Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08G—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
  • C08G59/00—Polycondensates containing more than one epoxy group per molecule; Macromolecules obtained by polymerising compounds containing more than one epoxy group per molecule using curing agents or catalysts which react with the epoxy groups
  • C08G59/18—Macromolecules obtained by polymerising compounds containing more than one epoxy group per molecule using curing agents or catalysts which react with the epoxy groups ; e.g. general methods of curing
  • C08G59/40—Macromolecules obtained by polymerising compounds containing more than one epoxy group per molecule using curing agents or catalysts which react with the epoxy groups ; e.g. general methods of curing characterised by the curing agents used
  • C08G59/50—Amines
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L51/00—Compositions of graft polymers in which the grafted component is obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
  • C08L51/04—Compositions of graft polymers in which the grafted component is obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers grafted on to rubbers

Definitions

• thermoplastic molding compositions and more particularly to a blend containing an acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile interpolymer (ASA resin) and a gloss reducing agent.
• ASA resin acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile interpolymer
• thermoplastic molding composition comprising a grafted acrylate rubber (ASA) and a gloss reducing agent and a process for making the same are disclosed.
• the gloss reducing agent is the reaction product of (i) a compound having two or more epoxy groups per molecule and (ii) a compound having two or more amine groups per molecule, with the proviso that the total of epoxy groups of (i) and amine groups of (ii) per molecule is greater than 4.
• the gloss reducing agent may be either incorporated in ASA as the reaction product of (i) and (ii) or, in the alternative, formed upon the reaction of (i) with (ii) in the course of the thermal processing of the a blend containing ASA, (i) and (ii). DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
• thermoplastic molding compositions are often times glossy, yet for some applications this is not a desirable property. There is considerable need for low-gloss compositions especially in applications such as computer housings, keyboards, appliances and automotive parts.
• U.S. Patent 4,460,742 discloses a low gloss thermoplastic with good physical properties consisting of a blend of ASA and a gloss-reducing amount of a glycidyl (meth)acrylate copolymer.
• U.S. Patent 4,894,416 disclosed a low gloss thermoplastic with good physical properties consisting of a blend of ASA and a gloss-reducing amount of a glycidyl (meth)acrylate copolymer.
• Patent 5,580,924 disclosed reduced gloss thermoplastic compositions entailing compounding a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) in the presence of an electrophilic reagent and an acid to form a gel, and then compounding the resultant gels with polycarbonate, SAN and ABS graft polymer to form an PC/ABS/SAN composition having reduced gloss.
• SAN resins Acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate interpolymers
• ASA resins are well known in the art, and have many favorable features such as good strength and outstanding weathering resistance. Attempts to reduce the high gloss of these resins met with the disadvantages that were discussed above. It is, therefore, desired to reduce the gloss of ASA resins while at the same time retaining the level of their mechanical properties.
• Component (a) the ASA resin (acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile interpolymer), is known as an impact-modified, substantially-thermoplastic resin which comprises a SAN matrix in which is dispersed a grafted acrylate elastomer phase as impact modifier.
• Advantageous ASA resins which are commercially available comprise a crosslinked (meth)acryiate elastomer, a crosslinked SAN copolymer and a substantially linear SAN copolymer. Methylated styrene such as ⁇ -methyl styrene or vinyltoluene may be used in place of all or part of the styrene.
• the ASA resins may be prepared by a variety of known methods involving emulsion or bulk polymerization.
• the preferred resins of the ASA type are of core-shell structure; these structures are well known in the art and have been more fully disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,944,631 that is incorporated herein by reference.
• the (meth)acrylate elastomer core portion of these resins may be composed of alkyl, aryl, or arylalkyl esters of acrylic or methacrylic acids.
• the core-shell portion of the resin may be prepared by a two-step process in which the (meth)acrylate elastomer core (which is often slightly crosslinked with polyfunctional vinyl compounds) is grafted with a thermoplastic shell of poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, or similar vinyl polymers or copolymers.
• the core-shell structure is then blended with uncrosslinked polymer, such as poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, or similar vinyl polymers or copolymers, to form ASA resin.
• the most preferred ASA resins contains about 15 to about 85% of an uncrosslinked matrix of acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer polymerized and blended with a core-shell impact modifier, typically about 10 to 50% of a crosslinked (meth)acrylate elastomer core with about 5 to about 35% of a crosslinked styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer shell.
• Suitable crosslinking agents include polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated monomer, such as diallyl fumarate and diallyl maleate.
• the shell and core are believed to be linked by having interpenetrating molecular networks, and the term interpolymer is applied to such products having such networks.
• ASA resins which may be advantageously used in the composition of the invention are the types disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,655,824, 3,830,878, 3,991 ,009, 4,433,102, 4,442,263, and, 4,409,363, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• These ASA resins have in common the use of the three monomers, namely acrylate ester, styrene (or ⁇ -methylstyrene), and acrylonitrile, to make a thermoplastic with good impact, heat distortion and weathering characteristics. They differ principally in the method of manufacture and in the detailed structure of the essential rubbery phase and the interphases if any.
• the ASA resins have relatively similar blending properties in view of their outer continuous phase of acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer.
• the gloss reducing agent of the present invention is the reaction product of
• the gloss reducing agent may, in the alternative be incorporated in the composition as the reactants in their pre-reacted form that in the course of the thermal processing of the composition form the gloss reducing agent.
• the epoxy compound suitable in the context of the invention is a compound (including oligomers) having a number average molecular weight of at least 1500, that contains at least 2 epoxy functional groups per molecule and includes in its molecular structure elements derived from (a) at least one vinyl monomer that contains no epoxy functionalities and (b) at least one epoxy functional vinyl monomer.
• the suitable vinyl monomers that are free of epoxy functionalities mention may be made of ethylene, propylene, styrene, acrylonitrile, (meth)acrylic acid ester, and vinyl acetate.
• the suitable epoxy functional vinyl monomers include glycidyl (meth)acrylate and alkyl glycidyl ethers.
• the molecular weight (number average molecular weight) of the suitable epoxy compound is at least 1500, and preferably 1500 to about 50,000, most preferably 18,000 to 25,000 g/mole.
• the epoxy compound contains at least 2 epoxy functional groups per molecule, preferably 2 to 20, most preferably 8 to 15 epoxy functional groups.
• the preferred epoxy compounds are ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate copolymers and ethylene/methyl acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer, each having molecular weights of 18,000 to 25, 000 and 8 to 15 epoxy groups per molecule.
• the suitable amine compound contains polyolefinic or polyether structural elements, and at least two terminal primary amine functional groups per molecule.
• the preferred structure contains at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyether structural units, and the most preferred contains structural units of polypropylene oxide.
• the number average molecular weight of the suitable amine compound is generally, 500 to 10000, preferably 1000 to 8000, most preferably 4000 to 6000 and the compound contains at least 2, preferably 2 to 5 most preferably 3 to 4 terminal amine functional groups per molecule.
• Most preferred amine compound is polypropylene oxide having a molecular weight of 4000 to 6000 and containing 3 terminal primary amine functional groups per molecule.
• the total of the epoxy groups of the epoxy compound and the terminal primary amine functional groups of the amine compound is greater than 4.
• the reaction for the preparation of the gloss reducing agent is well known and may be prepared by procedures that are known the art-skilled.
• the gloss reducing agent may also be incorporated in the inventive composition as the pre-reacted reactants.
• the epoxy compound and the amine compounds are blended together with the ASA resin in sufficient amounts to result, under the thermoplastic processing conditions, in the formation of the reaction product.
• An effective amount of the gloss reducing agent is generally in the range of 0.5 to 15%, preferably 3 to 12%, most preferably 5 to 10% relative to the weight of the composition (total weight of ASA and gloss reducing agent). Lesser amounts give inadequate gloss reduction, greater amounts are excessively costly and may adversely affect physical properties of the blend or molded articles made therefrom.
• the inventive composition may be modified by the addition of additives for their art-recognized function.
• additives include fillers (such as clay or talc), reinforcing agents (such as glass fibers), impact modifiers, other resins, plasticizers, flow promoters and other processing aids, stabilizers, colorants, mold release agents, flame retardants, ultraviolet screening agents, and the like.
• the preparation of the inventive composition may be carried out by blending the ASA resin with the pre-prepared reaction product or, in the alternative, with the pre-reacted reactants that react in the course of the thermoplastic processing of the composition to form the gloss reducing agent.
• the blending, in either embodiment of the invention may be carried out by conventional means and following procedures that are well known to the art-skilled.
• Blending or kneading may be carried out by machines such as a Banbury mixer or an extruder, or in the alternative by solvent blending.
• the sequence of addition is not critical but the components should be thoroughly blended together and under time and temperature conditions conducive for the reaction to be completed.
• MFI - the melt flow index, in g/10 min. is the melt flow index that was determined according to ASTM D1238, under load of 10 kg at 220°C;
• MMP- is the required molding pressure to fill 99% of the mold cavity, indicated in psi, was determined at 490°F.
• Vicat - is the softening temperature (1 Kg), °C determined according to
• DTUL- is the deflection temperature under load (264 psi (1.8 MPa)), °C, determined according to ASTM D648. The temperature of the oil increased at a rate of 2°C/minute.
• Tensile properties determined at room temperature using an Instron universal machine with cross-head speed of 5 mm/minute in accordance with ASTM D-638. Type I tensile bars were used. Gloss (20 deg) and Gloss (60 deg) were measured at room temperature in accordance with the procedure set forth in ASTM D523 using a Gardner gloss meter with 60 degree or 20 degree angle on molded plaques (dimension of 10.2 cm x 7.6 cm x 0.32 cm)
• Flexural properties determined at room temperature using an Instron universal machine with cross-head speed of 0.05 in/minute in accordance with ASTM D-790. The samples measured 6.35 cm x 1.27 cm x 3.18 cm.
• compositions were based on identical ASA material and contained, in addition to the gloss reducing agent, additive amounts of conventional additives that are irrelevant to the findings and are not critical to the invention.
• the ASA material in all the examples contained about 22% by weight of butyl acrylate rubber grafted with SAN (the weight ratio between rubber and the grafted SAN was about 100:80; the weight ratio between the styrene and Acrylonitrile was about 70/30).
• the gloss reducing agent in the exemplified composition comprised an epoxy compound and an amine compound in the indicated amounts, parts by weight per one hundred parts of resin. (PPhr)
• the epoxy compound designated as epoxy 1 was a copolymer of ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate (weight ratio of 92/8) having a molecular weight of about 20,000 g/mole.
• the epoxy compound designated as epoxy 2 was a copolymer of ethylene-methyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate (weight ratio of 67/25/8) and having a molecular weight of about 18,000 g/mole.
• the exemplified triamine compound was a primary poly(propylene oxide) triamine of approximately 5000 g/mole molecular weight.
• the exemplified diamine compound was a primary poly(propylene oxide) diamine of approximately 2000 g/mole molecular weight.
• the ASA that was used in the exemplified compositions was a blend of butyl acrylate rubber having a bimodal particle size distribution of 0.4 microns and 0.15 microns. Both modes comprise styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer grafted onto a core-shell structured rubber substrate.
• the core contains styrene and the shell is crosslinked poly(butyl acrylate).
• thermoplastic molding composition comprising a grafted acrylate rubber and a gloss reducing agent that includes the reaction product of (i) a compound having two or more epoxy functional groups per molecule and having a number average molecular weight greater than 1500 with (ii) a compound having a number average molecular weight 500 to 10000 that contains polyolefinic or polyether structural units and at least two terminal primary amine functional groups per molecule, with the proviso that the total of epoxy functional groups of (i) and terminal amine groups of (ii) per molecule of agent is greater than 4, said agent being present in an amount of 0.5 to 15 percent relative to the weight of the composition.
• thermoplastic molding composition of Claim 1 wherein said agent is present in an amount of 3 to 12 percent.
• thermoplastic molding composition of Claim 1 wherein said agent is present in an amount of 5 to 10 percent.
• thermoplastic molding composition of Claim 5 wherein elements derived from vinyl monomer that contain no epoxy functionalities are selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, styrene, acrylonitrile, (meth)acrylic acid ester, and vinyl acetate.
• thermoplastic molding composition of Claim 5 wherein elements derived from epoxy functional vinyl monomers are selected from the group consisting of glycidyl (meth)acrylate and alkyl glycidyl ethers.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Epoxy Resins (AREA)
• Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Road Signs Or Road Markings (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Macromolecular Shaped Articles (AREA)
• Dental Preparations (AREA)

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Publications (2)

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• 2001
  • 2001-09-26 US US09/965,711 patent/US6395828B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2002
  • 2002-09-23 CN CNB028190114A patent/CN1294200C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-09-23 WO PCT/US2002/030655 patent/WO2003027181A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2002-09-23 AT AT02776007T patent/ATE382070T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-09-23 DE DE60224300T patent/DE60224300D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-09-23 AU AU2002341852A patent/AU2002341852A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-09-23 CA CA002461234A patent/CA2461234A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-09-23 KR KR10-2004-7004262A patent/KR20040039405A/ko not_active Ceased
  • 2002-09-23 MX MXPA04002596A patent/MXPA04002596A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2002-09-23 EP EP02776007A patent/EP1444296B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-09-23 JP JP2003530762A patent/JP2005528462A/ja active Pending

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