PHA BLENDS

• US 20100305280A1
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CJ Cheiljedang Corporation (CJ Group)
• Original Assignee: Metabolix Incorporated
• Inventors: Whitehouse, Robert S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,928,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 525/450
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/17 containing cleaning agents A47L13/19 takes precedence ; chemical compositions C11D17/049
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/19 containing cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/02 containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/18 Polyesters or polycarbonates according to C08L67/00 - C08L69/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/04 Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 167/04 Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C09J167/06 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention relates to blends containing two or more polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), and related methods and articles.

Claims

1. A blend comprising a first PHA and a second PHA,

wherein:

the first PHA is a copolymer consisting of a comonomer I-A and a comonomer I-B;

the second PHA is a copolymer consisting of a comonomer 2-A and a comonomer 2-B;

the first PHA copolymer and the second PHA copolymer are the same copolymer, in which the ratio of comonomer 1-A;

comonomer I-B in the first PHA is different from the ratio of comonomer 2-A;

comonomer 2-B in the second PHA;

comonomer I-A and comonomer 2-A are both 3-hydroxybutyrate;

the first PHA and the second PHA are miscible; and

the first PHA has a first glass transition temperature and the second PHA has a second glass transition, wherein the difference between the first and second glass transition temperature is at least about 5°

C.

2. The blend of claim 1, wherein comonomer I-B and comonomer 2-B both are 3-hydroxypropionate, 4-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxyhexanoate, or 3-hydroxyoctanoate, 3-hydroxypropionate, 6-hydroxyhexanoate, 3-hydroxydecanoate, 3-hydroxydodecanoate, or 3-hydroxydodecenoate.

3. The blend of claim 1, wherein comonomer I-B and comonomer 2-B both are 4-hydroxybutyrate.

4. The blend of claim 1 additionally comprising a third PHA.

5. The blend of claim 1, wherein when the first PHA and the second PHA are blended and the blend is molded, the blend has a deformation angle tolerance of at least 5°

.

6. The blend of claim 1, wherein when the first PHA and the second PHA are blended and the blend is molded, the blend has a thermal deformation resistance temperature of at least 80°

C.

7. The blend of claim 1, wherein the difference between the first and second glass transition temperature is at least 10°

C.

8. The blend of claim 1, wherein the difference between the first and second glass transition temperature is at least 20°

C.

9. An article comprising at least 1 percent by weight of a PHA blend comprising a first PHA and a second PHA,

wherein:

the first PHA is a copolymer consisting of a comonomer I-A and a comonomer I-B;

the second PHA is a copolymer consisting of a comonomer 2-A and a comonomer 2-B;

the first PHA copolymer and the second PHA copolymer are the same copolymer, in which the ratio of comonomer 1-A;

comonomer I-B in the first PHA is different from the ratio of comonomer 2-A;

comonomer 2-B in the second PHA;

comonomer I-A and comonomer 2-A are both 3-hydroxybutyrate;

the first PHA and the second PHA are miscible; and

the first PHA has a first glass transition temperature and the second PHA has a second glass transition, wherein the difference between the first and second glass transition temperature is at least about 5°

C.

10. A method of preparing a PHA blend comprising blending a first PHA with a second PHA;

wherein;

the first PHA is a copolymer consisting of a comonomer I-A and a comonomer I-B;

the second PHA is a copolymer consisting of a comonomer 2-A and a comonomer 2-B;

the first PHA copolymer and the second PHA copolymer are the same copolymer, in which the ratio of comonomer 1-A;

comonomer I-B in the first PHA is different from the ratio of comonomer 2-A;

comonomer 2-B in the second PHA;

comonomer I-A and comonomer 2-A are both 3-hydroxybutyrate;

the first PHA and the second PHA are miscible; and

the first PHA has a first glass transition temperature and the second PHA has a second glass transition, wherein the difference between the first and second glass transition temperature is at least about 5°

C.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the blending is by solvent blending, emulsion blending or melt blending.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the PHA blend is prepared using solvent blending.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the solvent blending comprising:

(i) dissolving the first PHA and the second PHA in a solvent or solvent mixture;

or dissolving the first PHA and the second PHA separately in a solvent or solvent mixture and combining;

to form a blended PHA solution containing at most 50 weight percent of the first PHA and the second PHA;

(ii) applying the PHA solution to a surface to form a PHA blend solution layer on the surface; and

(iii) removing some or all of the solvent to form a PHA blend layer on the surface.