Method of Producing Conductive Plastics

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to conductive plastics and somewhat more particularly to a method of producing conductive plastic materials from a plurality of components having low conductivity tolerances by, for example, addition of conductive materials to select plastics.

2. Prior Art

It is known to admix plastics with conductive additives in order, among other things, to produce antistatic parts. To achieve this, lampblack, for example, is added to a plastic in a specified ratio and the admixture is formed, as by extrusion, into a desired part. The resultant surface resistance or, respectively, volume resistance, differs from a given part to another different part, depending on the intend use of such parts. Surface resistance above 10.sup.10 .OMEGA./.quadrature. and below 10.sup.4 .OMEGA./.quadrature. are attainable by means of a fixed material formula. However, it is not possible to work with a fixed material formula in the range lying between the above noted resistance values because slight differences in the quality of the components as well as minor fluctuations in the extrusion parameters lead to intolerable variations in resistance values.

Heretofore, the dosing relationship between a plastic material and a conductive material has been gravimetrically or volumetrically defined. However, this is disadvantageous because the properties of the individual components or materials are left out of consideration and, consequently, the final results vary greatly. Such results depend, for example, on the conductivity and, under given conditions, on the distribution of the particle size of the lampblack utilized.

At present, there is no possible way of measuring the conductivity of lampblack in the dosing step and to utilize such measured value for controlling the resistance of a formed part. Heretofore, as already mentioned, measuring or dosing of lampblack has been gravimetric or volumetric and the electrical resistance property was not checked until the finished injection-molded parts were available.

An apparatus for dosing a plurality of individual materials in a mixed material charge intended for processing in an extruder has been described and illustrated in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 28 38 110 and such apparatus may be used in the practice of the invention. This apparatus operates analogous to a differential control, so that a high degree of precision with respect to temperature and viscosity of the extruded material can be achieved.

The invention provides a process with which it is possible to produce plastic parts characterized with electrical properties that are defined within a relatively narrow range.

For example, plastic parts having a surface resistance of approximately 10.sup.10 .OMEGA./.quadrature. and a discharge time from 5000 to approximately 0 volts in less than about 100 ms can be produced by following the principles of the invention.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, the dosing relationship between a conductive additive and a plastic material are controlled as a function of an electrical value measured at an extruded admixture of the plastic and additive. The measured electrical value is the surface resistance or, respectively, the volume resistance of the extruded admixture.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the amount of conductive additive fed to the extruder is regulated as a function of the measured electrical value. In other embodiments of the invention, the amount of plastic material fed to an extruder is regulated as a function of the measured electrical value.

Further, in certain embodiments of the invention, a relatively inert additive, such as a mineral filler material, for example, special silicates, glass fibers, etc., is added to the extruder, along with the conductive material and the plastic, to obtain a better dispersion of the conductive additive within the extruded admixture.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, conductive plastic parts having electrical characteristics defined in a relatively narrow range are produced by controlling the dosage relationship between a given plastic material and a conductive material, such as a long-chain conductive lampblack, as a function of an electrical value measured at an extruded admixture of such materials.

The inventive process provides the advantage that, for example, the lampblack properties and/or the dispersion influences within the extruder are eliminated. The dispersion is influenced by a variety of factors, such as temperature, screw geometry, speed and volumetric rate of discharge.

Either the amount of the conductive material or the amount of plastic material can be varied with the principles of the invention to achieve the desired effect (i.e., narrowly defined electrical characteristics in the finished parts).

In preferred embodiments, the amount of conductive material is varied as a function of the measured electrical value in order to maintain the extruded material throughput quantity constant.

In order to achieve a better dispersion of materials within the extruded product, a defined introduction of inert filler additives, such as, for example, a mineral (i.e., special silicates, glass fibers, mixtures thereof and other fillers typically utilized by plastic manufacturers for increasing the mechanical properties or the like of a given polymer). With the controlled addition of a filler additive to a plastic-conductive material admixture, one is able to observe surface resistances within one power of ten in a finished product produced from the resultant admixture.

The inventive process is particularly suited for producing a conductive plastic part having a relatively high surface resistance and a discharge time from 5000 to approximately 0 volts in less than about 100 ms.

An example is now provided to further illustrate to those skilled in the art, the manner in which the invention is carried out. However, this example is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any way.

A given amount of a polyamide is mixed in an extruder of the type disclosed in the earlier-referenced German Offenlegungsschrift No. 28 38 110 with about 30% of an inert filler mineral (silica) and about 4 to 6% of a special long-chain conductive lampblack, all percentages being by weight, based on the weight of the polyamide. After proper admixing of the materials within the extruder, the electrical surface resistance of the extrudate (discharged material from the extruder) was measured and the dosage of the lampblack into the extruder was adjusted as a function of the difference between a desired electrical resistance (approximately 10.sup.10 .OMEGA./.quadrature.) and the measured value. Once an acceptable electrical resistance value was attained, a desired part was produced from this admixture and upon testing exhibited a discharge time from 5000 to approximately 0 volts in less than about 100 ms.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. For this reason, it is to be fully understood that all of the foregoing is intended to be merely illustrative and is not to be construed or interpreted as being restrictive or otherwise limiting of the present invention, excepting as it is set forth and defined in the hereto-appended claims.