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WO1999033922A1 - Procede de modification de poly(oxyde d'ethylene) - Google Patents

Procede de modification de poly(oxyde d'ethylene) Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999033922A1
WO1999033922A1 PCT/US1998/027768 US9827768W WO9933922A1 WO 1999033922 A1 WO1999033922 A1 WO 1999033922A1 US 9827768 W US9827768 W US 9827768W WO 9933922 A1 WO9933922 A1 WO 9933922A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
peo
poly
ethylene oxide
molecular weight
melt
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1998/027768
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English (en)
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WO1999033922A9 (fr
Inventor
James H. Wang
David M. Schertz
Original Assignee
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. filed Critical Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Priority to AU23082/99A priority Critical patent/AU2308299A/en
Publication of WO1999033922A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999033922A1/fr
Publication of WO1999033922A9 publication Critical patent/WO1999033922A9/fr

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
    • C08F283/00—Macromolecular compounds obtained by polymerising monomers on to polymers provided for in subclass C08G
    • C08F283/06—Macromolecular compounds obtained by polymerising monomers on to polymers provided for in subclass C08G on to polyethers, polyoxymethylenes or polyacetals
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
    • C08L71/00—Compositions of polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
    • C08L71/02—Polyalkylene oxides

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed to a method of modifying poly(ethylene oxide). More particularly, the present invention is directed to methods of modifying poly(ethylene oxide) comprising grafting polar vinyl monomers, such as poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylates and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, onto poly(ethylene oxide).
  • polar vinyl monomers such as poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylates and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate
  • Disposable personal care products such as pantiliners, diapers, tampons etc. are a great convenience. Such products provide the benefit of one time, sanitary use and are convenient because they are quick and easy to use. However, disposal of such products is a concern due to limited landfill space. Incineration of such products is not desirable because of increasing concerns about air quality and the costs and difficulty associated with separating such products from other disposed, non-incineratable articles.
  • PEO poly(ethylene oxide)
  • n is a commercially available water-soluble polymer that can be produced from the ring opening polymerization of the ethylene oxide
  • POLYOX® WSR N- 80 PEO which is commercially available form Union Carbide.
  • PEO has an approximate molecular weight of 200,000 g/mol as determined by rheological measurements.
  • low molecular weight PEO compositions are defined as PEO compositions with an approximate molecular weight of less than and including about 200,000 g/mol.
  • flushable thin-gauged films and melt- spun fibers are desired for commercial viability and ease of disposal.
  • the low melt strength and low melt elasticity of low molecular weight PEO limit the ability of the low molecular weight PEO to be drawn into films having a thickness of less than about 1.25 mil.
  • low molecular weight PEO films are too weak and brittle to be useful for personal care applications.
  • Low molecular weight PEO films have low tensile strength, low ductility, and are too brittle for commercial use. Further, films produced from low molecular weight PEOs become brittle during storage at ambient conditions.
  • High molecular weight PEO resins are expected to produce films with improved mechanical properties compared to films produced from low molecular weight PEO resins.
  • An example of a high molecular weight PEO is POLYOX® WSR 12K PEO which is commercially available from Union Carbide. POLYOX® WSR 12K PEO has a reported approximate molecular weight of 1,000,000 g/mol as determined by rheological measurements. As used herein, high molecular weight PEOs are defined as PEOs with an approximate molecular weight of greater than and including about 300,000 g/mol.
  • PEO resins of low molecular weights for example 200,000 g/mol have desirable melt viscosity and melt pressure properties for extrusion processing but cannot be processed into fibers due to their low melt elasticities and low melt strengths.
  • PEO resins of higher molecular weights for example greater than 1,000,000 g/mol, have melt viscosities that are too high for fiber-spinning processes. These properties make conventional PEOs difficult to process into fibers using conventional fiber-making processes.
  • PEO melt extruded from spinning plates and fiber spinning lines resists drawing and is easily broken.
  • PEO resins do not form thin diameter fibers using conventional melt fiber-making processes.
  • Conventional PEO resins can only be melt processed into strands with diameters in the range of several millimeters. Therefore, PEO compositions with appropriate melt viscosities for processing fibers and with greater melt elasticities and melt strengths are desired.
  • flushable melt-spun fibers are desired for commercial viability and ease of disposal.
  • PEO fibers have been produced by a solution casting process. However, it has not been possible to melt process PEO fibers using conventional fiber making techniques such as melt spinning. Melt processing techniques are more desirable than solution casting because melt processing techniques are more efficient and economical. Melt processing of fibers is needed for commercial viability.
  • Prior art PEO compositions cannot be extruded into the melt with adequate melt strength and elasticity to allow attenuation of fibers.
  • fibers cannot be produced from conventional PEO compositions by melting spinning.
  • currently available PEO resins are not practical for melt processing, thin films, fibers or personal care applications. What is needed in the art, therefore, is a means to overcome the difficulties in melt processing of currently available PEO resins.
  • the present invention is directed to methods for improving the processability of PEO. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of modifying PEO to improve its melt processability by grafting polar vinyl monomers, such as poly (ethylene glycol) methacrylates or 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate, onto the PEO. The grafting is accomplished by mixing PEO, monomer(s) and initiator and applying heat. In a preferred embodiment, the method of modification is a reactive-extrusion process. PEOs modified in accordance with this invention have improved melt processabilities and can be thermally processed into films, fibers and other articles which have improved properties over films, fibers and articles similarly processed from unmodified PEO compositions.
  • polar vinyl monomers such as poly (ethylene glycol) methacrylates or 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate
  • graft copolymer means a copolymer produced by the combination of two or more chains of constitutionally or configurationally different features, one of which serves as a backbone main chain, and at least one of which is bonded at some point(s) along the backbone and constitutes a side chain.
  • grafting means the forming of a polymer by the bonding of side chains or species at some point(s) along the backbone of a parent polymer.
  • Modification of PEO resins with starting molecular weights of between about 300,000 g/mol to about 8,000,000 g/mol allows the modified PEO resins to be drawn into films with thicknesses of less than 0.5 mil. Modification of PEO resins with starting molecular weights of between about 400,000 g/mol to about 8,000,000 g/mol is preferred for film making. Films drawn from the modified PEO compositions have better softness and greater clarity than films drawn from unmodified low molecular weight PEO. Thermal processing of films from high molecular weight PEO modified in accordance with this invention also results in films with improved mechanical properties over films similarly processed from unmodified low molecular weight PEO films.
  • Figure 1 compares the melt rheology curve of an unmodified PEO resin of 600,000 g/mol approximate molecular weight, Example 1 , and the melt rheology curves of PEO compositions modified from the 600,000 g/mol molecular weight PEO resin, Examples 2-5.
  • Figure 2 compares the melt rheology curve of unmodified PEO resin of
  • Example 6 1,000,000 g/mol approximate molecular weight, Example 6, and the melt rheology curves of PEO compositions modified from the 1,000,000 g/mol molecular weight PEO resin, Examples 7-10.
  • Figure 3 displays the results of Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis of films from an unmodified PEO of 600,000 g/mol approximate molecular weight
  • Example 1 a PEO of an initial approximate molecular weight of 600,000 g/mol modified with 4.9 weight % HEMA and 0.28 weight % initiator, Example 3; and a PEO of an initial approximate molecular weight of 600,000 g/mol modified with 4.9 weight % PEG-MA and 0.32 weight % initiator, Example 5.
  • Figure 4 compares the melt rheology curve of an unmodified PEO resin of
  • Example 1 600,000 g/mol approximate molecular weight, Example 1, and the melt rheology curves of PEO compositions modified from the PEO resin having an initial approximate molecular weight of 600,000 g/mol with low monomer and initiator levels, Examples 11-13.
  • Figure 5 compares the melt rheology curve of an unmodified PEO of 300,000 g/mol approximate molecular weight, Example 14, and the melt rheology curves of PEO compositions modified from the PEO resin having an initial approximate molecular weight of 300,000 g/mol, Examples 15 and 16.
  • Figure 6 compares the melt rheology curve of an unmodified PEO of 400,000 g/mol approximate molecular weight, Example 17, and the melt rheology curves of PEO compositions modified from the PEO having an initial approximate molecular weight of 400,000 g/mol, Examples 18 and 19.
  • Figure 7 is a graph comparing the melt viscosities of an unmodified
  • Figure 8 is a ⁇ C- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectra of the modified PEO of Example 32.
  • Figure 9 is a ⁇ H- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectra of the modified PEO of Example 32.
  • PEO resins useful for modification for film-making purposes include, but are not limited to, PEO resins having initial reported approximate molecular weights ranging from about 300,000 g/mol to about 8,000,000 g/mol as determined by rheological measurements.
  • PEO resins are commercially available from, for example, Union Carbide Corporation and are sold under the trade designations POLYOX® WSR N-750 and POLYOX® UCARFLOC® Polymer 309, respectively.
  • Modification of PEO resins with starting molecular weights from about 300,000 g/mol to about 8,000,000 g/mol are desired and modification of PEO resins with starting molecular weights from about 400,000 g/mol to about 8,000,000 are more desired.
  • Commercially available resins within the desired ranges include, but are not limited to, POLYOX® WSR N-205 and POLYOX®
  • Fibers can be made using conventional processing methods from commercially available PEO resins when modified in accordance with this invention.
  • the PEO resins useful for modification for fiber-making purposes include, but are not limited to, PEO resins having initial reported approximate molecular weights ranging from about
  • Desirable PEO resins for fiber making have molecular weights ranging from 50,000 to 300,000 g/mol before modification and more desired PEO resins for fiber making have molecular weights ranging from 50,000 to 200,000 g/mol before modification.
  • the PEO compositions modified from PEO resins within the above resins provide desirable balances between mechanical and physical properties and processing properties. Two PEO resins within the above preferred ranges are commercially available from Union Carbide Corporation and are sold under the trade designations POLYOX® WSR N-10 and POLYOX® WSR N-80.
  • PEO powder and pellets of PEO can be used in this invention since the physical form of PEO does not affect its behavior in the melt state for grafting reactions.
  • This invention has been demonstrated by the use of PEO in powder form as supplied by Union Carbide.
  • the PEO resins to be modified may be obtained from other suppliers and in other forms, such as pellets.
  • the PEO resins and modified compositions may optionally contain various additives such as plasticizers, processing aids, rheology modifiers, antioxidants, UV light stabilizers, pigments, colorants, slip additives, antiblock agents, etc. which may be added before or after modification.
  • polar vinyl monomers may be useful in the practice of this invention.
  • the term "monomer(s)" as used herein includes monomers, oligomers, polymers, mixtures of monomers, oligomers and/or polymers, and any other reactive chemical species which is capable of covalent bonding with the parent polymer, PEO.
  • Ethylenically unsaturated monomers containing a polar functional group, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, amino, carbonyl, halo, thiol, sulfonic, sulfonate, etc. are appropriate for this invention and are desired. Desired ethylenically unsaturated monomers include acrylates and methacrylates.
  • Particularly desirable ethylenically unsaturated monomers containing a polar functional group are 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (hereinafter HEMA) and poly (ethylene glycol) methacrylates (hereinafter PEG-MA).
  • HEMA 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate
  • PEG-MA poly (ethylene glycol) methacrylates
  • a particularly desirable poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate is poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate.
  • the amount of polar vinyl monomer relative to the amount of PEO may range from about 0.1 to about 20 weight percent of monomer to the weight of PEO.
  • the amount of monomer should exceed 0.1 weight percent in order to sufficiently improve the processability of the PEO. More desirably, the amount of monomer should be at the lower end of the above disclosed range in order to decrease costs.
  • a range of grafting levels is demonstrated in the Examples. Typically, the monomer addition levels were between 2.5 percent and 15 percent of the weight of the base PEO resin.
  • PEG-MA and HEMA as the polar vinyl monomers. Both the PEG-MA and HEMA were supplied by Aldrich Chemical Company.
  • the HEMA used in the Examples was designated Aldrich Catalog number 12,863-5 and the PEG-MA was designated Aldrich Catalog number 40,954-5.
  • the PEG-MA was a poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate having a number average molecular weight of approximately 246 grams per mol. PEG-MA with a number average molecular weight higher or lower than 246 g/mol are also applicable for this invention.
  • the molecular weight of the PEG-MA can range up to 50,000 g/mol.
  • the desired range of the molecular weight of the monomers is from about 246 to about 5,000 g/mol and the most desired range is from about 246 to about 2,000 g/mol. Again, it is expected that a wide range of polar vinyl monomers as well as a wide range of molecular weights of monomers would be capable of imparting similar effects to
  • PEO resins and would be effective monomers for grafting and modification purposes.
  • initiators may be useful in the practice of this invention. When grafting is achieved by the application of heat, as in a reactive-extrusion process, it is desirable that the initiator generates free radicals through the application of heat. Such initiators are generally referred to as thermal initiators. For the initiator to function as a useful source of radicals for grafting, the initiator should be commercially and readily available, stable at ambient or refrigerated conditions, and generate radicals at reactive- extrusion temperatures.
  • Compounds containing O-O bonds, peroxides are commonly used as initiators for polymerization.
  • Such commonly used peroxide initiators include: alkyl, dialkyl, diaryl and arylalkyl peroxides such as cumyl peroxide, t-butyl peroxide, di-t-butyl peroxide, dicumyl peroxide, cumyl butyl peroxide, 1,1 -di-t-butyl peroxy-3,5,5- trimethylcyclohexane, 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t-butylperoxy)hexane, 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(t- butylperoxy)hexyne-3 and bis(a-t-butyl peroxyisopropylbenzene); acyl peroxides such as acetyl peroxides
  • azo compounds such as 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile abbreviated as AIBN, 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylpentanenitrile) and l,l'-azobis(cyclohexanecarbonitrile) may be used as the initiator.
  • AIBN 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile
  • 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylpentanenitrile) and l,l'-azobis(cyclohexanecarbonitrile) may be used as the initiator.
  • LUPERSOL® 101 is a free radical initiator and comprises 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t- butylperoxy) hexane.
  • Other initiators and other grades of LUPERSOL® initiators may also be used, such as LUPERSOL® 130.
  • reaction vessels may be useful in the practice of this invention.
  • the modification of the PEO can be performed in any vessel as long as the necessary mixing of PEO, the monomer and the initiator is achieved and enough thermal energy is provided to effect grafting.
  • such vessels include any suitable mixing device, such as Bradender Plasticorders, Haake extruders, single or multiple screw extruders, or any other mechanical mixing devices which can be used to mix, compound, process or fabricate polymers.
  • the reaction device is a counter-rotating twin-screw extruder, such as a Haake extruder available from Haake, 53 West Century Road, Paramus, NJ 07652 or a co-rotating, twin-screw extruder, such as a ZSK-30 twin- screw, compounding extruder manufactured by Werner & Pfleiderer Co ⁇ oration of Ramsey, New Jersey. It should be noted that a variety of extruders can be used to modify the PEO in accordance with the invention provided that mixing and heating occur.
  • the ZSK-30 extruder allows multiple feeding, has venting ports and is capable of producing modified PEO at a rate of up to 50 pounds per hour. If a higher rate of production of modified PEO is desired, a commercial-scale ZSK-58 extruder manufactured by Werner & Pfleiderer may be used.
  • the ZSK-30 extruder has a pair of co- rotating screws arranged in parallel with the center to center distance between the shafts of the two screws at 26.2 mm.
  • the nominal screw diameters are 30 mm.
  • the actual outer diameters of the screws are 30 mm and the inner screw diameters are 21.3 mm.
  • the thread depths is 4.7 mm.
  • the lengths of the screws are 1328 mm and the total processing section length was 1338 mm.
  • This ZSK-30 extruder had 14 processing barrels, which are numbered consecutively 1 to 14 from the feed barrel to the die for the pu ⁇ oses of this disclosure.
  • the first barrel, barrel #1 received the PEO and was not heated but cooled by water. The other thirteen barrels were heated.
  • the monomer, HEMA or PEG-MA was injected into barrel #5 and the initiator was injected into barrel #6. Both the monomer and the initiator were injected via a pressurized nozzle injector, also manufactured by Wemer & Pfleiderer.
  • the order in which the PEO, monomer and initiator are added is not critical and the initiator and monomer may be added at the same time or in reverse order. However, the order used in the following Examples is desired.
  • the die used to extrude the modified PEO strands has four openings of 3 mm in diameter which are separated by 7 mm.
  • the modified PEO strands were extruded onto an air-cooling belt and then pelletized.
  • the extruded PEO melt strands were cooled by air on a fan-cooled conveyor belt 20 feet in length.
  • Another extruder suitable as the reaction device includes a Haake extruder.
  • the modified PEO compositions of Examples 31, 32 and 33 suitable for fiber-making pu ⁇ oses were modified by a reactive extrusion process using a Haake extruder.
  • Haake extruder that was used was a counter-rotating, twin-screw extruder that contained a pair of custom-made, counter rotating conical screws.
  • the Haake extruder had a length of 300 millimeters.
  • Each conical screw had a diameter of 30 millimeters at the feed port and a diameter of 20 millimeters at the die.
  • the monomer and the initiator were added at the feed throat of the Haake extruder contemporaneously with the PEO resin.
  • the Haake extruder comprised six sections as follows: Section 1 comprised a double-flighted forward pumping section having a large screw pitch and high helix angle. Section 2 comprised a double-flighted forward pumping section having a smaller screw pitch than Section 1. Section 3 comprised a double-flighted forward pumping section having a smaller screw pitch than Section 2. Section 4 comprised a double-flighted and notched reverse pumping section where one complete flight was notched. Section 5 comprised a double-flighted and notched forward pumping section containing two complete flights. And, Section 6 comprised a double-flighted forward pumping section having a screw pitch intermediate that of Section 1 and Section 2.
  • Examples 1-21 have been demonstrated by the use of the ZSK-30 extruder as detailed above.
  • the extruder barrel temperatures were set at 180 °C for all of the seven zones of the extruder.
  • the screw speed was set at 300 rpm.
  • the PEO resin was fed into the extruder with a K-Tron gravimetric feeder at a throughput of 20 pounds per hour.
  • the selected monomer and the initiator were fed by Eldex pumps into the extruder at the various rates reported in Table 1.
  • the extrusion conditions, actual barrel temperatures for the seven zones of the extruder, polymer melt temperature, melt pressure, and percent torque, were monitored during the reactive-extrusion for each of the twenty Examples and are reported in Table 2.
  • the modified PEO strands were cooled by air on a fan-cooled conveyor belt 20 feet in length. The solidified strands were then pelletized in a Conair pelletizer available from Conair of Bay City, Michigan.
  • the weight percentages of the components used in the Examples were calculated relative to the weight of the base resin, PEO, unless otherwise indicated.
  • five different approximate molecular weight PEO resins were used and tested: POLYOX® WSR 205 PEO having a reported initial approximate molecular weight of 600,000 g/mol was used in Examples 1-5, 11-13 and 20; POLYOX® WSR 12K PEO having a reported initial approximate molecular weight of 1,000,000 g/mol was used in Examples 6-10; POLYOX® WSR N-750 PEO having a reported initial approximate molecular weight of 300,000 g/mol was used in Examples 14-16; POLYOX® WSR N- 3000 PEO having a reported initial approximate molecular weight of 400,000 g/mol was used in Examples 17-19; and POLYOX® WSR N-80 PEO having a reported initial approximate molecular weight of 200,000 g/mol was used in Example 21.
  • Examples 1 and 5 represent a control sample of unmodified PEO of initial approximate molecular weight of 600,000 g/mol.
  • Example 6 represents a control sample of unmodified PEO of initial approximate molecular weight of 1,000,000 g/mol.
  • Example 14 represents a control sample of unmodified PEO of initial approximate molecular weight of 300,000 g/mol.
  • Example 17 represents a control sample of unmodified PEO of initial approximate molecular weight of 400,000 g/mol.
  • Example 20 represents a comparative example of PEO of initial approximate molecular weight of 600,000 g/mol modified only by the addition of initiator without monomer.
  • Example 21 represents a comparative example of unmodified PEO of initial approximate molecular weight of 200,000 g/mol.
  • T7 represent the actual barrel temperatures of the seven zones of the extruder during the extrusion of the Examples.
  • Ti corresponds to barrels #2 and #3
  • T2 corresponds to barrels #4 and #5
  • T3 corresponds to barrels #6 and #7
  • T4 corresponds to barrels #8 and #9
  • T5 corresponds to barrels #10 and #11
  • T6 corresponds to barrels #12 and #13
  • T7 corresponds to barrel #14, the die.
  • Barrel #1 was not heated and remained at ambient conditions.
  • melt pressure during extrusion of the unmodified PEO resins was very high.
  • the melt pressure of the unmodified 600,000 molecular weight PEO of Example 1 was 1770-1810 psi and the melt pressure of the unmodified 1,000,000 molecular weight PEO of Example 6 was 1540-
  • melt fracture was not visible producing strands with smooth surfaces. Melt temperatures were significantly reduced as shown in Table 2. The melt temperatures grafting HEMA and PEG-MA to POLYOX® WSR 205
  • PEO powders of Examples 2-5 were in the range of 189 to 198 °C, a reduction of 6 to 15 °C compared to the melt temperature of the same PEO resin without grafting of Example 1 at 204 "C.
  • the strands also appeared to undergo less degradation, as the polymer strands contained less bubbles and were significantly smoother as they exited the die.
  • Examples 7-10 were also substantially reduced, down to the range of 183 to 191 °C compared to 209 °C without grafting, Example 6, a reduction of 18 to 26 °C.
  • This reduction in the melt temperature also apparently reduced the degradation inside the extruder, as the polymer strands contained less bubbles as they exited the die compared to the same PEO resin without grafting.
  • Examples 14 and 17 showed some melt fracture and thermal degradation, although not as bad as observed for Examples 1 and 6.
  • the most obvious problems with extrusion of Examples 14 and 17 were the elevated melt pressure, 1379 and 1659 psi, and increased torque, 33 and 33 %.
  • the melt pressure was reduced by greater than 50% compared to the unmodified PEO of the same starting molecular weight and the torque was reduced slightly for each, from 33% down to 26-28%.
  • the melt temperature was not reduced for these Examples.
  • Example 20 POLYOX® WSR 205 PEO modified by the addition of initiator only, showed a remarkable change in melt extrusion compared to Example 1 , the unmodified POLYOX® WSR 205 PEO.
  • Example 20 was modified without the use of a monomer, the preferential reaction was crosslinking as opposed to grafting. The resulting material was filled with crosslinked gel particles, some as large as 0.5 to 1 mm. The gels rendered the resulting PEO useless.
  • the modified PEO of Examples 2-5, 7-13, 15-16 and 18-19 exhibited reduced melt temperature and melt pressure compared to the corresponding unmodified high molecular weight PEO. This allows for easier and more economical processing of PEO.
  • the appearance of extrusion-processed PEO modified in accordance with this invention is greatly improved compared to unmodified high molecular weight PEO. Strands extruded from PEO modified in accordance with this invention are much smoother and much more uniform compared to strands extruded from the same initial unmodified PEO.
  • the first two rows of Table 3 report the results of the GPC analysis for the POLYOX® WSR 205 and POLYOX® WSR 12K PEO powders before extrusion.
  • Examples 1 and 6 are the results for the GPC analysis of the unmodified and extruded POLYOX® WSR 205 and POLYOX® WSR 12K PEOs of Examples 1 and 6 of Table 1 , respectively. That is Examples 1 and 6 represent the extrusion of the above POLYOX® PEO resins at 180 °C, 300 ⁇ m and 20 pounds per hour in the ZSK-30 extruder without the additions of either monomer or initiator.
  • the other Example numbers correspond to the respective Example numbers of Table 1.
  • Example 20 was not analyzed by DSC because the PEO of Example 20 modified without the addition of a monomer was determined to not be useful for film-making.
  • Tm melting points
  • ⁇ H enthalpy of melting
  • the melting points as determined by DSC of the modified PEOs of Examples 2-5 and 1 1- 13 are lower than for the initial unmodified PEO of Example 1. Likewise, decreases in melting points were observed for the modified PEOs of Examples 7-10 compared to the initial unmodified PEO of Example 6, for the modified PEOs of Examples 15 and 16 compared to the unmodified PEO of Example 14, and for the modified PEOs of Examples
  • the melt rheology curves for unmodified, Example 1, and modified, Examples 2-5, 600,000 g/mol initial approximate molecular weight resin compositions are provided in Figure 1.
  • the melt rheology curves for unmodified, Example 6, and modified, Examples 7-10, 1,000,000 g/mol initial approximate molecular weight resin compositions are provided in Figure 2.
  • the melt rheology curves for unmodified, Example 1, and modified, Examples 11-13, 600,000 g/mol initial approximate molecular weight resin compositions are provided in Figure 4.
  • the melt rheology curves for unmodified, Example 14, and modified, Examples 15 and 16, 300,000 g/mol initial approximate molecular weight resin compositions are provided in Figure 5.
  • the melt rheology curves for unmodified, Example 17, and modified, Examples 18 and 19, 400,000 g/mol initial approximate molecular weight resin compositions are provided in Figure 6.
  • melt viscosities of the modified PEOs are significantly reduced at low shear rates, 50-100 s " l , than the melt viscosities of the unmodified PEO.
  • melt viscosity of unmodified 12K 1 ,000,000 approximate molecular weight PEO resin is 6,433 Pa*s at 50 s ⁇ l and the melt viscosity of the same 12K resin modified with 5% PEG-MA and 0.32% L101 initiator is 2,882 Pa*s at the same shear rate, 50 s ⁇ l. This is a reduction in melt viscosity of 55%.
  • melt viscosities of the modified PEOs appear to be comparable or greater than the melt viscosities of the unmodified PEO.
  • the melt viscosity of unmodified 12K resin was 275
  • melt viscosity of the same 12K resin modified with 5% PEG-MA and 0.32% L101 initiator is 316 Pa*s at the same shear rate, 2,000 s ⁇ l. This is an increase in melt viscosity of 15%.
  • modified PEO of the Examples were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy.
  • the results of this analysis confirmed that modified PEO did in fact contain grafted HEMA or PEG-MA units as side chains on the PEO backbone.
  • NMR spectroscopy it was determined that the PEOs produced in the Examples 2-5, 7-13, 15-16 and 18-19 contained
  • the extruded films were collected onto a chilled wind-up roll maintained at 15-20 °C.
  • the Haake extruder that was used to cast the films from the PEO compositions was a counter-rotating, twin-screw extruder that contained a pair of custom- made, counter rotating conical screws with the 4 inch wide film die attachment.
  • the Haake extruder comprised six sections as follows: Section 1 comprised a double-flighted forward pumping section having a large screw pitch and high helix angle. Section 2 comprised a double-flighted forward pumping section having a smaller screw pitch than Section 1 .
  • Section 3 comprised a double flighted forward pumping section having a smaller screw pitch than Section 2.
  • Section 4 comprised a double-flighted and notched reverse pumping section where one complete flight was notched.
  • Section 5 comprised a double flighted and notched forward pumping section containing two complete flights.
  • Section 6 comprised a double flighted forward pumping section having a screw pitch intermediate that of Section 1 and Section 2.
  • the extruder had a length of 300 millimeters. Each conical screw had a diameter of 30 millimeters at the feed port and a diameter of 20 millimeters at the die.
  • the unmodified PEO of Example 14 the POLYOX® WSR N-750 PEO with an initial approximate molecular weight of 300,000 g/mol, was still very difficult to process into a uniform sheet of about 4 mil thickness. All attempts to process a film of less than 4 mil thickness, resulted in breaking, surging, and very uneven films.
  • the minimum thickness film that was able to be processed from the unmodified 400,000 g/mol PEO of Example 17 was only about 5 mil.
  • the PEO composition of Example 20 could only be processed into a film of about 3-4 mil in thickness.
  • the 3-4 mil films of the PEO of Example 20 contained numerous fish-eye holes. Even though the torque and pressure during the processing of films of Example 20 were low, the films contained so many gel inclusions that the gel inclusions propagated defects in the films. At less than 3-4 mil, the fish-eye holes would became so large that they interconnected and caused breaks in the films.
  • the only unmodified PEO that was able to be processed into a thin film was the low molecular weight, 200,000 g/mol, POLYOX® WSR N-80 PEO of Example 21.
  • the films processed from the unmodified low molecular weight PEO of Example 21 possess insufficient mechanical properties, such as low tensile strength and low ductility, and also exhibit increased brittleness during storage under ambient conditions.
  • the film processed from the unmodified PEO of Example 21 contained undesirable, grainy particles.
  • modified PEO compositions were able to be melt processed into films with thicknesses of less than 0.5 mil without tearing or breakage. This is a significant improvement compared to thicknesses of about 7 mil for films from the unmodified high molecular weight PEOs of Examples 1 and 6.
  • the grafting of polar vinyl monomers onto PEO transforms the melt properties and processability, improving the processability by increasing the melt strength and melt drawability of the PEO, thereby allowing thin films to be readily and easily processed. This is also an improvement over the difficulties of producing a less than 1 mil film of unmodified low molecular weight
  • PEO such as Example 21 which possesses desirable processing conditions of low torque, pressure and die temperature but lacks mechanical properties desirable in a usable film.
  • modified PEO compositions of Examples 15 and 16 also exhibited significantly reduced torque and pressure and slightly reduced die temperature during processing compared to unmodified PEO of Example 14 when processed under similar conditions. Generally, the melt viscosity during film processing of the modified PEO compositions was reduced and the die pressure was reduced by greater than 50 %.
  • Very thin films were able to be processed from the modified PEO compositions of Examples 15 and 16, exhibiting excellent processability.
  • the unmodified POLYOX® WSR N-750 PEO having an initial approximate molecular weight of 300,000 g/mol was not able to be processed into a film of less than 4 mil in thickness and would break or surge and become uneven in thickness during attempts to process films at 4 mil in thickness.
  • the modified PEO compositions of Examples 18 and 19 also exhibited significantly reduced torque and pressure and slightly reduced die temperature during processing compared to unmodified PEO of Example 17 when processed under similar conditions and were able to be processed into very thin films exhibiting excellent processability.
  • the unmodified POLYOX® WSR N-3000 PEO of Example 17 was not able to be processed into a film of less than 5 mil in thickness and produced 5 mil films with jagged saw-toothed edges similar to those observed form Example 1.
  • the modified PEO films did not stick to the chill roll.
  • the modified PEO films produced were smooth and soft and did not contain any grainy particles, as did the extruded films of the unmodified low molecular weight PEO of Example 21.
  • the films produced from the modified PEO compositions generally have better smoothness, softness and greater clarity than films similarly produced form unmodified PEO compositions. Thus, it has been discovered that the films from modified
  • PEO compositions exhibit significantly improved film processability and may be more easily and economically processed into thin films useful for personal care applications in contrast to films from unmodified PEO compositions.
  • the films processed from the unmodified POLYOX® WSR N-80 PEO resin of Example 21 possess low elongation-to-break values.
  • the mechanical properties of the POLYOX® WSR N-80 PEO film were tested and measured within 24 hours of the processing of the film and are expected to decrease considerably with aging. Only thick films, not less than 7.4 mil in thickness, are able to be processed from the unmodified POLYOX® WSR 12K PEO resin, Example 6. No cross direction properties could be measured for the films of Example 6 due to the large variations in thicknesses in the cross direction of the films.
  • the grafted polar groups result in hydrogen bonding between neighboring PEO chains linking the chains in both the melt and solid states.
  • Even modification of PEO resins with low levels of monomers produces improved mechanical properties. This is demonstrated by the high elongation-to-break, peak stress and energy-to-break measurements observed for the films of Examples 11, 12 and 13.
  • the grafting even at low levels, improves the fundamental properties of PEO thereby allowing thin films to be processed from PEO
  • the films processed form the modified PEO compositions were found to have improved mechanical properties over films similarly processed from conventional resins.
  • the modified PEO films showed dramatic improvements in tensile properties, greater than 600 percent in strain and 200 percent in stress in the machine direction and greater than 1400 percent in strain and 200 percent in stress in the cross direction.
  • the films produced from the modified PEO compositions were observed to have balanced properties in the machine direction versus the cross direction. These films exhibit improved high peak stresses and energy-to-break values. Most importantly, these films have reduced modulus values which demonstrates their improved flexibilities compared to films from unmodified PEO.
  • the improved flexibility of the films containing modified PEO are particularly desirable for flushable applications, specifically, for flushable personal care products.
  • FT-IR Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis
  • Crystal Mo ⁇ hology The film from the unmodified POLYOX® WSR 205 PEO having a reported initial approximate molecular weight of 600,000 g/mol of Example 1 and a film produced from a modified sample of the same initial resin were analyzed using polarized light microscopy. In addition to being of a greater thickness, the unmodified film possessed larger spherulite crystals than the film produced from the modified PEO under the same processing conditions.
  • the spherulites in the unmodified sample were observed to be in the order to 20 to 50 micron in size, whereas the spherulites in the modified sample were not observable under the same magnification and are believed to be in the order of less than 1 micron in size.
  • the crystalline structures of the films change dramatically due to grafting. It is believed that the improved mechanical properties of the films containing modified PEO are brought about, at least in part, by the changes in crystal mo ⁇ hology.
  • the resistance of the modified films to physical aging is expected to improve as a result of the observed improvement in crystalline structure.
  • a PEO resin having a molecular weight of about 200,000 g/mol was processed through the Haake extruder under similar conditions as the following modified examples of the invention for comparative pu ⁇ oses and to demonstrate that conventional, unmodified PEO resins cannot be melt processed into fibers.
  • the 200,000 g/mol molecular weight unmodified PEO resin that was used for this comparative example was obtained from Planet Polymer Technologies.
  • the resin obtained from Planet Polymer Technologies was in pellet form and was compounded from POLYOX® WSR N-80 PEO resin manufactured by Union Carbide Co ⁇ .
  • the extruder barrel temperatures were set at 170, 180 and 180 °C for the first, second, third heating zones, respectively, and 190 °C for the die.
  • the screw speed was set at 150 ⁇ m.
  • the PEO resin was fed into the extruder at a throughput of about 5 pounds per hour. No monomer or initiator was added to the PEO resin of Comparative Example A.
  • the unmodified PEO was extruded under the above conditions, cooled in air and pelletized for later use. Attempts were made to melt process the unmodified PEO of Comparative Example A into fibers. Because the melted PEO of
  • Comparative Example A had too low melt elasticity and too low melt strength to allow attenuation of the PEO melt, fibers could not be melt processed using conventional fiber- spinning techniques, such as Lurgi gun, starter gun and free fall.
  • the PEO melt extruded from the spinning plate snapped easily and did not allow the unmodified PEO to be drawn into fibers. Only strands of about 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter were able to be produced from the unmodified PEO of Comparative A.
  • a PEO resin having a molecular weight of about 100,000 g/mol was processed through the Haake extruder under the same conditions as above Comparative Example A.
  • the 100,000 g/mol molecular weight PEO resin that was used for this Comparative Example B was obtained from Planet Polymer Technologies was in pellet form and was compounded from POLYOX® WSR N-10 PEO resin manufactured by Union Carbide Co ⁇ . Attempts were also made to melt process the unmodified PEO of Comparative Example B into fibers. Fibers of diameters of less than about 100 micrometers could not be melt processed from the unmodified 100,000 g/mol molecular weight PEO resin using conventional fiber-spinning techniques. Even then the melt could only be drawn very slowly and the melt was easily broken, making commercial production of fibers from PEO impractical. Thus, the Comparative Examples A and B demonstrate that prior art, unmodified PEO resins cannot be melt processed into fibers.
  • POLYOX® WSR N-80 PEO was modified in the same manner with the same monomer and initiator at the same relative amounts, Example 32 in Table 7.
  • monomer and initiator were added to the PEO base resins during extrusion, the melt elasticities and the melt strengths of the PEO resins were visibly improved.
  • These modified PEO compositions were collected in bulk and then ground into a powder for further processing into fibers.
  • PEO resin, WSR N-80 was 319 Pascal* seconds (Pa*s hereinafter) at 1000 second " !.
  • melt viscosity of the same PEO resin modified by the addition of monomer and initiator, Example 32 was reduced to 74 Pa*s at the same shear rate.
  • the melt viscosities of Comparative Example A and Example 32 were determined by melt rheology tests performed on a Goettfert Rheograph 2003 capillary rheometer. The rheometer was operated with a 30/1 mm length diameter die at 195 °C.
  • the apparent melt viscosities measured in Pa*s were determined at apparent shear rates of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 second " !
  • modified PEO resins were produced to further demonstrate the invention. These other examples of modified PEO resins were produced by varying: the molecular weights, 100,000 and 200,000 g/mol, and the suppliers of the PEO, Union Carbide and Planet Polymer Technology, Inc. (a compounder, hereinafter abbreviated PPT); the monomers, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and the poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate described above, and the amount of monomers; the amount of the LUPERSOL® 101 initiator; and the extruder.
  • PPT Union Carbide and Planet Polymer Technology, Inc.
  • the various parameters used in the various Examples are listed in Table 7 below. The weight percentages of the components used in the Examples were calculated relative to the weight of the base resin, PEO, unless otherwise indicated. Table 7
  • Examples 31, 32 and 33 were processed in the Haake extruder under similar conditions as disclosed in the above Comparative Examples. The same exact extruder design, temperatures and screw speed were used. However, Examples 31, 32 and 33 included the addition of monomer and initiator to the PEO resin in order to modify the PEO resin. The listed amounts of the monomer and the initiator were added at the feed throat of the Haake extruder contemporaneously with the PEO resin. Examples 34,
  • the modified PEO compositions of Examples 31, 32 and 33 were melt processable into fibers by a research-scale spunbond process, in contrast to the unmodified PEO compositions of Comparative Examples A and B which could not be extruded into a melt with adequate melt strength and elasticity for processing into fibers.
  • the melt processability of the modified PEO resins was demonstrated by a conventional spunbond process on an experimental spinning line comprising a single screw extruder, a melt metering pump and a spin plate.
  • the spunbond process was used to spin the fibers but was not used to bind the fibers.
  • Freefall fibers and fibers drawn by hand and by a starter gun on a fiber- spinning line were produced from the modified PEO composition of Example 31.
  • Freefall fibers and fibers drawn by a Lurgi gun and by a starter gun on a fiber-spinning line were produced from the modified PEO composition of Example 32.
  • Freefall fibers and fibers drawn by a starter gun on a fiber-spinning line were produced from the modified PEO composition of Example 33.
  • the modified PEO compositions are expected to be melt processable into fibers.
  • the appearance of the extruded, modified PEO compositions of Examples 34, 35, 36 and 37 was similar to the appearance of Examples 31, 32 and 33, exhibiting lower viscosities and stickier material. These reduced melt viscosities make fiber-spinning of the modified PEO compositions possible and are particularly advantageous for commercial fiber-making, especially when using methods requiring melt processing.
  • modified PEO compositions were converted into meltblown fibers.
  • the fibers retained the same beneficial water-solubility as unmodified PEO. This property is particularly desired for flushable applications.
  • the fibers produced by the spunbond process were also water-soluble and, therefore, are easily flushable.
  • the number-average molecular weight (M n ), the weight-average molecular weight (M ), and the z-average molecular weight (M z ) of Comparative Examples A and B and Examples 31, 32 and 33 were determined by gel permeation chromatography.
  • the GPC analysis was conducted by American Polymer Standards Co ⁇ oration of Mentor, OH. From these measurements the polydispersity indices (M /M n ) of the respective examples were calculated.
  • the various molecular weights and the polydispersity of the examples are reported in Table 9 below.
  • modified PEO composition of the Examples 31, 32 and 33 were analyzed NMR spectroscopy.
  • the ⁇ C and 1H NMR spectra of Example 32 are presented as Figures 8 and 9, respectively.
  • the results of this analyses confirmed that modified PEO contained PEG-MA units.
  • the grafting levels of the modified PEO compositions of Examples 31, 32 and 33 as measured by NMR analysis are reported as weight percentages of monomer per weight of PEO base resin that grafted to the PEO resin and are reported in Table 9.
  • the percentages of ungrafted monomer of Examples 31, 32 and 33 are likewise reported in Table 9.
  • the molecular weights of the modified PEO Examples are significantly different versus the corresponding unmodified PEO resin. Significant reductions in molecular weights and the polydispersity indices were observed after reactive-extrusion of PEO with the monomer and the initiator compared to the unmodified, extruded PEO of the Comparative Examples.
  • the weight-average molecular weight of the N-80 PEO dropped from 148,100 g/mol for the unmodified, but similarly processed, N-80 PEO of Comparative Example A to 97,200 g/mol for the 5% grafted N-80 PEO of Example 31 and to 109,300 g/mol for the 10% grafted N-80 PEO of Example 32.
  • the weight- average molecular weight of the N-10 PEO dropped from 115,900 g mol for the unmodified N-10 PEO of Comparative Example B to 90,600 g/mol for the 10% grafted PEO N-10 of Example 33.
  • the modification of the PEO resins produced a significant reduction in weight-average molecular weight.
  • the number-average molecular weight was not as greatly affected by the modification, thereby, producing a significant decrease in the polydispersity index and, hence, a narrower molecular weight distribution.
  • PEO compositions have improved melt strength and melt elasticity, overcoming the inherent deficiencies of both low molecular weight PEO and high molecular weight PEO.
  • cross-linking In the case of grafting, the presence of a sufficient amount of monomer(s) as demonstrated in the Examples herein, cross-linking is negligible and does not adversely affect the properties of the modified PEO.
  • the crosslinking reaction only predominates when there is little or no monomer present during the modification of the PEO resin. Therefore, the grafting and the degradation reactions of the PEO should predominate and are desired to produce PEO compositions suitable for film and fiber making pu ⁇ oses.
  • the modified PEO resins are observed to have improved melt strengths and melt elasticities, overcoming the inherent deficiencies of both low molecular weight and high molecular weight PEO. These improved melt properties allow the modified PEO to be processed into useful fibers with diameters of less than 100 micrometers using conventional fiber drawing techniques. These same improved melt properties also allow the modified PEO resins to be processed into useful films with thicknesses of less than 0.5 mil and with improved and balanced solid state properties.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
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Abstract

Cette invention se rapporte à un procédé qui permet de modifier du poly(oxyde d'éthylène) en greffant des monomères vinyliques polaires tels que des méthacrylates de poly(éthylèneglycol) et du méthacrylate 2-hydroxyéthyl, sur le poly(oxyde d'éthylène) en question. On réalise cette opération de greffage en mélangeant le poly(oxyde d'éthylène), le ou les monomères et un initiateur, puis en appliquant de la chaleur. Ce procédé est de préférence un procédé d'extrusion par réaction. Le poly(oxyde d'éthylène) modifié qui en résulte possède une meilleure transformabilité à chaud et il peut servir à transformer thermiquement des articles, auxquels on confère ainsi de meilleures propriétés par rapport à des articles ayant été transformés de la même manière à partir de poly(oxyde d'éthylène) non modifié.
PCT/US1998/027768 1997-12-31 1998-12-29 Procede de modification de poly(oxyde d'ethylene) WO1999033922A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU23082/99A AU2308299A (en) 1997-12-31 1998-12-29 Method of modifying poly(ethylene oxide)

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US219797A 1997-12-31 1997-12-31
US09/002,197 1997-12-31

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3110695A (en) * 1960-07-15 1963-11-12 Koppers Co Inc Process for polymerizing methylmethacrylate in presence of polyethylene oxide
DD99911A1 (fr) * 1972-11-07 1973-09-05
US5008322A (en) * 1988-12-23 1991-04-16 Vasta Joseph A Hydrophobic polymer products
EP0639592A1 (fr) * 1993-08-18 1995-02-22 Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd. Copolymères greffés soluble dans l'eau, et leur procédé de préparation
US5700872A (en) * 1996-12-31 1997-12-23 Kimberly Clark Worlwide, Inc. Process for making blends of polyolefin and poly(ethylene oxide)

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3110695A (en) * 1960-07-15 1963-11-12 Koppers Co Inc Process for polymerizing methylmethacrylate in presence of polyethylene oxide
DD99911A1 (fr) * 1972-11-07 1973-09-05
US5008322A (en) * 1988-12-23 1991-04-16 Vasta Joseph A Hydrophobic polymer products
EP0639592A1 (fr) * 1993-08-18 1995-02-22 Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd. Copolymères greffés soluble dans l'eau, et leur procédé de préparation
US5700872A (en) * 1996-12-31 1997-12-23 Kimberly Clark Worlwide, Inc. Process for making blends of polyolefin and poly(ethylene oxide)

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