Radiation curable polymers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9359499-B2
Application number	US-201213821851-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2012
Priority date	May 5, 2011
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

A polymeric matrix is melt processed with reactive monomers or oligomers that are miscible in the polymeric matrix. Upon initial melt processing and mixing, the reactive monomers or oligomers contained within the resulting polymeric matrix are cured with actinic radiation to form a polymeric alloy. The alloy of the polymeric matrix and the cured polymer possesses a non-equilibrium morphology and a surface energy that is effectively secured for a desired application and use after subsequent compounding.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A melt processable composition comprising a melt processable polymeric alloy containing a polymeric matrix and a cured polymer wherein the melt processable polymeric matrix and the cured polymer have a stable, non-equilibrium morphology.

2. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the cured polymer is derived from a precursor monomer or oligomer that is miscible in the polymeric matrix during melt processing and wherein the precursor monomer or oligomer is present in the matrix in an amount ranging from about 1 weight percent to about 90 weight percent.

3. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the cured polymer is derived from one or more monomers or oligomers selected from acylic esters, methacrylic esters, styrene, styrene derivatives, vinyl ethers, vinyl esters, vinyl pyridines, vinyl pyrolidinones, vinyl oxazoles, vinyl oxazolines, vinyl halides, acrylonitrile, acrylamide, acrylamide derivatives, oligomeric polyether, oligomeric polyester, oligomeric polysiloxanes, and oligomeric polyolefins, wherein the oligomers are functionalized with at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer.

4. A composition according to claim 3 , wherein the monomer or oligomer has at least one moiety that is ethylenically unsaturated.

5. A composition according to claim 3 , wherein the monomer or oligomer is hydrophilic, hydrophobic, or amphiphilic.

6. A composition according to claim 3 , further comprising an initiator for the derivation of the cured polymer.

7. A composition according to claim 6 , wherein the initiator is a photoinitiator and the photoiniator is benzoin, benzophenone, or thioxanthone derivatives.

8. A composition according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more antioxidants, light stabilizers, fibers, blowing agents, foaming additives, antiblocking agents, heat stabilizers, impact modifiers, biocides, compatibilizers, flame retardants, plasticizers, tackifiers, colorants, processing aids, lubricants, coupling agents, and pigments.

9. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric matrix is one or more of polyamides, polyimides, polyurethanes, polyolefins, polystyrenes, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyketones, polyureas, polyvinyl; resins, polyacrylates, and polymethylacrylates.

10. A method comprising curing by actinic radiation a portion of a melt processed polymeric matrix, wherein the polymeric matrix has a curable monomer or curable oligomer dispersed in the polymeric matrix and the polymeric matrix comprising the cured monomer or cured oligomer have a stable, non-equilibrium morphology.

11. A method comprising melt processing a polymeric matrix having a curable monomer or curable oligomer and irradiating the polymeric matrix to form a cured polymer in the polymeric matrix, wherein the melt processable polymeric matrix and the cured polymer are in a stable, non-equilibrium morphology.

12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein irradiating occurs above a T g or T m value of the polymeric matrix.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein actinic energy includes ultraviolet radiation, visible light radiation, and electronic beam radiation.

14. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising palletizing the polymeric matrix and cured polymer.

Assignees

• Cernohous Jeffrey Jacob
• Stratasys Inc

Inventors

• Cernohous Jeffrey Jacob

Classifications

• C08L67/04 Primary

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

• C08L33/06

  of esters containing only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which oxygen atoms are present only as part of the carboxyl radical · CPC title

• C08J3/28

  Treatment by wave energy or particle radiation · CPC title

• C08J3/005

  Processes for mixing polymers · CPC title

• C08J2367/04

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