Filled polymer compositions

• US 5,973,049 A
• Filed: 06/26/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thoen, Johan A., Cheung, Yunwa Wilson, Bieser, John O., Guest, Martin James, Gathers, John Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Cain, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US08/882,819
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 524/425, 524/451, 524/494
• US Class Current: 524/425
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2471/00 Floor coverings B32B2419/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2607/02 Wall papers, wall coverings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/06 as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/20 using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/28 comprising synthetic resins not wholly covered by any one of the sub-groups B32B27/30 - B32B27/42
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/302 comprising aromatic vinyl (co)polymers, e.g. styrenic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2323/08 Copolymers of ethene C08J2323/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/18 Manufacture of films or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/01 characterized by their specific function
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/08 Copolymers of ethene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0815 Copolymers of ethene with aliphatic 1-olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0838 Copolymers of ethene with aromatic monomers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2314/06 Metallocene or single site catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 25/08 Copolymers of styrene C08L29/08, C08L35/06, C08L55/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials

Abstract

A filled polymer composition which comprises

(A) from about 5 to about 90 percent of one or more thermoplastic substantially random interpolymers prepared by polymerizing one or more α-olefin monomers with one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and/or one or more hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinylidene monomers, and optionally with other polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s), and

(B) from about 10 to about 95 percent of one or more inorganic fillers,

the amounts of (A) and (B) being based on the total weight of (A) and (B).

Fabricated articles made from the filled polymer compositions are useful as sound insulating or energy absorbing films or sheets or as floor, wall or ceiling coverings.

Claims

1. A filled polymer composition comprising

(A) from about 5 to about 90 percent of one or more thermoplastic substantially random interpolymers prepared by polymerizing one or more α

-olefin monomers with one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and/or one or more hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinylidene monomers, and optionally with other polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s), and

(B) from about 10 to about 95 percent of one or more inorganic fillers, the amounts of (A) and (B) being based on the total weight of (A) and (B).

2. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more interpolymers contain one or more tetrad sequences consisting of α

-olefin/vinylidene aromatic monomer/vinylidene aromatic monomer/α

-olefin insertions detectable by ¹³ C-NMR spectroscopy wherein the monomer insertions of said tetrads occur exclusively in a 1,2 (head to tail) manner.

3. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more interpolymers contain interpolymerized

from about 0.5 to about 65 mole percent of one or more α

-olefin monomers and

from about 99.5 to about 35 mole percent of one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and/or one or more hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinylidene monomers,

and optionally other polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s).

4. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more interpolymers contain interpolymerized from about 20 to about 50 mole percent of one or more α

-olefin monomers and from about 80 to about 50 mole percent of one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and/or one or more hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinylidene monomers, and optionally other polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s).

5. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more α

-interpolymers is one or more interpolymers of ethylene and styrene.

6. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more interpolymers is one or more interpolymers of styrene, ethylene and at least one other α

-olefin containing from 3 to about 8 carbon atoms.

7. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 comprising from about 40 to about 90 percent of one or more inorganic fillers, based on the total weight of the interpolymers and the filler(s).

8. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 comprising from about 55 to about 85 percent of one or more inorganic fillers, based on the total weight of the interpolymers and the filler(s).

9. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 comprising one or more ionic inorganic fillers.

10. The filled polymer composition of claim 9 wherein the filler is talc, calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, glass fibers or a mixture thereof.

11. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the total amount of the interpolymer(s) (A) and the inorganic filler(s) (B) is at least about 50 percent, based on the total weight of the filled polymer composition.

12. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the total amount of the interpolymers (A) and the inorganic filler(s) (B) is at least about 80 percent, based on the total weight of the filled polymer composition.

13. The filled polymer composition of claim 1 comprising up to about 50 weight percent of one or more additional polymeric component(s), based on the total weight of the filled polymer composition.

14. A fabricated article made from the polymer composition of claim 1.

15. The fabricated article of claim 14 in the shape of a film or sheet.

16. The fabricated article of claim 14 in the shape of a floor, wall or ceiling covering.

17. The fabricated article of claim 14 in the form of a foam.

18. The fabricated article of claim 14 in the form of fibers.

19. The fabricated article of claim 14 made by injection molding, compression molding, extrusion or blow molding.

20. A multilayered structure wherein at least one layer is made from the polymer composition of claim 1.