Peelable heat-shrinking tubing

Abstract

A heat shrink tubing, which can be readily peeled in the longitudinal direction after use (e.g., to remove the heat shrink tubing from an underlying material) is provided herein. The heat shrink tubing can be of various compositions, and generally is produced from at least one fluorinated, copolymeric resin. The tubing can exhibit desirable physical properties such as good optical clarity (e.g., translucency or transparency) and/or peelability, exhibiting one or more of complete, straight, and even peeling along a given length of tubing.

1 . A tubing, comprising at least one thermoplastic, melt processable fluoropolymer resin,
 wherein the tubing is less than about 40% crystalline as determined by x-ray diffraction; and   wherein the tubing exhibits heat shrink capability, longitudinal peelability, and translucency or transparency through a wall of the tubing.   
     
     
         2 . The tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing comprises no more than one resin. 
     
     
         3 . The tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one resin comprises a fluorinated ethylene propylene resin. 
     
     
         4 . The tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one resin comprises one or more resins selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride, perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ethers) (PAVE), a tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidine fluoride terpolymer (THV), poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE), ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoromethylvinyl ether copolymer (MFA), and copolymers, blends, and derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The tubing of  claim 1 , comprising no physical score line, cut, or nick. 
     
     
         6 . The tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal peelability does not require a physical score line, cut, or nick or wherein the longitudinal peelability requires a physical score line, cut, or nick that is less than about 1/50 th  the length of the tubing. 
     
     
         7 . The tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the total light transmittance through the wall of tubing is about 90% or greater and wherein the diffuse light transmittance through the wall of the tubing is about 25% or less. 
     
     
         8 . The tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing exhibits a melting point onset of less than about 230° C. 
     
     
         9 . A tubing, comprising at least one thermoplastic, melt processable fluoropolymer resin,
 wherein the tubing exhibits a melting point onset of less than about 230° C.; and   wherein the tubing exhibits heat shrink capability, longitudinal peelability, and translucency or transparency through a wall of the tubing.   
     
     
         10 . The tubing of  claim 9 , wherein the tubing comprises no more than one resin. 
     
     
         11 . The tubing of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one resin comprises a fluorinated ethylene propylene resin. 
     
     
         12 . The tubing of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one resin comprises one or more resins selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride, perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ethers) (PAVE), a tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidine fluoride terpolymer (THV), poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE), ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoromethylvinyl ether copolymer (MFA), and copolymers, blends, and derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The tubing of  claim 9 , comprising no physical score line, cut, or nick. 
     
     
         14 . The tubing of  claim 9 , wherein the longitudinal peelability does not require a physical score line, cut, or nick or wherein the longitudinal peelability requires a physical score line, cut, or nick that is less than about 1/50 th  the length of the tubing. 
     
     
         15 . The tubing of  claim 9 , wherein the total light transmittance through the wall of tubing is about 90% or greater and wherein the diffuse light transmittance through the wall of the tubing is about 25% or less. 
     
     
         16 . A tubing, comprising no more than one thermoplastic, melt processable fluoropolymer resin, wherein the tubing exhibits heat shrink capability, longitudinal peelability, and translucency or transparency through a wall of the tubing. 
     
     
         17 . The tubing of  claim 16 , consisting essentially of a single thermoplastic, melt processable fluoropolymeric resin. 
     
     
         18 . The tubing of  claim 16 , wherein the resin is a binary fluorinated copolymer. 
     
     
         19 . The tubing of  claim 16 , wherein the resin is selected from the group consisting of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), polyvinylidene fluoride, perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ethers) (PAVE), a tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidine fluoride terpolymer (THV), poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE), ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoromethylvinyl ether copolymer (MFA), and copolymers and derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The tubing of  claim 16 , comprising no physical score line, cut, or nick. 
     
     
         21 . The tubing of  claim 16 , wherein the longitudinal peelability does not require a physical score line, cut, or nick or wherein the longitudinal peelability requires a physical score line, cut, or nick that is less than about 1/50 th  the length of the tubing. 
     
     
         22 . The tubing of  claim 16 , wherein the total light transmittance through the wall of tubing is about 90% or greater and wherein the diffuse light transmittance through the wall of the tubing is about 25% or less. 
     
     
         23 . The tubing of  claim 16 , wherein the tubing exhibits a melting point onset of less than about 230° C. 
     
     
         24 . A method of using the tubing of  claim 1 , comprising:
 applying the tubing around at least a portion of a device comprising multiple components;   heating the tubing to cause the tubing to shrink;   cooling the shrunk tubing; and   peeling the shrunk tubing from the device to allow for a consistent longitudinal tearing.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 nicking or cutting the tubing across the cross-sectional diameter at an end of the tubing, wherein the length of the resulting nick or cut is less than about 1/50 th  the length of the tubing to facilitate the peeling.