EXPANDABLE VINYL AROMATIC POLYMERS

• US 20140001394A1
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy SA (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy SA (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Nowe, Stphane, Lodefier, Phhilippe, Urbanczyk, Laetitia
• Granted Patent: US 9,169,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/62
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2325/04 Homopolymers or copolymers of styrene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/0066 Use of inorganic compounding ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/78 Heat insulating elements E04B1/7662 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is an expandable vinyl aromatic polymer which comprises:

• a) a matrix of a vinyl aromatic polymer,
• b) 1-10% by weight calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of an expanding agent englobed in the polymeric matrix,
• c) 0.1 to 5% by weight calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of talc having a mean diameter above about 8 μm, said mean diameter being measured by Laser Mastersizer according to standard ISO 13320-1, the BET of the talc being is in the range 0.5-25 m2/g,
• d) carbon black in a proportion sufficient for the foamed material obtained from the expandable vinyl aromatic polymer to have a thermal conductivity λ of about 34 mW/m° K or lower,
  • e) 0-20% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of one or more fillers, other than talc and carbon black, homogeneously distributed in the polymeric matrix.

The expandable vinyl aromatic polymer of the invention is produced in the form of beads or granules.

The thermal conductivity λ of about 34 mW/m° K means that it could be in the range 33.5 to 34.5 mW/m° K. Advantageously the thermal conductivity λ is between about 33 and 34 mW/m° K, more advantageously between about 32 and 33 mW/m° K, preferably between about 31 and 32 mW/m° K and more preferably between about 30 and 31 mW/m° K.

Claims

1. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer which comprises:

a) a matrix of a vinyl aromatic polymer,

b) 1-10% by weight calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of an expanding agent englobed in the polymeric matrix,

c) 0.1 to 5% by weight calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of talc having a mean diameter above about 8 μ

m, said mean diameter being measured by Laser Mastersizer according to standard ISO 13320-1, the BET of the talc being is in the range 0.5-25 m2/g,

d) carbon black in a proportion sufficient for the foamed material obtained from the expandable vinyl aromatic polymer to have a thermal conductivity λ

of about 34 mW/m°

K or lower,

e) 0-20% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of one or more fillers, other than talc and carbon black, homogeneously distributed in the polymeric matrix.

2. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein it is in the form of beads or granules.

3. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the talc has a mean diameter above about 8 μ

m and under 100 μ

m.

4. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the talc has a mean diameter in the range 8-50 μ

m.

5. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the talc has a mean diameter in the range 8-30 μ

m.

6. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the talc has a D(95) around 100 μ

m.

7. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the talc has a D(95) around 50 μ

m.

8. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the talc has a D(95) around 40 μ

m.

9. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the talc has a D(95) around 30 μ

m.

10. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the proportion of talc is from 0.5 to 2 w %.

11. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the proportion of carbon black is from about 1 to about 5 w %.

12. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to any one of the preceding claim 1 wherein the BET nitrogen surface area of the carbon black, measured according to ASTM D-3037/89, is ranging from 5 to 1000 m2/g.

13. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the BET nitrogen surface area of the carbon black, measured according to ASTM D-3037/89, is ranging from 50 to 1000 m2/g.

14. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according claim 1 wherein the thermal conductivity λ

of the foamed material obtained from the expandable vinyl aromatic polymer is between about 33 and 34 mW/m°

K.

15. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the thermal conductivity λ

of the foamed material obtained from the expandable vinyl aromatic polymer is between about 32 and 33 mW/m°

K.

16. Expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 wherein the thermal conductivity λ

of the foamed material obtained from the expandable vinyl aromatic polymer is between about 30 and 31 mW/m°

K.

17. Use of the expandable vinyl aromatic polymer according to claim 1 to make expanded articles, in particular insulation boards.