LASER-WELDABLE THERMOPLASTICS, METHODS OF MANUFACTURE, AND ARTICLES THEREOF

• US 20090130451A1
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Farrell, Tony
• Application Number:
  US11/942,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20090130451A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/411.100
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0822 using IR radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1616 Near infrared radiation [NIR], e.g. by YAG lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1635 at least passing through one of the parts to be joined, i.e. laser transmission welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1654 scanning at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1674 making use of laser diodes B29C65/167 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1677 making use of an absorber or impact modifier
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7394 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/836 Moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined, e.g. transversely to the displacement of the parts to be joined, e.g. using a X-Y table B29C66/65 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/00 Use of polyalkenes or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/00 Use of polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/08 Copolymers of styrene, e.g. AS or SAN, i.e. acrylonitrile styrene B29K2055/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/08 Polymers of acrylic acid esters, e.g. PMA, i.e. polymethylacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2059/00 Use of polyacetals , e.g. POM, i.e. polyoxymethylene or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2063/00 Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/006 : PBT, i.e. polybutylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 : Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2071/00 : Use of polyethers , e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2079/08 : PI, i.e. polyimides or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2081/06 : PSU, i.e. polysulfones; PES, i.e. polyethersulfones or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 : Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0027 : for light outside the visible spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2003/2241 : Titanium dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2003/3036 : of zinc
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/22 : of metals
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/30 : Sulfur-, selenium- or tellurium-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/005 : Stabilisers against oxidation, heat, light, ozone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 : Composite [nonstructural laminate]

Abstract

A laser-weldable composition is disclosed, comprising, based on the total weight of the laser-weldable composition, more than zero to 99.95 weight percent of a thermoplastic polymer composition; from 0.00001 to 5 weight percent of a near-infrared absorbing material; from 0.0 to 0.02 weight percent of carbon black; and from 0.05 to 20 weight percent of a white pigment.

Claims

1. A laser-weldable composition comprising, based on the total weight of the laser-weldable composition,

more than zero to 99.95 weight percent of a thermoplastic polymer composition;

from 0.00001 to 5 weight percent of a near-infrared absorbing material;

from 0.0 to 0.02 weight percent of carbon black; and

from 0.05 to 20 weight percent of a white pigment.

2. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of olefinic polymers, polyamides, polyimides, polystyrene, polyarylene ethers, polyurethanes, phenoxy resins, polysulfones, polyethers, acetal resins, polyesters, vinylic polymers, acrylics, epoxies, polycarbonates, polyester-polycarbonates, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers and combinations thereof.

3. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyester, polyamide, and combinations thereof.

4. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a selected from the group consisting of poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene terephthalate), and combinations thereof.

5. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a combination of a polycarbonate and a polyester.

6. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition comprises from 10 to 90 weight percent of a polycarbonate, from 10 to 90 weight percent of a polyester, and from 0 to 40 weight percent of an impact modifier, each based on the total weight of the thermoplastic polymer composition.

7. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition further comprises an impact modifier, wherein the impact modifier is a natural rubber, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acrylonitrile-ethylene-propylene-diene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-styrene, methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene, a styrene-acrylonitrile, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer, an ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer, an ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate copolymer, a polyethylene terephthalate-poly(tetramethyleneoxide)glycol block copolymer, a polyethylene terephthalate/isophthalate-poly(tetramethyleneoxide)glycol block copolymer, a silicone rubber, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing impact modifiers.

8. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition comprises from 40 to 60 weight percent of the polycarbonate, from 40 to 60 weight percent of the polyester, and from 1 to 20 weight percent of the impact modifier, and further wherein the polycarbonate comprises units derived from bisphenol A, the polyester is poly(butylene terephthalate), and the impact modifier is a core-shell polymer.

9. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1 wherein the near-infrared material is selected from the group consisting of polycyclic organic compounds, perylenes, metal-oxides, mixed metal-oxides, metal-complexes, metal-sulphides, metal-borides, metal-phosphates, metal-carbonates, metal-sulphates, metal-nitrides, lanthanum hexaboride, cesium tungsten oxide, indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, and combinations thereof.

10. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, wherein the near-infrared material is selected from the group consisting of lanthanum hexaboride, cesium tungsten oxide, and a combination thereof.

11. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1 wherein the near-infrared material has an average particle size of 1 to 200 nanometers.

12. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, comprising 0.1 to 15 weight percent of the white pigment, based on the total weight of the laser-weldable composition.

13. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1 wherein the white pigment has an average particle size from 0.01 to 10 micrometers.

14. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, wherein the white pigment is selected from the group consisting of a particulate titanium dioxide pigment, a particulate zinc sulfide pigment, and a combination thereof.

15. The laser-weldable composition of claim 14 wherein the composition consists essentially of no white pigments other than the titanium dioxide, the zinc oxide, or a combination thereof.

16. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1 wherein the composition contains no barium sulfate, mica, talc, or carbon black.

17. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1, comprising, based on the total weight of the laser-weldable composition,

from 75 to 99.5 weight percent of the thermoplastic polymer composition, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a polycarbonate, a polyester, or a combination thereof;

from 0.0001 to 1 weight percent of the near-infrared material; and

from 0.5 to 5 weight percent of the white pigment, wherein the white pigment is selected from particulate titanium dioxide, zinc sulfide, and a combination thereof, each wherein the laser-weldable composition comprises no other white pigment.

18. The laser-weldable composition of claim 1 comprising, based on the total weight of the laser-weldable composition,

from 75 to 99.5 weight percent of the thermoplastic polymer composition, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a polycarbonate having units derived from bisphenol A, a poly(butylene terephthalate), and a methacrylate-styrene-butadiene impact modifier;

from 0.0001 to 0.5 weight percent of the near-infrared material, wherein the near-infrared material comprises lanthanum hexaboride, cesium tungsten oxide, or a combination thereof; and

from 0.5 to 5 weight percent of the white pigment, wherein the white pigment is selected from particulate titanium dioxide, zinc sulfide, and a combination thereof, each wherein the laser-weldable composition comprises no other white pigment.

19. A method of manufacturing a laser-weldable composition, comprising melt blending the components of claim 1 to form the laser-weldable composition.

20. An article comprising the laser-weldable composition of claim 1.

21. A method of manufacture of an article, comprising forming, extruding, casting, or molding a melt of the laser-weldable composition of claim 1.

22. A laser-welded article comprising

a first laser-weldable thermoplastic component that is at least partially transmissive to near-infrared radiation wavelengths, and

a second laser-weldable component comprising the composition of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a surface of the first laser-weldable thermoplastic component is laser-welded to at least a portion of a surface of the second laser-weldable component.

23. The laser-welded article of claim 20, wherein a tensile shear strength between the first thermoplastic component and the second laser-weldable component ranges from 10 N/mm² to 50 N/mm², determined in accordance with a tensile shear test at a speed of 5 mm/minute.

24. The laser-welded article of claim 22, wherein the second laser-weldable component comprises:

from 75 to 99 weight percent of the thermoplastic polymer composition, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a polycarbonate having units derived from bisphenol A, a poly(butylene terephthalate), and a methacrylate-styrene-butadiene impact modifier;

from 0.0001 to 1 weight percent of the near-infrared material, wherein the near-infrared material is lanthanum hexaboride, cesium tungsten oxide, or a combination thereof; and

from 0.5 to 5 weight percent of the white pigment, wherein the white pigment is a titanium dioxide pigment, and wherein the second laser-weldable component comprises no other white pigment; and

,

wherein the tensile shear strength between the first thermoplastic component and the second laser-weldable component is greater than 15 N/mm², determined in accordance with tensile shear test at a speed of 5 mm/minute.

25. A method of laser-welding thermoplastic components, comprising:

contacting at least a portion of a surface of a first laser-weldable thermoplastic component that is transmissive to near-infrared radiation wavelengths, with at least a portion of a surface of a second laser-weldable thermoplastic component comprising the laser-weldable composition of claim 1;

irradiating with a near-infrared laser through the first thermoplastic component to the second thermoplastic laser-weldable component with an intensity of radiation effective to welding the first thermoplastic laser-weldable component to the second thermoplastic laser-weldable component.