Patents by Inventor Terry L. St. Clair

Terry L. St. Clair 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).

  • Patent number: 4444979
    Abstract: Novel polyphenylene ethers with imide linking units are disclosed. These polymers incorporate the solvent and thermal resistance of polyimides and the processability of polyphenylene ethers. Improved physical properties over those of the prior art are obtained by incorporating meta linked ethers and/or polyphenylene oxides into the polymer backbone. A novel process for making polymers of this type is also disclosed. The process is unique in that the expected need of high process temperatures and/or special atmospheres are eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Terry L. St. Clair, Harold D. Burks
  • Patent number: 4431792
    Abstract: The compounds are of the class of aromatic polyamides useful as matrix resins in the manufacture of composites or laminate fabrication. The process for preparing this thermoplastic-thermoset polyamide system involves incorporating a latent crosslinking moiety along the backbone of the polyamide to improve the temperature range of fabrication thereof wherein the resin softens at a relatively low temperature (.congruent.154.degree. C.) and subsequently "sets-up" or undergoes crosslinking when subjected to higher temperature (.congruent.280.degree. C.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Terry L. St. Clair, James F. Wolfe, Thomas D. Greenwood
  • Patent number: 4398021
    Abstract: A process for preparing a thermoplastic poly(imidesulfone) is disclosed. This resulting material has thermoplastic properties which are generally associated with polysulfones but not polyimides, and solvent resistance which is generally associated with polyimides but not polysulfones. This system is processable in the 250.degree.-350.degree. C. range for molding, adhesive and laminating applications. This unique thermoplastic poly(imidesulfone) is obtained by incorporating an aromatic sulfone moiety into the backbone of an aromatic linear polyimide by dissolving a quantity of a 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) in a solution of 3,3'-diaminodiphenylsulfone and bis(2-methoxyethyl)ether, precipitating the reactant product in water, filtering and drying the recovered poly(amide-acid sulfone) and converting it to the poly(imidesulfone) by heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Terry L. St. Clair, David A. Yamaki
  • Patent number: 4395540
    Abstract: A novel composition and method for increasing the use temperature of polyamides based on the incorporation of a latent crosslinking agent into the polymer backbone, wherein high temperature performance is achieved without sacrificing solubility or processability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Terry L. St. Clair, James F. Wolfe, Thomas D. Greenwood
  • Patent number: 4389504
    Abstract: A rubber-toughened addition-type polyimide composition having excellent high temperature bonding characteristics in the fully cured state and improved peel strength and adhesive fracture resistance physical property characteristics is disclosed. The process for making the improved adhesive involves preparing the rubber-containing amic acid prepolymer by chemically reacting an amine-terminated elastomer and an aromatic diamine with an aromatic dianhydride with which a reactive chain stopper anhydride has been mixed, and utilizing solvent or mixture of solvents for the reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of General Counsel-Code GP
    Inventors: Anne K. St. Clair, Terry L. St. Clair
  • Patent number: 4284461
    Abstract: A method for preparing an aluminum ion-filled polyimide adhesive wherein a meta-oriented aromatic diamine is reacted with an aromatic dianhydride and an aluminum compound in the presence of a water or lower alkanol miscible ether solvent to produce an intermediate polyamic acid; and thereafter converting the polyamic acid to the thermally stable, metal ion-filled polyimide by heating in the temperature range of 300.degree. C. to produce a flexible, high temperature adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1981
    Inventors: Robert A. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with respect to an invention of Frosch, Anne K. St. Clair, Larry T. Taylor, Terry L. St. Clair
  • Patent number: 4281102
    Abstract: An improvement of addition polyimides wherein an essentially solventless, high viscosity laminating resin is synthesized from low-cost liquid monomers. The improved process takes advantage of a reactive, liquid plasticizer such as monoethylphthalate (MEP) which is used in lieu of an alcohol solvent, and helps solve a major problem of maintaining good prepreg tack and drape, or the ability of the prepreg to adhere to adjacent plies and conform to a desired shape during the layup process. This improvement results in both longer life of the polymer prepreg and the processing of low-void laminates and appears to be applicable to all addition polyimide systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1981
    Inventors: Robert A. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with respect to an invention of Frosch, Terry L. St. Clair, John M. Butler
  • Patent number: 4233258
    Abstract: A novel addition polyimide based on the use of liquid monomers wherein the essentially solventless prepreg produced therefrom retains good drape, tack and other mechanical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1980
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Terry L. St. Clair
  • Patent number: 4180648
    Abstract: Novel aromatic crystalline polimides are disclosed that are synthesized from polyamide-acid and when heated to 200.degree. to 300.degree. C. become cyclized to afford an opaque polymer which by X-ray diffraction of the unoriented film exhibited 47 percent crystallinity. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) indicates a melt at 425.degree. C. with no glass transition in these crystalline polyimides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1979
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Terry L. St. Clair, Anne K. St. Clair
  • Patent number: 4166170
    Abstract: A novel addition polyimide based on the use of liquid monomers wherein the essentially solventless prepreg produced therefrom retains good drape, tack and other mechanical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1979
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Terry L. St. Clair
  • Patent number: 4065345
    Abstract: A process of preparing aromatic polyamide-acids for use as adhesives by reacting an aromatic dianhydride to an approximately equimolar amount of an aromatic diamine in a water or lower alkanol miscible ether solvent and wherein the polyamide-acids are converted to polyimides by heating to the temperature range of 200.degree. - 300.degree. C. and wherein the polyimides are thermally stable and insoluble in ethers and other organic solvents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1977
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Donald J. Progar, Vernon L. Bell, Terry L. St. Clair