Process for the production of condensation polymers via in-reactor chain extension and products thereof

• US 8,785,558 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BASF Corporation (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: BASF Corporation (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Deeter, Gary A., Villalobos, Marco A.
• Primary Examiner(s): JONES JR., ROBERT STOCKTON
• Application Number:
  US13/384,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20120184678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 525/165, 525/178, 525/423, 525/438, 525/463, 525/533
• US Class Current: 525/165
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/38 Polymerisation using regulators, e.g. chain terminating agents , e.g. telomerisation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 212/08 Styrene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 212/10 with nitriles
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/1802 C2-(meth)acrylate, e.g. ethyl (meth)acrylate
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/1804 C4-(meth)acrylate, e.g. butyl (meth)acrylate, isobutyl (meth)acrylate or tert-butyl (meth)acrylate
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 283/02 on to polycarbonates or saturated polyesters C08F283/004 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods for forming high molecular weight chain-extended condensation polymers are disclosed. The methods include adding a chain extender during the polymerization process of a condensation polymer to provide a chain-extended condensation polymer, wherein the chain extender comprises a polymerization product of at least one epoxy-functional (meth)acrylic monomer, and at least one styrenic and/or (meth)acrylic monomer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

adding a chain extender during the polymerization process of a condensation polymer to provide a chain-extended condensation polymer, wherein the chain extender comprises a polymerization product of

at least one functional (meth)acrylic monomer, and

at least one styrene monomer, substituted styrene monomer, (meth)acrylic monomer, or a mixture of any two or more thereof;

wherein;

the chain extender is added from about 0.1% to about 0.32% by weight of the total weight of the chain extender and the components of the condensation polymer; and

the condensation polymer is polyethyleneterephthalate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the chain extender has a functionality of 2 or more.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the chain extender has a functionality of greater than 2.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional (meth)acrylic monomer is an epoxy-functional (meth)acrylic monomer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the epoxy-functional (meth)acrylic monomer is glycidyl methacrylate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the styrene monomer is styrene and the (meth)acrylic monomer is butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, or methyl (meth)acrylate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a solution intrinsic viscosity of at least about 0.6 dl/g of the chain-extended condensation polymer is achieved in a time of no more than about 90 minutes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method does not comprise processing the chain-extended condensation polymer via solid state polymerization.

11. A chain-extended condensation polymer formed by method of claim 1.

9. A method comprising:

adding a chain extender during the polymerization process of a polyester to provide a chain-extended polyester, wherein the chain extender comprises a polymerization product of

at least one epoxy-functional (meth)acrylic monomer, and

at least one styrene monomer, substituted styrene monomer, (meth)acrylic monomer, or a mixture of any two or more thereof;

wherein;

the polymerization process is a batch polymerization process or a continuous polymerization process;

the chain extender is added when the solution intrinsic viscosity of the condensation polymer is no more than about 0.6 dL/g; and

a molecular weight of the chain-extended condensation polymer is achieved in a time that is less than the time to achieve the molecular weight in the absence of the chain extender;

the chain extender is added from about 0.1% to about 0.32% by weight of the total weight of the chain extender and the components of the polyester; and

the polyester is polyethyleneterephthalate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the chain-extended condensation polymer exhibits a greater melt viscosity than a condensation polymer formed in the absence of the chain extender.