METHOD OF INTEGRALLY BONDING A RADIATION SHIELDING AND THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE GASKET TO A SURFACE AND ARTICLE FABRICATED BY SAME

摘要

The invention pertains to radiation-shielding gaskets. Gaskets which are bonded to surfaces by separate adhesive layers permit electromagnetic radiation to pass between the gasket and the surface. The invention uses a bonding agent within the gasket material which permits the gasket to be directly bonded to the surface. A method of making the shielding gasket integral with a surface comprises the steps of (a) preparing a gasket material consisting of a mixture of an elastomer, a conductive filler, a catalyst and a bonding agent; (b) filling a mold with the gasket material; (c) covering the mold with a surface chosen to be bonded to the gasket; and (d) curing the gasket material in contact with the surface to utilize the bonding agent to bond the gasket material to the chosen surface. The article fabricated by this method comprises a gasket (18b), consisting of a mixture of an elastomer (26), a conductive filler (30) and a bonding agent (28), bonded to a surface (38) by the bonding agent during curing and having the particles comprising the conductive filler held in physical contact with the surface and with one another by the elastomer to which the particles are bonded.