High flow liquid crystalline polymer composition

• US 9,051,514 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2012
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ticona LLC (Celanese Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ticona LLC (Celanese Corporation)
• Inventors: Nair, Kamlesh P., Grenci, Joseph J., Basu, Sayanti, Gray, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, SHEAN CHIU
• Application Number:
  US13/594,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20130048914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 252/299.01, 252/299.6, 252/299.61, 252/299.62, 252/299.63, 523/205, 523/207, 528/289, 528/292, 524/227
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 77/12 Polyester-amides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/22 linked by a chain containing carbon and nitrogen atoms as chain links, e.g. Schiff bases
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/3086 in which at least two rings are linked by a chain containing nitrogen atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/322 Compounds containing a naphthalene ring or a completely or partially hydrogenated naphthalene ring
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/3444 the heterocyclic ring being a six-membered aromatic ring containing one nitrogen atom, e.g. pyridine
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/3809 Polyesters; Polyester derivatives, e.g. polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/48 containing Schiff bases
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2019/0481 Phenylene substituted in meta position

Abstract

A liquid crystalline polymer composition that contains a liquid crystalline polymer and an aromatic amide oligomer is provided. The oligomer can serve as a flow aid by altering intermolecular polymer chain interactions, thereby lowering the overall viscosity of the polymer matrix under shear. The oligomer is also not easily volatized or decomposed during compounding, molding, and/or use, which minimizes off-gassing and the formation of blisters that would otherwise impact the final mechanical properties of a part made from the polymer composition. While providing the benefits noted, the aromatic amide oligomer does not generally react with the polymer backbone of the liquid crystalline polymer to any appreciable extent so that the mechanical properties of the polymer are not adversely impacted.

Claims

1. A thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer composition comprising a liquid crystalline polymer and an aromatic amide oligomer having the following general formula (I):

2. The polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal polymer is wholly aromatic.

3. The polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the aromatic amide oligomer has a molecular weight of about 2,000 grams per mole or less.

4. The polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the oligomer is selected from the group consisting of the following compounds and combinations thereof:

5. The polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the oligomer is N1,N4-diphenylterephthalamide.

6. The polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer is a wholly aromatic polyester or polyesteramide.

7. The polymer composition of claim 1, wherein aromatic amide oligomers are employed in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 5 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the liquid crystalline polymer.

8. The polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the melt viscosity of the liquid crystalline polymer to the melt viscosity of the polymer composition is at least about 1.1.

9. The polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the melt viscosity of the liquid crystalline polymer to the melt viscosity of the polymer composition is from about 2 to about 40.

10. A filled composition comprising the polymer composition of claim 1 and a filler material.

11. The filled polymer composition of claim 10, wherein the filler material comprises fibers, a mineral filler, or a combination thereof.

12. A molded article comprising the polymer composition of claim 1.

20. The polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer is thermoplastic.

33. The filled polymer composition of claim 10, wherein the filler material comprises fibers, a mineral filler, or a combination thereof.

13. A method for forming a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer composition, the method comprising melt blending a liquid crystalline polymer and an aromatic amide oligomer having the following formula (I):

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer is wholly aromatic.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the aromatic amide oligomer has a molecular weight of about 2,000 grams per mole or less.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the aromatic amide oligomer has from 2 to 8 amide functional groups per molecule.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising blending a filler material with the liquid crystalline polymer composition to form a filled polymer composition.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the filler material comprises fibers, a mineral filler, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the filler material is blended with the liquid crystal polymer prior to blending the aromatic amide oligomer with the liquid crystal polymer.

21. A thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer composition comprising a liquid crystalline polymer and an aromatic amide oligomer having the following general formula (I):

22. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein the liquid crystal polymer is wholly aromatic.

23. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein the aromatic amide oligomer has a molecular weight of about 2,000 grams per mole or less.

24. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein the aromatic amide oligomer has from 2 to 8 amide functional groups per molecule.

25. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein R₈ and R₉ are phenyl substituted with —

C(O)HN—

or —

NHC(O)—

.

26. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein R₈, R₉, or both are aryl.

27. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein the oligomer is selected from the group consisting of the following compounds and combinations thereof:

28. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer is a wholly aromatic polyester or polyesteramide.

29. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein aromatic amide oligomers are employed in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 5 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the liquid crystalline polymer.

30. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein the ratio of the melt viscosity of the liquid crystalline polymer to the melt viscosity of the polymer composition is at least about 1.1.

31. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein the ratio of the melt viscosity of the liquid crystalline polymer to the melt viscosity of the polymer composition is from about 2 to about 40.

32. A filled composition comprising the polymer composition of claim 21 and a filler material.

34. The polymer composition of claim 21, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer is thermoplastic.

35. A molded article comprising the polymer composition of claim 21.

36. A thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer composition comprising a liquid crystalline polymer and an aromatic amide oligomer, wherein the oligomer is selected from the group consisting of the following compounds and combinations thereof:

37. The polymer composition of claim 36, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer is a wholly aromatic polyester or polyesteramide.

38. The polymer composition of claim 36, wherein aromatic amide oligomers are employed in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 5 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the liquid crystalline polymer.

39. The polymer composition of claim 36, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer is thermoplastic.