Polymeric solutions, methods of manufacture thereof and articles manufactured therefrom

• US 10,358,537 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2015
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Original Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Inventors: Lesser, Alan J., Evans, Gregory Connor
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooney, John M
• Application Number:
  US14/879,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20160185930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2203/06 CO2, N2 or noble gases
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2203/08 Supercritical fluid
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2203/12 Organic compounds only containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, e.g. ketone or alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2203/18 Binary blends of expanding agents
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2371/12 Polyphenylene oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2377/02 Polyamides derived from omega-amino carboxylic acids or from lactams thereof C08J2377/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2379/08 Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2381/06 Polysulfones; Polyethersulfones
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/0023 containing oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/0066 Use of inorganic compounding ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/122 Hydrogen, oxygen, CO2, nitrogen or noble gases
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/125 Water, e.g. hydrated salts
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/142 Compounds containing oxygen but no halogen atom
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0016 Plasticisers
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/05 Alcohols; Metal alcoholates

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a composition comprising a polymer; and a superheated fluid; where at least a portion of the polymer and the superheated fluid co-exist in a single phase. Disclosed herein is a method comprising exposing a polymer to a superheated fluid; swelling at least a portion of the polymer with the superheated fluid so that the polymer and the superheated fluid co-exist in a single phase; and changing pressure or temperature within the single phase to change a property in the polymer.

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

a polymer; and

a superheated fluid and a supercritical fluid;

where the polymer and the superheated fluid co-exist in a single phase;

where the superheated fluid comprises water, alcohol, glycol ether, methane, propane, or a combination thereof;

where the supercritical fluid is carbon dioxide.

2. The composition of claim 1, where the polymer that co-exists in the single phase with the superheated fluid has a depressed glass transition temperature.

3. The composition of claim 1, where the polymer and the superheated fluid that co-exist in a single phase do so under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.

4. The composition of claim 1, where the polymer is a thermoplastic polymer, a thermosetting polymer, a blend of thermoplastic polymers, a blend of thermosetting polymers, and a blend of thermoplastic polymers with thermosetting polymers.

5. The composition of claim 1, where the polymer is a homopolymer, a copolymer, a block copolymer, an alternating copolymer, an alternating block copolymer, a random copolymer, a random block copolymer, a graft copolymer, a star block copolymer, an ionomer, a dendrimer, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing polymers.

6. The composition of claim 4, where the thermoplastic polymer is a polyacetal, a polyolefin, a polyacrylic, a polycarbonate, a polystyrene, a polyester, a polyamide, a polyamideimide, a polyarylate, a polyarylsulfone, a polyethersulfone, a polyphenylene sulfide, a polyvinyl chloride, a polysulfone, a polyimide, a polyetherimide, a polytetrafluoroethylene, a polyetherketone, a polyether etherketone, a polyether ketone ketone, a polybenzoxazole, a polyphthalide, a polyacetal, a polyanhydride, a polyvinyl ether, a polyvinyl thioether, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl ketone, a polyvinyl halide, a polyvinyl nitrile, a polyvinyl ester, a polysulfonate, a polysulfide, a polythioester, a polysulfonamide, a polyurea, a polyphosphazene, a polysilazane, a fluorinated ethylene propylene, a perfluoroalkoxyethylene, a polychlorotrifluoroethylene, a polyvinylidene fluoride, a polysiloxane, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing organic polymers.

7. The composition of claim 1, where the composition further comprises a surfactant, an ionic compound, compatibilizers, copolymers for compatibilization, additive(s) that reduce, eliminate, or mitigate polymer degradation, or a combination thereof.

8. A method comprising:

exposing a polymer to a superheated fluid and a supercritical fluid;

swelling at least a portion of the polymer with the superheated fluid so that the polymer and the superheated fluid co-exist in a single phase;

where the superheated fluid comprises water, alcohol, glycol ether, methane, propane, or a combination thereof, and where the supercritical fluid is carbon dioxide; and

changing pressure or temperature within the single phase to change a property in the polymer.

9. The method of claim 8, where the exposing is conducted in the presence of a surfactant and/or an ionic compound.

10. The method of claim 8, where the exposing is conducted in the presence of a surfactant and/or an ionic compound.

11. The method of claim 8, where the changing the pressure or temperature includes reducing the pressure or the temperature.

12. The method of claim 8, where the property is density.

13. The method of claim 8, where the property is crystallinity.