MOLDED PRODUCTS FROM ARTIFICIAL POLYMERS WITH CLOSED-CELL METAL-OXIDE PARTICLES

Claims

1. A method for producing a composition containing inclusions of closed-cell metal oxide particles in a polymer, wherein the closed-cell metal oxide particles are obtained by a method including: forming liquid droplets from a dispersion of particles comprising first particles that contain a polymeric material and second particles that contain a metal oxide material; drying the liquid droplets to obtain dried particles comprising an array of first particles, each of the first particles being coated with a layer of second particles; and calcining or sintering the dried particles, wherein the calcining or sintering provides for compaction of the metal oxide material and removal of the polymer material, with the production of closed-cell metal oxide particles, each of which contains a matrix of a metal oxide defining an array of closed cells, wherein each closed cell contains an empty volume inaccessible to the medium, and wherein the outer surfaces of the closed-cell metal oxide particles are defined by corresponding arrays of closed cells, wherein the closed cells are present in an amount of from 0.1 wt.% to 40 wt.%.

2. The method according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the array of closed cells is an ordered array.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the array of closed cells is an unordered array.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first particles contain surfaces with a total positive charge, and the second particles contain surfaces with a total negative charge.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first particles contain surfaces with a total negative charge, and the second particles contain surfaces with a total positive charge.

6. The method according to paragraph 4 or 5, characterized in that the charges of the surfaces are the driving force for the formation of a layer of second particles on the first particles.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the polymeric material contains a polymer selected from poly(meth)acrylic acid, poly(meth)acrylates, polystyrenes, polyacrylamides, polyethylene, polypropylene, polylactic acid, polyacrylonitrile, a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride, their derivatives, their salts, their copolymers or mixtures thereof.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first particles have an average diameter from about 50 nm to about 500 nm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide material comprises a metal oxide selected from silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, iron oxides, zinc oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, chromium oxide, and combinations thereof.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the metal oxide material contains silicon dioxide.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second particles have an average diameter of from about 1 nm to about 120 nm.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the closed-cell metal oxide particles have an average diameter from about 0.5 μm to about 100 μm.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the formation of liquid droplets is carried out using a microfluidic process.

14. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the formation and drying of liquid droplets is carried out using a spray drying process.

15. The method according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the formation of liquid droplets is carried out using a vibration nozzle.

16. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that drying the droplets includes evaporation, microwave irradiation, drying in an oven, drying in a vacuum, drying in the presence of a desiccant, or a combination thereof.

17. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the dispersion of particles is an aqueous dispersion of particles.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the mass / mass ratio of the first particles to the second particles is from about 1 / 10 to about 10 / 1.

19. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the mass / mass ratio of the first particles to the second particles is approximately 2 / 3, approximately 1 / 1, approximately 3 / 2, or approximately 3 / 1.

20. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of the size of the second particles to the size of the first particles is from 1 / 50 to 1 / 5.

21. A method for producing a composition containing inclusions of closed-cell metal oxide particles in a polymer, wherein the closed-cell metal oxide particles are obtained by a method including: forming liquid droplets from a dispersion of particles containing a polymer in a sol-gel matrix of a metal oxide material, wherein the polymer particles contain a polymer material; drying the liquid droplets to obtain dried particles comprising an array of polymer particles, each of the polymer particles being coated with a sol-gel matrix; and calcining or sintering the dried particles to obtain closed-cell metal oxide particles, wherein the calcining or sintering removes the polymer material and compacts the metal oxide material to obtain closed-cell metal oxide particles, each of which contains a matrix of metal oxide defining an array of closed cells, wherein each closed cell contains an empty volume that is inaccessible to the medium, and wherein the outer surfaces of the closed-cell metal oxide particles are defined by corresponding arrays of closed cells.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that the polymer particles contain surfaces with a total positive charge, and the sol-gel matrix of the metal oxide material has a total negative charge.

23. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that the polymer particles contain surfaces with a total negative charge, and the sol-gel matrix made of metal oxide material has a total positive charge.

24. A composition obtained by the method according to any of paragraphs 1-23.

25. A composition comprising closed-cell metal oxide particles embedded in a polymer, wherein the closed-cell metal oxide particles comprise a metal oxide matrix defining an array of closed cells, wherein each closed cell contains an empty volume that is inaccessible to the medium, and wherein the outer surface of the closed-cell metal oxide particle is defined by the array of closed cells.

26. The composition according to claim 25, characterized in that the array of closed cells is an ordered array.

27. The composition according to claim 25, characterized in that the array of closed cells is an unordered array.

28. The composition of claim 25, wherein the empty volumes have an average diameter of from about 50 nm to about 500 nm.

29. The composition according to claim 25, characterized in that the metal oxide matrix contains a metal oxide selected from silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, iron oxides, zinc oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, chromium oxide and combinations thereof.

30. The composition according to claim 29, characterized in that the metal oxide matrix contains silicon dioxide.

31. The composition of claim 25, obtained at least in part from polymer particles having an average diameter of from about 50 nm to about 500 nm.

32. The composition of claim 25, formed at least in part from metal oxide particles having an average diameter of from about 1 nm to about 120 nm.

33. The composition according to any one of claims 25-30, obtained from a metal oxide precursor selected from silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, iron oxides, zinc oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, chromium oxide and combinations thereof.

34. The use of closed-cell metal oxide particles as light stabilizers for a molded article made from an artificial polymer, wherein the polymer is a synthetic polymer and / or a natural or synthetic elastomer, and closed-cell metal oxide particles were obtained by a method including: forming liquid droplets from a dispersion of particles comprising first particles that contain a polymeric material and second particles that contain a metal oxide material; drying the liquid droplets to obtain dried particles comprising an array of first particles, each of the first particles being coated with a layer of second particles; and calcining or sintering the dried particles, wherein the calcining or sintering provides for compaction of the metal oxide material and removal of the polymer material, with the production of closed-cell metal oxide particles, each of which contains a matrix of metal oxide defining an array of closed cells, wherein each closed cell contains an empty volume inaccessible to the medium, and wherein the outer surfaces of the closed-cell metal oxide particles are defined by corresponding arrays of closed cells.

35. The use according to paragraph 34, characterized in that the closed-cell particles are used in a concentration of from 0.01% by weight to 40.0% by weight, based on the weight of the molded product made from an artificial polymer.

36. The use according to claim 34, characterized in that the closed-cell particles are used in combination with one or more UV absorbers, wherein the UV absorbers are selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxyphenyltriazines, benzotriazoles, 2-hydroxybenzophenones, oxalanilides, cinnamates and benzoates.

37. The use according to paragraph 36, characterized in that one or more UV radiation absorbers are used in a concentration of from 0.01 wt.% to 40.0 wt.%, based on the weight of the molded product made from an artificial polymer.

38. The use according to paragraph 34, characterized in that the molded article made from an artificial polymer contains a hindered amine-based light stabilizer (HALS).

39. The use according to paragraph 34, characterized in that the molded article made of artificial polymer is an article made of artificial polymer obtained by extrusion, casting, thread drawing, molding or calendering.

40. The use according to any of paragraphs 34-39, characterized in that the molded article made of artificial polymer is a film, pipe, cable, tape, sheet, container, frame, fiber or monofilament.

41. A molded article made from an artificial polymer, characterized in that the polymer is a synthetic polymer and / or a natural or synthetic elastomer, and that the polymer contains closed-cell particles as defined herein.

42. A polymer composition obtained by extrusion, casting, spinning, molding, or calendering, characterized in that the polymer is a synthetic polymer and / or a natural or synthetic elastomer, and that the polymer contains closed-cell particles as defined herein.