Plastic material combined with stainless-steel fibers and molded under heat and pressure into a desired configuration is both soft enough to deform under a load and resilient enough to return to its original shape when the load is removed

Smirra, J. R.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

December 1965	 Brief 65-10374 
NASA TECH BRIEF H 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued by the Technology Utilization Division to summarize specific 
technical innovations derived from the space program. Copies are available to the public from 
the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical information, Springfield, Virginia, 22151. 
Plastic Plus Stainless-Steel Fibers Make Resilient, Impermeable Material 
The problem: In the area of seals, packing, and cer-
tain bearing applications it is desirable to have com-
ponents that are soft enough to deform under load but 
resilient enough to return to original configuration 
when load is removed. Normally, plastics that fulfill 
the first requirement suffer from permanent deforma-
tion under load. 
The solution: A material that is made by combining 
plastic material with stainless-steel fibers and forming 
any desired configuration by molding the material 
under heat and pressure. 
How it's done: Stainless-steel fibers, preferably in 
crinkled-ribbon form, between 1/8- and 1/4-inch long 
are combined with tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon 
resin, kneaded, oven-dried, unraveled, cold-pressed 
and then molded into the desired size and shape under 
heat and pressure. 
Notes: 
I. Proportion of stainless-steel fibers may be varied 
from 10% to 90% by weight with respect to the resin 
to cover a wide range of applications.
2. Mixing may be either a dry process or by liquid dis-
persion. 
3. The composite material is substantially imperme-
able to all liquids and most gases. Addition of gold 
flakes to the mixture will minimize slow seepage of 
gases such as N204. 
4. Addition of brcnze or silver powder, particularly 
near the surface, enhances the material for use in 
bearing applications. 
Patent status: Title to this invention has been waived 
under the provisions of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Act (42 U.S.C. 2457 (f)), to TRW Space Tech-
nology Laboratories, One Space Park, Redondo Beach, 
California.
Source: Johannes R. Smirra of TRW Space
Technology Laboratories under contract to 
Western Operations Office 
(WOO-246) 
Categories 03, 05 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship- of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned fights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19650000371 2020-03-11T17:24:32+00:00Z


Plastic plus stainless-steel fibers make resilient, impermeable material

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server