and 
 conveying the textile substrate and the fluoropolymer film layer between heated pressure plates.