Glass-filled propylene polymer composition

• US 7,235,606 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc. (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc. (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crabtree, Sam, Plaver, Michael, Spencer, Lana S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, LING SIU
• Application Number:
  US10/567,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 525/191, 525/192, 525/194, 525/212, 525/261, 525/240, 525/323
• US Class Current: 525/191
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/14 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/10 Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/12 Polypropene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/142 at least partially crystalline copolymers of propene with other olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/24 Graft or block copolymers according to groups C08L51/00, C08L53/00 or C08L55/02; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/06 grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond

Abstract

Disclosed is a glass-filled coupled impact propylene copolymer composition having an improved combination of strength, stiffness, impact properties and melt strength; articles made therefrom; and a process to prepare said articles.

Claims

1. A glass-filled coupled impact propylene copolymer composition comprising:

(i) a coupled impact propylene copolymer,

(ii) a glass fiber, and

(iii) optionally a functionalized olefin polymer in a sufficient amount to act as a compatibility agent between the coupled impact propylene copolymer and the glass fiber

wherein the glass-filled coupled impact propylene copolymer composition has a flexural modulus as determined by ASTM D790 of at least 5000 mPa.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the coupled impact propylene copolymer is formed by a reaction of a coupling agent with an impact propylene polymer.

3. The composition of claim 2 wherein the coupling agent is a sulfonyl azide.

4. The composition of claim 3 wherein the sulfonyl azide is 4,4′

-oxy-bis-(sulfonylazido)benzene.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the functionalized olefin polymer is present in an amount from equal to or greater than about 0.1 weight percent to equal to or less than about 20 weight percent based on the weight of the coupled impact propylene copolymer composition.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the functionalized olefin polymer is a propylene homopolymer grafted with maleic anhydride.

7. The composition of claim 1 fabricated into an article by sheet extrusion, profile extrusion, compression molding, injection molding, gas assisted injection molding, calendering, vacuum forming, thermoforming, extrusion blow molding or combinations thereof.

8. The composition of claim 1 fabricated into an automotive seat back, a head rest, a knee bolster, a glove box door, an instrument panel, a bumper facia, a bumper beam, a load floor, a center console, an intake manifold, a spoiler, a side molding, a pillar, a door trim, an airbag cover, a HVAC duct, a spare tire cover, a fluid reservoir, a rear window shelf, a resonator, a trunk board or an arm rest.

9. A method for blow molding the composition of claim 1 into an automotive article comprising the steps of

i extruding the glass-filled coupled impact propylene copolymer composition in an extruder through a die,

ii forming a molten tube-shaped parison,

iii holding the parison within a shaping mold,

iv blowing a gas into the mold so as to shape the parison according to the profile of the mold and

v yielding a blow molded automotive article.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the automotive article is a seat back, a head rest, a knee bolster, a glove box door, an instrument panel, a bumper facia, a bumper beam, a load floor, a center console, an intake manifold, a spoiler, a side molding, a pillar, a door trim, an airbag cover, a HVAC duct, a spare tire cover, a fluid reservoir, a rear window shelf, a resonator, a trunk board or an arm rest.