Base and solvent-decomposed thermosetting molding with aliphatic polyester

• US 5,814,412 A
• Filed: 12/21/1995
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Terada, Takahiko, Onishi, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sellers, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US08/578,572
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 428/458, 310/208, 310/43, 29/403.3, 525/49, 525/415, 525/425, 525/438, 525/440, 525/442, 525/443
• US Class Current: 428/458
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/18 Polyesters or polycarbonates according to C08L67/00 - C08L69/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 63/00 Compositions of epoxy resins; Compositions of derivatives of epoxy resins
• 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 67/06 Unsaturated polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/0006 Disassembling, repairing or modifying dynamo-electric machines repairing of cooling fluid boxes H02K15/0093
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/02 Casings or enclosures characterised by the material thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49755 Separating one material from another
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]

Abstract

The thermosetting composition of the present invention includes an unsaturated polyester, an addition polymerizable monomer, a low shrink agent other than an aliphatic polyester, and an aliphatic polyester decomposed in a decomposing solution containing from about 0.1 to about 50% by weight of at least one base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali metal oxides, alkaline earth metal oxides, alkali metal alkoxides and alkaline earth metal alkoxides, and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol at a temperature lower than a boiling point of the decomposing solution after being cured.

Claims

1. A molded structure comprising a molded portion made of a molding compound, integrally molded containing at least metals,

wherein at least part of the molding compound includes as a binder a thermosetting composition containing a thermosetting resin and an aliphatic polyester,

decomposition of the thermosetting composition is promoted by decomposition of the aliphatic polyester in a decomposing solution containing from about 0.1 to about 50% by weight of at least one base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali metal oxides, alkaline earth metal oxides, alkali metal alkoxides and alkaline earth metal alkoxides, and at least one solvent comprising water, methanol, ethanol or ethylene glycol after the thermosetting composition is cured, and

the metals and the molding compound are separated.

5. A molded structure according to claim 1, wherein the metals are coils, and the structure is used for a motor.

6. A molded structure according to claim 5, comprising a molded portion made of a molding compound, integrally molded containing the coil, an insulator, and an iron core,

wherein a part of the insulator penetrates the molded portion to be exposed to a surface of the molded portion.

7. A molded structure according to claim 6, wherein the insulator is made of an aliphatic polyester.

2. A molded structure comprising a molded portion made of a molding compound, integrally molded containing at least metals,

wherein at least part of the molding compound includes as a binder a thermosetting composition containing an unsaturated polyester, an addition polymerizable monomer, and polycaprolactone,

the thermosetting composition is decomposed in decomposing solution containing a base and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol at a temperature lower than a boiling point of the decomposing solution after being cured, and

the metals and the molding compound are separated.

15. A molded structure according to claim 2, wherein the metals are coils, and the structure is used for a motor.

3. A molded structure comprising a molded portion made of a molding compound, integrally molded containing at least metals,

wherein at least part of the molding compound includes as a binder a thermosetting composition containing an unsaturated polyester, an addition polymerizable monomer, and polycaprolactone,

the thermosetting composition is decomposed in decomposing solution containing a base and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol at a temperature lower than a boiling point of the decomposing solution after being cured, and

the metals and the molding compound are separated,

further comprising at least one aliphatic polyester selected from the group consisting of polypropiolactone, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyethylene adipate, polybutylene adipate, polytetramethylene adipate, polyethylene succinate, polybutylene succinate, polycaprolactonediol, polycaprolactonetriol, and poly(3-hydroxyalcanoate).

4. A molded structure comprising a molded portion made of a molding compound, integrally molded containing at least metals,

wherein at least part of the molding compound includes as a binder a thermosetting composition containing an unsaturated polyester, an addition polymerizable monomer, and polycaprolactone,

the thermosetting composition is decomposed in decomposing solution containing a base and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol at a temperature lower than a boiling point of the decomposing solution after being cured, and

the metals and the molding compound are separated,

further comprising at least one aliphatic polyester selected from the group consisting of polypropiolactone, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyethylene adipate, polybutylene adipate, polytetramethylene adipate, polyethylene succinate, polybutylene succinate, polycaprolactonediol, polycaprolactonetriol, and poly(3-hydroxyalcanoate),

wherein at least part of the aliphatic polyester is dispersed in the molded portion as a filter in fiber form, needle form, or particle form.

8. A molded structure comprising a molded portion made of a molding compound, integrally molded containing at least metals,

wherein at least part of the molding compound contains as a binder a thermosetting composition containing an unsaturated polyester, styrene, polycaprolactone, and an aliphatic polyester,

the aliphatic polyester is at least one selected from the group consisting of polypropiolactone, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyethylene adipate, polybutylene adipate, polytetramethylene adipate, polyethylene succinate, polybutylene succinate, polycaprolactonediol, polycaprolactonetriol, and poly(3-hydroxyalcanoate),

the thermosetting composition is decomposed in a decomposing solution containing from about 0.1 to about 50% by weight of at least one base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal alkoxides and alkaline earth metal alkoxides, and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol at a temperature lower than a boiling point of the decomposing solution after being cured, and

the metals and the molding compound are separated.

9. A method for decomposing a molded structure, comprising the step of soaking the molded structure in a decomposing solution containing from about 0.1 to about 50% by weight of at least one base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali metal oxides, alkaline earth metal oxides, alkali metal alkoxides and alkaline earth metal alkoxides, at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol,

wherein the molded structure includes a molded portion made of a molding compound, integrally molded containing at least metals, and

at least part of the molding compound includes as a binder a thermosetting composition containing at least an aliphatic polyester and a thermosetting resin.

10. A method for decomposing a molded structure according to claim 9, wherein the molded structure is soaked in the decomposing solution at a temperature lower than a boiling point of the decomposing solution.

11. A method for decomposing a molded structure according to claim 9, wherein the decomposing solution further contains at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of acetone, 2-butanone, dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, diethyl ether, diethylene glycol, diethylene glycol monoester, diethylene glycol diester, dicarboxylic acid diester, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, benzene, toluene, and phenol.

12. A method for recycling a molded structure including a molded portion made of a molding compound, integrally molded containing at least metals,

wherein at least part of the molding compound contains as a binder a thermosetting composition containing at least an aliphatic polyester and a thermosetting resin,

the method comprising the steps of:

soaking the molded structure in a decomposing solution containing from about 0.1 to about 50% by weight of at least one base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali metal oxides, alkali earth metal oxides, alkali metal alkoxides and alkaline earth metal alkoxides, and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol so as to chemically decompose the molded portion to a degree that a form of the molded portion cannot be maintained; and

separating the metals from the decomposed molded portion and recovering the metals.

13. A method for recycling a molded structure according to claim 12, wherein the molded structure is soaked in the decomposing solution at a temperature lower than a boiling point of the decomposing solution.

14. A method for recycling a molded structure according to claim 12, wherein the metals are coils, and the structure is a motor.