Oxygen scavenging high barrier polyamide compositions for packaging applications

• US 6,423,776 B1
• Filed: 05/02/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AdvanSix Resins & Chemicals, LLC (Advansix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Akkapeddi, Murali K., Socci, Edward P., Kraft, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woodward, Ana
• Application Number:
  US09/562,249
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 525/66, 525/179, 525/182, 525/183, 524/394, 524/398, 524/399, 524/400
• US Class Current: 525/66
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2565/387 Materials used as gas barriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/267 the absorber being in sheet form
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/80 Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging bio-packaging Y02W90/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31725 Of polyamide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31736 Next to polyester
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31739 Nylon type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31743 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomer[s]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31746 Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3175 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomer[s]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31765 Inorganic-containing or next to inorganic-containing

Abstract

Oxygen barrier polyamide compositions exhibiting high oxygen scavenging capability suitable for extended shelf-life, packaging applications. Thus a polyamide composition comprises a polyamide homopolymer, copolymer, or blends thereof, and at least one polyamide reactive, oxidizable polydiene or oxidizable polyether. The polyamide products are particularly suited to making barrier packaging articles such as monolayer or multi-layer films, sheets, thermoformed containers and coinjection/coextrusion blow molded bottles comprising PET, polyolefin or polycarbonate as structural layers. Such articles are useful in a variety of oxygen-sensitive food, beverage, pharmaceutical and health care product packaging applications.

Claims

1. A polyamide composition which comprises a polyamide homopolymer, copolymer, or blends thereof, at least one polyamide reactive, oxidizable polydiene or oxidizable polyether, and an oxidation promoting metal salt catalyst.

2. The composition of claim 1 which comprises a polyamide reactive, oxidizable polyether.

3. The composition of claim 1 which comprises a polyamide reactive, oxidizable polydiene.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polyamide reactive, oxidizable polydiene comprises a polybutadiene.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polyamide reactive, oxidizable polydiene comprises an epoxy or anhydride functional polybutadiene.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polyamide reactive, oxidizable polyether comprises an epoxy or anhydride functional polyether.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polyamide reactive, oxidizable polydiene or oxidizable polyether is in the form of particles which are substantially uniformly distributed in the polyamide homopolymer, copolymer, or blend thereof.

8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the oxidizable polydiene or oxidizable polyether is in the form of particles whose average particle size is in the range of from about 10 nm to about 100 nm, and which particles are substantially uniformly distributed in the polyamide homopolymer, copolymer, or blend thereof.

9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the metal salt catalysts comprises a metal carboxylate salt catalyst.

10. The composition of claim 1 wherein the metal salt catalyst comprises a metal carboxylate salt catalyst selected from the group consisting of metal acetates, stearates, propionates, hexanoates, octanoates, benzoates, salicylates and cinnamates.

11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the metal salt catalyst comprises a metal carboxylate salt catalyst selected from the group consisting of a cobalt, copper or ruthenium, acetate, stearate, propionate, hexanoate, octanoate, benzoate, salicylate or cinnamate, or combinations thereof.

12. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polyamide homopolymer or copolymer or blends thereof are aliphatic or aliphatic/aromatic.

13. The composition of claim 1 wherein said polyamide comprises nylon 6.

14. The composition of claim 1 wherein said polyamide comprises nylon 6,6.

15. The composition of claim 1 wherein said polyamide comprises nylon MXD6.

16. The polyamide composition of claim 1 in the form of a blend of said polyamide homopolymer, copolymer, or blends thereof, and said at least one polyamide reactive, oxidizable polydiene or oxidizable polyether.

17. The polyamide composition of claim 1 in the form of a reaction product of said polyamide homopolymer, copolymer, or blends thereof, and said at least one polyamide reactive, oxidizable polydiene or oxidizable polyether.

18. A process for producing a polyamide composition which comprises melting a polyamide homopolymer, copolymer, or blends thereof, and blending the molten polyamide homopolymer, copolymer, or blend thereof with at least one polyamide reactive, oxidizable polydiene or oxidizable polyether and an oxidation promoting metal salt catalyst to form a mixture, and then cooling the mixture.