ULTRA-LOW DENSITY POLYPROPYLENE PLASTIC COMPOUND

• US 20190322849A1
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Gall, Richard, Salter, Stuart, Karmo, Talat, Myszka, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 10,590,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/14 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/20 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/025 containing two or more polymers of the same hierarchy C08L, and differing only in parameters such as density, comonomer content, molecular weight, structure
• 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 2205/06 having improved processability or containing aids for moulding methods
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/12 Polypropene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/16 Elastomeric ethene-propene or ethene-propene-diene copolymers, e.g. EPR and EPDM rubbers

Abstract

A composite material is provided. The composite material includes a polypropylene blend, at least one additive, and at least one structural filler in an amount between 1.0 wt. % and 10.0 wt. %. The polypropylene blend includes a homopolymer polypropylene having a minimum ASTM D638 tensile strength of 4,000 psi in an amount between 40 wt. % and 70 wt. %, a high crystallinity homopolymer polypropylene having a minimum ASTM D638 tensile strength of 6,000 psi in an amount between 5 wt. % and 30 wt. %, and an impact copolymer having a rubber content greater than zero and less than 30 wt. %, the impact copolymer being in an amount between 3 wt. % and 10 wt. %.

Claims

1. A composite material comprising:

a polypropylene blend comprising;

a homopolymer polypropylene having a minimum ASTM D638 tensile strength of 4,000 psi in an amount between 40 wt. % and 70 wt. %;

a high crystallinity homopolymer polypropylene having a minimum ASTM D638 tensile strength of 6,000 psi in an amount between 5 wt. % and 30 wt. %; and

an impact copolymer having a rubber content greater than zero and less than 30 wt. %, the impact copolymer being in an amount between 3 wt. % and 10 wt. %;

at least one structural filler in an amount between 1.0 wt. % and 10.0 wt. %; and

at least one additive.

2. The composite material according to claim 1, wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of a coupling agent, a viscosity agent, zinc carboxylate salt, an antioxidant, a UV stabilizer, color, and a flame retardant.

3. The composite material according to claim 1, wherein:

the polypropylene blend further comprises a tie-layer resin in an amount of 1.5 wt. %;

the homopolymer polypropylene is 61.0 wt. %;

the high crystallinity homopolymer polypropylene is 21.0 wt. %;

the impact copolymer is 5.0 wt. %;

the structural filler comprises;

glass bubbles in an amount of 4.0 wt. %;

chopped fiberglass in an amount of 5.0 wt. %;

the additive comprises;

a UV stabilizer in an amount of 0.7 wt. %;

an antioxidant in an amount of 0.3 wt. %;

a color additive in an amount of 1.25 wt. %; and

a viscosity agent in an amount of 0.25 wt. %.

4. The composite material according to claim 1, wherein the structural filler is selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, glass bubbles, and carbon fibers.

5. The composite material according to claim 4, wherein the structural filler is glass fibers having a 14 micron diameter.

6. The composite material according to claim 1, wherein no talc is contained within the composite material.

8. The composite material according to claim 1 further comprising a tie-layer resin in an amount between 1.0 to 2.0 wt. %.

9. The composite material according to claim 1, wherein the homopolymer polypropylene is a recycled material.

10. A part formed from the composite material according to claim 1 having mechanical properties of:

a tensile yield strength of at least 35 MPa;

a yield elongation of at least 3.5%;

a tensile modulus of at least 2.0 GPa;

a flexural modulus of at least 2.0 GPa;

a notched IZOD at 24°

C. of at least 5.5 kJ/m²; and

a heat deformation temperature at 1.8 MPa of at least 58°

C.

11. A vehicle leaf screen comprising the composite material according to claim 1.

12. An injection moldable composite material for use in a structural component comprising:

a polypropylene blend comprising;

a homopolymer polypropylene having a minimum ASTM D638 tensile strength of 4,000 psi in an amount between 40 wt. % and 70 wt. %;

a high crystallinity homopolymer polypropylene having a minimum ASTM D638 tensile strength of 6,000 psi in an amount between 5 wt. % and 30 wt. %; and

an impact copolymer having a rubber content greater than zero and less than 30 wt. % in an amount between 2 wt. % and 10 wt. %;

a structural filler selected from the group consisting of glass fiber in an amount between 1.0 and 10.0 wt. % and hollow glass spheres in an amount between 1.0 and 10.0 wt. %; and

at least one additive.

13. The injection moldable composite material according to claim 12, wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of a coupling agent, a viscosity agent, zinc carboxylate salt, an antioxidant, a UV stabilizer, color, and a flame retardant.

14. The injection moldable composite material according to claim 12, wherein the structural filler comprises glass fibers in the amount of 5.0 wt. % and hollow glass spheres in the amount of 4.0 wt. %.

15. The injection moldable composite material according to claim 12, wherein no talc is contained within the composite material.

16. A structural component manufactured from the injection moldable composite material according to claim 12 and having the following mechanical properties:

a tensile yield strength of at least 35 MPa;

a yield elongation of at least 3.5%;

a tensile modulus of at least 2.0 GPa;

a flexural modulus of at least 2.0 GPa;

a notched IZOD at 24°

C. of at least 5.5 kJ/m²;

a heat deformation temperature at 1.8 MPa of at least 58°

C.; and

a melt flow rate of at least 16.9 g/10 min.

17. The injection moldable composite material according to claim 12, wherein the homopolymer polypropylene is a recycled material.

18. The injection moldable composite material according to claim 12, wherein the additive comprises:

a UV stabilizer in an amount of 0.7 wt. %;

an antioxidant in an amount of 0.3 wt. %;

a color additive in an amount of 1.25 wt. %; and

a viscosity agent in an amount of 0.25 wt. %.

19. An injection moldable composite material for use in a structural component comprising:

a polypropylene blend comprising;

a homopolymer polypropylene having a minimum ASTM D638 tensile strength of 4,000 psi in an amount between 40 wt. % and 70 wt. %;

a high crystallinity homopolymer polypropylene having a minimum ASTM D638 tensile strength of 6,000 psi in an amount between 5 wt. % and 30 wt. %; and

an impact copolymer having a rubber content greater than zero and less than 30 wt. %, the impact copolymer being in an amount between 5.0 wt. % and 12.0 wt. %;

chopped glass fibers in an amount between 1.0 and 10.0 wt. % and hollow glass spheres in an amount between 1.0 and 10.0 wt. %

a coupling agent in an amount between 1.5 wt. % and 3 wt. %,

a viscosity agent in an amount between 0.15 wt. % and 0.50 wt. %;

an antioxidant in an amount between 0.1 wt. % and 0.5 wt. %;

a UV stabilizer in an amount between 0.1 wt. % and 1.5 wt. %; and

color additive in an amount between 1.0 wt. % and 3.0 wt. %.

20. The injection moldable composite material according to claim 19, wherein no talc is contained within the composite material.