Fast crystallizing polyester compositions

• US 20060009580A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Toshikazu, Molitor, Michael J., Alms, Gregory R., Croft, Neil J. Sr., Stegen, Helga, Gruner, Christian, Brissot, Claire
• Application Number:
  US11/062,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20060009580A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 525/165
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/013 Fillers, pigments or reinforcing additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0016 Plasticisers
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/103 with polyalcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 101/00 Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 101/06 containing oxygen atoms C08L101/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/12 containing additives being liquid crystalline or anisotropic in the melt
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0869 Acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/18 Polyesters or polycarbonates according to C08L67/00 - C08L69/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/068 containing glycidyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 63/00 Compositions of epoxy resins; Compositions of derivatives of epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/00 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 Class Codes: C08L 67/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/025 containing polyether sequences

Abstract

Fast crystallizing polyester compositions comprise a semicrystalline isotropic polyester, and specified amount of a liquid crystalline polymer, a solid particulate material, and a plasticizer for the isotropic polyester. These compositions generally crystallize faster and/or more extensively and/or at lower temperatures than the corresponding compositions without these ingredients present. The compositions are especially useful for molded and extruded parts.

Claims

1. A composition, comprising,

(a) at least 35 weight percent of a semicrystalline isotropic polyester with a melting point of about 100°

C. or higher;

(b) about 0.1 to about 40 weight percent of a liquid crystalline polymer whose melting point is at least 50°

C. higher than a cold crystallization point of said isotropic polyester, or if said isotropic polyester has no cold crystallization point, said melting point of said liquid crystalline polymer is about 150°

C. or higher;

(c) 0.0 to about 60 weight percent of a solid particulate material; and

(d) about 0.2 to about 15 weight percent of a plasticizer for said isotropic polyester;

wherein the weight percentages of (a) and (c) are based on the weight of total composition, and the weight percentages of (b) and (d) are based on the weight of (a) in said composition.

2. The composition as recited in claim 1 wherein said isotropic polyester has a melting point of about 200°

or more.

3. The composition as recited in claim 1 wherein said isotropic polyester consists essentially of repeat units derived from one or more of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid and 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, and repeat units derived from one or more of HO(CH₂)_nOH, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, HO(CH₂CH₂O)_mCH₂CH₂OH, and HO(CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂O)_zCH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂OH, wherein n is an integer of 2 to 10, m is an average of 1 to 4, and z is an average of about 7 to about 40.

4. The composition as recited in claim 1 wherein said isotropic polyester is poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(1,3-propylene terephthalate), poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate), or poly(1,4-cylohexyldimethylene terephthalate).

5. The composition as recited in claim 1 wherein said plasticizer is about 3.0 to about 10 weight percent of said isotropic polyester.

6. The composition as recited in claim 1 wherein said plasticizer has the formula R¹CO₂R²O_wCR¹ wherein each R¹ is hydrocarbyl and each R² is alkylene optionally substituted with one or more ether groups and containing 2 to 30 carbon atoms.

7. The composition as recited in claim 1 wherein said liquid crystalline polymer is about 1.0 to about 10 weight percent of said isotropic polyester.

8. The composition as recited in claim 1 wherein said solid particulate material is about 5 to about 50 weight percent of said total composition.

9. The composition as recited in claim 1 additionally comprising a polymeric toughening agent containing one or more types of functional groups.

10. The composition as recited in claim 9 wherein said functional group is epoxy or carboxylic anhydride.

11. The composition as recited in claim 9 wherein said functional group is epoxy.

12. The composition as recited in claim 11 wherein said polymeric toughening agent comprises repeat units derived from an epoxy containing (meth)acrylate and ethylene.

13. The composition as recited in claim 1 which additionally comprises an epoxy compound or resin.

14. The composition as recited in claim 1 which contains less than 25 free metal cation.

15. An appearance part comprising the composition of claim 1.

16. The appearance part as recited in claim 15 which is pigmented.

17. The appearance part as recited in claim 15 which is coated.

18. The appearance part as recited in claim 15 which is an automotive body panel, appliance part, power tool housing, electronic cabinet or housing, exterior or interior panel for a vehicle, decorative interior panel for a building, furniture, or telephones or telephone equipment comprising the composition of claim 1.

19. A process for the formation of a shaped part from an isotropic polyester, comprising, cooling a composition from a temperature above a melting point of said isotropic polyester to a temperature below said melting point, wherein said composition comprises:

(a) at least 35 weight percent of a semicrystalline isotropic polyester with a melting point of about 100°

C. or higher;

(b) about 0.1 to about 40 weight percent of a liquid crystalline polymer whose melting point is at least 50°

C. higher than a cold crystallization point of said isotropic polyester, or if said isotropic polyester has no cold crystallization point, said melting point of said liquid crystalline polymer is about 150°

C. or higher;

(c) 0.0 to about 60 weight percent of a solid particulate material; and

(d) about 0.2 to about 15 weight percent of a plasticizer for said isotropic polyester;

wherein the weight percentages of (a) and (c) are based on the weight of total composition, and the weight percentages of (b) and (d) are based on the weight of (a) in said composition.

20. The process as recited in claim 19 wherein said isotropic polyester has a melting point of about 200°

or more.

21. The process as recited in claim 19 wherein said isotropic polyester consists essentially of repeat units derived from one or more of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid and 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, and repeat units derived from one or more of HO(CH₂)_nOH, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, HO(CH₂CH₂O)_mCH₂CH₂OH, and HO(CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂O)_nCH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂OH, wherein n is an integer of 2 to 10, m is an average of 1 to 4, and z is an average of about 7 to about 40.

22. The process as recited in claim 19 wherein said isotropic polyester is poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(1,3-propylene terephthalate), poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate), or poly(1,4-cylohexyldimethylene terephthalate).

23. The process as recited in claim 19 wherein said plasticizer is about 3.0 to about 10 weight percent of said isotropic polyester.

24. The process as recited in claim 19 wherein said liquid crystalline polymer is about 1.0 to about 10 weight percent of said isotropic polyester.

25. The process as recited in claim 19 wherein said solid particulate material is about 5 to about 50 weight percent of said total composition.

26. The process as recited in claim 19 additionally comprising a polymeric toughening agent containing one or more types of functional groups.

27. The process as recited in claim 26 wherein said functional group is epoxy.

28. The process as recited in claim 27 wherein said polymeric toughening agent comprises repeat units derived from an epoxy containing (meth)acrylate and ethylene.

29. The process as recited in claim 19 which contains less than 25 free metal cation.