Polymer composition and molded articles produced therefrom

• US 7,951,237 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2006
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smartfiber AG
• Original Assignee: Smartfiber AG
• Inventors: Zikeli, Stefan, Martl, Michael Gert, Endl, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Koslow; C. Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoban; Matthew E
• Application Number:
  US11/567,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20070161311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 106/162.2, 106/162.5, 106/162.9
• US Class Current: 106/162.2
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/26 Carbonates; Bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/34 Silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/00 Compositions of cellulose, modified cellulose or cellulose derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/02 Cellulose; Modified cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2201/06 Biodegradable
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 5/04 Alginic acid; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 5/08 Chitin; Chondroitin sulfate; Hyaluronic acid; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 89/00 Compositions of proteins; Compositions of derivatives thereof foodstuff preparations A23J3/00
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/10 Other agents for modifying properties
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/00 Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of cellulose or cellulose derivatives; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/06 from viscose
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/10 Addition to the spinning solution or spinning bath of substances which exert their effect equally well in either
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/448 Yarns or threads for use in medical applications D02G3/449 takes precedence; surgical suture materials A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/283 synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/01 Natural vegetable fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/02 Cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/24 Viscose
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/28 Cellulose esters or ethers, e.g. cellulose acetate
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/022 polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/10 : polymers of unsaturated nitriles, e.g. polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene cyanide
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/02 : polyamides D10B2331/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/04 : polyesters, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET]
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/06 : Details of garments
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2503/06 : Bed linen
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/08 : Upholstery, mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/139 : Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 : Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2915 : including textile, cloth or fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2929 : Bicomponent, conjugate, composite or collateral fibers or filaments [i.e., coextruded sheath-core or side-by-side type]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 : Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3146 : Strand material is composed of two or more polymeric materials in physically distinct relationship [e.g., sheath-core, side-by-side, islands-in-sea, fibrils-in-matrix, etc.] or composed of physical blend of chemically different polymeric materials or a physical blend of a polymeric material and a filler material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/637 : Including strand or fiber material which is a monofilament composed of two or more polymeric materials in physically distinct relationship [e.g., sheath-core, side-by-side, islands-in-sea, fibrils-in-matrix, etc.] or composed of physical blend of chemically different polymeric materials or a physical blend of a polymeric material and a filler material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/696 : Including strand or fiber material which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous compositions, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/699 : Including particulate material other than strand or fiber material

Abstract

The invention relates to a polymer composition comprising a biologically degradable polymer and a material from sea plants and/or shells of sea animals or at least two components selected from the group consisting of saccharides and the derivatives thereof, proteins, amino acids, vitamins and metal ions. The invention additionally relates to a molded article comprising said polymer composition. Said molded article may be used packaging material or fibrous material, in the form of fibrous material as mixing component for the production of yarns, and in the form of fibrous material for the production of nonwoven fabrics or woven fabrics.

Claims

1. A method of preparing a polymer composition comprising:

dissolving a biologically degradable polymer selected from the group consisting of cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, and mixtures thereof in a solvent comprising a component selected from the group consisting of DMAc, DMSO, DMF, LiCl, tertiary amine oxide and mixtures thereof; and

mixing the dissolved biologically degradable polymer with sea plant particles, ground shells of sea animals, or both to produce a polymer composition.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sea plant particles comprise at least one of algae, kelp, seaweed and mixtures thereof.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sea plant particles comprise at least one of brown algae, green algae, red algae, blue algae and mixtures thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ground shells of sea animals comprise at least one of sea sediments and ground shells of shrimps, crabs, lobsters, crawfish, crustaceans and mussels and mixtures thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sea plant particles, ground shells of sea animals or both is provided in an amount of 0.1 to 30 weight-% based on the weight of the biologically degradable polymer.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the biologically degradable polymer comprises cellulose and the sea plant particles comprise algae.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the polymer composition comprises at least a portion of a molded article.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the molded article comprises at least a portion of a woven fabric.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the molded article comprises at least a portion of a nonwoven fabric.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the molded article comprises at least a portion of an article of clothing.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the molded article is selected from the group consisting of tanks, films, membranes, woven fabrics and fibers.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the fibers include at least one of staple fibers, monofilaments or endless filaments.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the molded article comprises at least a portion of a packaging material.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the molded article comprises at least a portion of yarn.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein the woven fabric further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of cotton wool, lyocell, rayon, carbacell, polyester, polyamide, cellulose acetate, acrylate, polypropylene, or mixtures thereof.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the woven fabric comprises 0.1 to 30% by wt. of the additional component.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein the nonwoven fabric further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of cotton wool, lyocell, rayon, carbacell, polyester, polyamide, cellulose acetate, acrylate, polypropylene, or mixtures thereof.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises 0.1 to 30% by wt. of the additional component.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises NMMNO.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent further comprises water.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the biologically degradable polymer is mixed with sea plant particles having a particle size of approximately 6 μ

m to approximately 10 μ

m.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sea plant particles or ground shells of sea animals have a particle size in the range of 200 μ

m to 400 μ

m or 150 μ

m to 300 μ

m.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sea plant particles or ground shells of sea animals have a particle size of 1 μ

m to 100 μ

m.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sea plant particles or ground of sea animals have a particle size of 0.1 μ

m to 10 μ

m.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sea plant particles or ground shells of sea animals have a particle size of 0.1 μ

m to 7 μ

m.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sea plant particles or ground shells of sea animals have a particle size of 1 μ

m to 5 μ

m.