CARBON FIBER REINFORCED POLYOLEFIN COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS

• US 20180319966A1
• Filed: 05/02/2018
• Published: 11/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Equistar Chemicals LP (Lyondellbasell Industries NV)
• Original Assignee: Equistar Chemicals LP (Lyondellbasell Industries NV)
• Inventors: LU, JUE, YANG, CHANGLAI, DAMMANN, MICHAEL J.
• Granted Patent: US 11,584,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/04 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/101 of monocarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/04 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/06 Elements
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/03 containing three or more polymers in a blend
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/035 containing four or more polymers in a blend
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/08 containing additives to improve the compatibility between two polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/16 Fibres; Fibrils
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/24 Crystallisation aids
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2207/04 Thermoplastic elastomer
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0815 Copolymers of ethene with aliphatic 1-olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/10 Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/12 Polypropene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/14 Copolymers of propene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/16 Elastomeric ethene-propene or ethene-propene-diene copolymers, e.g. EPR and EPDM rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2310/00 Masterbatches
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/06 grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to carbon fiber reinforced polyolefin compositions, which may have a relatively low density. The compositions may include a thermoplastic olefin, a filler component, a compatibilizer, and/or an additive package. In some embodiments, the filler component includes a plurality of carbon fibers. In addition, articles of manufacture and methods of making a carbon fiber reinforced polyolefin composition are provided.

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

(a) a thermoplastic olefin resin comprising a polyolefin and an elastomer, wherein the thermoplastic olefin resin is present in the composition at an amount of about 80% to about 95%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, and the thermoplastic olefin resin comprises;

(i) a polyolefin comprising a polypropylene, a propylene-ethylene copolymer, or a combination thereof, wherein the polyolefin is present at an amount of about 40% to about 65%, by weight, based on a total weight of the composition, and

(ii) an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is present at an amount of about 25% to about 45%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition;

(b) a filler component comprising a plurality of carbon fibers, wherein the filler component is present at an amount of about 1% to about 15%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition;

(c) a compatibilizer, wherein the compatibilizer is present at an amount of about 0.5% to about 10%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition; and

(d) an additive package, wherein the additive package is present at an amount of about 0.5% to about 10%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition;

wherein the composition has a density of about 0.90 g/cm³ to about 0.98 g/cm³.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic olefin resin further comprises a reactor thermoplastic polyolefin, and the reactor thermoplastic polyolefin is present at an amount of about 0.01% to about 15%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein the reactor thermoplastic polyolefin has a melt flow rate (MFR, ASTM D1238, 230°

C., 2.16 kg) of about 0.5 g/10 min to about 30 g/10 min.

4. The composition of claim 2, wherein the polyolefin has a melt flow rate (MFR, ASTM D1238, 230°

C., 2.16 kg) of about 60 g/10 min to about 400 g/10 min.

5. The composition of claim 2, wherein the elastomer comprises an ethylene-based copolymer having a density of about 0.85 g/cm³ to about 0.90 g/cm³.

6. The composition of claim 2, wherein the ethylene-based copolymer of the elastomer has a melt flow rate (190°

C., 2.16 kg) of about 0.4 g/10 min to about 5 g/10 min.

7. The composition of claim 2, wherein the plurality of carbon fibers has an average length of about 0.5 mm to about 300 mm and an average diameter of about 1 μ

m to about 30 μ

m.

8. The composition of claim 2, wherein the compatibilizer comprises a polyolefin modified with one or more polar groups selected from comprises a carboxylic acid, an amine, a hydroxyl, an epoxide, or a combination thereof.

9. The composition of claim 2, wherein the additive package comprises one or more antioxidants;

one or more mold releases selected from glycerol monostearate, stearic acid, a stearate salt, magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, or a combination thereof;

one or more scratch reduction additives;

one or more nucleating agents;

one or more neutralizers/acid scavengers selected from magnesium aluminum hydroxyl carbonate or hydrates thereof, stearic acid, a stearate salt, or a combination thereof;

stearic acid and/or a stearate salt;

or a combination thereof;

a colorant;

an odorant;

a deodorant;

a plasticizer;

an impact modifier;

a surfactant;

a wetting agent;

a flame retardant;

an ultraviolet light stabilizer;

a biocide;

a metal deactivating agent;

a thickening agent;

a heat stabilizer;

a defoaming agent;

a coupling agent;

a polymer alloy compatibilizing agent;

a blowing agent;

an emulsifier;

a crosslinking agent;

a wax;

a particulate;

a flow promoter; and

a combination thereof.

10. The composition of claim 2, wherein the composition has an after-bake-mold-shrinkage (1 hours, 120°

C.) of about 0.2% to about 0.7%.

11. The composition of claim 2, wherein the composition has a flexural modulus of about 1,200 MPa to about 3,000 MPa.

12. The composition of claim 2, wherein the composition has a coefficient of linear thermal expansion of about 1 to about 8*10⁻

5 mm/mm/°

C.

13. The composition of claim 2, wherein the composition has a surface resistivity of 10⁷ Ohms-per-square or less.

14. An article of manufacture comprising the composition of claim 2, comprising an article selected from an automotive panel and a bumper fascia.

15. A method of making a composition, the method comprising:

melt blending constituents (a), (b), (c), and (d) to form a composition, wherein the constituents (a), (b), (c), and (d) comprise;

(a) a thermoplastic olefin resin comprising a polyolefin and an elastomer, wherein the thermoplastic olefin resin is present in the composition at an amount of about 80% to about 95%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, and the thermoplastic olefin resin comprises;

(i) a polyolefin comprising a polypropylene, a propylene-ethylene copolymer, or a combination thereof, wherein the polyolefin is present at an amount of about 40% to about 65%, by weight, based on a total weight of the composition; and

(ii) an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is present at an amount of about 25% to about 45%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition;

(b) a filler component comprising a plurality of carbon fibers, wherein the filler component is present at an amount of about 1% to about 15%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition;

(c) a compatibilizer, wherein the compatibilizer is present at an amount of about 0.5% to about 10%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition; and

(d) an additive package, wherein the additive package is present at an amount of about 0.5% to about 5%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition,

wherein the composition has a density of about 0.90 to about 0.98 g/cm³,

wherein the plurality of carbon fibers of the filler component is fed downstream.