Patents by Inventor Gernot Loehr

Gernot Loehr has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20050107518
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making an aqueous dispersion of non-melt processible polytetrafluoroethylene, the method comprising: (a) an aqueous emulsion polymerization of an amount of tetrafluoroethylene to produce a final amount of polytetrafluoroethylene solids and optionally up to 1% by weight based on the amount of tetrafluoroethylene of a perfluorinated comonomer, wherein said aqueous emulsion polymerization is initiated with a free radical initiator and the polymerization is carried out in the presence of a fluorinated surfactant, and wherein before completing the feeding of said amount of tetrafluoroethylene but after feeding at least 80% by weight of said amount of tetrafluoroethylene, free radicals capable of introducing ionic end groups or precursors thereof in the polytetrafluoroethylene polymer are caused to be formed at a rate that without counter measures would cause an increase in the polymerization rate of at least 20%; (b) reducing the amount of fluorinated surfactant in the th
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Inventors: Tilman Zipplies, Klaus Hintzer, Michael Dadalas, Gernot Loehr
  • Publication number: 20050090601
    Abstract: The present invention provides an aqueous non-melt processible polytetrafluoroethylene dispersion comprising non-melt processible polytetrafluoroethylene particles in an amount between 30 and 70% by weight based on the total weight of the dispersion and one or more non-ionic surfactants and wherein at least a part of said non-melt processible polytetrafluoroethylene particles comprise polytetrafluoroethylene polymer chains having repeating units comprising ionic groups. The invention further provides a method for obtaining the dispersions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Dadalas, Klaus Hintzer, Gernot Loehr, Tilman Zipplies
  • Patent number: 6884860
    Abstract: A fluoropolymer suitable for the preparation of a fluoroelastomer. The fluoropolymer generally includes repeating units derived from the monomers tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, vinylidene fluoride, chlorotrifluoroethylene and optionally one or more repeating units from fluorinated monomers other than tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, vinylidene fluoride and chlorotrifluoroethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Harald Kaspar, Lisa P. Chen, Klaus Hintzer, Gernot Löhr, Tatsuo Fukushi, Erik Vermeulen
  • Patent number: 6867261
    Abstract: Aqueous dispersions of fluoropolymers obtained by emulsion polymerization and containing at least one fluoropolymer A) with an average particle size (number-average) of at least 200 nm and at least one fluoropolymer B) with an average particle size (number-average) of not more than 100 nm, one of components A) and B) being a thermoplastic and the other component not being processable from the melt, and the entire dispersion having a non-monomodal number distribution of particle diameter, are suitable for saturating, impregnating surfaces, for example of fibers or sheet-like articles made from fibers or porous materials, in particular for coating glass-fiber fabrics as well as for formulating metal-coating systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Hermann Blädel, Gernot Löhr, Brigitte Grossman, Gerd Grossmann
  • Patent number: 6833403
    Abstract: Fluorine-containing emulsifiers can be removed from fluoropolymer dispersions by adding to the dispersion a nonionic emulsifier, removing the fluorine-containing emulsifier by contact with an anion exchanger and separating the dispersion from the anion exchanger. The resulting dispersions can be concentrated and used for coating applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Hermann Blädel, Klaus Hintzer, Gernot Löhr, Werner Schwertfeger, Reinhard Albert Sulzbach
  • Patent number: 6825250
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process of reducing the amount of fluorinated emulsifier in an aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion by contacting the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an anion exchange resin in a non-fixed resin bed, the process comprising: (a) mixing the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an effective amount of a surfactant so as to stabilize the fluoropolymer dispersion while being contacted with the anion exchange resin; (b) contacting the aqueous fluoropolyrner dispersion with an anion exchange resin by agitating the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an effective amount of anion exchange resin for a time of less than 4 hours to reduce the amount of fluorinated emulsifier in the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion to a desired level; and (c) separating the anion exchange resin from the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Rebekka Epsch, Klaus Hintzer, Gernot Löhr, Werner Schwertfeger
  • Patent number: 6825300
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a process for making a fluoropolymer having nitrile endgroups. The process comprises a free radical polymerization of one or more fluorinated monomers in the presence of a nitrile group containing salt or a nitrile group containing pseudohalogen compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Werner M. A. Grootaert, Klaus Hintzer, Kai Helmut Lochhaas, Gernot Löhr, Franz März
  • Patent number: 6812310
    Abstract: A fluoropolymer having a reduced amount of polar end groups. The fluoropolymer is produced by free radical polymerization of fluorinated monomers and the initiation of the polymerization is carried out in the presence of a chloride salt. Polar end groups include hydroxy groups and ionized or ionizable end groups. Examples of ionized or ionizable end groups include acid groups and salts thereof such as sulfonic acid and salts thereof, —CH2—OSO3H groups, sulfates and carbonyl containing end groups such as carboxylic and carboxylate groups. Due to the presence of chloride salt at the initiation of the free radical polymerization, CF2Cl end groups are formed instead of the polar end groups. As a result, a fluoropolymer is obtained that has improved processibility and heat resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Werner M. A. Grootaert, Klaus Hintzer, Bernhard Hirsch, Harald Kaspar, Gernot Löhr, Franz März, Guy Van Gool
  • Patent number: 6794550
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for removing steam-volatile fluorinated emulsifiers in their free acid form, from aqueous fluoropolymer dispersions. The process comprises adding a nonionic emulsifier, to the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion and, at a pH-value of the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion below 5, removing steam-volatile fluorinated emulsifier by distillation until the concentration of steam-volatile fluorinated emulsifier in the dispersion reaches the desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Klaus Hintzer, Gernot Löhr, Albert Killich, Werner Schwertfeger
  • Publication number: 20040167236
    Abstract: High purity fluoropolymers are obtained by the emulsion polymerization process, removing essentially all ions and coagulating the polymer essentially without adding ions. These polymers are useful in the field of electronic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Werner M.A. Grootaert, Georg Burkard, William D. Coggio, Klaus Hintzer, Bernhard Hirsch, Robert E. Kolb, Albert Killich, Gernot Loehr
  • Publication number: 20040132927
    Abstract: The invention relates to high purity fluoropolymers and processes for making such materials. These polymers are particularly suited for applications in the semiconductor industry. The process comprises removal of unstable polymer end groups by fluorination and removal of heavy metal impurities by extraction with an aqueous acid medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Blong, Denis Duchesne, Gernot Loehr, Albert Killich, Tilman Zipplies, Ralph Kaulbach, Herbert Strasser
  • Publication number: 20040112758
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing fluoroolefins comprising perfluorinating a starting material comprising at least one carbon-bonded hydrogen by electrochemical fluorination, dissociating this separated effluent in a pyrolysis, quenching and separating the effluent to yield tetrafluoroethylene and/or hexafluoropropylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Gerald L. Bauer, Jeffrey D. Weigelt, Klaus Hintzer, Gernot Loehr, Werner Schwertfeger, Arthur A. Ponelis
  • Patent number: 6720360
    Abstract: High purity fluoropolymers are obtained by the emulsion polymerization process, removing essentially all ions and coagulating the polymer essentially without adding ions. These polymers are useful in the field of electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Werner M. A. Grootaert, Georg Burkard, William D. Coggio, Klaus Hintzer, Bernhard Hirsch, Robert E. Kolb, Albert Killich, Gernot Loehr
  • Patent number: 6713141
    Abstract: A low-molecular-weight copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene with units of perfluoro alkyl vinyl ethers having a melt index of ≧30 suitable as a mixing component with a higher-molecular-weight copolymer of the same monomers for producing moldings in injection molding or by extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Companyz
    Inventors: Ralph Kaulbach, Friedrich Kloos, Gernot Löhr, Peter Stamprech
  • Patent number: 6706193
    Abstract: Fluorinated emulsifiers can be recovered from an aqueous phase containing small amounts of fluoropolymer particles by treating the aqueous phase with a small amount of a nonionic surface-active agent, bringing the aqueous phase adjusted in this way into contact with an anionic exchanger resin, and liberating the adsorbed emulsifier from the exchanger resin. The finely divided fluoropolymer can be precipitated quantitatively in the untreated aqueous phase or the eluate using flocculating agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Georg Burkard, Klaus Hintzer, Gernot Löhr
  • Patent number: 6696526
    Abstract: A low-molecular-weight copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene with units of perfluoro alkyl vinyl ethers having a melt index of ≧30 suitable as a mixing component with a higher-molecular-weight copolymer of the same monomers for producing moldings in injection molding or by extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ralph Kaulbach, Friedrich Kloos, Gernot Löhr, Peter Stamprech
  • Patent number: 6693164
    Abstract: The invention relates to high purity fluoropolymers and processes for making such materials. These polymers are particularly suited for applications in the semiconductor industry. The process comprises removal of unstable polymer end groups by fluorination and removal of heavy metal impurities by extraction with an aqueous acid medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Blong, Denis Duchesne, Gernot Loehr, Albert Killich, Tilman Zipplies, Ralph Kaulbach, Herbert Strasser
  • Patent number: 6677414
    Abstract: Emulsion polymerization of liquid fluorinated monomers which have a boiling point above 50° C. and low water-solubility is markedly more efficient if the monomer is pre-emulsified with a nontelogenic fluorinated emulsifier in water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Klaus Hintzer, Gernot Löhr, Franz März
  • Patent number: 6642415
    Abstract: Fluorinated emulsifiers, in particular, perfluorooctanoic acid are bound to anionic exchange resins for the purification of aqueous effluent from the production of fluoropolymers. Said emulsifiers may be quantitatively eluted from the exchanger with a water-miscible organic solvent, containing a small amount of ammonia. It is of advantage to distil off the ammonia containing solvent, recycle the emulsifier to a further polymerization and recycle the ammoniacal solvent for elution. Addition of alkalis improves the elution efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephan Führer, Klaus Hintzer, Gernot Löhr, Werner Schwertfeger
  • Patent number: 6623680
    Abstract: A tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer with high drawability is provided. Also provided is a process employing the polymer and an article coated with the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ralph Kaulbach, Albert Killich, Friedrich Kloos, Gernot Loehr, Ludwig Mayer, Erik Peters, Thomas J. Blong, Denis Duchesne