Foamable thermoplastic compositions, thermoplastic foams and methods of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023265255-A1
Application number	US-202318113605-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2023
Priority date	Feb 23, 2022
Publication date	Aug 24, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A low-density, thermoplastic foam comprising: (a) thermoplastic polymer cells comprising cell walls forming closed cells, wherein said thermoplastic polymer comprises ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally ethylene terephthalate moieties, wherein said polymer comprises from about 1 mole % to about 100 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally at least about 1 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties; and (b) one or more HFOs having three or four carbon atoms and/or one or more HFCOs having three or four carbon atoms contained in the closed cells.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A low-density, thermoplastic foam comprising:
(a) thermoplastic polymer cells comprising cell walls forming closed cells, wherein said thermoplastic polymer consists essentially of ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally ethylene terephthalate moieties, wherein said polymer comprises from about 1 mole % to about 100 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally at least about 1 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties; and (b) one or more HFOs having three or four carbon atoms and/or one or more HFCOs having three or four carbon atoms contained in the closed cells.

2 . The low-density, thermoplastic foam of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic polymer has a crystallinity of at least about 5%.

3 . The low-density, thermoplastic foam of claim 1 wherein said polymer consists essentially of about 1 mole % to about 100 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally at least about 1 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties.

4 . The low-density, thermoplastic foam of claim 1 wherein said polymer consists essentially of about 1 mole % to about 100 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and at least about 1 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties.

5 . The low-density, thermoplastic foam of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 10,000 kg/mole and a crystallinity of at least about 5% and consists essentially of ethylene furanoate moieties and ethylene terephthalate moieties, wherein said polymer comprises from about 1 mole % to about 20 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and at least about 80 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties.

6 . The low-density, thermoplastic foam of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 10,000 kg/mole and a crystallinity of at least about 5% and consists essentially of ethylene furanoate moieties and ethylene terephthalate moieties, wherein said polymer comprises from about 0.5 mole % to about 2 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and from about 98 mole % to about 99.5 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties.

7 . The low-density, thermoplastic foam of claim 1 wherein one or more HFOs having three or four carbon atoms and/or one or more HFCOs having three or four carbon atoms comprises one or more of 1234ze(E), 1336mzz and 1233zd.

8 . The low-density, thermoplastic foam of claim 1 wherein one or more HFOs having three or four carbon atoms and/or one or more HFCOs having three or four carbon atoms consists essentially of one or more of 1234ze(E), 1336mzz(Z) and 1233zd(E).

9 . The low-density, thermoplastic foam of claim 1 wherein said closed cells contain a gas and said gas consists essentially of said one or more HFOs having three or four carbon atoms and/or one or more HFCOs having three or four carbon atoms.

10 . The low-density, thermoplastic foam of claim 1 wherein said closed cells contain a gas and said gas consists essentially of comprises one or more of 1234ze(E), 1336mzz(Z) and 1233zd(E).

11 . A method for forming a thermoplastic foam comprising:
(a) providing an extruding a foamable composition comprising:
(c) thermoplastic material consists essentially of ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally ethylene terephthalate moieties, wherein said thermoplastic material comprises from about 1 mole % to about 100 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally at least about 1 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties; and
(d) blowing agent comprising one or more HFOs having three or four carbon atoms and/or one or more HFCOs having three or four carbon atoms; and
(b) foaming said foamable composition.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein said foaming step comprises extruding said foamable composition.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein said extruding step comprises introducing said foamable composition into a commercial scale extruder.

14 . A foam formed from the method of claim 13 .

15 . A wind energy turbine comprising the foam of claim 14 .

16 . A wind energy turbine blade comprising a foam of claim 14 .

17 . A method of forming thermoplastic compositions having improved crystallinity comprising:
(d) forming a thermoplastic material comprising polymer chains containing ethylene furanoate moieties and/or ethylene terephthalate moieties; and (e) dissolving at least a portion of said thermoplastic material in a solvent wherein said thermoplastic material comprises from about 1 mole % to about 100 mole % of ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally at least about 1 mole % ethylene terephthalate moieties; and (f) distilling said solvent from said thermoplastic material.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein said solvent comprises gamma-valerolactone.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein said dissolving step comprises mixing said gamma-valerolactone at a temperature above room temperature.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein said distilling step comprises exposing said mixture to a vacuum.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Abrevaya Hayim
• Broderick Erin
• Kruglov Alexey
• Lehuta Keith
• Liu Tianyu
• Lobo Rodrigo
• Mackowiak David
• Martins Susie
• Nickl Peter
• Triezenberg Mark
• Mahmood Syed Hassan
• Bogdan Mary

Classifications

• C08J2201/03

  Extrusion of the foamable blend · CPC title

• C08J2205/052

  Closed cells, i.e. more than 50% of the pores are closed · CPC title

• C08J2367/02

  Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds; (C08J2367/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C08J2203/162

  Halogenated unsaturated hydrocarbons, e.g. H2C=CF2 · CPC title

• C08J2203/182

  of physical blowing agents, e.g. acetone and butane · CPC title