Flame-retardant, cross-linked polyhydroxyalkanoate materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9732192-B1
Application number	US-201615078545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2016
Priority date	Mar 23, 2016
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

In an example, a flame-retardant, cross-linked polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material includes a first PHA material that is cross-linked to a second PHA material via a phosphorus-based cross-linker.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process comprising:
forming a mixture that includes a biorenewable vinyl-terminated fatty acid and at least one aliphatic fatty acid;
forming a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material having a vinyl-terminated side-chain from the mixture via a bacterial fermentation process;
converting a vinyl group of the vinyl-terminated side-chain to a hydroxyl group; and
chemically reacting the hydroxyl group with a phosphorus-based cross-linker to form a flame-retardant, cross-linked PHA material.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the biorenewable vinyl-terminated fatty acid is formed from a biorenewable plant oil.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the biorenewable plant oil includes castor oil, linseed oil, soybean oil, or a combination thereof.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the biorenewable vinyl-terminated fatty acid includes 10-undecenoic acid.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the phosphorus-based cross-linker includes a phosphine oxide.

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the phosphorus-based cross-linker includes dichlorophenylphosphine oxide.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroxyl group is chemically reacted with the phosphorus-based cross-linker in the presence of a catalyst.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the catalyst includes dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP).

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl group is converted to the hydroxyl group via hydroboration chemistry.

10. The process of claim 1 , further comprising forming a polymeric blend that includes the flame-retardant, cross-linked PHA material and a second polymeric material.

11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the second polymeric material includes a polylactic acid (PLA) material, a polyurethane material, a polycarbonate material, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material, a polyester material, a polyether material, or a combination thereof.

12. A flame-retardant, cross-linked polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material formed by a process comprising:
forming a mixture that includes a biorenewable vinyl-terminated fatty acid and at least one aliphatic fatty acid;
forming a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material having a vinyl-terminated side-chain from the mixture via a bacterial fermentation process;
converting a vinyl group of the vinyl-terminated side-chain to a hydroxyl group; and
chemically reacting the hydroxyl group with a phosphorus-based cross-linker to form a flame-retardant, cross-linked PHA material.

13. The flame-retardant, cross-linked PHA material of claim 12 , wherein the biorenewable vinyl-terminated fatty acid includes 10-undecenoic acid.

14. The flame-retardant, cross-linked PHA material of claim 12 , wherein the phosphorus-based cross-linker includes a phosphine oxide.

15. A flame-retardant, cross-linked polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material comprising a first PHA material that is cross-linked to a second PHA material via a phosphorus-based cross-linker, wherein the first PHA material and the second PHA material are formed from a mixture of a biorenewable vinyl-terminated fatty acid and at least one aliphatic fatty acid via a bacterial fermentation process.

16. The flame-retardant, cross-linked PHA material of claim 15 , wherein the first PHA material and the second PHA material are formed from biorenewable materials.

17. The flame-retardant, cross-linked PHA material of claim 15 , wherein the biorenewable vinyl-terminated fatty acid includes 10-undecenoic acid.

18. A polymeric blend that includes the flame-retardant, cross-linked PHA material of claim 15 and a second polymeric material.

19. The polymeric blend of claim 18 , wherein the second polymeric material includes a polylactic acid (PLA) material, a polyurethane material, a polycarbonate material, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material, a polyester material, a polyether material, or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• King Scott B
• Kobilka Brandon M
• Kuczynski Joseph
• Wertz Jason T

Classifications

• C08L85/02

  containing phosphorus · CPC title

• C08L75/04

  Polyurethanes · CPC title

• C08L71/00

  Compositions of polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain (of polyacetals C08L59/00; of epoxy resins C08L63/00; of polythioether-ethers C08L81/02; of polyether-sulfones C08L81/06); Compositions of derivatives of such polymers · CPC title

• C08G63/06

  derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids · CPC title

• C08L67/00

  Compositions of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain (of polyester-amides C08L77/12; of polyester-imides C08L79/08); Compositions of derivatives of such polymers · CPC title