Methods for making polymer compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021108052-A1
Application number	US-202017071211-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 15, 2020
Priority date	Oct 15, 2019
Publication date	Apr 15, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for making a polymer composition comprises the steps of providing a thermoplastic polymer, providing a compatibilizing agent, providing a peroxide compound, and melt mixing the thermoplastic polymer, compatibilizing agent, and peroxide compound. The compatibilizing agent comprises an ester compound formally derived from a polyol comprising three or more hydroxy groups and an aliphatic carboxylic acid comprising one or more carbon-carbon double bonds. A masterbatch composition comprises a thermoplastic binder, a peroxide compound, and an ester compound. A concentrate composition comprises an antioxidant and an ester compound.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for making a polymer composition, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a thermoplastic polymer; (b) providing a compatibilizing agent, the compatibilizing agent comprising an ester compound formally derived from a polyol comprising three or more hydroxy groups and an aliphatic carboxylic acid comprising one or more carbon-carbon double bonds; (c) providing a peroxide compound; (d) feeding the thermoplastic polymer, the compatibilizing agent, and the peroxide compound to a melt mixing apparatus, wherein the peroxide compound is fed to the melt mixing apparatus in an amount to provide an initial concentration of about 10 to about 315 ppm of active oxygen based on the combined weight of the thermoplastic polymer, the compatibilizing agent, and the peroxide compound, and wherein the compatibilizing agent is fed to the melt mixing apparatus in an amount to provide an initial concentration of about 200 to about 10,000 ppm of the ester compound based on the combined weight of the thermoplastic polymer, the compatibilizing agent, and the peroxide compound; and (e) processing the thermoplastic polymer, the compatibilizing agent, and the peroxide compound in the melt mixing apparatus at a temperature that exceeds the melting point of the thermoplastic polymer to form a polymer composition.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a heterophasic thermoplastic polymer comprising a continuous phase and a discontinuous phase.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the continuous phase is a propylene polymer phase and the discontinuous phase is an ethylene polymer phase.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the continuous phase is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene homopolymers and copolymers of propylene and up to 50 wt. % of one or more comonomers selected from the group consisting of ethylene and C 4 -C 10 α-olefin monomers.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the discontinuous phase is selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymers and copolymers of ethylene and a comonomer selected from the group consisting of C 3 -C 10 α-olefin monomers.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the propylene content of the continuous phase is about 80 wt. % or more.

7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the ethylene content of the discontinuous phase is about 8 wt. % or more.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the ethylene content of the discontinuous phase is from about 8 wt. % to about 80 wt. %.

9 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the continuous phase is from about 5 wt. % to about 80 wt. % of the total weight of the thermoplastic polymer.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ester compound is formally derived by linking each of the hydroxy groups of the polyol with an aliphatic carboxylic acid.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyol is 2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-ethylpropane-1,3-diol.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aliphatic carboxylic acid comprises two or more carbon-carbon double bonds, and at least two of the carbon-carbon double bonds are conjugated.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aliphatic carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of C 6 -C 10 aliphatic carboxylic acids.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the aliphatic carboxylic acid is 2,4-hexadienoic acid.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ester compound is 2,2-bis[(1,3-pentadienylcarbonyloxy)methyl]butyl 2,4-hexadienoate.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the peroxide compound is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(tert-butylperoxy)hexane.

17 . A method for making a polymer composition, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a thermoplastic polymer; (b) providing a compatibilizing agent, the compatibilizing agent comprising an ester compound formally derived from a polyol comprising three or more hydroxy groups and an aliphatic carboxylic acid comprising one or more carbon-carbon double bonds; (c) providing a peroxide compound; (d) combining the thermoplastic polymer, the compatibilizing agent, and the peroxide compound to produce an intermediate composition, wherein the peroxide compound is combined with the thermoplastic polymer and the compatibilizing agent in an amount to provide about 10 to about 315 ppm of active oxygen in the intermediate composition, and wherein the compatibilizing agent is combined with the thermoplastic polymer and the peroxide compound in an amount to provide about 200 to about 10,000 ppm of the ester compound in the intermediate composition; (e) heating the intermediate composition to a temperature that exceeds the melting point of the thermoplastic polymer; (f) mixing the intermediate composition to produce a polymer composition; and (g) cooling the polymer composition to a temperature at which it solidifies.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a heterophasic thermoplastic polymer comprising a continuous phase and a discontinuous phase.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the continuous phase is a propylene polymer phase and the discontinuous phase is an ethylene polymer phase.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the continuous phase is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene homopolymers and copolymers of propylene and up to 50 wt. % of one or more comonomers selected from the group consisting of ethylene and C 4 -C 10 α-olefin monomers.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the discontinuous phase is selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymers and copolymers of ethylene and a comonomer selected from the group consisting of C 3 -C 10 α-olefin monomers.

22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the propylene content of the continuous phase is about 80 wt. % or more.

23 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the ethylene content of the discontinuous phase is about 8 wt. % or more.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the ethylene content of the discontinuous phase is from about 8 wt. % to about 80 wt. %.

25 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the continuous phase is from about 5 wt. % to about 80 wt. % of the total weight of the thermoplastic polymer.

26 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the ester compound is formally derived by linking each of the hydroxy groups of the polyol with an aliphatic carboxylic acid.

27 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the polyol is 2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-ethylpropane-1,3-diol.

28 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the aliphatic carboxylic acid comprises two or more carbon-carbon double bonds, and at least two of the carbon-carbon double bonds are conjugated.

29 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the aliphatic carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of C 6 -C 10 aliphatic carboxylic acids.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the aliphatic carboxylic acid is 2,4-hexadienoic acid.

31 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the ester compound is 2,2-bis[(1,3-pentadienylcarbonyloxy)methyl]butyl 2,4-hexadienoate.

32 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the peroxide compound is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(tert-butylperoxy)hexane.

Assignees

• Milliken & Co

Inventors

• Xu Xiaoyou
• Trenor Scott
• Keller Keith
• Peterson Joseph
• Treat Nicolas
• Yu Xinfei
• Datta Suchitra

Classifications

• C08K5/103

  with polyalcohols · CPC title

• C08K5/10

  Esters; Ether-esters · CPC title

• C08L23/12 Primary

  Polypropene · CPC title

• C08L2207/02

  Heterophasic composition · CPC title

• C08K5/1535

  Five-membered rings · CPC title