PVC composition for slush molding applications

Abstract

A method for producing a powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition includes blending a polyvinyl chloride resin emulsion with a flexible acrylic resin to form a polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend. The polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend is then isolated to form a powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition. Powdered polyvinyl chloride-based compositions, polyvinyl chloride compoundings, articles formed from powdered polyvinyl chloride-based compositions, and methods for forming articles are also disclosed.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a powdered polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composition, a method for producing a powdered polyvinyl chloride composition, and articles obtained therefrom. [Background technology]

[0002] Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used material in various market segments such as automotive, building and construction, medical and consumer care, and residential and commercial buildings. PVC is also widely used in automotive interiors for soft-touch applications or skin (outer panel) applications, such as artificial leather, for structural elements including instrument panels, door panels, etc. Slush molding of interior soft skins is one method that produces the best surface replication with multiple grains throughout the entire part. Slush molding is a preferred method for manufacturing interior soft skins for instrument panels, door panels, and other interior trim parts. For example, complex shapes, grain mixtures, geometric grains, deep contour lettering, and logos are required for the parts. Surfaces with excellent tactile feel and adjustable gloss levels can be obtained using slush molding. To improve the flexibility of PVC material at low temperatures (e.g., -30°C ductility), a plasticizer at a concentration of approximately 50 parts per 100 parts (phr) is used to provide sub-zero temperature ductility.

[0003] Until now, plasticizers have been widely used in PVC materials to provide ductility. However, plasticizers tend to migrate over time, and therefore, they can be detrimental to the integrity of PVC materials. For example, plasticizer migration unfortunately leads to "fogging" and brittleness in PVC materials over time. Consequently, the performance of the PVC skin deteriorates over time. Furthermore, despite the use of "super" stabilizers in PVC materials, plasticizer migration remains a known problem associated with the use of plasticizers. In addition, some plasticizers, including phthalates, raise additional toxicity concerns. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce or minimize the amount of plasticizer in PVC compositions.

[0004] In the automotive industry, PVC skins degrade over time, posing a problem for airbag deployment in vehicles at low temperatures (below freezing). Brittle PVC skins tend to crack and shatter at low temperatures when the airbag deploys. During low-temperature airbag deployment, fragmentation of the airbag door area can create airborne fragments that can cause personal injury to occupants inside the vehicle. Providing airbags with skins made of PVC material that does not fragment during deployment is a critical requirement for installing PVC airbags in both new and "end-of-life" vehicles.

[0005] Thermal aging tests are commonly used by automotive manufacturers to predict and understand the performance of aged instrument panels. For example, it has been found that plasticized PVC loses more than 35 percent of its original physical properties when exposed to temperatures above 110°C for a period of more than 500 hours. When plasticized PVC is exposed to this type of heat, it loses its physical properties and becomes brittle. The accelerated loss of plasticizer contributes to the brittleness of articles manufactured from plasticized PVC. Therefore, airbags with skins made of plasticized PVC can become brittle and, when deployed, can result in fragmentation of the PVC material, especially when airbags made of plasticized PVC material are deployed at low temperatures (e.g., -30°C). Thus, in the automotive industry, there is a need for technology that can improve the thermal aging performance of plasticized PVC and maintain the low-temperature ductility of plasticized PVC throughout the lifespan of vehicles using plasticized PVC components.

[0006] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0017372 discloses a PVC-based composition comprising flexible acrylic resin (FAR). PVC and FAR are mixed with a plasticizer to form a mixture for manufacturing articles from them.

[0007] Conventional slush molding compositions typically contain a suspended PVC (S-PVC) resin, an emulsion PVC (E-PVC) resin for use as a flow aid, a plasticizer, and additional components such as stabilizers, UV stabilizers, and pigments. S-PVC and plasticizers are the main components of slush molding compositions. Due to the plasticizer issues mentioned above, it is desirable to reduce or minimize the amount of plasticizer used in slush molding applications.

[0008] It has been found that blends of PVC (including either S-PVC or E-PVC) and FAR powder cannot be processed under slush molding conditions that are heat-dependent and result in zero shear. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a powder PVC composition that is slush moldable and still maintains the low-temperature ductility of plasticized PVC. [Overview of the project]

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition, a) Blending a polyvinyl chloride resin emulsion with a flexible acrylic resin emulsion to form a polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend, b) A method comprising isolating a polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend to form a powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition prepared according to another aspect of the present invention.

[0011] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a composition comprising polyvinyl chloride powder and a powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition prepared according to another aspect of the present invention.

[0012] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to an article manufactured from a powdered polyvinyl chloride composition prepared according to another aspect of the present invention.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing an article from a powdered polyvinyl chloride composition, I) Powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition, a) Blending a polyvinyl chloride resin emulsion with a flexible acrylic resin emulsion to form a polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend, b) A step of preparing a polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend by isolating it and forming a powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition, II) The method comprises the step of forming an article from the powdered polyvinyl chloride composition of step I). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1]This is a schematic diagram of a core-shell polymer material showing various layers of the core-shell material of the present invention. [Figure 2] This image shows an AFM tapping mode image of a formulation containing plasticized PVC without FAR. [Figure 3] This shows an AFM tapping mode image of a formulation containing plasticizable PVC having FAR according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This shows an AFM tapping mode image of a formulation containing plasticizable PVC having FAR according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This shows an AFM tapping mode image of a formulation containing plasticizable PVC having FAR according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] definition As used herein with respect to materials, “ductility” or “being ductile” means that a material is flexible and that a sheet of the material can function (at a given temperature) without breaking. The cold bending test in Ford standard WSS-M4D985-A3 defines a material as flexible if a sheet sample (50 × 150 mm) can be bent 180 degrees on a 20 mm diameter mandrel without cracking. Similarly, the dart impact test specified in ISO 6603 or ASTM D376 defines ductility as the ability of a dart to penetrate a film sample at a certain speed (e.g., 6.7 meters / second (m / s)) without initiating cracking or fragmentation.

[0016] As used herein with respect to materials, "low-temperature impact performance" means the ability of a material to withstand strong forces or impacts applied to it over a short period of time. In this specification, low-temperature impact performance is the ability of a material to be ductile at sub-zero temperatures (e.g., temperatures between 0°C and -40°C).

[0017] As used herein with respect to materials, "thermal aging" means the ability of a material to retain its properties after conditioning at an elevated (above ambient temperature) temperature for an extended period (e.g., 1,000 hours at 120°C). Ford specification WSS-M4D985-A3 defines acceptable thermal aging of a material as a loss of tensile strength of less than 25% (<) of the original value of the material and a loss of elongation at break of less than 50% of the original value of the material.

[0018] As used herein with respect to materials, "impact resistance" means the ability of a material to withstand a strong force or impact applied to the material over a short period of time. Good impact resistance is the ability of a material to absorb energy and plastically deform without breaking (also referred to as "toughness").

[0019] As used herein with respect to resin products, "adjusted polymer melt rheology" means that the resin product can be processed into a film / sheet or injection molded into an article using conventional plastic melt processing equipment, such as film extrusion / calendering, injection molding, and thermoforming.

[0020] As used herein with respect to polymers, "compatibility" means the ability of two polymers to mix at a homogeneous level such that the resulting polymer blend provides desired performance.

[0021] As used herein with respect to polymers, "miscibility" means the ability of two polymers to form a very homogeneous polymer blend at the molecular level.

[0022] As used herein with respect to plasticizers, "migration" means the movement of the plasticizer from a component (e.g., a sheet, skin, or molded part) and the loss of the plasticizer to the environment or to a composite material (e.g., a PU foam material) adjacent to the component. Migration is a function of temperature and time and increases as the temperature (e.g., above ambient temperature) increases and as the time increases.

[0023] As used herein with respect to materials, “tensile strength” means the maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled (for example, according to the tensile test procedure for thin f films described in ASTM D882).

[0024] In one aspect of the present invention, the PVC-based composition of the present invention is prepared by a method comprising blending a PVC resin emulsion and a FAR resin emulsion to form a PVC / FAR blend. The PVC / FAR blend is then isolated to form a powdered PVC-based composition.

[0025] Emulsion PVC (E-PVC) resins and suspension PVC (S-PVC) resins differ primarily in their particle size. E-PVC resins generally have smaller particle sizes than S-PVC resins. In conventional rotational molding applications, including slush molding, E-PVC resins are primarily used as flow aids. PVC resins used in powders may include emulsion grade PVCs specified by those skilled in the art, for example, having a "K" value of K56 to K72. As known to those skilled in the art, the "K" value is a measure of the molecular weight of the PVC resin, based on the measurement of the PVC solution viscosity as described in ISO 1628-2 (1998). Higher K values ​​indicate higher PVC molecular weight. PVC materials of K56 to K72 grade are commonly used, for example, to manufacture films and sheet products for packaging applications, as well as for building and construction applications.

[0026] Generally, the amount of PVC resin component in a powdered PVC composition may be, for example, 20% to 90% by weight, based on the total weight of all components in the powdered PVC composition; for example, 30% to 90% by weight, 40% to 80% by weight, or 55% to 60% by weight.

[0027] FAR resin can be a core-shell polymer resin product comprising at least one of the following layers: (i) a crosslinked core, (ii) an intermediate region layer, and (iii) an outermost layer. Referring to Figure 1, a FAR core-shell polymer resin, denoted as 10 overall, is shown, comprising a crosslinked core 11, an intermediate layer 12, and an outer layer or shell 13. The overall size of the core-shell polymer resin product 10 may be 90 nanometers (nm) to 120 nm, 140 nm to 170 nm, or 230 nm to 300 nm, as indicated by line X in Figure 1.

[0028] For example, the FAR resin may include a copolymer of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) having crosslinked BA as the core layer 11, and an MMA-rich composition as the outermost layer or shell 13. In other examples, suitable FAR resin compounds include, for example, FAR resin product grades available from The Dow Chemical Company, such as those designated as 21308-XP, 21309-XP and 21520-XP, 21501-XP; and mixtures thereof.

[0029] Generally, the useful concentration of FAR resin in PVC-based compositions can range from 1% to 60% by weight; 5% to 60% by weight; 20% to 45% by weight; or 15% to 35% by weight, based on the total weight of all components in the composition.

[0030] Referring again to Figure 1, a crosslinked core 11 is shown which may contain one or more materials. In one embodiment, the crosslinked core 11 may contain, for example, more than 95% by weight (>) units derived from one or more monomers selected from alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers, and 0.1% to 5% by weight units derived from crosslinking monomers, grafting monomers, or combinations thereof. The crosslinked core 11 has a glass transition temperature (T) of -85°C to -10°C. g ) can be shown. In one embodiment, the core 11 may be, for example, crosslinked rubber. Crosslinked rubber advantageously brings impact resistance to articles manufactured from powdered PVC-based compositions.

[0031] The diameter of the core layer 11 may be, for example, 90 nm to 100 nm, 120 nm to 130 nm, or 200 nm to 210 nm. However, the diameter of the core layer 11 may have other diameters depending on the desired purpose.

[0032] The intermediate region 12 may contain one or more intermediate layers. For example, each intermediate layer used may contain 88.5% to 100% by weight units derived from one or more monomers selected from alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers, and 0% to 5% by weight units derived from (i) crosslinking monomers, (ii) graft bonding monomers, or (iii) a combination of two or more of these. Optionally, the intermediate layers may also contain 0% to 2.0% by weight units derived from one or more chain transfer agents, such that a compositional gradient is introduced between the intermediate layers. The compositional gradient of the intermediate layers is as follows: g and upper T g It can transition between the lower T g It can be at least -30°C, and the upper T g The temperature can reach up to 70°C. The intermediate layer can advantageously provide a tuned polymer melt rheology useful for the melting process.

[0033] The outermost layer or shell 13 may contain one or more materials. For example, the outermost layer may contain 98.5% to 100% by weight units derived from alkyl (meth)acrylates, styrene monomers, and one or more monomers selected from two or more combinations thereof. Optionally, the outermost layer 13 may contain 0% to 1.5% by weight units derived from, for example, one or more chain transfer agents, and the outermost layer 13 may be, for example, 40°C to 110°C T g The outer layer 13 may have optional functional groups incorporated into it advantageously provides compatibility between the core-shell polymer resin product and other polymer substrates.

[0034] Optionally, the step of blending a PVC resin emulsion with a FAR resin emulsion may also include blending one or more heat stabilizers, one or more UV stabilizers, and / or one or more antioxidants to form a PVC / FAR blend. Alternatively, one or more of these components can be blended with additional PVC resin when a PVC formulation containing a powdered PVC-based composition is formed.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, a method for producing a powdered PVC-based composition includes blending a PVC resin emulsion, a FAR resin emulsion, and optionally a heat stabilizer to form a PVC / FAR blend, and isolating the PVC / FAR blend to form a powdered PVC-based composition. Blending can be carried out by any known blending process.

[0036] The step of isolating the PVC / FAR blend preferably includes spray-drying or freeze-drying the PVC / FAR blend to form a powdered PVC-based composition.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, an automotive part can be manufactured using a powdered PVC-based composition, resulting in the part having improved properties such as enhanced thermal aging characteristics and low-temperature impact performance characteristics after thermal aging.

[0038] Powdered PVC compositions can be used as masterbatches for preparing PVC formulations for manufacturing articles. For example, powdered PVC compositions may be mixed with additional powdered PVC, such as S-PVC resin, to prepare PVC formulations for manufacturing articles. PVC formulations are suitable for rotational molding processes, preferably slush molding processes.

[0039] The powdered PVC composition according to the present invention can enable a reduction in the amount of plasticizer used in the PVC compound compared to conventional PVC compound used in rotational molding, particularly slush molding.

[0040] In another aspect of the present invention, a PVC compound can be prepared by blending a powdered PVC composition with additional PVC resin and optionally a plasticizer and / or one or more additional components.

[0041] In the PVC formulations of the present invention, the additional PVC combined with the powdered PVC composition may be any one or more rigid PVC resins, or it may be a PVC material that already contains a plasticizer (i.e., a plasticized PVC material). For example, a plasticized PVC material may be pre-compounded with a plasticizer such that the total concentration of the plasticizer in the composition may be more than 1 weight percent (wt%) and less than 80 wt%, as described below herein with respect to the plasticizer. If the additional PVC added to the powdered PVC composition is not a plasticized PVC, a plasticizer may be added to the formulation.

[0042] The PVC resin used in PVC formulations may include, for example, suspension grade PVC specified by those skilled in the art, having a "K" value of K56 to K72. As is known to those skilled in the art, the "K" value is a measure of the molecular weight of the PVC resin based on the measurement of the viscosity of the PVC solution, as described in ISO 1628-2 (1998). A higher K value indicates a higher PVC molecular weight. PVC materials of K56 to K72 grade are commonly used, for example, to manufacture films and sheet products for packaging applications, as well as for building and construction applications. When preparing PVC formulations, the PVC resin may further include emulsion PVC (E-PVC) resin in addition to S-PVC resin.

[0043] Alternatively, the additional PVC used in the PVC formulation may contain only E-PVC resin. In such embodiments, the PVC resin in the PVC formulation may consist of or consist essentially of E-PVC resin. As used herein, the phrase consisting essentially of E-PVC resin means that the PVC resin in the PVC formulation contains at least 95 wt% E-PVC based on the total amount of PVC in the PVC formulation. Preferably, the additional PVC consists of or consists essentially of E-PVC.

[0044] One or more conventional plasticizers or compounds can be used in the PVC formulation. For example, plasticizers include phthalates such as diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP); compounds having the following structure:

[0045] [Chemical formula] (wherein R in the above structure (I) 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are each independently hydrogen or an organic group having one or more carbon atoms, and n is from 1 to 20); adipic acid esters such as diisononyl adipate (DINA) and diisodecyl adipate (DIDA) useful at low temperatures; sebacic acid esters such as dibutyl sebacate (DBS) and di-2-ethylhexyl sebacate (DOS) useful at low temperatures; phosphate softeners and polymer softeners useful for low migration and extraction resistance; trimellitates useful for high temperature resistance; and one or more of mixtures thereof. Preferably, the plasticizer includes a sebacic acid ester or a trimellitate.

[0046] Plasticizers can generally be added to PVC formulations at concentrations of 10% to 60% by weight; 20% to 60% by weight; 30% to 50% by weight; or 40% to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of all components in the PVC formulation.

[0047] Preferably, in a method for producing a PVC compound having the above components, the concentration of polyvinyl chloride resin in the PVC compound may be 20% to 80% by weight; the concentration of flexible acrylic resin in the PVC compound may be 1% to 60% by weight; and the concentration of plasticizer in the PVC compound may be 10% to 60% by weight, where the concentration is relative to the total weight of all components in the PVC compound.

[0048] For example, various other components, including one or more of heat stabilizers, ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers, antioxidants, and mixtures thereof, can be added to the PVC composition during the blending process. Suitable heat stabilizers can be selected from one or more of the following: metallic salts and blends thereof, such as alkaline earth metal salts (e.g., calcium or barium metal salts) combined with cadmium or zinc salts; rare earth metal salts, such as those based on lanthanum; basic and neutral lead salts; and mixtures thereof. Heat stabilizers can also be selected from one or more of the following: metal-free organic compounds (e.g., urea or thiourea); organotin compounds such as mercaptides, tin carboxylates, and octyltin maleate; and mixtures thereof. Other heat stabilizers added to PVC compositions include, for example, co-stabilizers such as epoxidized esters; melamine derivatives; and mixtures thereof. The heat stabilizer can be added to the PVC compound at concentrations of approximately 0.01% to 2% by weight, 0.05% to 1.5% by weight, or 0.1% to 1% by weight.

[0049] UV stabilizers can be selected from, for example, one or more of the following: UVA (ultraviolet absorbers); HALS (hindered amine light stabilizers); and blends and mixtures thereof. UV stabilizers can be added to PVC formulations at concentrations of approximately 0.01% to 2% by weight, 0.03% to 1.5% by weight, or 0.1% to 1% by weight.

[0050] The antioxidant can be selected from, for example, one or more of the following: phenolic components; phosphites; thioesters; amines; and blends and mixtures thereof. The antioxidant can be added to the PVC formulation at concentrations of approximately 0.01% to 2% by weight, 0.03% to 1.5% by weight, or 0.1% to 1% by weight.

[0051] Other optional compounds or additives that can be added to PVC formulations include, for example, release agents; antistatic agents; foaming agents; surfactants; catalysts; toughening agents; flow improvers; adhesion promoters; diluents; other stabilizers; other plasticizers, catalyst deactivators; flame retardants; liquid nucleating agents; solid nucleating agents; Ostwald maturation retarding additives; and mixtures thereof. The concentration of optional compounds or additives, when used in powdered PVC formulations, may generally range from 0% to 20% by weight based on the total weight of the components in the PVC formulation. For example, when the PVC formulation is used for film and sheet applications, optional additives can be added to the PVC formulation at concentrations of 0% to 10% by weight.

[0052] Articles or products containing PVC compounds can be manufactured using various methods. For example, PVC compounds can be used in rotational molding applications such as slush molding. Other methods include injection molding, extrusion, and thermoforming / calendering applications. PVC compounds may also be co-extruded, overmolded, and used in multilayer structures. Preferably, PVC compounds are used in rotational molding.

[0053] Generally, articles or parts can be manufactured by first producing a sheet member substrate using a PVC compound, for example, having a front side (also referred to herein as the skin side or side A) and a back side (also referred to herein as side B), then producing a foam (e.g., polyurethane foam) on side B of the substrate, while leaving the skin side of the substrate open to the atmosphere without other materials. For example, a part manufactured using a sheet member substrate with a PVC compound may be a flexible interior automotive body panel that can be manufactured by slush molding.

[0054] When an article manufactured with a PVC compound is a film or sheet component, the film or sheet may have a thickness in the range of 0.2 mm to 2 mm, for example, 0.4 mm to 1.2 mm or 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.

[0055] PVC articles manufactured according to the above method have several advantageous properties and benefits compared to conventional PVC articles. For example, in one embodiment, the PVC articles of the present invention exhibit improved thermal aging. The thermal aging performance characteristics of the PVC articles can be measured by ISO 188 or Ford Spec WSS-M4D985-A3, for example, by the procedure described in ISO 37(2017) for tensile properties. Generally, thermal aging can be carried out for a period of 1,000 hours (hr) or less at 120°C, for example, 500 to 1,000 hours. In one preferred embodiment, the PVC articles may exhibit a maximum change in tensile strength of 25% or less, or <25%, and a loss of elongation at break of 50% or less, or <50%.

[0056] PVC articles preferably exhibit improved low-temperature impact performance after thermal aging. The low-temperature impact performance characteristics of a PVC article can be measured by low-temperature flexibility at -40°C, as defined and determined by the procedure described in Ford Spec WSS-M4D985-A3 (2010), for example. Preferably, the PVC article should not exhibit cracking. Alternatively, a more quantitative method that may be used is a multiaxial impact test at -30°C at 6.7 m / s, as described in ISO 6603 or ASTM D3763 (2015). Preferably, the PVC article should be 100% ductile. The ductility characteristics of a PVC article are particularly important when the PVC article is used in airbags installed in vehicles. Since brittle fracture of PVC airbags poses a risk of fragments striking occupants during airbag deployment, the PVC is preferably fully ductile.

[0057] The powdered PVC-based compositions and articles manufactured from the powdered PVC-based compositions according to the present invention may be useful in a variety of applications, including slush molding, which is commonly used to manufacture flexible interior automotive body panels. In preferred embodiments, the PVC-based compositions may be used to manufacture instrument panels and door panels. A useful method for manufacturing flexible skin is described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 8,674,027. [Examples]

[0058] The following embodiments are provided to illustrate the present invention in more detail, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Unless otherwise indicated, all parts and percentages are by weight.

[0059] A masterbatch of the PVC-based composition according to the present invention was prepared by sequentially adding the materials listed in Table 1 at specific temperatures. PVC powder was added to a Gunther Papenmeier / Welex blender at room temperature, the output was increased to 15A, TM 181 was added at 125°F, and the lubricant package was added at 150°F. The powder blend was allowed to cool to room temperature, then Jayflex® was added, and the temperature was slowly raised to 125°F. The masterbatch had the composition shown in Table 1. A powdered PVC composition was also prepared.

[0060] [Table 1]

[0061] To simulate zero-shear slush molding conditions, the Carver hot press was preheated to 392°F (200°C). A small amount of PVC masterbatch was placed in an alumina weighing pan, which was then placed on the Carver hot press platform. By raising the platform, the weighing pan touched the upper heating panel. After 5 minutes, the weighing pan was removed from the hot press. The film was then peeled off the weighing pan.

[0062] Dispersion morphology analysis Block samples were prepared to expose modified PVC in bulk form. A low-temperature sectioning method was applied to obtain a flat surface for AFM analysis. Figure 2 shows the AFM tapping mode image of plasticized PVC without FAR. Both the height and phase images show homogeneous PVC as expected. In the phase image, bright islands (crystalline) of migrated plasticizer were observed. The vertical lines are knife marks generated during the sectioning process.

[0063] Figure 3 shows AFM images of 100% neat E-PVC and a blend of masterbatch powders with 50% FAR and plasticizer and 50% PVC, according to the composition in Table 1. The total amount of FAR in the composition was 16% by weight based on the total weight of the composition. These samples were slush molded at 392°F for 5 minutes. In these samples, regions of neat E-PVC without FAR particles were observed. Notably, as observed in Figure 2, there was no migrated plasticizer. The plasticizer remained in the FAR particles. Islands of semi-aggregated FAR particles were observed scattered within the PVC. A closer examination of the aggregates showed that the particles were still separated within the continuous PVC matrix. This demonstrated that the masterbatch PVC is compatible with FAR in the presence of plasticizer. In the phase image, the FAR particles are bright contrast and exhibit higher stiffness compared to the PVC matrix.

[0064] Figure 4 shows a 50 / 50 blend of PVC / FAR with the composition shown in Table 1, slush-molded at 410°F for 5 minutes. This sample preparation resulted in well-dispersed particles throughout the PVC. At this processing temperature, the particles again exhibited a bright contrast with the PVC and showed relatively higher rigidity than the PVC.

[0065] At higher temperatures of 428°F (Figure 5 below), the FAR particles dispersed well, regardless of the slush molding time (up to 5 minutes). This composition contained a total of 15 wt% FAR based on the total weight of the composition. The FAR particles showed a darker contrast compared to PVC, indicating that they were more flexible than the PVC matrix. At a certain threshold temperature (410°F to 428°F), the FAR particles softened relative to the PVC matrix. This was because the plasticizer migrated from the PVC to the FAR particles, resulting in better performance by making the PVC more rigid.

Claims

1. A method for producing a powdered polyvinyl chloride composition, a) Blending a polyvinyl chloride resin emulsion with a flexible acrylic resin emulsion to form a polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend, b) A method comprising isolating the polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend to form the powdered polyvinyl chloride composition.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising step a) blending one or more heat stabilizers, one or more UV stabilizers, or one or more antioxidants with the polyvinyl chloride resin emulsion and the flexible acrylic resin emulsion.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the polyvinyl chloride resin is present in an amount ranging from 20% to 90% by weight, and the flexible acrylic resin is present in an amount ranging from 1% to 60% by weight, the weight percentage being relative to the total weight of all components in the polyvinyl chloride composition.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein step b) includes spray-drying or freeze-drying the polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend to form the powdered polyvinyl chloride composition.

5. A powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition prepared by the method described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A polyvinyl chloride compound comprising powdered polyvinyl chloride resin and the powdered polyvinyl chloride-based composition described in claim 5.

7. The PVC compound according to claim 6, further comprising one or more plasticizers.

8. An article manufactured from the polyvinyl chloride composition described in claim 5 or the polyvinyl chloride compound described in claim 6 or 7.

9. The article according to claim 8, wherein the article includes a skin member.

10. The article according to claim 9, wherein the skin member further comprises a polyurethane foam backing.

11. A method for producing an article from a powdered polyvinyl chloride composition, I) A powdered polyvinyl chloride composition, a) Blending a polyvinyl chloride resin emulsion with a flexible acrylic resin emulsion to form a polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend, b) The process of preparing the product by isolating the polyvinyl chloride resin / flexible acrylic resin blend to form the powdered polyvinyl chloride composition, II) A step of blending the powdered polyvinyl chloride composition with additional powdered polyvinyl chloride resin to form a polyvinyl chloride compound, A method comprising the steps of: III) forming an article from the powdered polyvinyl chloride compound of step II).

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising step II) blending the powdered polyvinyl chloride composition and additional powdered polyvinyl chloride resin with at least one plasticizer.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein forming the article from the powdered polyvinyl chloride compound in step II) includes slush molding.

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