Laser Weldable Thermoplastic Polyester Composition

• US 20110256406A1
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Farrell, Tony, Lohmeijer, Johannes Hubertus G.M.
• Application Number:
  US13/100,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20110256406A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/412
• 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 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72143 Fibres of discontinuous lengths
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73161 Roughness or rugosity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7377 amorphous, semi-crystalline or crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73771 the to-be-joined area of at least one of the parts to be joined being amorphous
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73773 the to-be-joined area of at least one of the parts to be joined being semi-crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73775 the to-be-joined area of at least one of the parts to be joined being crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• 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 2105/16 Fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/08 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2509/08 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2509/10 : Mica
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 : Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/10 : Inorganic particles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/102 : Oxide or hydroxide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2274/00 : Thermoplastic elastomer material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/206 : Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/304 : Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 : Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/538 : Roughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/54 : Yield strength; Tensile strength
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/558 : Impact strength, toughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/702 : Amorphous
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/704 : Crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/732 : Dimensional properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/20 : using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 : comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/365 : comprising polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/24 : Acids; Salts thereof C08K3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/34 : Silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/14 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/18 : Polyesters or polycarbonates according to C08L67/00 - C08L69/00; Derivatives thereof
• 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 69/005 : Polyester-carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 : Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31616 : Next to polyester [e.g., alkyd]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 : Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]

Abstract

A composition for laser welding which comprises (a) 35.5 to 80 weight percent of a non-amorphous polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate) copolymer, poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymer, and combinations thereof; (b) 10 to 24.5 weight percent of an amorphous polymer selected from a poly(ester) copolymer, a poly(ester-carbonate), or a combination thereof; and (c) 10 to 40 weight percent of a filler selected from the group consisting of talc, mica, barium sulphate, at least one form of glass, and a combination thereof. This composition is further compounded with (d) 0-5 parts by weight of an antioxidant, mold release agent, stabilizer, or a combination thereof based upon 100 parts by weight of the combination of the non-amorphous polymer, the amorphous polymer and the filler.

Claims

1. A composition for laser welding, comprising:

(a) 35.5 to 80 weight percent of a non-amorphous polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate) copolymer, poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymer, and a combination thereof;

(b) 10 to 24.5 weight percent of an amorphous polymer selected from the group consisting of a poly(ester) copolymer, a poly(ester-carbonate), and a combination thereof;

(c) 10 to 40 weight percent of a filler selected from the group consisting of talc, mica, wollastonite, barium sulfate, at least one form of glass, and a combination thereof; and

(d) 0-5 parts by weight of an antioxidant, a mold release agent, a stabilizer, or a combination thereof, based on 100 parts by weight of the combination of the non-amorphous polymer, the amorphous polymer and the filler.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein an article having a 2 mm thickness and molded from the composition has:

(i) a near infrared transmission at 960 nanometers of greater than 30 percent and

(ii) a Vicat softening temperature of at least 170°

C.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the filler is a glass fiber.

4. The composition of claim 3 wherein the amorphous polymer is a poly(ester-carbonate) comprising ester units and carbonate units.

5. The composition of claim 4 wherein the carbonate units are derived from bisphenol A, resorcinol, or a combination thereof.

6. The composition of claim 4 wherein the ester units are arylate units.

7. The composition of claim 6 wherein the arylate units are derived from optionally substituted resorcinol and isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid or isophthalic acid and terephthalic acid.

8. The composition of claim 4 wherein the amorphous polymer is a poly(isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol ester)-co-(bisphenol-A carbonate) copolymer.

9. The composition of claim 4 wherein the ester units are present as phthalate ester units derived from polymerization of a bisphenol and an aromatic dicarboxylic acid;

and the carbonate units are derived from a bisphenol.

10. The composition of claim 9 wherein the bisphenol is bisphenol A and the aromatic dicarboxylic acid is a phthalic acid.

11. The composition of claim 4 wherein the amorphous polymer is a poly(phthalate ester)-co-(bisphenol-A carbonate) copolymer.

12. The composition of claims 1-11 wherein the non-amorphous polymer is poly(ethylene terephthalate) or poly(butylene terephthalate)

13. The composition of claim 12 wherein the amorphous polymer is a poly(phthalate ester)-co-(bisphenol-A carbonate) copolymer containing at least 60% ester units.

14. The composition of claim 13 wherein the composition contains 14.5 to 23.5 weight percent of said poly(phthalate ester)-co-(bisphenol-A carbonate) copolymer.

15. The composition of claim 14 wherein the composition contains 12.5 to 32.5 weight percent of the glass fiber.

16. The composition of claim 12, further comprising at least one laser transparent colorant.

17. The composition of claims 12, further comprising 0.01 to 10 parts by weight of at least one laser absorbing colorant, based upon 100 parts by weight of the combination of the non-amorphous polymer, the amorphous polymer and the filler.

19. The composition of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) from more than 56 to less than 71 weight percent of non-amorphous polymer, and

(b) from greater than 9 to less than 25 weight percent of amorphous polymer.

21. A method of manufacturing the composition of claim 1, comprising melt blending the composition.

22. A molded article for laser welding comprising an extruded composition of claim 21.

23. A process for welding a first article comprising the composition of claim 1 to a second thermoplastic article, which is laser light absorbing, at least a portion of a surface

of the first article being in physical contact with at least a portion of a surface of the second thermoplastic article, the process comprising applying laser radiation to the first article, wherein the radiation passes through the first article and the radiation is absorbed by the second article and sufficient heat is generate to weld the first article to the second article.

24. The process of claim 23, wherein the second article comprises a

thermoplastic polymer is selected from polycarbonate, polyester,

polycarbonate copolymers, polyester copolymers, and combinations thereof.

25. A laser welded, molded article comprising:

a first layer comprising a composition of claim 1 or claim 21;

a second layer comprising a laser light absorbing thermoplastic polymer; and

a laser welded bond between the first layer and the second layer.

18. The composition of claim 18 wherein the colorant is carbon black.

20. A composition for laser welding, comprising:

(a) 43 to 76 weight percent of a polybutylene terephthalate);

(b) 11.5 to 24.5 weight percent of a poly(phthalate ester)-co-(bisphenol-A carbonate) copolymer containing at least 60% ester units; and

(c) 12.5 to 32.5 weight percent of a glass fiber.