Cellulose ester and polymeric aliphatic polyester compositions and articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11873390-B2
Application number	US-201916968718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2019
Priority date	Feb 13, 2018
Publication date	Jan 16, 2024
Grant date	Jan 16, 2024

Abstract

A cellulose ester composition is provided comprising at least one cellulose ester, at least one polymeric aliphatic polyester, at least one impact modifier, and at least one monomeric plasticizer. Processes for producing the cellulose ester compositions as well as articles made using these compositions, such as eyeglass or sunglass frames and/or lenses, are also provided.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A cellulose ester composition comprising at least one cellulose ester, at least one polymeric aliphatic polyester (PAP), at least one impact modifier and at least one monomeric plasticizer, wherein said at least one cellulose ester is chosen from cellulose propionate (CP), cellulose butyrate (CB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose propionate butyrate (CPB), cellulose tripropionate (CTP), or cellulose tributyrate (CTB);
wherein the PAP is a polymeric aliphatic polyester that comprises either residues of a C 2 to C 4 alkane diol and residues of C 4 to C 8 alkyl dicarboxylic acid, or residues of a ring-opened lactone;
wherein the monomeric plasticizer is present in an amount from 1 to 5 wt %, based on the total weight of the cellulose ester composition;
wherein said cellulose ester composition has a Tg of at least 110° C. and a notched Izod impact strength of at least 80 J/m, measured according to ASTM Method D256 at 23° C. using a 3.2 mm bar, after conditioning the bar at 23° C. and 50% RH for 48 hours.

2. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said cellulose ester composition further has both a weld-line toughness and gate toughness of at least 100 J/m.

3. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one PAP is chosen from poly(ethylene succinate) (PES), poly (butylene succinate) (PBS), poly(ethylene adipate) (PEA), poly(butylene adipate) (PBA), or mixtures thereof.

4. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one PAP is poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) or a copolymer of poly(butylene succinate) and poly(butylene adipate) (PBSA).

5. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises 65-95 wt % of said cellulose ester, 2-15 wt % of said PAP, 2-10 wt % of said impact modifier, and 1 to less than 5 wt % of said monomeric plasticizer, wherein said impact modifier is an acrylic core shell impact modifier.

6. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises 65-95 wt % of said cellulose ester, 2-10 wt % of said PAP, 2 to 10 wt % of said impact modifier, and 1 to less than 5 wt % of said monomeric plasticizer.

7. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises 65-95 wt % of said cellulose ester, 2-10 wt % of said PAP, 4 to 8 wt % of said impact modifier, and 2 to 4 wt % of said monomeric plasticizer.

8. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said cellulose ester is chosen from cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) or cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB).

9. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said PAP is PBS or PBSA having an MFR (190° C., 2.16 kg) less than 25.

10. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said PAP is PBS or PBSA having an Elongation at Break of 250% or greater.

11. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said PAP is PBS or PBSA having a polystyrene (PS) equivalent number average molecular weight (Mn) greater than 15,000.

12. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said cellulose ester is a cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) containing from about 10 to about 40% by weight propionyl.

13. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein the cellulose ester composition has a notched Izod impact strength of at least 200 J/m, measured according to ASTM Method D256 at 23° C. using a 3.2 mm bar, after conditioning the bar at 23° C. and 50% RH for 48 hours.

14. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, thermal stabilizers, mold release agents, antistatic agents, whitening agents, colorants, minerals, UV stabilizers, lubricants, nucleating agents, reinforcing fillers, glass fiber, carbon fiber, flame retardants, dyes, pigments, colorants, additional resins and combinations thereof.

15. The cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises at least one polymeric component as a blend wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of nylons; polyesters; polyamides; polystyrenes; other cellulose esters, cellulose ethers; polystyrene copolymers; styrene acrylonitrile copolymers; polyolefins; polyurethanes; acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymers; poly(methylmethacrylate); acrylic copolymers; poly(ether-imides); polyphenylene oxides; polyvinylchlorides; polyphenylene sulfides; polyphenylene sulfide/sulfones; poly(ester-carbonates); polycarbonates; polysulfones; poly lactic acid; poly butylenesuccinate; polysulfone ethers; and poly(ether-ketones) of aromatic dihydroxy compounds; and combinations thereof.

16. An article of manufacture comprising the cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 .

17. The article of manufacture according to claim 16 , wherein the article is chosen from an injection molded article, extrusion molded article, injection blow molded article, injection stretch blow molded article, extrusion blow molded article, or a compression molded article.

18. The article of manufacture according to claim 16 , wherein the article is an ophthalmic article.

19. The article of manufacture according to claim 18 , wherein the ophthalmic article is an eyeglass or sunglass frame.

20. A film or sheet comprising a cellulose ester composition according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Eastman Chem Co

Inventors

• An Haining
• Feng Wenlai
• Donelson Michael Eugene
• Pecorini Thomas Joseph

Classifications

• C08L1/14 Primary

  Mixed esters, e.g. cellulose acetate-butyrate · CPC title

• C08J5/18

  Manufacture of films or sheets · CPC title

• C08K5/005

  Stabilisers against oxidation, heat, light, ozone · CPC title

• C08L67/02

  Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds (C08L67/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C08L67/04

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