CA2091461A1 - Antistatic olefin polymer compositions containing ethylene oxide copolymers and method relating thereto - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to olefin polymer compositions having improved antistatic properties. More particularly, the olefinic compositions of the present invention comprise an antistatic agent which is preferably a randomly polymerized ethylene oxide copolymer wherein the weight percent of ethylene oxide in the copolymer is about 40 to about 90 weight percent.

Description

WO 92/0~220 ~ 6 ~ PC~/VS91/~6~5 ANl ISTATIC OLEFIN POLYMER COMPOSITIONS
CON~AINING I::TIIYLENE OXIDE CQPOLY~IE~3$
AND MElHQD RELAll~(~ l~ERETO
s FlELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to olefin polymer compositiolls having improved antistatic properties. More par~icularly, tlle olefin~c compositions of the present invention 10 comprise an antis~atic agent which is preferably a randomiy polymerized ethylene oxide copolymer wherein the weight percen~ of ethylene oxide in the copolymer is about 40 to about 90 weigh~ percent.

15 ~3ACKGROUND OF THE INVEN'IION
U.S. 3,425,981 to PULEl~ et al., is directed to olefin polymer compositions containing ethylene oxide polymers.
Atthougll tbe olefin compositions of PULEl'II are taught to exllibit enllanced anti-static properties, the present invention is 20 distinguisllable over PULETII for a number of re~sons~
First, PU~ F.l~l teaches that "Poly(ethylene oxide) llomopolymer is however preferred as the ethylene oxide polymer resin alld sball be used hereinafter as representative of these resins." Col. 2, lines 64-67. Although ethylene oxide 25 homopolynlers in olefins do provide some antistatic properties, sucll olefin compositions are not su~lciently antistatic to meet many of the needs in the marketplace.
PULETIl did not appreciate and does not teach or suggest that superior antistatic properties can be obtained by 30 su~stilutillg the ethylene oxide homopolymer with a randomly yolymerized ethylene oxide copolymer, wherein the comonomers '! ` ; ,:, '" ' "
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WO 92/0~220 Pcr/USs I /06~2~ -3 ~

are o~iranes and wherein the amount of ethylene oxide in the coyolymer is about 40 to 90 weight percent. PULEl~l teaches ~hat the e~hylene oxide homopolymer can be substituted with a copolymer, and PULETII mentions a number of possible S comonomers, but the critical copolymer range is not taught or sug~este(l by PULEl-rI, and PULEl~ implies that a copolymer would be a mere alternative to the homopolymer, not a Iramatically more effective antistatic additive for olefins.
Furthermore, PULEl rI teaches that the ethylene 10 oxicle polymer component has "an average molecular weight o~
from 100,000 to ten million and preferably in the range of from about 200,000 to about l,OOOtOOO" (col. 2, lines 52-53). Such a molecular weight lirnitation is not necessary for the present invention, and therefore, Applicant has eliminated an important 15 element of the PULElTI invention, while nevertheless improvin~
alltistatic properties of the resulting composition.

SUMMARY O~ lHE INVENIION
The present invention is directed to an oleinic 2() composition having antistatie properties and comprisiDg an olef~mic component ~d a raDdom ethylene oxide copolymer component. The ethylene oxide copolymer component preferably comprises about 40 to 90 weight percent of the following polymer ur~it: (-CH2-CH2O-3. The resulting 25 composition preferably has a surface resistivi~ in the range o al)out (10)1 to about (10)14 ohm/sq as determined by ASTM
D257, and preferably requires less tha~ about 0.5 seconds to ~issipale 90% of a 5 kilovolt charge at 50% relative humidity accorlling ~o National Fire Protection Association Standard 30 (IYFPA Co~e 56A) or requires less than about X.0 seconds to . , , ~ ;;; . . . . .

Wo 92/Os220 ~ 14 6 ~ pcr/us91/o652~

, (3issipa~e 99~Z of a 5 kilovolt charge at 15~o relative humidity according to U.S. Military Speci~lcation (MIL-B-81705C) as deterrnined by Federal Test Method Standard 101 B, Method 4046.1.
S The ethylene oxide copolymer preferably comprises about 10 to about 60 weight percent polymer units wllich are the polyrnerization product of at least one oxirane comonomer other than ethylene oxide. l~e oxirane comonomer is most preferal~ly epichlorohydrin or propylene oxide.
In one embodiment of the present i~vention, the olefin~c component is a homopolymer or the copolyme~ization product of an olefin monomer and one or more copoly;nerizable mollomers. The preferred copolyrneri~able monomers have vinyl functionality. In another embodiment, the olefin~c component is a deriva~ive of a homopolymer or a copolymer. In an alternative embo~iment, the ole~mic componerlt comprises a blend of an olefin polymer with a second polymer. In yet another alternative em~o~in~ent, the olefinic componen~ further comprises a metallic salt functionality.
The composition of the present inven~ion preferably comprises about 2 to 50 weight parts et~ylene oxide copolymer per hundred weight parts ole~m polymer resin.
The present invention is also directed to a method of manufacturing an antistaeic olefinic composition by means of melt n~L~ding or blending the ethylene ox~de copolyrner o~ ehe present invention with an ole~ic component.

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WO 92/05Z20 ` PCr/U!~i91/06~;2:~ -~31~

DET~ILED DESCRI~ION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment of the present invention S comprises an olefin component, an ethylene oxide copolymer component, and optionally, any one of a number of conventional additives for olefin type materials.

The Olefin Com~on~
l~e olefin component is preferably the polymerization product of one or more lower olefin monomers such as those containing from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, most preferably from 2 to 3 carbon atoms. Illustrative of such polymers are high density or linear polyethylene, low density or branched polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, polycyclooie~lns, copolyrners of ethylene/propylene, copolysTlers of propylene/butylene, and the like.
Alternatively, the olefin component can be the copolymenzation product of an olefin monomer and one or more copolymerizable monomers. Preferred comono ners include those having vinyl functionali~, such as:

1. vinyl aryls, i-Q-, styrene, o-methQxystyrene, p-methoxystyrene, m-methoxys~tyrene, o-n~trostyrene, m-nitrosty~ene, o-methylst~yrene, p-methylstlyene, m-methylstyrene, p-phenylstyrene, o-phenylstyrene, m-phenylstyre~e, virlylnaphthalene arld ~he like;
2. vinyl and vinylidene halides, l.e., vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, vinylidene bro~de and the like; v~nyl esters such as vinyl acetate, v~nyl propionate, vinyl buqrate, vinyl chloroacetate, vinyl chloropropionate, vinyl benzoate, vinyl chlorobenzoa~e a~d the like;

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~o 92/05220 ~ d 31 ~ 61 Pcr/us9l/o652 3. aclylic and alpha-alkyl acrylic acids, their allyl esters, and their amides, i.~., aclylic acid, chloroacrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethacrylic a~id, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, n-S octyl acrylate, 2-elhylhexyl acrylate, n-decyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, methyl ethacrylate, ethyl ethacrylate, acrylamide, N-methyl aclylamide, N,N-dimethyl acrylan~de, methac~ylamide, N-methyl methac~ylamide, N,N-dimethyl methacrylamide, and the like;

4. acrylonitrile, chloroacrylonitrile, methacrylol~itrile and the Uke;

5. alkyl esters of maleic and fumaric acid, i.e., dimethyl maleate, diethyl malea~e and the like;

6. vinyl alkyl esters and ketones, i.~., vinyl methyl ether, vinyl ethyl e~her, v~nyl isobutyl ether, 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether, methyl vinyl ketone, elhyl vir~yl ketolle, içobutyl vinyl ketone and the like; and 7. vinyl pyridine, N-vinyl carbazole, N-vinyl pyrrolidine, ethyl methylene malonate and the like.

Most preferred olefin copolymer compositions --~
include the polymer~ation product of the following:
styrene/ethylene; ethylene/ethyl acrylate; e~hylene/vinyl acetate;
ethylene/vinyl chloride; ethylene/acrylic acid; and the like. The most preferred olefimic polymers and copolymers are those ~4hich exhibit thennoplastic properties, although thermosets are also intended to be included within the scope of this invention.
Alternatively, the olefin component can be the product a~ grafted variations or chemical derivatives of homopolyolefins or their copolymers. Illustrative of such variations or derivatives are chlorinated polyethylene, copolymer of ethylenelvinyl alcohol, and the like.

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The olefin polymer component can be of the film forrning type. Such resins generally exhibit melt indices of from .1 to 20 decigrams per minute inclusive.
Also included within the term olefin polymers are S the blends of olefin polymers with other polymers. Illustrative of such blends are: polyethylene with polypropylene, low density polyethylene w~th high density polyethylene, polyethylene with olefin copolymers sucb as these indicated above, for example, ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene/methyl ac~ylate 10 copolymer, e~hylene/ethylacrylate copolymer, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymcr, ethylene/acrylic acid/ethyl acrylate terpolymer, ethylene/acrylic acid/villyl ace~ate terpolymer, polypropylene/chlorinated polye~hylene and the lilce. Other olefinic blends within ~he scope of ~he present invention include 15 the blends of olefin polymers with one or more elastomers, crosslinked or non-crosslinked. Illustrative of such blends are polypropylene/EPDM; polypropylene/NBR;
polyethylene/EPDM; and the like.
Also included within the blend of olefin polymers 20 are the metallic salts of those olefin copolymers or blends which contain free carboxylic acid or sulfonic acid groups. Illustrative of such polymers are ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene/methacrylic acid, ethylene/ethac~ylis acid, styrene/acrylic acid, s~rrene/methac~ylic acid, oxidized 25 polyoleffnst propylene/acrylic acid copolymer, butene/acrylic acid copolymer and the like.
Illustrative of the metals which can be used to provide the salts of said carboxylic acid polymers are the one, two, and three valence metals, such as arrlrnonium, sodium, ., . .... .. ~ . -: . , , : . :., . ~
' ,' J~ ' " ' ' ' ~ ~' ' wo 92/05220 PC~ J~
~fJ91~3 ium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, alum~num, banum, zinc, zirconium, beryllium, iron, nickel, cobalt, a~d the like.
Preferred blends include polypro~ylene or polye~hylene with copolymer of ethylene/vinyl acetate or clllorina~ed polyethylene, and the like.
Ordinary skill and experimentation may be necessary in selecting any particu}ar olefin component, depending ~pon the intended use and the per~ormance requirements of the ffnal composition.
e Eth~lene Oxide CQ,~olvmer ~om~oQen~
The preferred ethylene oxide copolymer component of the compositions of the present invention is selected from ethylene oxitJe polymeric materials having an average molecular weight of from about 1000 to ten million and more preferably in the range of from about 10,000 to about 500,0~, (GPC
molecular weight relative to polys~rene). The term "ethylene o~ide copolymers" refers to randomly polymerized copolymers wherein the polymerization product comprises about 40 to 90 weight percent of the following polymer unit:
(-CH2-C~H20-)-The balance of the ethylene oxide copQlymer comyonent is preferabiy one or more oxLrane comonomers other than etllylene oxide. Virtnally any oxirane comonomer can be useul, but the preferred comonomers are 1,2-epoxides, the rnost preferred of which are propylene oxide and/or epichlorohydrin.
Catalyst residues or the IDce or other comonomers can intentivnally or unintentional~y become incorporated into the ethylene oxide copolymer and this generally is acceptable, proviule~l the polymeri~tion produ~t is about 40 to 90 weight ~' :

wo 92/0~220 ~ Pcr/~ 2~ -percellt ethylene oxide. Ordinary skill and exper~mentation may be necessary to determine the optimal comonomer composition, depen~ling upon the desired properties of the final matenal.

S Tlle ~Itistati~Lefin ComDQsitiQn The ethylene oxide polymer is generally used in an amoullt sufficient to irnpart the desired antistatic or electrostatic ~lissipative properties. These amounts are generally about 2 to 50 weight parts ethylene oxide copolymer per hundred weight 10 parts olefin polymer resin. Amounts of f~om about 10 to about 40 weight parts by weight are most preferred.
The ethylene oxide polymer can generally be blen(lell with the olefin polymer by general melt blending techniques u~ilizing conventional equipment. It facilitates 15 blenl3ing however if the sesinous components are premixed as dry pow~lers before blending in the melt. If desired, solution a~mLYture can be used.
While the polymeric compositions of this illvention call be used without filler materials, it should be noted that ~illed 2U pt)lylner compositions of this invention containing from about S
to about 50 parts by weight fimely div~ded ~ler per hundred parts olefill polymer provides excellent antistatic properties. For ~hese reasons a~d the apparent econon~c advantages, these ~lled colllposilions are preferred for these applications where 25 transparency of the polymer is not re9uired.
When the ~lled polymer composi~ioDs are to be used in making ~llr4 a ~iller particle si2e of from û.01~ to 15,u can be used. Film forrning compositions containing a filler having a particle size of from 0.2 to 6!~ are pre~lTed. In 30 applications other tha~ film, filler size is not criticaL

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W092/052~0 ~ a9~ PCr/US~1/06525 g Illustrative of the filler materials which can be used in the compositions of this invention are ~llers, such as, barium sulfate, calcium sulfate, silica, fibrous asbestos, talc, calcium silica~e, magnesium silicate, mica, soapstone, slate ~our, pumice, S woo~ ~lour, soybean flour, tobacco ~our, walnut shell 1our, sulfur, tripoli~e, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcite, ~iatonlaceous ear~h, fuller's earth, alurnite, calcium phosphate, magnesium phospha~e, bauxite, challc, magnesite, kaolin clay, bentonite clay, ball clay, ~Ire clay, dolomite muscovi~e, 1() paragonite, margar~te, vermiculite, py:rophyllite, apatite, tricalcium phosphate, titanium dioxide, volcanic dust and tbe like.
O~her possi~le fillers would include conductive fillers,-such as, carbon black, metallic powders and the like.
It should be noted that various additive or mo~lifying compounds as are normally present in the resinous colnponents or normally used in such compositions can be present in the polymer compositioDs of this invention. Such a~ldi~ives include resin stabilizers to protect the resinous compollents from degradation caused by shear, heat, light oxi(lation and the like and whi~h are usually provided in commercially available resins, lu~ricants, dyes, pigments and ~he like.

E~xampl~s 2S The following exarnples are given to further illustrate the present invention. The antistatic properties of polynler blend composition are determi~ed under con~rolled con~3itiolls at 25C by surface and volume resistivi~ at 50~o R.H.
(relative hurnidity) and static decay time at 15% R.H. The WO 92/D5220 ~ ~ 91 4~ 61 Pcr/u~s~/o6~2~ -s~nples were also conditioned at leas~ 48 hours pnor to measurement.
Surface and volume resistiv~ty testing is conducted in accordance with ASTM D257 with an Electrometer (model 617) equipped w~th a high voltage supply (model 247) and a resistivity adapter (model 610S) all from Keithley Instruments, Inc. The adapter comprises an upper ciscular electrode and a lower circular electrode encircled with a guard ring electrode. A
sheet sample (3.5 ~nches in diameter and 1/8-1/16 inch thick) was placed between the upper and lower electrodes, and a voltage of 500 volts was applied bet veen the electrodes. After 60 seconds, the current was recorded from the Electrometer and converted into surface resistivity in ohms per square or volume resistivity in ohm-cm USiQg the equation derived from the dimensions of the electrodes.
The end use of the polyrneric antistatic material will determine the desired antistatic properties. FOF example, sophisticated electronic equipment would require a higher degree of static protection than carpet or articles for dust prevention.
Accordin~ly, different standards have been developed for specific end use applications. For example, eleclrostatic behavior has been characterized by the Department of Defense in publication DOD-HDBK-263 in terms of surface resistivity. Materials with a surface resistivity in the range of 1~9-1014 ohms per square at 50~ R.H. are antis~atic. Materials with a surface resistivity greater than 1014 are generally insulators. In another example, electrostatic behavior has also been characterized ~y EIA
(Electronic Industries Association) in a publicatiQn "EIA Interim S~andard EIA-541: Packaging Matenal Standards for ESD
3Q Sensitive Iterns", 1988, in terrns of surface resistivity. Materials ,: , ;, , . :
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wo 92/052~ PCr/U~

with a sur~ace resistivity in the range of 105-10'2 ohms per square at 50~o R.H. are generally "dissipative". Matenals with a surface resistivity equal to or greater than about 10l2 are generally insulative.
S Different standards have also been developed for the static decay test. The static decay test is carried out in accordance with ~ederal Tes~ Method Standard 101 B, Me~hod 4046.1, "Electrostatic Properties of Materials" with a Static Decay `
Meter, model 40SC obtained from Electro-Tech Systems, Inc.
Static decay is a measure of the ability of a material, when "
grounded, to dissipate a known charge that has been induced on the surface of the material. A sheet sample (3" x 6") witb 1/8~
1/16 inch thickness is placed between clamp electrodes contained in a Faraday cage. A 5,000 volt charge is applied to the surface 15 of the specimen and the time in seeonds required to dissipate the charge tO 500 vol~s (10% of its initial value) or to 50 volts (1% of its initial value), after a ground is provided, is then measured.
Highly insulative materials will not accept a full charge of 5,000 volts on their surface or sbow residual charge be~ore applyhlg a 20 charge. In both instances, a s~atic decay tesa caMo~ apply and the materials are indicated in the TablP as being insulators. The National Fire Protection A.ssociation in NFPA, code 56A, '~he Standard for the Use of Inhalatio~ Anesthetics" covers products used in the hospital operating room and in ba~ardous 25 environments. It requires that the applied charge drop to 10~
of its initial Yalue within 0.5 seconds at 50% relative humidity in order to quali~r for use in hospital operating rooms and other hazardous environ nents. According to the same EIAi-541 publication, the material shall be considered acceptable if ~he .
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.

WO 92/Q~2~0 ;~ O ~ ~ ~ S 1 PCr/1).~/065~ ~

decay rate is less than two seconds from 5000 to 50 volts at 15 R.H~

EXAMPLE I
Profax 6323, general purpose injection-mold polypropylene from Himont USA Inc., was n~Lxed witb a copolymer of ethylene oxide and epichlorohydrin (EO/ECH) with 80 wt % of EO in a Banbury mL~er heated at 195C with hot oil. After mLYing (about S n~in.), a 6" x 6" x 1/8" sheet sample was press-molded a~ 195C and 30,000 psi. The results are shown in Ta~le I.

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~_5 0 5=5 ~ 55 ~ O _ I .

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EXAMPLE II
Profax SB 222, propylene copolymer ~om Himont USA Illc., was mixed with a copolyrner of EO/ECH wi~ 80 wt~o of EO in a Banbury m~xer heated at 190"C with hot oil. After 5 n~illg (about 5 min.), a 6" x 6" x 1/8 sheet sample was press-mokle~l a~ 190C and 30,000 psi. The results are shown in Table Il.

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WO 9~/05220 ~ d31 ~ S ~ PCr/~J~/Q~52 ~ : `
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wo 92/0522~ 4 6 1 EXAMPL m Profax 63~3, general purpose injection-mold polypropylene from Himont USA, Inc. and Tyrin 3611, chlorinated polyethylene from Dow Chemical, were mL~ed with a S copolymer of EO/ECH with 80 wt% of EO in a Banbury mLxer heate~l at 195C with hot oil. After mLYing (about S min.), a 6" x 6" x 1/8" sheet sample was press-molded at 195C and 30,000 psi.
The presence of chlorinated polyeshylene signi~lcantly improves antistatic propersies. The results are shown in Table III.

WO 92/0~220 ~ P~/U~91/0652.

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WO 92/05220 ;~ 6 ~ PC~/US91/OS525 EXAMPLE IV
LDPE resin, resin of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, and a copolymer of EO/ECH or EO/PO with 80 wt% of EO were mL~ed via S standard laboratory banbury/rnill rnLl~ing techniques. The mixed alloys were stripped off a standard 2 roll mill, were injection molded on a 75 ton Arburg injection molding machine. Molding conditions used were those recommended by the resin supplier.

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WO 92/0~i220 ~ 0 ~ ~ 4 6 ~ PCl/US91/0652 EXAMPLE V
The alloys were prepared using a 300 mm co-rotating and intermeshing twin screw compounding extrllder. A
fairly intensive mL~ing screw configuration was used to minim~ze dispersion stock temperatures reached 340 to 350F (121 to 10 177C) during the melt blending operation.
Injection molded ~est specimens were prepared on a 75 ~on Arburg injection molding machine. Melt temperatures for molding were in the 330 to 350~ (166 to 177~C range with the mold temperature set at 110F (43C).

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Claims (9)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An olefinic composition having antistatic properties, said composition comprising:
an olefinic component and a random ethylene oxide copolymer component, said ethylene oxide copolymer component comprising about 40 to 90 weight percent of the following polymer unit: (-CH2-CH2O-).

2. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the resulting composition requires less than about 0.5 seconds to dissipate 90% of a 5 kilovolt charge according to National Fire Protection Association standard (NFPA Code 56A) or requires less than about 2.0 second for a 99% dissipation of a 5 kilovolt at 50% relative humidity charge according to U.S. Military Specification MIL-B-81705C at 15% relative humidity as determined according to Federal Test Method Standard 101 B, Method 4046.1.

3. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the ethylene oxide copolymer comprises about 10 to about 60 weight percent polymer units which are the polymerization product of an oxirane comonomer other than ethylene oxide.

4. The composition of Claim 3 wherein the oxirane comonomer is epichlorohydrin or propylene oxide.

5. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the olefinic component comprises a homopolymer or a copolymerization product of an olefin monomer and one or more copolymerizable monomers or wherein the olefinic component comprises the product of grafted variations or chemical derivatives of homopolyolefins or their copolymers or wherein the olefinic component comprises a blend of an olefin polymer with a second polymer.

6. The composition of Claim 5 wherein the copolymerizable monomers have vinyl functionality.

7. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the olefinic component further comprises a metallic salt functionality.

8. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the amount of ethylene oxide copolymer is about 2 to 50 weight parts per hundred weight parts olefin polymer resin.

9. A method of manufactuting an antistatic olefinic composition, said method comprising the steps of:
melt mixing or blending an olefinic component with an ethylene oxide copolymer component, wherein the ethylene oxide copolymer component is about 40 to 90 weight percent of the following polymer unit:
(-CH2-CH2O-).