Polymer powder and method for preparing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017291986-A1
Application number	US-201515515583-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Sep 29, 2014
Publication date	Oct 12, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is a polymer powder having an average particle diameter of 20 μm to 300 μm, with a particle diameter of less than 10 μm of 10 mass % or less, and a particle diameter of greater than 300 μm of 10 mass % or less. Further, disclosed is a method for preparing a polymer powder, comprising: forming a melt of a polymer; introducing a supercritical fluid into the melt of the polymer to form a mixed composition; and spraying the mixed composition to prepare the polymer powder.

First claim

1 . A polymer powder having an average particle diameter of 20 μm to 300 μm, with a particle diameter of less than 10 μm of 10 mass % or less, and a particle diameter of greater than 300 μm of 10 mass % or less.

2 . The polymer powder of claim 1 , wherein the polymer powder comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), high impact polystyrene (HIPS), polyethylene oxide (PEO), polyethylene carbonate (PEC), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), and combinations thereof.

3 . The polymer powder of claim 1 , wherein the polymer powder has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from 10,000 to 300,000.

4 . The polymer powder of claim 1 , wherein the polymer powder has an angle of repose of less than 45 degrees.

5 . A method for preparing a polymer powder, comprising:
forming a melt of a polymer; introducing a supercritical fluid into the melt of the polymer to form a mixed composition; and spraying the mixed composition to prepare the polymer powder.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the melt of the polymer is formed by melting the polymer at 100° C. to 290° C.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of forming the mixed composition comprises introducing the supercritical fluid into the melt of the polymer and then pressurizing to disperse the supercritical fluid in the melt of the polymer.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of forming the mixed composition comprises introducing the supercritical fluid into the melt of the polymer and then pressurizing to a pressure of 50 bars to 500 bars.

9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the mixed composition is formed by introducing 5 to 15 parts by weight of the supercritical fluid based on 100 parts by weight of the melt of the polymer.

10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the supercritical fluid comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, helium, nitrogen, methane, ethane, propane, ethylene, propylene, methylene, and combinations thereof

11 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the mixed composition has a viscosity of 10 −3 Pa·s to 10 3 Pa·s.

12 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of spraying the mixed composition to prepare a polymer powder comprises spraying the mixed composition through a nozzle having an average diameter of 0.01 to 3.0 mm.

13 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of spraying the mixed composition to prepare a polymer powder comprises cooling the mixed composition at −30° C. to 30° C. simultaneously with spraying.

14 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the difference in weight average molecular weight (Mw) between the polymer and the polymer powder is 200,000 or less.

15 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the difference in thermal decomposition temperature between the polymer and the polymer powder is 50° C. or less.

Assignees

• Lg Hausys Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Kyoung-Min
• Kang Sung-Yong
• Shin Jun-Beom
• Hwang Deok-Ryul

Classifications

• C08J2300/22

  Thermoplastic resins · CPC title

• C08J3/122 Primary

  Pulverisation by spraying · CPC title

• C08J2367/04

  Polyesters derived from hydroxy carboxylic acids, e.g. lactones (C08J2367/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C08L101/00

  Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds · CPC title

• C08G63/08 Primary

  Lactones or lactides · CPC title