Cellulose ester composition containing bloom resistant or bio-based plasticizer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11827772-B2
Application number	US-202017118168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2020
Priority date	Dec 10, 2019
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

A polymer composition containing cellulose acetate in combination with one or more bloom resistant or bio-based plasticizers and optionally one or more bio-based polymers is described. The polymer composition is formulated so as to have properties similar to petroleum-based polymers for producing, for example, single-use biodegradable articles.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A polymer composition comprising:
a cellulose acetate;
at least one bio-based polymer; and
a bloom resistant or bio-based plasticizer that is phthalate-free, the plasticizer comprising a benzoate ester, an alkyl ketal ester, a non-petroleum hydrocarbon ester, a polycaprolactone having a number average molecular weight of 1000 or less, or mixtures thereof, wherein the cellulose acetate contains cellulose diacetate in an amount greater than about 90% by weight.

2. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer comprises a benzoate ester.

3. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer comprises glycerol tribenzoate.

4. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer comprises sucrose benzoate.

5. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer comprises an alkyl ketal ester.

6. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer comprises an alkyl ketal ester and a benzoate ester.

7. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer comprises a non-petroleum hydrocarbon ester having a specific gravity of from about 1.17 to about 1.18 when measured at 25° C.

8. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition has an elongation at break and the elongation at break of the polymer composition is about 10% or greater and about 150% or less.

9. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein one or more bio-based polymers are present in the polymer composition in an amount of about 6% or greater.

10. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the cellulose acetate is present in the composition in an amount of from about 15% to about 85% by weight and the plasticizer is present in the composition in an amount of from about 8% to about 40% by weight.

11. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the cellulose acetate consists essentially of cellulose diacetate.

12. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the bio-based polymer comprises a polyhydroxyalkanoate, a polylactic acid, a polycaprolactone having a number average molecular weight of greater than 1000, or mixtures thereof.

13. A polymer composition as defined in claim 12 , wherein the bio-based polymer comprises the polyhydroxyalkanoate, the polyhydroxyalkanoate comprising a polyhydroxybutyrate.

14. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition contains at least two bio-based polymers.

15. A polymer composition as defined in claim 14 , wherein the polymer composition contains a polylactic acid and a polyhydroxyalkanoate.

16. A polymer composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the bio-based polymer comprises poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxy valerate).

17. An article made from the polymer composition as defined in claim 1 .

18. An article as defined in claim 17 , wherein the article is a beverage holder, a drinking straw, a hot beverage pod, a container, a lid, a spoon, a fork, a knife, packaging, or an interior automotive part.

19. A medical device comprising a housing made from a polymer composition, the polymer composition comprising a cellulose acetate; at least one bio-based polymer, the at least one bio-based polymer comprising a polylactic acid, a polycaprolactone, or a polyhydroxyalkanoate; and a bloom resistant or bio-based plasticizer that is phthalate-free, the plasticizer comprising a benzoate ester, an alkyl ketal ester, a non-petroleum hydrocarbon ester, a polycaprolactone having a number average molecular weight of 1000 or less, or mixtures thereof, wherein the cellulose acetate contains cellulose diacetate in an amount greater than about 90% by weight.

20. A polymer composition comprising:
a cellulose acetate grafted with a bloom resistant or bio-based plasticizer that is phthalate-free, the plasticizer comprising a benzoate ester, an alkyl ketal ester, a non-petroleum hydrocarbon ester, a polycaprolactone having a number average molecular weight of 1000 or less, or mixtures thereof; and
at least one bio-based polymer, wherein the cellulose acetate contains cellulose diacetate in an amount greater than about 90% by weight.

Assignees

• Ticona Llc

Inventors

• Mcgrady Christopher
• Li Rongfu
• Combs Michael
• Zhang Xiaowei
• Subramonian Suresh

Classifications

• C08L1/12 Primary

  Cellulose acetate · CPC title

• C08K5/09

  Carboxylic acids; Metal salts thereof; Anhydrides thereof · CPC title

• C08K5/101

  of monocarboxylic acids · CPC title

• C08L67/04

  Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones (C08L67/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C08L2201/06

  Biodegradable · CPC title