Containers comprising polyester compositions which comprise cyclobutanediol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current plastic materials for containers, such as PET and polycarbonate, face challenges with high-heat applications, poor barrier properties, and difficulties in processing due to rapid crystallization and high melt viscosity, which limits their use in high-temperature conditions and affects their mechanical properties like impact strength and chemical resistance.
Innovation Solution
A polyester composition comprising terephthalic acid, 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol, and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol with specific mole percentages, offering a balance of high impact strength, heat resistance, chemical resistance, and processability, while maintaining low ductile-to-brittle transition temperatures and low densities, allowing for the formation of amorphous or semicrystalline articles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If PET is used for container production, then good barrier properties are achieved, but high-heat application performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a copolyester composition combining PCT (poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene) terephthalate) with other polyester components to create a composite material that maintains good barrier properties while achieving high-heat resistance, allowing containers to withstand pasteurization and retort applications
2Temperature
If polycarbonate is used for high-heat containers, then heat resistance is improved, but barrier properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a copolyester composition that combines the heat resistance of polycarbonate-like structures with the barrier properties of polyester, creating a composite material that achieves both high-heat tolerance and good barrier performance simultaneously
3Temperature
If PCT is used for container production, then high-heat resistance is achieved, but crystallization rate becomes too rapid for processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the crystallization rate of PCT by changing compositional parameters - specifically by incorporating copolymer components that slow down crystallization, allowing sufficient time for container formation processes while maintaining the desired heat resistance properties
4Loss of time
If ethylene glycol is added to PCT to slow crystallization, then crystallization half-time is improved, but glass transition temperature and impact strength deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compositional parameters by selecting specific copolymer components and ratios that slow crystallization without significantly compromising glass transition temperature and impact strength, unlike ethylene glycol modification
5Temperature
If bisphenol A polycarbonate is used for high-performance containers, then heat resistance and impact strength are improved, but melt viscosity becomes too high for processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copolyester composition that achieves heat resistance similar to bisphenol A polycarbonate but with significantly improved melt processability, eliminating the high viscosity problem while maintaining high-temperature performance
6Strength
If polymers with high inherent viscosity are used, then mechanical strength is improved, but processability on standard equipment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the inherent viscosity parameter to a specific range that provides adequate mechanical strength while ensuring compatibility with standard industrial processing equipment, balancing material performance with manufacturability
Data Source
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AI summary
Described are bottle(s) comprising polyesters comprising (a) a dicarboxylicacidcomponent comprising terephthalic acids residues; optionally, aromatic dicarboxylic acid or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues; 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues.