Self-extinguishing conveyor ❤

Abstract

A conveyor component made of a self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone composition suitable for direct or indirect contact with food, and a method for producing the same. This composition and method exhibit an inverse synergistic effect between the molten viscosity of the composition and the minimum amount of magnesium hydroxide, which imparts self-extinguishing properties to the composition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a belt conveyor, and more particularly to a conveyor using a modular plastic conveyor belt and related plastic conveyor components made of a self-extinguishing or flame-retardant polymer material.

Background Art

[0002] A modular plastic conveyor belt is composed of a row of rigid conveyor belt modules made of a polymer material. The belt modules are connected end to end by hinge rods to form an endless conveyor belt widely used for transporting food and other products. In some factories, such as bakeries that manufacture pies and other filled products, the conveyor belt transports high-temperature products, which may catch fire in extreme situations. If the fire is hot enough, it may also ignite the part of the plastic conveyor belt under the burning product. When this happens, the burning product and the belt part are carried along the transport line, exposing other areas of the factory to the fire. Fires can also occur during high-temperature fire operations such as welding and grinding on the conveyor framework. Conveyor belt modules made of nylon (registered trademark) are effective in many applications that handle high-temperature products, such as bread cooling lines in a relatively dry environment. Unfortunately, nylon absorbs moisture, which causes dimensional changes in the belt modules. Also, nylon has resistance to many cleaning agents. Conveyor belts that transport high-temperature pies and other filled pastries need to be cleaned frequently to remove leaked fillings. Therefore, conveyor belt modules made of flame-retardant nylon are not suitable for many applications that require frequent cleaning.

[0003] Self-extinguishing (SE) thermoplastic materials suitable for direct and indirect contact with food are limited to polymers that are inherently self-extinguishing, also known as flame-retardant materials, plastics, or resins. These inherent SE materials consist of semi-crystalline resins of PPS- (polyphenylene sulfide) and PEEK- (polyetheretherketone) systems, as well as amorphous resins of PES (polyethersulfone), PEI (polyetherimide), and PPSU (polyphenylsulfone), and some PC (polycarbonate) materials. Any of these materials requires compromises in terms of chemical resistance, melt processing, or cost per cubic inch in terms of design and / or end-use, thereby limiting their use in end-use applications that come into contact with food.

[0004] Non-self-extinguishing polymers such as polypropylene and PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) polyester require the use of brominated chemicals or flame retardant additives ranging from antimony synergies, metal phosphonates, polyphosphate melamine, or phosphorus elements. None of these polymers are considered safe for contact with food.

[0005] Conventional flame retardants, such as magnesium hydroxides (Mg(OH)2) and aluminum hydroxides (Al(OH)3), are widely used as additives in polymer matrices to produce custom materials such as cross-linked polymer compounds and thermoplastics (polypropylene and polyethylene). The use of surface treatment agents such as silanes, titanates, and zirconates is also known to promote the adhesion and dissolution of metal hydroxides within the polymer matrix. This enhanced dissolution of the matrix leads to improved mechanical properties of the mixture. These additives are considered environmentally friendly. While some of these metal hydroxide additives are considered safe for contact with food, their weight percentage loading in polymer blends is so high that the mechanical properties of compounds cast or formed from such blends are too low for most end-use applications in the food manufacturing industry.

[0006] When contacted at an activation temperature of approximately 250°C, magnesium hydroxide decomposes, releasing MgO and water as vapor. The MgO provides a stable oxide protective film, resulting in high fire resistance, inhibiting oxygen involvement in the combustion process, and eliminating some of the heat transfer during combustion. The water vapor reduces the combustion of vapor-phase polymers (crosslinked polymer compounds and thermoplastics). Aluminum hydroxide functions similarly to magnesium hydroxide, but requires a lower activation temperature.

[0007] What is needed is to convert non-SE polymer aliphatic polyketones (POKs) into materials that readily self-extinguish, retain a high percentage of the base polymer's mechanical properties, are suitable for direct contact with food, maintain high chemical resistance to commercially available sterilizing chemicals, and can be melt-processed using existing tools. [Overview of the project]

[0008] The conveyor components embodying the features of the present invention are made from a self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone composition suitable for direct or indirect contact with food, comprising approximately 80.0 wt.% to approximately 95.0 wt.% aliphatic polyketone polymer resin and approximately 5.0 wt.% to approximately 20.0 wt.% aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conveyor belt module made of self-extinguishing material. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a conveyor return roller made of self-extinguishing material. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a conveyor belt sprocket made from a self-extinguishing material. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a conveyor shaft saddle made of self-extinguishing material. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a wing liner element made from a self-extinguishing material. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The following sections describe specific exemplary compositions and methods to illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention in detail. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not necessary to use all or some of the specific details outlined herein for the implementation of these specific embodiments, and that concentrations, times, and other specific details can be modified through conventional experimentation. In some cases, well-known methods and components are not included in the description.

[0011] This disclosure is based on the discovery that the inverse synergistic effect between the molten viscosity of the composition and the minimum amount of magnesium hydroxide imparts self-extinguishing properties to the composition.

[0012] I. Composition This disclosure relates to a self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone composition suitable for direct or indirect contact with food. The self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone composition exhibits an inverse synergistic effect between the molten viscosity of the composition and the minimum amount of aminosilane-modified magnesium hydroxide that imparts self-extinguishing properties to the composition.

[0013] Aliphatic polyketone resin The composition contains an aliphatic polyketone resin. Aliphatic polyketone polymers are a group of high-performance thermoplastic polymers, prepared as copolymers and terpolymers. The polar ketone groups in these resins impart strong attractive forces to the polymer backbone of these materials, resulting in ionic and / or van der Waals interactions between polymer chains. This strong interaction lowers the melting point of the material (255°C for copolymers (carbon monoxide and ethylene) and 220°C for terpolymers (carbon monoxide, ethylene, and propylene)). A small amount of ethylene is generally substituted with propylene to lower the melting point to some extent.

[0014] Generally, the weight percentage (wt.%) of aliphatic polyketone polymers in a composition can be approximately 80.0 wt.% to approximately 95.0 wt.% of the total weight of the composition. In various embodiments, the wt.% of the aliphatic polyketone polymer resin in the composition is approximately 80.0 wt.% to 95.0 wt.% of the total weight of the composition, approximately 80.0 wt.%, 81.0 wt.%, 82.0 wt.%, 83.0 wt.%, 84.0 wt.%, 85.0 wt.%, 86.0 wt.%, 87.0 wt.%, 88.0 wt.%, 89.0 wt.%, 90.0 wt.%, 91.0 wt.%, 92.0 wt.%, 93.0 wt.%, 94.0 wt.%, 95.0 wt.%, approximately 80.0 wt.% to 82.5 wt.%, It could be approximately 82.5 wt.% to 85.0 wt.%, approximately 85.0 wt.% to 87.5 wt.%, approximately 87.5 wt.% to 90.0 wt.%, 90.0 wt.% to 92.5 wt.%, approximately 92.5 wt.% to 95.0 wt.%, approximately 81.0 wt.% to 83.0 wt.%, approximately 83.0 wt.% to 85.0 wt.%, approximately 85.0 wt.% to 87.0 wt.%, approximately 87.0 wt.% to 89.0 wt.%, approximately 89.0 wt.% to 91.0 wt.%, approximately 91.0 wt.% to 93.0 wt.%, or approximately 93.0 wt.% to 95.0 wt.%.

[0015] Aliphatic polyketone polymer resins may include low molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer resins and high molecular weight polyketone polymer resins, such as Poketone M330F and Poketone M630F manufactured by Hyosung Chemical Corporation. Generally, the higher the amount of high molecular weight polymer resin, the more desirable mechanical properties such as mechanical strength and impact resistance of the final mixture are obtained, and consequently the weight percentage of magnesium hydroxide decreases. Those skilled in the art know that as the polymer molecular weight increases, the viscosity of the melt also increases. Similarly, as the polymer molecular weight decreases, the viscosity of the melt also decreases.

[0016] Generally, aliphatic polyketone polymer resins may include high molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer resins in amounts of approximately 75.0 wt.% to approximately 100.0 wt.% and low molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer resins in amounts of approximately 0.0 wt.% to approximately 25.0 wt.%. In various embodiments, the aliphatic polyketone polymer resin is a high molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer resin of approximately 75.0 wt.% to approximately 100.0 wt.%, approximately 75.0 wt.%, approximately 76.0 wt.%, approximately 77.0 wt.%, approximately 78.0 wt.%, approximately 79.0 wt.%, approximately 80.0 wt.%, approximately 81.0 wt.%, approximately 82.0 wt.%, approximately 83.0 wt.%, approximately 84.0 wt.%, approximately 85.0 wt.%, approximately 86.0 wt.%, approximately 87.0 wt.%, approximately 88.0 wt.%, and approximately 89. 0.0 wt.%, approximately 90.0 wt.%, approximately 91.0 wt.%, approximately 92.0 wt.%, approximately 93.0 wt.%, approximately 94.0 wt.%, approximately 95.0 wt.%, approximately 96.0 wt.%, approximately 97.0 wt.%, approximately 98.0 wt.%, approximately 99.0 wt.%, approximately 100.0 wt.%, approximately 75.0 wt.% to approximately 80.0 wt.%, approximately 80.0 wt.% to approximately 85.0 wt.%, approximately 85.0 wt.% to approximately 90.0 wt.%, approximately 90.0 wt.% to approximately 95.0 wt.%, or approximately 95.0 wt.% Approximately 100.0 wt.% high molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer resin and approximately 0.0 wt.% to approximately 25.0 wt.%, approximately 0.0 wt.%, approximately 1.0 wt.%, approximately 2.0 wt.%, approximately 3.0 wt.%, approximately 4.0 wt.%, approximately 5.0 wt.%, approximately 6.0 wt.%, approximately 7.0 wt.%, approximately 8.0 wt.%, approximately 9.0 wt.%, approximately 10.0 wt.%, approximately 11.0 wt.%, approximately 12.0 wt.%, approximately 13.0 wt.%, approximately 14.0 wt.%, approximately 15.0 wt.%, approximately 16.0 wt.%, It contains low molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer resins in the following proportions: approximately 17.0 wt.%, approximately 18.0 wt.%, approximately 19.0 wt.%, approximately 20.0 wt.%, approximately 21.0 wt.%, approximately 22.0 wt.%, approximately 23.0 wt.%, approximately 24.0 wt.%, approximately 25.0 wt.%, approximately 0.0 wt.% to approximately 5.0 wt.%, approximately 5.0 wt.% to approximately 10.0 wt.%, approximately 10.0 wt.% to approximately 15.0 wt.%, approximately 15.0 wt.% to approximately 20.0 wt.%, or approximately 20.0 wt.% to approximately 25.0 wt.%.

[0017] Aminosilane-modified magnesium hydroxide The composition further comprises aminosilane-modified magnesium hydroxide. Other metal hydroxides, such as untreated magnesium hydroxide or aluminum hydroxide, are well known. These materials function as flame retardants and smoke suppressants in plastics, primarily by removing heat during their decomposition from the plastic into magnesium oxide or aluminum oxide and water. The water vapor produced from the decomposition dilutes the fuel supply to the flame.

[0018] The average particle size of aminosilane-modified magnesium hydroxide produced by Huber Materials is approximately 1.5 micrometers.

[0019] Generally, aminosilane-modified magnesium hydroxide is present in amounts of approximately 5.0 wt.% to approximately 20.0 wt.% of the total weight of the composition. In various embodiments, aminosilane-modified magnesium hydroxide is present in amounts of approximately 5.0 wt.% to approximately 20.0 wt.%, approximately 5.0 wt.%, approximately 6.0 wt.%, approximately 7.0 wt.%, approximately 8.0 wt.%, approximately 9.0 wt.%, approximately 10.0 wt.%, approximately 11.0 wt.%, approximately 12.0 wt.%, and approximately 13.0 wt.% of the total weight of the composition. The wt.% ranges from approximately 14.0 wt.%, 15.0 wt.%, 16.0 wt.%, 17.0 wt.%, 18.0 wt.%, 19.0 wt.%, 20.0 wt.%, 5.0 wt.% to 10.0 wt.%, 10.0 wt.% to 15.0 wt.%, or 15.0 wt.% to 20.0 wt.%.

[0020] Characteristics of self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone compositions suitable for direct or indirect contact with food. Self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone compositions suitable for direct or indirect contact with food have several unique properties.

[0021] The composition has a V-2 grade plastic flame retardancy performance as measured by the UL-94 standard 3mm test.

[0022] The composition may further include a tensile strength of from about 9,200 pounds per square inch (psi) to about 9,700 psi. In various embodiments, the composition has a tensile strength of from about 9,200 pounds per square inch (psi) to about 9,700 psi, about 9,200 psi, about 9,250 psi, about 9,300 psi, about 9,350 psi, about 9,400 psi, about 9,450 psi, about 9,500 psi, about 9,550 psi, about 9,600 psi, about 9,650 psi, about 9,700 psi, from about 9,200 psi to about 9,300 psi, from about 9,300 psi to about 9,400 psi, from about 9,400 psi to about 9,500 psi, from about 9,500 psi to about 9,600 psi, or from about 9,600 psi to about 9,700 psi.

[0023] The composition may further include an elongation at break of from about 33% to about 48%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, from about 33% to about 36%, from about 36% to about 39%, from about 39% to about 42%, from about 42% to about 45%, or from about 45% to about 48%.

[0024] The composition has a tensile modulus of 360,000 psi to about 370,000 psi. In various embodiments, the composition has a tensile modulus of 360,000 psi to about 370,000 psi, about 360,000 psi, about 361,000 psi, about 362,000 psi, about 363,000 psi, about 364,000 psi, about 365,000 psi, about 366,000 psi, about 367,000 psi, about 368,000 psi, about 369,000 psi, about 370,000 psi, 360,000 psi to about 361,000 psi, about 361,000 psi to about 362,000 psi, about 362,000 psi to about 363,000 psi, about 363,000 psi to about 364,000 psi, about 364,000 psi to about 365,000 psi, about 365,000 psi to about 366,000 psi, about 366,000 psi to about 367,000 psi, about 367,000 psi to about 368,000 psi, about 368,000 psi to about 369,000 psi, or about 369,000 psi to about 370,000 psi.

[0025] The composition includes a notched Izod impact test of about 1.60 ft-lb / in to 1.80 ft-lb / in. In various embodiments, the composition includes a notched Izod impact test of about 1.60 ft-lb / in to 1.80 ft-lb / in, about 1.60 ft-lb / in, about 1.62 ft-lb / in, about 1.64 ft-lb / in, about 1.66 ft-lb / in, about 1.68 ft-lb / in, about 1.70 ft-lb / in, about 1.72 ft-lb / in, about 1.74 ft-lb / in, about 1.76 ft-lb / in, about 1.78 ft-lb / in, about 1.80 ft-lb / in, 1.60 ft-lb / in to about 1.65 ft-lb / in, about 1.65 ft-lb / in to 1.70 ft-lb / in, about 1.70 ft-lb / in to 1.75 ft-lb / in, or about 1.75 ft-lb / in to 1.80 ft-lb / in. These are merely exemplary values and are not optimized.

[0026] The composition further contains specific gravities of about 1.28 to about 1.36. In various embodiments, the composition contains specific gravities of about 1.28 to about 1.36, about 1.28, about 1.29, about 1.30, about 1.31, about 1.32, about 1.33, about 1.34, about 1.35, about 1.36, about 1.28 to about 1.30, about 1.30 to about 1.32, about 1.32 to about 1.34, or about 1.34 to about 1.36. Specific gravity allows for direct measurement of magnesium hydroxide content and cross-checking with thermal analysis (%ash).

[0027] The composition may further contain about 7.0% to about 18.0% ash content after heating the composition to about 500°C or higher to dissipate the polyketone polymer from the composition. In various embodiments, the composition contains adjusted ash content of about 7.0% to about 18.0%, about 7.0%, about 8.0%, about 9.0%, about 10.0%, about 11.0%, about 12.0%, about 13.0%, about 14.0%, about 15.0%, about 16.0%, about 17.0%, and about 18.0% after heating the composition to about 500°C or higher to dissipate the polyketone polymer from the composition. The ash residue after thermal decomposition consists of MgO with a molar mass of 40.32. The results are adjusted with a coefficient of 1.446, and the ash is reported as magnesium hydroxide with a theoretical molar mass of 58.32.

[0028] The composition exhibits an inverse synergistic effect between the viscosity of the molten material and the minimum amount of aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide, which imparts self-extinguishing properties to the composition. This synergistic effect was quite surprising.

[0029] The composition exhibits high chemical resistance to commercial-grade sterilizing chemicals (such as bleaches) and can be melted using existing tools.

[0030] II. Method for preparing self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone compositions Other aspects of this disclosure include a method for preparing a self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone composition suitable for direct or indirect contact with food. This method includes (a) forming a mixture by combining an aliphatic polyketone polymer resin with aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide; (b) melting the mixture; and (c) forming a self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone composition. The method disclosed herein may be carried out in a batch process, a semi-batch process, a semi-continuous process, or a continuous process. The method may be carried out in an inert atmosphere, but this is not necessarily required to prepare the composition.

[0031] The step of forming a mixture by combining an aliphatic polyketone polymer resin and aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide. The first step of the method involves combining an aliphatic polyketone polymer resin with an aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide to form a mixture.

[0032] Aliphatic polyketone polymer resins and aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide Aliphatic polyketone polymers and aminosilane-modified magnesium hydroxide have already been described in more detail in section (I). In one embodiment, the aliphatic polyketone polymer includes a high molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer. In other embodiments, the aliphatic polyketone polymer includes high molecular weight aliphatic and low molecular weight polyketone polymers.

[0033] In the melting and mixing process for forming a blend of polyketone and magnesium hydroxide, a continuous blending twin-screw extruder is used, a method known to those skilled in the art, in which polymer pellets are fed to the back end of the extruder using a gravity-feed metering and feeding system, melted, and transported forward. Magnesium hydroxide powder is fed to the extruder at the downstream port using a gravity-feed metering and feeding system and added to the fully molten polymer. This method allows for the mixing, metering, and control of the final composition in a continuous process. The molten mixture exits the extruder through a mold having multiple openings. The cylindrical extruded product is cooled and transported to a cutting machine, which cuts the cooled strands into cubes or pellets. The pellets are packaged for subsequent use. Other mixing processes for combining additives with thermoplastic melt-workable polymers are also incorporated herein by reference.

[0034] Step to melt the mixture The next step in the method involves melting the mixture. The purpose of melting the mixture is to obtain a mixture with an acceptable flow rate through a commercial injection molding process. An acceptable flow rate means that a sufficient amount of molten mixture can be economically melted, injected, and used through a commercial injection molding machine.

[0035] The melting temperature of the mixture may vary depending on the amounts of high molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer, low molecular weight polyketone polymer, and aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide. Using larger amounts of high molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer results in a lower flow rate, known as a "viscous flow." Using larger amounts of low molecular weight polyketone polymer results in a higher flow rate, known as a "processable flow."

[0036] The melting temperature of the mixture is approximately 200°C to 270°C. In various embodiments, the melting temperature of the mixture is approximately 200°C to 270°C, approximately 210°C to 260°C, approximately 220°C to 250°C, or approximately 235°C to 245°C. In one embodiment, the melting temperature is approximately 240°C.

[0037] Various types of commercial injection molding equipment are known in this technical field. Suitable commercial injection molding equipment may be batch commercial injection molding equipment or continuous commercial injection molding equipment. Mixture pellets or cubes are fed into the injection molding equipment, where they are melted and injected into a mold to form finished or semi-finished products.

[0038] Various conveyor components made from the self-extinguishing pellets described above are shown in Figure 1 (conveyor belt link or module), Figure 2 (return roller), Figure 3 (sprocket), Figure 4 (saddle supporting the end of the shaft), and Figure 5 (wing liner element). Many other polymer conveyor components can be made from self-extinguishing pellets.

[0039] One method for manufacturing conveyor components is injection molding. The steps for injection molding conveyor components are as follows: 1. Dry the prepared pellets to an acceptable moisture level. 2. Optionally, the pellets are blended with the masterbatch at a calculated processing rate to achieve the desired effect (e.g., different color). 3. The pellets / blend are transported to the injection molding machine (IMM) and inserted into the throat of the barrel. 4. Heat and shear forces are applied inside the IMM barrel by a screw and heater band array to melt the pellets and deliver the molten plastic into the mold. 5. Once the belt module, rod, or conveyor component is formed, open the mold, remove the part, and allow the part to cool. 6. Optionally, fasteners may be applied to control the dimensions of the component according to the design and application requirements. 7. Remove the runner and / or complete the post-molding procedure to finish the part, verify its quality, and then store and / or transport it for final assembly.

[0040] Another manufacturing method for some conveyor components is extrusion molding. Machining is often required to transform the extruded parts into final components. For components with simple shapes, such as hinge rods, machining other than cutting to the required length is not necessary. The steps for manufacturing conveyor components by extrusion molding are as follows: 1. Dry the prepared pellets to an acceptable moisture level. 2. Optionally, the pellets are blended with the masterbatch at a calculated processing rate to achieve the desired effect (e.g., different color). 3. The pellets / blend are transported to the extruder and inserted into the throat of the barrel. 4. Heat and shear forces are applied inside the extruder barrel by a screw and heater band array to melt the pellets and deliver the molten plastic into a mold that will determine the shape of the extruded product. 5. After the extruded product, which has been made to the specified dimensions, has its final dimensions confirmed by quality measurement and inspection, it is cooled in air or a water bath. 6. Once completely cooled, cut the parts to the specified length, check for quality, and then store and / or transport them for final assembly.

[0041] definition Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the meanings generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0042] This description is intended to enable those skilled in the art to manufacture and use the present invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, modifications, alterations, and uses of the present invention. These and other embodiments, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the invention together with the accompanying drawings.

[0043] Throughout this specification, any reference to “one embodiment,” “several embodiments,” “a particular embodiment,” “one or more embodiments,” or “a certain embodiment” means that the specific features, structures, materials, or properties described in relation to that embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, where the term “embodiment” is used in various places in this specification, it does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment of the present invention. Furthermore, these specific features, structures, materials, or properties may be combined in any suitable way within one or more embodiments.

[0044] In this disclosure, "%" refers to "weight % (wt.%)" or "mass %" unless otherwise specified.

[0045] As used herein, the phrase "consist of" excludes all elements, steps, or components not explicitly stated in the claim. If the phrase "consist of" (or variations thereof) is used in a claim in any part of the body other than the part immediately following the preface, it limits the elements described in that part only, and does not exclude any other elements from the claim as a whole. As used herein, the phrase "consisting essentially of" is limited to elements or method steps that specify the scope of a claim and do not substantially affect the fundamental novel characteristics of the claimed subject matter.

[0046] When describing elements of the embodiments described herein, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to indicate that there is one or more of these elements.

[0047] As used in this disclosure, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” etc. are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so as to do so, an assembly or method of a device, apparatus, system, or method comprising a set of components or a series of steps may include not only those components or steps, but other components or steps that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to such device or assembly. In other words, the presence of other elements, additional elements, or additional steps of the system, apparatus, or process following “comprises…a” (preceding “comprises…a” or “comprising…of”) is not excluded unless further restricted. Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “consisting,” or “including” also intend embodiments of “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the specified formulations and formulation preparation steps.

[0048] Concentration, quantity, and other numerical data may be expressed or presented in the form of ranges as described herein. Such range forms are used solely for convenience and brevity and should be understood to be interpreted flexibly as including not only the numerical limits specified as ranges, but also all individual numerical values ​​or subranges within that range, as if each numerical value and subrange were specified. For example, a numerical range of "approximately 2 to approximately 50" should be interpreted as including not only the specified values ​​of 2 to 50, but also all individual values ​​and subranges within the indicated range. Therefore, this numerical range includes subranges such as 2, 2.4, 3, 3.7, 4, 5.5, 10, 10.1, 14, 15, 15.98, 20, 20.13, 23, 25.06, 30, 35.1, 38.0, 40, 44, 44.6, 45, 48 and subranges such as 1-3, 2-4, 5-10, 5-20, 5-25, 5-30, 5-35, 5-40, 5-50, 2-10, 2-20, 2-30, 2-40, and 2-50. This same principle also applies to ranges where only one numerical value is given, such as the minimum or maximum value. Furthermore, such interpretations should be applied regardless of the breadth of the range or the characteristics being described.

[0049] As used herein, the term “approximately” is used to allow flexibility in the endpoints of a numerical range by indicating that a value may be “slightly above” or “slightly below” the endpoint. For example, the endpoint may be within 10%, 8%, 5%, 3%, 2%, or 1% of the specified value. Furthermore, for convenience and brevity, the numerical range “approximately 50 mg / mL to approximately 80 mg / mL” should be understood to also correspond to the range “50 mg / mL to 80 mg / mL”. The endpoint may also be based on variability recognized by the appropriate regulatory body, such as the FDA or USP.

[0050] In this disclosure, the terms “encompassing,” “containing,” and / or “having” should be understood to mean “inclusion,” and are open-ended terms.

[0051] Since the methods described above can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of this disclosure, all matters included in the above description and the embodiments listed below should be construed as illustrative rather than restrictive. [Examples]

[0052] While the present invention is disclosed in relation to the preferred embodiments or examples described above, these embodiments or examples should be understood as illustrative and should not be treated as limitations of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will likely readily conceive of improvements and combinations. These improvements and combinations are included in the spirit of the present invention and the claims described below.

[0053] In the examples described below, the following materials were procured: Poketone M330F and Poketone M630F were procured from Hyosung Chemical Corporation and used directly. Vistamaxx 6202 was used directly from Exxon Mobil. Vertex 90SA was procured from Huber Materials and used directly.

[0054] Example 1: Screening experiment Initial experiments were conducted to determine the mechanical properties of the compositions. 20% and 35% loadings of Vertex 90SA were investigated in combination with blends of Poketone M330F, Poketone M630F, and Vistamaxx 6202. The rationale for the experimental design was that a blend of 20 wt% Mg(OH)2 and Poketone M630F alone was too viscous for commercial injection molding. It was thought that incorporating a certain amount of Poketone M330F would help reduce the molten viscosity.

[0055] TIFF2026509148000001.tif139170

[0056] As a result of the scrutiny of the data shown in Table 1, in Vistamaxx 6202, no additional benefits were found in the mechanical results, and it seemed to reduce the fire resistance or self-extinguishing properties. No further tests were conducted on Vistamaxx 6202.

[0057] Prototype 2 in the above table was run at 1500 lb and manufactured for a preliminary evaluation of suitability as a molding resin. With the data in the table obtained, the interest shifted to manufacturing a polyketone composition of Mg(OH)2 with a loading weight percentage as low as possible to achieve at least a V-2 flame retardant rating and as high mechanical properties as possible. Furthermore, the results indicate that if Poketone M330F can be removed from the composition, further improved mechanical performance can be achieved.

[0058] Materials given a "V" rating using UL classification appear to have self-extinguishing properties (see the UL evaluation table at the bottom of this report). The V-1 rating is given to materials that self-extinguish in 30 seconds or less and do not drop burning particles. For reference, as shown in the UL evaluation table, the following ratings increase from the lowest level of self-extinguishing performance to the highest level: V-2 < V-1 < V-0 < 5VB < 5VA. Materials with an HB rating are considered not to have self-extinguishing properties.

[0059] TIFF2026509148000002.tif105170

[0060] Example 2: Improved Composition Improved compositions were prepared. Table 3 shows the weight percentages of the materials used. The names in Table 3 include four-digit numbers, e.g., 0100, 1585, or 2575. These four-digit numbers indicate the ratio of Poketone M330F to Poketone M630F on a resin / resin basis. Thus, the name 0100 represents 0% Poketone M330F and 100% Poketone M630F, and the name 2575 represents 25% M330F and 75% M630F, totaling 100%. In the composition named 2575, which contains 18% Mg(OH)2 and 82% polyketone resin, 75% of the 82% polymer is Poketone M630, i.e., 61.5% by weight, and 25% of the total 82% polymer is Poketone M330F, i.e., 20.5% by weight. The seven test runs shown in Table 3 were each conducted at a load of 25 lb. The mechanical properties data resulting from these test runs are shown in Table 4.

[0061] TIFF2026509148000003.tif52170TIFF2026509148000004.tif67170

Claims

1. A conveyor component made from a self-extinguishing aliphatic polyketone composition suitable for direct or indirect contact with food, comprising approximately 80.0 wt.% to approximately 95.0 wt.% aliphatic polyketone polymer resin and approximately 5.0 wt.% to approximately 20.0 wt.% aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide.

2. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the aliphatic polyketone polymer resin comprises about 75.0 wt.% to about 100.0 wt.% of a high molecular weight aliphatic polyketone polymer resin and about 0.0 wt.% to about 25.0 wt.% of a low molecular weight aliphatic polyketone resin.

3. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the average particle size of the aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide is approximately 1.5 micrometers or less.

4. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the composition includes V-2 flame retardancy according to the plastic flammability standard.

5. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a tensile strength of about 9,200 pounds per square inch (psi) to about 9,700 psi.

6. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises an elongation at break of about 33% to about 48%.

7. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a tensile modulus of approximately 360,000 psi to approximately 370,000 psi.

8. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the composition includes a notched Izod impact test of about 1.60 ft-lb / in to 1.80 ft-lb / in.

9. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the composition contains a specific gravity of about 1.28 to about 1.

36.

10. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the composition has an ash content of about 7.0% to about 18.0% after the composition is heated to about 500°C or higher to dissipate the polyketone polymer from the composition.

11. The conveyor component according to claim 1, wherein the composition exhibits an inverse synergistic effect between the viscosity of the molten material and the minimum amount of aminosilane surface-modified magnesium hydroxide, thereby imparting self-extinguishing performance to the composition.

12. A conveyor component according to claim 1, manufactured by injection molding.

13. A conveyor component according to claim 1, manufactured by extrusion molding.

14. A conveyor component according to claim 1, selected from the group consisting of a conveyor belt module, return rollers, sprockets, saddles for supporting the ends of shafts, wing liner elements, and hinge rods.

Images