Long fiber-reinforced propylene composition for use in a thin part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10982059-B2
Application number	US-201815865305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2018
Priority date	Jan 10, 2017
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A fiber-reinforced polymer composition that comprises a polymer matrix that contains a propylene polymer is provided. The polymer matrix constitutes from about 30 wt. % to about 80 wt. % of the composition, and a plurality of long reinforcing fibers that are distributed within the polymer matrix. The fibers constitute from about 20 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of the composition. The polymer composition exhibits a spiral flow length of about 450 millimeters or more as determined in accordance with ASTM D3123-09, and after aging at a temperature of 150° C. for 1,000 hours, a Charpy unnotched impact strength greater than about 15 kJ/m2 as determined at a temperature of 23° C. in accordance with ISO Test No. 179-1:2010.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber-reinforced polymer composition having a longitudinal direction, the composition comprising:
a polymer matrix that contains a propylene, wherein the polymer matrix constitutes from about 30 wt. % to about 80 wt. % of the composition; and
a plurality of long reinforcing glass fibers that are distributed within the polymer matrix in a manner such that the fibers are spaced apart and oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the composition, wherein the fibers constitute from about 20 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of the composition, wherein the polymer composition exhibits a spiral flow length of about 450 millimeters or more as determined in accordance with ASTM D3123-09, and further wherein after being aged at 150° C. for 1,000 hours, the composition exhibits a Charpy unnotched impact strength greater than about 15 kJ/m 2 as determined at a temperature of 23° C. in accordance with ISO Test No. 179-1:2010.

2. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene polymer has a melt flow index of about 150 grams per 10 minutes or more as determined in accordance with ISO 1133-1:2011 at a load of 2.16 kg.

3. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene polymer has a melt flow index of about 180 grams per 10 minutes or more as determined in accordance with ISO 1133-1:2011 at a load of 2.16 kg and temperature of 230° C.

4. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the fibers have a median length of about 1 millimeter or more and constitute from about 20 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of the composition.

5. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix contains a propylene homopolymer, propylene/α-olefin copolymer, or a combination thereof.

6. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is formed by a process that includes melt blending a propylene polymer with a chain-scission agent to form a high flow propylene polymer having a melt flow index of about 150 grams per 10 minutes or more as determined in accordance with ISO 1133-1:2011 at a load of 2.16 kg and temperature of 230° C., extruding the high flow propylene polymer through an impregnation die, and pulling a plurality of fibers through the impregnation die for contact with the polymer to form the fiber-reinforced composition.

7. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 6 , wherein the chain-scission agent includes an organic peroxide.

8. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 6 , wherein the chain-scission agent is present in an amount of from about 0.001 wt. % to about 0.5 wt. %, based on weight of the propylene polymer.

9. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 6 , wherein the composition comprises an additional propylene polymer that is blended with the fiber-reinforced composition.

10. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is in the form of a pellet and the fibers are oriented in a longitudinal direction of the pellet.

11. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition exhibits a Charpy unnotched impact strength greater than about 15 kJ/m 2 as determined at a temperature of −30° C. in accordance with ISO Test No. 179-1:2010.

12. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the Charpy unnotched impact strength after aging to the Charpy unnotched impact strength prior to aging is about 0.6 or more.

13. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition exhibits a tensile strength of from about 20 to about 300 MPa, a tensile break strain of about 0.5% or more, and/or a tensile modulus of from about 3,500 MPa to about 20,000 MPa, as determined in accordance with ISO Test No. 527-1:2012 at 23° C.

14. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein after aging at a temperature of 150° C. for 1,000 hours, the composition exhibits a tensile strength of from about 20 to about 300 MPa as determined at a temperature of 23° C. in accordance with ISO Test No. 527-1:2012.

15. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition exhibits a flexural strength of from about 50 to about 500 MPa and/or a flexural modulus of from about 2000 MPa to about 20,000 MPa, as determined in accordance with ISO Test No. 178:2010 at 23° C.

16. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein after aging at a temperature of 150° C. for 1,000 hours, the composition exhibits a flexural strength of from about 50 to about 500 MPa as determined at a temperature of 23° C. in accordance with ISO Test No. 178:2010.

17. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 16 , wherein the ratio of the flexural strength of the part after aging to the flexural strength prior to aging is about 0.6 or more.

18. A shaped part having a wall thickness of about 2 millimeters or less that comprises the fiber-reinforced composition of claim 1 .

19. The shaped part of claim 18 , wherein the part is injection molded.

20. The shaped part of claim 19 , wherein the part is formed with an injection pressure of about 750 bar or less.

21. An automotive part comprising the fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 .

22. The automotive part of claim 21 , wherein the automotive part is an exterior automotive part.

23. The automotive part of claim 22 , wherein the exterior automotive part is a fan shroud, sunroof system, door panel, front end module, side body panel, underbody shield, bumper panel, cladding, cowl, spray nozzle body, capturing hose assembly, pillar cover, rocker panel, or a combination thereof.

24. The automotive part of claim 21 , wherein the part is an interior automotive part.

25. The automotive part of claim 24 , wherein the part is a pedal module, instrument panel, arm rest, console, seat structure, interior module, lift gate, interior organizer, step assist, ash tray, glove box, gear shift lever, or a combination thereof.

26. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition exhibits a flexural modulus of from about 2,000 MPa to 10,000 MPa as determined in accordance with ISO Test No. 178:2010 at a temperature of 23° C.

27. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 26 , wherein the composition further exhibits a flexural strength of from about 50 to about 500 MPa as determined in accordance with ISO Test No. 178:2010 at a temperature of 23° C.

28. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition exhibits a tensile strength of from about 40 to about 300 MPa as determined in accordance with ISO Test No. 527-1:2012 at a temperature of 23° C.

29. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 28 , wherein the composition exhibits a tensile strength after aging at 150° C. for 1,000 hours, wherein the ratio of the aged tensile strength to the tensile strength prior to aging is about 0.6 or more, as determined in accordance with ISO Test No. 527-1:2012 at a temperature of 23° C.

30. The fiber-reinforced polymer composition of claim 28 , wherein the composition further exhibits a tensile break strain of about 0.5% or more and a tensile modulus of from about 3,500 MPa to about 20,000 MPa, as determined in accordance with ISO Test No. 527-1:2012 at a temperature of 23° C

Assignees

• Celanese Int Corp

Inventors

• Kanuteh Jimmy
• Dehe Markus
• Schoenwald-Otten Uta
• Stuermer Juergen
• Kenny Paul
• Tibor Timothy L

Classifications

• C08J5/10

  characterised by the additives used in the polymer mixture · CPC title

• C08J2423/12

  Polypropene · CPC title

• C08J2423/14

  Copolymers of propene (C08J2423/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C08K7/14

  Glass · CPC title

• C08L2314/06

  Metallocene or single site catalysts · CPC title