Flushable fiber compositions comprising modified polypropylene and modified poly (ethylene oxide) and process for making the same

• US 20020022691A1
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David M. Schertz, James H. Wang
• Original Assignee: David M. Schertz, James H. Wang
• Inventors: Wang, James H., Schertz, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,673,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 525/64
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/225 Mixtures of macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/62 Compostable, hydrosoluble or hydrodegradable materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/14 of esters containing halogen, nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen atoms in addition to the carboxy oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/18 Homopolymers or copolymers of nitriles
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/22 Homopolymers or copolymers of nitriles containing four or more carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 35/02 Homopolymers or copolymers of esters C08L35/06, C08L35/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 35/04 Homopolymers or copolymers of nitriles C08L35/06, C08L35/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/06 grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/08 grafted on to macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/02 Polyalkylene oxides
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/06 from polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/46 of polyolefins
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2927 including structurally defined particulate matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2931 Fibers or filaments nonconcentric [e.g., side-by-side or eccentric, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3163 Islands-in-sea multicomponent strand material

Abstract

A fiber composition which comprises a blend of modified polypropylene and modified poly(ethylene oxide). This fiber composition can be melt-processed to make fibers useful in flushable personal care products. A process for making this fiber composition is also provided.

Claims

1. A fiber composition comprising modified polypropylene and modified poly(ethylene oxide).

2. A fiber composition as defined by claim 1 wherein the ratio of modified polypropylene:

modified poly(ethylene oxide) is from 1;

99 to 99;

1 by weight.

3. A fiber composition as defined by claim 1 wherein the composition contains from about 0.1 to about 30 percent, based on the total weight of the modified polypropylene and modified poly(ethylene oxide), of a grafted polar vinyl monomer.

4. A fiber composition as defined by claim 3 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylates, poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether metharcrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) acrylates, poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether acrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylates with terminal hydroxyl groups, acrylic acid, maleic anhydride, itaconic acid, sodium acrylate, 3-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, acrylamide, glycidyl methacrylate, 2-bromoethyl acrylate, carboxyethyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, 2-chloroacrylonotrile, 4-chlorophenyl acrylate, 2-cyanoethyl acrylate, glycidyl acrylate, 4-nitrophenyl acrylate, pentabromophenyl acrylate, poly(propylene glycol) methacrylate, poly(propylene glycol) acrylate, 2-propene-1-sulfonic acid and its sodium salt, 2-sulfoethyl methacrylate, 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate, 3-sulfopropyl acrylate or mixtures thereof.

5. A fiber composition as defined by claim 4 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

6. A fiber composition as defined by claim 4 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is a poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate.

7. A fiber composition as defined by claim 4 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate.

15. A fiber made from a fiber composition as defined by claim 1.

8. A flushable personal care product comprising a fiber composition comprising modified polypropylene and modified poly(ethylene oxide).

9. A flushable personal care product as defined by claim 8 wherein the ratio of modified polypropylene:

modified poly(ethylene oxide) is from 1;

99 to 99;

1 by weight.

10. A flushable personal care product as defined by claim 8 wherein the composition contains from about 0.1 to about 30 percent, based on the total weight of the modified polypropylene and modified poly(ethylene oxide), of a grafted polar vinyl monomer.

11. A flushable personal care product as defined by claim 10 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylates, poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether metharcrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) acrylates, poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether acrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylates with terminal hydroxyl groups, acrylic acid, maleic anhydride, itaconic acid, sodium acrylate, 3-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, acrylamide, glycidyl methacrylate, 2-bromoethyl acrylate, carboxyethyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, 2-chloroacrylonotrile, 4-chlorophenyl acrylate, 2-cyanoethyl acrylate, glycidyl acrylate, 4-nitrophenyl acrylate, pentabromophenyl acrylate, poly(propylene glycol) methacrylate, poly(propylene glycol) acrylate, 2-propene-1-sulfonic acid and its sodium salt, 2-sulfoethyl methacrylate, 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate, 3-sulfopropyl acrylate or mixtures thereof.

12. A flushable personal care product as defined by claim 11 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

13. A flushable personal care product as defined by claim 11 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is a poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate.

14. A flushable personal care product as defined by claim 11 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate.

16. A wettable modified polypropylene microfiber formed by washing in water a fiber as defined by claim 15.

18. A fiber as defined by claim 17 wherein the modified polypropylene microfibers have a diameter of 1 micron or less.

20. A fiber as defined by claim 19 wherein the modified poly(ethylene oxide) microfibers have a diameter of 1 micron or less.

17. A fiber comprising modified polypropylene microfibers in a continuous phase of modified poly(ethylene oxide).

19. A fiber comprising modified poly(ethylene oxide) microfibers in a continuous phase of modified polypropylene.

21. A reactive blending process for the manufacture of a fiber composition, wherein the process comprises modifying polypropylene and poly(ethylene oxide), in the presence of a polar vinyl monomer and a free radical initiator, under heat and mechanical shear conditions, and wherein:

A. the ratio of polypropylene;

poly(ethylene oxide) is from 1;

99 to 99;

1 by weight;

B. the polypropylene has a melt flow rate of about 0.1 to 500 grams/10 minutes at 230°

C.;

C. the poly(ethylene oxide) has a molecular weight of about 100,000 to about 8,000,000 grams/mole;

D. from about 0.1 to about 30 percent, based on the total weight of the polypropylene and poly(ethylene oxide), of a polar vinyl monomer is added; and

E. from about 0.1 to about 2 percent, based on the total weight of the polypropylene and poly(ethylene oxide), of a free radical initiator is added.

22. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 21 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is grafted to polypropylene and poly(ethylene oxide).

23. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 21 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylates, poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether metharcrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) acrylates, poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether acrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylates with terminal hydroxyl groups, acrylic acid, maleic anhydride, itaconic acid, sodium acrylate, 3-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, acrylamide, glycidyl methacrylate, 2-bromoethyl acrylate, carboxyethyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, 2-chloroacrylonotrile, 4-chlorophenyl acrylate, 2-cyanoethyl acrylate, glycidyl acrylate, 4-nitrophenyl acrylate, pentabromophenyl acrylate, poly(propylene glycol) methacrylate, poly(propylene glycol) acrylate, 2-propene-1-sulfonic acid and its sodium salt, 2-sulfoethyl methacrylate, 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate, 3-sulfopropyl acrylate or mixtures thereof.

24. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 23 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

25. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 23 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is a poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate.

26. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 23 wherein the polar vinyl monomer is poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate.

27. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 21 wherein the free radical initiator is a compound containing an O—

O, S—

S or N═

N bond.

28. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 21 wherein the free radical initiator is an alkyl, dialkyl, diaryl or arylalkyl peroxide;

an acyl peroxide;

a hydroperoxide;

a perester;

a peroxyester;

an alkylsulfonyl peroxide;

a dialkyl peroxymonocarbonate;

a dialkyl peroxydicarbonate;

a diperoxyketal;

a ketone peroxide;

an azo compound;

or mixtures thereof.

29. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 28 wherein the free radical initiator is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t-butylperoxy) hexane.

30. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 21 wherein the process is conducted at a temperature of at least the melting point of polypropylene but below the decomposition temperature of either polypropylene or poly(ethylene oxide).

31. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 30 wherein the temperature is from about 170°

C. to about 240°

C.

32. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 30 wherein the temperature is from about 180°

C. to about 220°

C.

33. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 21 wherein the process is conducted in a continuous reaction vessel.

34. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 33 wherein the continuous reaction vessel is an extruder having at least one screw.

35. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 33 wherein the continuous reaction vessel is a twin screw extruder.

36. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 33 wherein the polypropylene, poly(ethylene oxide), polar vinyl monomer and free radical initiator are added simultaneously to the continuous reaction vessel.

37. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 33 wherein the polypropylene and poly(ethylene oxide) are first melted and then mixed with a mixture of the polar vinyl monomer and free radical initiator in the continuous reaction vessel.

38. A reactive blending process as defined by claim 33 wherein the polypropylene and poly(ethylene oxide) are first melted, then mixed with the polar vinyl monomer and the free radical initiator is subsequently added to the mixture.