Thermoplastic composition with high metal binding for nmt applications

Abstract

A thermoplastic composition includes: from about 10 wt% to about 80 wt% of a chemically recycled polyester component; from about 10 wt% to about 60 wt% of a reinforcing filler; and from about 5 wt% to about 20 wt% of a polycarbonate component. The thermoplastic composition has an improved metal bond strength compared to a comparative composition that includes an original polyester component rather than the chemically recycled polyester component. Methods for forming thermoplastic compositions are also described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to thermoplastic compositions including a chemically recycled polyester component having improved metal bonding properties. Background Art

[0002] Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a thermoplastic polymer that provides good chemical resistance, is easy to process and provides good dimensional stability properties. PBT is widely used in nano-molding technology (NMT) applications. Unfortunately, the bonding strength of PBT is reduced after being molded into the nanopores of the metal substrate. Therefore, in NMT applications, promoter additives must be added to the PBT composition. Promoter additives may have an adverse effect on other properties. In addition, the increase in environmental standards and agreements (such as the Paris Climate Agreement) has increased expectations for more sustainable solutions.

[0003] Aspects of the present disclosure address these and other disadvantages. Summary of the invention

[0004] Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to thermoplastic compositions comprising: from about 10 wt% to about 80 wt% of a chemically recycled polyester component; from about 10 wt% to about 60 wt% of a reinforcing filler; and from about 5 wt% to about 20 wt% of a polycarbonate component. The thermoplastic composition has improved metal bond strength compared to a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component.

[0005] Aspects of the present disclosure further relate to a method for forming a thermoplastic composition, the method comprising: combining about 10 wt % to about 80 wt % of a chemically recycled polyester component, about 10 wt % to about 60 wt % of a reinforcing filler, and about 5 wt % to about 20 wt % of a polycarbonate component to form a mixture; and forming the thermoplastic composition by injection molding, extrusion, rotational molding, blow molding, or thermoforming the mixture. The thermoplastic composition has improved metal bond strength compared to a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component. The combined weight percentage values ​​of all components do not exceed 100 wt %, and all weight percentage values ​​are based on the total weight of the composition. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006] Before disclosing and describing the compounds, compositions, articles, systems, devices and / or methods of the present invention, it should be understood that they are not limited to specific synthetic methods unless otherwise specified, or to specific reagents unless otherwise specified, as such, which may of course vary. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific aspects only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0007] The present disclosure encompasses various combinations of elements of the present disclosure, such as combinations of elements from dependent claims dependent upon the same independent claim.

[0008] Furthermore, it should be understood that any method described herein is in no way intended to be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a particular order unless otherwise expressly stated. Thus, in the event that a method claim does not actually recite the order in which its steps are to be followed or the steps are not otherwise specifically stated in the claim or specification to be limited to a particular order, no order is intended to be inferred in any respect. This applies to any possible non-express basis for interpretation, including matters regarding the logic of the arrangement of steps or operational flow, ordinary meaning derived from grammatical organization or punctuation, or the number or type of aspects described in the specification.

[0009] All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and / or materials in connection with which the publications are listed.

[0010] definition

[0011] It should also be understood that the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific aspects and are not intended to be limiting. As used in the specification and claims, the term "comprising" may include aspects "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of". Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. In this specification and the claims that follow, reference will be made to many terms that should be defined herein.

[0012] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a reinforcing filler" includes a mixture of two or more reinforcing fillers.

[0013] As used herein, the term "combination" is inclusive of blends, mixtures, alloys, reaction products, and the like.

[0014] Range can be expressed as from a value (first value) to another value (second value) in this article. When expressing such range, the range includes one or both of the first value and the second value in some aspects. Similarly, when the value is expressed as an approximation by using the antecedent 'about', it should be understood that the specific value forms another aspect. It should be further understood that the endpoints of each range in the range are significant in terms of both relative to another endpoint and independently of another endpoint. It should also be understood that multiple values ​​are disclosed herein, and each value is also disclosed herein as "about" for the specific value in addition to the value itself. For example, if the value "10" is disclosed, "about 10" is also disclosed. It should also be understood that each unit between two specific units is also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are also disclosed.

[0015] As used herein, the terms "about" and "for or about" mean that the amount or value in question can be a specified value, an approximate specified value, or about the same as a specified value. It is generally understood that as used herein, unless otherwise indicated or inferred, the nominal value indicates a change of ± 10%. The term is intended to convey that similar values ​​promote equivalent results or effects described in the claims. That is, it is understood that the amount, size, formulation, parameter, and other quantities and characteristics are not and do not need to be precise, but can be approximate and / or larger or smaller as desired, thereby reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding, measurement errors, etc. and other factors known to those skilled in the art. Typically, the amount, size, formulation, parameter, or other quantity or characteristic is "about" or "approximately", whether or not it is explicitly stated. It should be understood that when "about" is used before a quantitative value, unless otherwise specifically stated, the parameter also includes the specific quantitative value itself.

[0016] Disclosed are components for preparing the compositions of the present disclosure and the compositions themselves used in the methods disclosed herein. These materials and other materials are disclosed herein, and it should be understood that when the combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these materials are disclosed, although it is impossible to clearly disclose specific references to each of the various individual and collective combinations and arrangements of these compounds, each combination and arrangement is specifically considered and described herein. For example, if a specific compound is disclosed and discussed, and many modifications that may be made to a plurality of molecules including the compound are discussed, then unless specifically indicated to the contrary, each combination and arrangement in the compound and possible modifications are specifically considered. Therefore, if a class of molecules A, B and C and a class of molecules D, E and F are disclosed, and an example of a combination molecule AD is disclosed, then even if each molecule is not individually narrated, each molecule is considered individually and collectively, which means that it is considered to disclose combinations AE, AF, BD, BE, BF, CD, CE and CF. Similarly, any subset or combination of these combinations is also disclosed. Therefore, for example, it will be considered to disclose a subgroup of AE, BF and CE. This concept applies to all aspects of the present application, including but not limited to steps in methods of making and using the compositions of the present disclosure. Therefore, if there are various additional steps that can be performed, it should be understood that each of these additional steps can be performed in the context of any specific aspect or combination of aspects of the methods of the present disclosure.

[0017] References in the specification and in the concluding claims to parts by weight of a particular element or component in a composition or article indicate the weight relationship between said element or component and any other elements or components in the composition or article, expressed in parts by weight. Thus, in a compound containing 2 parts by weight of component X and 5 parts by weight of component Y, X and Y are present in a weight ratio of 2:5, and are present in this ratio regardless of whether the compound contains further components.

[0018] Unless specifically stated to the contrary, weight percentages of components are based on the total weight of the formulation or composition in which the component is included.

[0019] As used herein, "polycarbonate" refers to an oligomer or polymer comprising the residues of one or more dihydroxy compounds (eg, dihydroxy aromatic compounds) connected by carbonate bonds; it also encompasses homopolycarbonates, copolycarbonates, and (co)polyester carbonates.

[0020] The terms "residue" and "structural unit" used with respect to components of a polymer are synonymous throughout this specification.

[0021] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the terms "weight percent," "wt%," and "wt.%" are used interchangeably to indicate the weight percent of a given component based on the total weight of the composition. That is, unless otherwise specified, all wt% values ​​are based on the total weight of the composition. It should be understood that the sum of the wt% values ​​of all components in a disclosed composition or formulation equals 100.

[0022] Unless otherwise stated to the contrary herein, all test standards are the most recent standards in effect at the time this application was filed.

[0023] Each of the materials disclosed herein is commercially available and / or methods of producing it are known to those skilled in the art.

[0024] It is understood that the compositions disclosed herein have certain functions. Certain structural requirements are disclosed herein for performing the disclosed functions, and it is understood that there are various structures that can perform the same functions related to the disclosed structures, and these structures will generally achieve the same results.

[0025] Thermoplastic composition

[0026] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a composition comprising: about 10 wt% to about 80 wt% of a chemically recycled polyester component; about 10 wt% to about 60 wt% of a reinforcing filler; and about 5 wt% to about 20 wt% of a polycarbonate component. The thermoplastic composition has improved metal bond strength compared to a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component. The combined weight percentage values ​​of all components do not exceed 100 wt%, and all weight percentage values ​​are based on the total weight of the composition.

[0027] In some aspects, the chemically recycled polyester component includes polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Chemically recycled PBT is a copolymer that contains 1-20% of common substances such as ethylene glycol, isophthalic acid (IPA) and diethylene glycol (DEG), as shown below:

[0028]

[0029] In certain aspects, the polymer component is a chemically recycled poly(butylene terephthalate), designated iQ PBT, derived from chemically upcycled (or post-consumer recycled) PET. Fibers formed from iQ PBT provide environmentally friendly advantages that provide desirable elastic modulus, break stress, and break elongation.

[0030] Commercial examples of upcycling PBT include: TM Manufactured under the trade name ELCRINTM iQ Resin. The PBT may be derived from a poly(ethylene terephthalate) component by any process involving depolymerization of the poly(ethylene terephthalate) component and polymerization of the depolymerized poly(ethylene terephthalate) component with 1,4-butanediol to provide a PET-derived PBT. For example, a PET-derived poly(butylene terephthalate) component may be made by a process involving depolymerizing poly(ethylene terephthalate) and / or poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymers with a 1,4-butanediol component at a temperature of 180° C. to 230° C., under stirring, in the presence of a catalyst component, at a pressure of at least atmospheric pressure, at elevated temperature, under an inert atmosphere to produce a molten mixture containing oligomers containing ethylene terephthalate moieties, oligomers containing ethylene isophthalate moieties, and oligomers containing ethylene terephthalate moieties. , oligomers containing diethylene terephthalate moieties, oligomers containing diethylene isophthalate moieties, oligomers containing butylene terephthalate moieties, oligomers containing butylene isophthalate moieties, covalently bonded oligomeric moieties containing at least two of the foregoing moieties, 1,4-butanediol, ethylene glycol, or a combination thereof; and stirring the molten mixture at subatmospheric pressure and raising the temperature of the molten mixture to an elevated temperature under conditions sufficient to form a PET-derived PBT containing at least one residue derived from a poly(ethylene terephthalate) component.

[0031] In a particular aspect, the PBT comprises 48 wt% to 59.4 wt% of terephthalic acid (TPA) derived from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), 12 wt% to 40.6 wt% of butanediol (BDO), and 1 wt% to 20 wt% of additional monomers. The additional monomers may include, but are not limited to, ethylene glycol (EG), isophthalic acid (IPA), diethylene glycol (DEG), or a combination thereof.

[0032] The polycarbonate component can include a polycarbonate homopolymer, a polycarbonate copolymer, or a combination thereof. In a particular aspect, the polycarbonate component includes a polycarbonate copolymer.

[0033] In some aspects, the polycarbonate copolymer may include a copolyestercarbonate. The copolyestercarbonate copolymer may include ester units of the formula

[0034]

[0035] wherein D is a divalent group derived from a dihydroxy compound and may be, for example, C 2-30 Alkylene, C 3-30 Alicyclic group, C 6-30an aromatic group or a polyoxyalkylene group in which the alkylene group contains 2 to 6 carbon atoms, especially 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms; and a divalent radical T derived from a dicarboxylic acid and which may be, for example, C 2-30 Alkylene, C 6-30 Alicyclic group, C 6-30 Alkyl aromatic group or C 6-30 Aromatic group.

[0036] Examples of aromatic dicarboxylic acids from which the T group in the derived ester is derived include isophthalic acid or terephthalic acid, 1,2-di(p-carboxyphenyl)ethane, 4,4'-dicarboxydiphenyl ether, 4,4'-biphenylcarboxylic acid, and combinations of at least one of the foregoing acids. Acids containing fused rings may also be present such as in 1,4-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, 1,5-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, or 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid. Specific dicarboxylic acids are terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, or combinations thereof. Specific dicarboxylic acids include a combination of isophthalic acid and terephthalic acid, wherein the weight ratio of isophthalic acid to terephthalic acid is 99:1 to 1:99. In one aspect, D is C 2-6 alkylene, and T is p-phenylene, m-phenylene, naphthalene, a divalent alicyclic group, or a combination thereof. Such polyesters include poly(alkylene terephthalates).

[0037] In one aspect, the ester units of the polyester or polyester block include arylate ester units derived from the reaction product of one equivalent of an isophthalic acid derivative and / or a terephthalic acid derivative with a resorcinol of the formula

[0038]

[0039] Where R f Each independently is C 1-12 alkyl or halogen, and u is 0 to 4. It is understood that when u is 0, R f is hydrogen. Typically, the halogen may be chlorine or bromine. In one aspect, wherein the -OH groups are substituted meta to each other, and wherein R fCompounds as described above with u are also generally referred to herein as resorcinol. Examples of compounds that can be represented by this formula include resorcinol (wherein u is 0); substituted resorcinol compounds such as 5-methylresorcinol, 5-ethylresorcinol, 5-propylresorcinol, 5-butylresorcinol, 5-tert-butylresorcinol, 5-phenylresorcinol, 5-cumylresorcinol, 2,4,5,6-tetrafluororesorcinol, 2,4,5,6-tetrabromoresorcinol, etc.; catechol; hydroquinone; substituted paraphenylene; diphenols, such as 2-methylhydroquinone, 2-ethylhydroquinone, 2-propylhydroquinone, 2-butylhydroquinone, 2-tert-butylhydroquinone, 2-phenylhydroquinone, 2-cumylhydroquinone, 2,3,5,6-tetramethylhydroquinone, 2,3,5,6-tetra-tert-butylhydroquinone, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorohydroquinone, 2,3,5,6-tetrabromohydroquinone, etc.; or a combination of at least one of the foregoing compounds.

[0040] Such arylate ester units are also referred to herein as isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol ester units, and are sometimes referred to in abbreviated form as ITR ester units. As used herein, isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol ester units include a combination of isophthalate, terephthalate, and resorcinol esters. In a specific aspect, isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol ester units include a combination of isophthalate-resorcinol ester units and terephthalate-resorcinol ester units, wherein the molar ratio of isophthalate-resorcinol ester units to terephthalate-resorcinol ester units is 99:1 to 1:99, or 95:5 to 5:95, or 90:10 to 10:90, or 80:20 to 20:80. In a particular aspect, when u is 0, the aromatic ester units include isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol ester units, wherein the resorcinol is 1,3-dihydroxybenzene. Exemplary aromatic polyester blocks include poly(isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol) esters, poly(isophthalate-terephthalate-bisphenol-A) esters, poly[(isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol) esters-co-(isophthalate-terephthalate-bisphenol-A)] esters, or a combination comprising at least one of these. In one aspect, a useful aromatic polyester block is poly(isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol) ester. In a particular aspect, a copolyestercarbonate copolymer includes an ITR block and a polycarbonate block, as shown in the following formula:

[0041]

[0042] Where x is the mole % of the ITR ester block and y is the mole % of the polycarbonate block. An exemplary copolyestercarbonate copolymer is SLX 90 / 10 resin available from SABIC Corporation (SABIC). SLX 90 / 10 includes 90 mole % of ITR blocks and 10 mole % of PC blocks.

[0043] In yet further aspects, the copolyestercarbonate copolymer has a ratio of ITR ester units to polycarbonate monomer units of 20:80 to 95:5, or 85:15 to 95:5, or 88:12 to 92:8, or about 90:10.

[0044] In some aspects, the reinforcing filler can include glass fibers, silica (SiO2) microspheres, carbon fibers, or a combination thereof. In particular aspects, the reinforcing filler includes glass fibers, such as, but not limited to, flat glass fibers.

[0045] In some aspects, the thermoplastic composition can include at least one additional additive. The at least one additional additive can include, but is not limited to, an impact modifier, an organic filler, an acid scavenger, a stabilizer, an anti-drip agent, an antioxidant, an antistatic agent, a chain extender, a colorant, a mold release agent, a flow promoter, a lubricant, a plasticizer, a quencher, a flame retardant, a UV reflective additive, a blowing agent, a reinforcing agent, or a combination thereof.

[0046] In one particular aspect, the at least one additional additive comprises an epoxy-based impact modifier present in an amount from about 0.01 wt % to up to 4 wt %. An exemplary epoxy-based impact modifier is available from Arkema AX8900.

[0047] Thermoplastic compositions according to aspects of the present disclosure have improved properties compared to conventional compositions. In one aspect, the composition has a metal bonding strength that is at least 3% higher than the metal bonding strength of a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of a chemically recycled polyester component. In other aspects, the composition has a metal bonding strength that is at least 5% higher, at least 8% higher, at least 10% higher, at least 12% higher, at least 15% higher, 3%-30% higher, 3%-25% higher, or 3%-20% higher than the metal bonding strength of a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of a chemically recycled polyester component.

[0048] Metal bonding strength can be determined according to metal surface treatment and nano molding technology (NMT) method. These treatments are conventional methods known to those skilled in the art for determining metal bonding strength. For metal surface treatment, two main processes are currently being used, namely T (Taiseiplas) treatment and TRI (technology developed by IWATE) treatment. These methods are developed by different companies in Japan. Comparing these two treatment methods, TRI generally provides higher strength due to the physical anchoring of plastics in metal nanopores and the chemical reaction between metal surface chemical film and plastics. In contrast, T treatment mainly relies on physical anchoring.

[0049] Metal bond strength is used to evaluate NMT performance. In the NMT process, plastic resin is injected onto a metal surface treated with a special chemical solution. This NMT process is developed from the integration technology of metal and plastic. The process allows the manufacture of certain parts of consumer products and replaces the traditional insert molding or die casting process.

[0050] Manufacturing method

[0051] One or any of the aforementioned components described herein can first be dry blended with each other, or with any combination of the aforementioned components, and then fed into an extruder from one or more feeders, or fed into an extruder separately from one or more feeders. The filler used in the present disclosure can also be first processed into a masterbatch and then fed into an extruder. The components can be fed into an extruder from a throat hopper or any side feeder.

[0052] The extruder used in the present disclosure can have a single screw, multiple screws, intermeshing co-rotating or counter-rotating screws, non-intermeshing co-rotating or counter-rotating screws, reciprocating screws, screws with pins, screws with screens, barrels with pins, rollers, plungers, spiral rotors, co-kneaders, disc-pack processors, various other types of extrusion equipment, or a combination including at least one of the foregoing.

[0053] The components may also be mixed together and then melt blended to form the thermoplastic composition. Melt blending of the components involves the use of shear forces, extensional forces, compression forces, ultrasonic energy, electromagnetic energy, thermal energy, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing forces or energy forms.

[0054] During compounding, the barrel temperature on the extruder can be set at a temperature at which at least a portion of the polymer has reached a temperature greater than or equal to about the melting temperature if the resin is a semi-crystalline organic polymer, or at the flow point (e.g., glass transition temperature) if the resin is an amorphous resin.

[0055] If desired, the mixture including the aforementioned components can be subjected to multiple blending and molding steps. For example, the thermoplastic composition can be first extruded and formed into pellets. Then, the pellets can be fed into a molding machine, in which it can be formed into any desired shape or product. Alternatively, the thermoplastic composition produced from a single melt blender can be formed into a sheet or strand, and subjected to post-extrusion processes, such as annealing, uniaxial or biaxial orientation.

[0056] In some aspects, the melt temperature in the inventive method can be maintained as low as possible to avoid excessive thermal degradation of the components. In some aspects, the melt temperature is maintained at about 230°C to about 350°C, although higher temperatures can be used, provided that the residence time of the resin in the processing equipment remains relatively short. In some aspects, the melt-processed composition leaves the processing equipment, such as an extruder, through a small exit hole in the mold. The resulting molten resin strands can be cooled by passing the strands through a water bath. The cooled strands can be cut into pellets for packaging and further processing.

[0057] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for forming a thermoplastic composition, the method comprising: combining about 10 wt % to about 80 wt % of a chemically recycled polyester component, about 10 wt % to about 60 wt % of a reinforcing filler, and about 5 wt % to about 20 wt % of a polycarbonate component to form a mixture; and forming the thermoplastic composition by injection molding, extrusion, rotational molding, blow molding, or thermoforming the mixture. The thermoplastic composition has improved metal bond strength compared to a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component. The combined weight percentage values ​​of all components do not exceed 100 wt %, and all weight percentage values ​​are based on the total weight of the composition.

[0058] Thermoplastic compositions formed according to the methods described herein may include any of the components described herein and in the amounts described herein, and may have any of the properties described herein.

[0059] Product Manufacturing

[0060] In some aspects, the present disclosure relates to shaped articles, shaped articles or molded articles comprising thermoplastic compositions. Thermoplastic compositions can be molded into useful shaped articles in a variety of ways, such as injection molding, extrusion, rotational molding, blow molding and thermoforming, to form articles and structural components such as personal or commercial electronic devices, including but not limited to cellular phones, tablet computers, personal computers, notebook computers and portable computers and other such devices, medical applications, RFID applications, automotive applications, etc. In other aspects, the article is extrusion molded. In still other aspects, the article is injection molded. In particular aspects, the article is a nano molding technology component.

[0061] The present disclosure encompasses various combinations of elements of the present disclosure, such as combinations of elements from dependent claims dependent upon the same independent claim.

[0062] Aspects of the Disclosure

[0063] In various aspects, the present disclosure relates to and includes at least the following aspects.

[0064] Aspect 1. A thermoplastic composition comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of:

[0065] from about 10 wt % to about 80 wt % of a chemically recycled polyester component;

[0066] from about 10 wt % to about 60 wt % of a reinforcing filler; and

[0067] about 5 wt % to about 20 wt % of a polycarbonate component,

[0068] wherein the thermoplastic composition has an improved metal bonding strength compared to a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component, and

[0069] The combined weight percentage values ​​of all components do not exceed 100 wt %, and all weight percentage values ​​are based on the total weight of the composition.

[0070] Aspect 2. The thermoplastic composition according to aspect 1, wherein the chemically recycled polyester component comprises polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

[0071] Aspect 3. The thermoplastic composition according to aspect 2, wherein the PBT comprises 48 wt% to 59.4 wt% of terephthalic acid (TPA) derived from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), 12 wt% to 40.6 wt% of butanediol (BDO), and 1 wt% to 20 wt% of additional monomers.

[0072] Aspect 4. The thermoplastic composition according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the polycarbonate component comprises a polycarbonate homopolymer, a polycarbonate copolymer, or a combination thereof.

[0073] Aspect 5. The thermoplastic composition of aspect 4, wherein the polycarbonate component comprises a polycarbonate copolymer.

[0074] Aspect 6. The thermoplastic composition of aspect 5, wherein the polycarbonate copolymer comprises isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol (ITR) blocks and polycarbonate blocks.

[0075] Aspect 6A. The thermoplastic composition of aspect 6, wherein the polycarbonate copolymer has a ratio of ITR blocks to polycarbonate blocks of 20:80 to 95:5.

[0076] Aspect 7. The thermoplastic composition of aspect 6, wherein the polycarbonate copolymer comprises 90 mol% of the ITR block and 10 mol% of the polycarbonate block.

[0077] Aspect 8. The thermoplastic composition according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, wherein the reinforcing filler comprises glass fibers, silica (SiO 2 ) microspheres, carbon fibers, or a combination thereof.

[0078] Aspect 9. The thermoplastic composition of aspect 8, wherein the reinforcing filler comprises flat glass fibers.

[0079] Aspect 10. The thermoplastic composition according to any one of aspects 1 to 9, wherein the composition comprises at least one additional additive.

[0080] Aspect 11. The thermoplastic composition according to aspect 10, wherein the at least one additional additive comprises an impact modifier, an organic filler, an acid scavenger, a stabilizer, an anti-drip agent, an antioxidant, an antistatic agent, a chain extender, a colorant, a mold release agent, a flow promoter, a lubricant, a plasticizer, a quencher, a flame retardant, a UV reflective additive, a blowing agent, a reinforcing agent, or a combination thereof.

[0081] Aspect 12. The thermoplastic composition of aspect 11, wherein the at least one additional additive comprises an epoxy-based impact modifier present in an amount from about 0.01 wt% up to 4 wt%.

[0082] Aspect 13. The thermoplastic composition of any one of aspects 1 to 12, wherein the composition has a metal bond strength that is at least 3% greater than a metal bond strength of a comparative composition comprising a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component.

[0083] Aspect 14. An article comprising the thermoplastic composition according to any one of aspects 1 to 13, wherein the article is a nanomolding technology component.

[0084] Aspect 15. A method for forming a thermoplastic composition, the method comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of:

[0085] combining from about 10 wt % to about 80 wt % of a chemically recycled polyester component, from about 10 wt % to about 60 wt % of a reinforcing filler, and from about 5 wt % to about 20 wt % of a polycarbonate component to form a mixture; and

[0086] forming the thermoplastic composition by injection molding, extrusion, rotational molding, blow molding or thermoforming the mixture,

[0087] wherein the thermoplastic composition has an improved metal bonding strength compared to a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component, and

[0088] The combined weight percentage values ​​of all components do not exceed 100 wt %, and all weight percentage values ​​are based on the total weight of the composition.

[0089] Aspect 16. The thermoplastic composition, article, or method of any one of aspects 1 to 15, wherein the metal bond strength is determined according to a metal surface treatment and nanomolding technology (NMT) method.

[0090] Aspect 17. The thermoplastic composition, article or method according to aspect 16, wherein the metal surface treatment is a T (Taisei Plastics Co., Ltd.) treatment or a TRI (technology developed by IWATE) treatment.

[0091] Aspect 18. The thermoplastic composition, article, or method of aspect 16, wherein the metal surface treatment is a TRI treatment.

[0092] Examples

[0093] The following examples are presented to provide a person of ordinary skill in the art with a complete disclosure and description of how to make and evaluate the compounds, compositions, articles, devices and / or methods claimed herein, and are intended to be purely exemplary and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Efforts have been made to ensure accuracy with respect to numbers (e.g., amounts, temperatures, etc.), but some errors and deviations should be taken into account. Unless otherwise indicated, parts are parts by weight, temperatures are in ° C or at ambient temperature, and pressures are or are close to atmospheric pressure. Unless otherwise indicated, percentages of compositions mentioned are in terms of wt%.

[0094] There are many variations and combinations of reaction conditions, such as component concentrations, desired solvents, solvent mixtures, temperature, pressure, and other reaction ranges and conditions that can be used to optimize the product purity and yield obtained from the process. Only reasonable and routine experimentation will be required to optimize such process conditions.

[0095] The compounds described herein were compounded into pellets in a twin-screw extruder. All components except glass fiber were premixed and fed from the main throat of the feeder; glass fiber was added downstream. The extruder had the following conditions: output was 50 kilograms per hour (kg / hr); screw speed was 200 revolutions per minute (rpm); vacuum was -0.08 megapascals (MPa); torque was 50%-65%; barrel temperature was 250°C-260°C; and die temperature was 260°C.

[0096] The pelletized composition was injection molded using the following conditions: drying temperature of about 120°C-140°C; processing temperature of 270°C-280°C; tool temperature of 140°C-150°C; injection speed of 10 millimeters per second (mm / s); cooling time of 20-50 seconds (s); maximum pressure of 100 bar. The injection molded composition was bonded to an aluminum alloy that was pre-treated to produce nanopores by means of TRI or NMT treatment.

[0097] Using MTS Bond strength was measured using a Series 40 Electromechanical Universal Testing Machine (Model 44, C44.304) at a speed of 5 millimeters per second (mm / s). Melt volume rate (MVR) was measured according to ASTM D1238 using pelletized samples dried at 90°C for 4 hours (hr). Tensile data were obtained according to ASTM D638 using a test speed of 5 millimeters per minute (mm / min). Flexural data were obtained according to ASTM 790. Notched Izod impact (NII) and Unnotched Izod impact (UNI) data were obtained at room temperature (23°C) according to ASTM D256 and ASTM D4812, respectively.

[0098] Table 1 provides comparative and exemplary compositions and their characteristics:

[0099] Table 1 - Comparative and Example Compositions (30 wt% Glass Fiber)

[0100]

[0101]

[0102] From the results, it was observed that the bond of the example compositions E1 and E2 (comprising iQ PBT resin) after TRI treatment was improved compared to the composition C1 comprising virgin PBT resin. In addition, the NMT bond of the composition E2 comprising less impact modifier (Lotader AX8900) was also improved. The results show that the bond strength of the iQ PBT composition was improved compared to the composition comprising virgin PBT. The mechanical properties of the compositions E1 and E2 were generally comparable to the comparative composition C1.

[0103] As shown in Table 2, compositions including 40-42 wt% glass fibers were prepared and tested:

[0104] Table 2 - Comparative and Example Compositions (40-42 wt % Glass Fiber)

[0105]

[0106]

[0107] From the results it is observed that the bonding of example composition E3 including iQ PBT is slightly improved compared to comparative composition C1 and that example composition E4 having a lower impact modifier (Lotader) content has an even greater improvement in bonding compared to composition C1.

[0108] Comparative compositions C3 and C4 include virgin PBT instead of iQ PBT. One skilled in the art recognizes that replacing PBT with iQ PBT will generally reduce the mechanical properties (e.g., metal bond strength, NII) of the thermoplastic composition. However, comparing C1 to E1 and C2 to E3, it has been discovered in the present disclosure that compositions including iQ PBT can unexpectedly and counterintuitively achieve improved metal bond strength with substantially the same level of NII.

[0109] In addition, according to comparative compositions C3 and C4, in the composition including the original PBT, the lower content of the impact modifier does not help to improve the metal bonding strength of the composition. For example, the TRI bonding force of comparative composition C4 is lower than that of comparative composition C3. In contrast, referring to example compositions E3 and E4, the impact modifier content of the composition including iQ PBT can be lower, but the metal bonding strength is still improved and the level of NII is substantially the same.

[0110] From these results it can be concluded that the bond strength of the glass-filled iQ PBT compositions is better and therefore more suitable for NMT applications than comparable compositions comprising virgin PBT.

[0111] The above description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. For example, the above examples (or one or more aspects thereof) can be used in combination with each other. Other aspects can be used by a person of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing the above description. An abstract is provided to comply with 37C.FR§1.72(b), thereby allowing the reader to quickly determine the nature of the technical disclosure. Submission is based on such an understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Moreover, in the above specific embodiments, various features can be grouped together to simplify the present disclosure. This should not be interpreted as an intention that the disclosed features that are not claimed for protection are necessary for any claim. On the contrary, the subject matter of the present invention may be less than all the features of a specific disclosed aspect. Therefore, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the specific embodiments as examples or aspects, wherein each claim exists independently as a separate aspect, and it is considered that such aspects can be combined with each other in various combinations or arrangements. The scope of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the attached claims and the full scope of equivalents granted by such claims.

Claims

1. A thermoplastic composition comprising: from about 10 wt % to about 80 wt % of a chemically recycled polyester component; from about 10 wt % to about 60 wt % of a reinforcing filler; and about 5 wt % to about 20 wt % of a polycarbonate component, wherein the thermoplastic composition has an improved metal bonding strength compared to a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component, and The combined weight percentage values ​​of all components do not exceed 100 wt %, and all weight percentage values ​​are based on the total weight of the composition.

2. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1, wherein the chemically recycled polyester component comprises polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

3. The thermoplastic composition of claim 2, wherein the PBT comprises 48 wt% to 59.4 wt% terephthalic acid (TPA) derived from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), 12 wt% to 40.6 wt% butanediol (BDO), and 1 wt% to 20 wt% additional monomers.

4. The thermoplastic composition of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the polycarbonate component comprises a polycarbonate homopolymer, a polycarbonate copolymer, or a combination thereof.

5. The thermoplastic composition of claim 4, wherein the polycarbonate component comprises a polycarbonate copolymer.

6. The thermoplastic composition of claim 5, wherein the polycarbonate copolymer comprises isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol (ITR) blocks and polycarbonate blocks.

7. The thermoplastic composition of claim 6, wherein the polycarbonate copolymer has a ratio of ITR blocks to polycarbonate blocks of 20:80 to 95:

5.

8. The thermoplastic composition of claim 6, wherein the polycarbonate copolymer comprises 90 mol% of ITR blocks and 10 mol% of polycarbonate blocks.

9. The thermoplastic composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the reinforcing filler comprises glass fibers, silica (SiO2) microspheres, carbon fibers, or a combination thereof.

10. The thermoplastic composition of claim 9, wherein the reinforcing filler comprises flat glass fibers.

11. The thermoplastic composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the composition comprises at least one additional additive comprising an impact modifier, an organic filler, an acid scavenger, a stabilizer, an anti-drip agent, an antioxidant, an antistatic agent, a chain extender, a colorant, a mold release agent, a flow promoter, a lubricant, a plasticizer, a quencher, a flame retardant, a UV reflective additive, a blowing agent, a reinforcing agent, or a combination thereof.

12. The thermoplastic composition of claim 11, wherein the at least one additional additive comprises an epoxy-based impact modifier present in an amount from about 0.01 wt% up to 4 wt%.

13. The thermoplastic composition of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the composition has a metal bond strength that is at least 3% greater than the metal bond strength of a comparative composition comprising a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component.

14. An article comprising the thermoplastic composition according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the article is a nanomolding technology component.

15. A method for forming a thermoplastic composition, the method comprising: combining from about 10 wt % to about 80 wt % of a chemically recycled polyester component, from about 10 wt % to about 60 wt % of a reinforcing filler, and from about 5 wt % to about 20 wt % of a polycarbonate component to form a mixture; and forming the thermoplastic composition by injection molding, extrusion, rotational molding, blow molding or thermoforming the mixture, wherein the thermoplastic composition has an improved metal bonding strength compared to a comparative composition including a virgin polyester component instead of the chemically recycled polyester component, and The combined weight percentage values ​​of all components do not exceed 100 wt %, and all weight percentage values ​​are based on the total weight of the composition.

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