Process for recyling colored thermoplastic molded articles
First Claim
1. A process for recycling a thermoplastic molded article comprising:
- a) providing a thermoplastic molded article incorporating as colorant at least one thermolabile sublimable colorant;
b) subjecting the material of the molded article to elevated temperature conditions for a period of time sufficient to extract at least some of the thermolabile sublimable colorant and form an at least partially color modified composition; and
c) recovering the color modified composition for further recycling steps.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A colorant additive composition is described as well as its use for addition to thermoplastic molding compositions, for example thermoplastic molding compositions comprising polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate. The colorant additive composition comprises at least one thermolabile sublimable colorant. The colorant additive composition is suitable for use in thermoplastic molding compositions for making, for example, bottles which can be recycled by a recycling process which includes the step of subjecting the recycled material to elevated temperature conditions for a period of time sufficient to cause a desirable change of color by extraction of at least some of the thermolabile sublimable colorant, which extracted colorant may be recovered for re-use.
44 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A process for recycling a thermoplastic molded article comprising:
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a) providing a thermoplastic molded article incorporating as colorant at least one thermolabile sublimable colorant;
b) subjecting the material of the molded article to elevated temperature conditions for a period of time sufficient to extract at least some of the thermolabile sublimable colorant and form an at least partially color modified composition; and
c) recovering the color modified composition for further recycling steps. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A process for making a useful article which comprises:
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(A) providing a thermoplastic molding composition;
(B) admixing with the thermoplastic molding composition at least one thermolabile sublimable colorant material to form a colored thermoplastic molding composition;
(C) forming a colored molded article by a procedure including heating the colored thermoplastic molding composition and molding said hot composition into a molded article;
(D) after use of the molded article, subjecting the material of the molded article to recycling steps which include subjecting the material of the molded article to elevated temperature conditions for a period of time sufficient to cause said material of the molded article to undergo a desirable change of color as a result of sublimation and migration to the atmosphere of the colorant material; and
(E) re-forming the thus treated material into a useful article. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A process for making an article from a colored thermoplastic molding composition which comprises:
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(I) providing a colored thermoplastic molding composition comprising recycled colored thermoplastic material, said recycled colored thermoplastic material containing at least one thermolabile sublimable colorant material;
(II) subjecting the colored thermoplastic molding composition to elevated temperature conditions for a period of time sufficient to extract at least some of the thermolabile sublimable colorant and form an at least partially color modified composition; and
(III) extruding the resulting at least partially color modified composition to form said article. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification