Concentrated polymeric compositions of vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9914827-B2
Application number	US-201314432907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2013
Priority date	Oct 24, 2012
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to a concentrated polymeric composition which comprises: a) vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers in an amount ranging from 10% to 90% by weight, calculated with respect to the overall composition, with respect to the overall composition, b) at least one compound containing epoxy functional groups in an amount ranging from 0.01% to 5% by weight, calculated with respect to the overall composition, with respect to the overall composition, c) at least one infrared absorbing agent, in an amount ranging from 10% to 90% by weight, calculated with respect to the overall composition, with respect to the overall composition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-extinguishing expandable composition of vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers comprising:
A) vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers in an amount equal to at least 50% by weight,
B) at least one expanding agent,
C) at least one infrared absorbing agent, that is petroleum coke, and the content of the infrared absorbing agent ranges from 0.05% by weight to 25% by weight,
D) at least one halogenated flame-retardant agent,
E) at least one compound containing epoxy functional groups characterized by a solubility in styrene, measured at a temperature of 25° C., higher than 5 g/100 g and present in a quantity not higher than 0.5% w/w selected from styrene-glycidylmethacrylate copolymers or from novolak multifunctional organophosphorus epoxy resins,

wherein the total weight percent content of all components is 100%.

2. The self-extinguishing expandable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the compound containing epoxy functional groups is selected from epoxy resins having a solubility in vinyl aromatic monomer, measured at a temperature of 25° C., higher than 20 g/100 g.

3. The self-extinguishing expandable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the petroleum coke has an ash content, measured according to the method ASTM DIN 51903, higher than 0.2% w/w and up to 5% w/w with respect to the infrared absorbing agent.

4. The self-extinguishing expandable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the flame-retardant agent is selected from hexabromocyclododecane, tetrabromobisphenol A bis-2,3 dibromopropylether or brominated styrene-butadiene copolymers.

5. The self-extinguishing expandable composition according to claim 4 , wherein the flame-retardant is tetrabromobisphenol A bis-2,3 dibromopropylether.

6. A process for the preparation in continuous mass of a self-extinguishing expandable composition according to claim 1 , said process comprising the following steps:
i. mixing the following compounds together:
a. vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers in amounts ranging from 10% to 90% by weight, with respect to the overall mixture,
b. at least one compound containing epoxy functional groups in amounts ranging from 0.01% to 5% by weight with respect to the overall mixture,
c. at least one infrared absorbing agent in amounts ranging from 10% to 90% by weight, with respect to the overall mixture,

so as to form a concentrated polymeric composition;
ii. incorporating said concentrated polymeric composition in a first stream containing vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers in the molten state, at least one flame-retardant additive and at least one expanding agent so as to form a polymeric side stream;
iii. if the vinyl aromatic polymer and/or copolymer is in granules, heating said polymer and/or copolymer to a temperature higher than the relative melting point, forming a molten stream before incorporating the flame-retardant additive and the expanding agent;
iv. incorporating said polymeric side stream together with the expanding agent, in a second polymeric stream, or main polymeric stream, containing vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers in the molten state, thus forming the self-extinguishing expandable composition.

7. A polymerization process in aqueous suspension for preparing a self-extinguishing expandable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dosage of the infrared absorbing agents is obtained by incorporation, in a polymerization mixture, of a concentrated polymeric composition comprising:
a. vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers in an amount ranging from 10% to 90% by weight, with respect to the overall composition,
b. at least one compound containing epoxy functional groups in an amount ranging from 0.01% to 5% by weight, with respect to the overall composition,
c. at least one infrared absorbing agent in an amount ranging from 10% to 90% by weight, with respect to the overall composition.

8. Expandable granules containing the self-extinguishing expandable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the compounds containing epoxy functional groups are present in an amount not exceeding 0.5% w/w and wherein the content of the infrared absorbing agent ranges from 0.05% by weight to 25% by weight.

9. Expandable granules according to claim 8 , also containing tetrabromobisphenol A bis 2,3 dibromopropylether whose content ranges from 1 to 6% by weight.

10. Expanded articles containing the self-extinguishing expandable composition according to claim 1 , having a density ranging from 5 to 50 g/l and a thermal insulation capacity, expressed by a thermal conductivity ranging from 25 mW/mK to 50 mW/mK, measured according to the standard DIN 52612.

11. The self-extinguishing expandable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the flame-retardant agent is 1,1′ (isopropylidene) bis[3,5-dibromo-4-(2,3-dibromo methyl-propoxy) benzene.

12. A self-extinguishing expandable composition of vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers comprising:
A) vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers in an amount equal to at least 50% by weight of the total composition,
B) at least one expanding agent,
C) at least one infrared absorbing agent,
D) at least one halogenated flame-retardant agent that is 1,1′ (isopropylidene) bis[3,5-dibromo-4-(2,3-dibromo methyl-propoxy) benzene, and
E) at least one compound containing epoxy functional groups characterized by a solubility in styrene, measured at a temperature of 25° C., higher than 5 g/100 g.

Assignees

• Versalis Spa

Inventors

• Ponticiello Antonio
• Arienti Attilio
• Pasquali Francesco

Classifications

• C08J2201/03

  Extrusion of the foamable blend · CPC title

• C08J9/0019

  halogenated · CPC title

• C08J9/16 Primary

  Making expandable particles · CPC title

• C08J9/224

  Surface treatment · CPC title

• C08J9/141

  Hydrocarbons · CPC title