Stampable reinforced thermoplastic polyester sheets

Claim 2

A stampable sheet of reinforced thermoplastic material having on at least one surface of the sheet a smooth surface suitable for use as exterior automotive panels and the like, said sheet comprising: a plurality of layers of polymeric material and a plurality of layers of fibrous reinforcing material alternating with said layers of polymeric material, all of said layers being integrally formed together and the outer layers of said sheet being of a crystallizable material selected from poly(ethylene terephthalate), copolymers of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and blends thereof, poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate), copolymers of poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate) and blends thereof having a minimum crystallization half-time upon heating of one minute or less, the minimum crystallization half-time being that as measured with respect to each individual layer of said outer layers; a layer of surfacing mat of fine stranded glass of continuous filaments randomly patterned, having a weight of about 0.1 to about 0.4 oz./sq. ft., and positioned contiguously with respect to one of said outer layers of said sheet; and a layer of polymeric material positioned contiguously with the side of said surfacing layer opposite from said one of said outer layers of said sheet; having a shrinkage of less than about 2%, as determined in accordance with ASTM Method D-955, and a minimum crystallization half-time of one minute or less, and being selected from a. copolymers of poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) with about 10 to about 30 mole percent dimer acid; b. a polyetherester comprised of

Claim 3

a dicarboxylic acid component comprised of A. 100 to 60 mole percent terephthalic acid, and 0 to 40 mole percent of an aliphatic or aromatic dicarboxylic acid having a molecular weight of less than 300, and 2. a diol component comprised of A. a glycol comprised of 100 to 60 mole percent tetramethylene glycol and 0 to 40 mole percent of an aliphatic or aromatic glycol having a molecular weight of less than 300, and B. 10 to 60 weight percent, based on the weight of the polyetherester, of a poly(alkylene oxide) glycol having 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms in the repeating unit and having a molecular weight in the range of 400 to 5000, wherein the sum of the total mole percent amount of aliphatic or aromatic dicarboxylic acid having a molecular weight of less than 300 in item b.1.B, the mole percent amount of aliphatic or aromatic glycol having a molecular weight of less than 300 in item b.2.A., and the weight percent, based on the weight of the polyetherester, of the poly(alkylene oxide) glycol in item b.2.B. equals at least 25 but does not exceed 80; c. a polyetherester comprised of 1. a dicarboxylic acid component comprised of A. 100 to 98 mole percent terephthalic acid, and B. 0 to 2 mole percent of a trifunctional carboxylic acid of molecular weight less than 300; 2. a diol component comprised of A. a glycol comprised of 90 to 60 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 10 to 40 mole percent ethylene glycol or tetramethylene glycol, and B. 10 to 50 weight percent, based on the weight of the polyetherester, of a poly(alkylene oxide) glycol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms in the repeating unit and having a molecular weight in the range of 400 to 2000; d. a polyetherester comprised of 1. a dicarboxylic acid component comprised of A. 100 to 98 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and B. 0 to 2 mole percent of a trifunctional carboxylic acid of molecular weight less than 300; 2. a diol component comprised of A. 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and B. 10 to 60 weight percent, based on the weight of the polyetherester, of a poly(alkylene oxide) glycol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms and a molecular weight in the range of 400 to 2000.

Claim 4

a dicarboxylic acid component comprised of A. 100 to 60 mole percent terephthalic acid, and 0 to 40 mole percent of an aliphatic or aromatic dicarboxylic acid having a molecular weight of less than 300, and 2. a diol component comprised of A. a glycol comprised of 100 to 60 mole percent tetramethylene glycol and 0 to 40 mole percent of an aliphatic or aromatic glycol having a molecular weight of less than 300, and B. 10 to 60 weight percent, based on the weight of the polyetherester, of a poly(alkylene oxide) glycol having 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms in the repeating unit and having a molecular weight in the range of 400 to 5000, wherein the sum of the total mole percent amount of aliphatic or aromatic dicarboxylic acid having a molecular weight of less than 300 in item b.1.B, the mole percent amount of aliphatic or aromatic glycol having a molecular weight of less than 300 in item b.2.A., and the weight percent, based on the weight of the polyetherester, of the poly(alkylene oxide) glycol in item b.2.B. equals at least 25 but does not exceed 80; c. a polyetherester comprised of 1. a dicarboxylic acid component comprised of A. 100 to 98 mole percent terephthalic acid, and B. 0 to 2 mole percent of a trifunctional carboxylic acid of molecular weight less than 300; 2. a diol component comprised of A. a glycol comprised of 90 to 60 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 10 to 40 mole percent ethylene glycol or tetramethylene glycol, and B. 10 to 50 weight percent, based on the weight of the polyetherester, of a poly(alkylene oxide) glycol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms in the repeating unit and having a molecular weight in the range of 400 to 2000; d. a polyetherester comprised of 1. a dicarboxylic acid component comprised of A. 100 to 98 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and B. 0 to 2 mole percent of a trifunctional carboxylic acid of molecular weight less than 300; 2. a diol component comprised of A. 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and B. 10 to 60 weight percent, based on the weight of the polyetherester, of a poly(alkylene oxide) glycol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms and a molecular weight in the range of 400 to 2000.

Claim 5

A stampable sheet as defined in claim 1 wherein item (c) comprises poly(about 70 to about 75 mole percent/about 30 to about 25 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene/butylene terephthalate) modified with about 28 to about 33 weight percent poly(oxytetramethylene) of molecular weight 1000.

Claim 6

A stampable sheet as defined in claim 1 wherein (a) comprises poly(about 70 to about 75 mole percent/about 30 to about 25 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene/butylene terephthalate) modified with about 0.5 to about 0.8 mole percent (based on the acid component present) trimellitic anhydride and about 28 to about 33 weight percent poly(oxytetramethylene) of molecular weight 1000.

Claim 7

A stampable sheet as defined in claim 1 wherein item (d) comprises poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) modified with about 0.25 to about 0.75 mole percent (based on the acid component present) trimellitic anhydride and about 22 to about 28 weight percent poly(oxytetramethylene) of molecular weight 1000.

Claim 8

A stampable sheet as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer layers have about 5 to about 50% by weight fillers selected from chopped strands of fiber glass of lengths less than about 1/4 inch, milled glass, glass spheres, novacite, talc, mica, calcium carbonates, barium sulfate and kaolin.

Claim 9

A stampable sheet as defined in claim 1 wherein said layer of material contiguous to said one side of said surfacing mat has about 5 to about 50% by weight fillers selected from chopped strands of fiber glass of lengths less than about 1/4 inch, milled glass, glass spheres, novacite, talc, mica, calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, and kaolin.

Claim 10

A stampable sheet as defined in claim 1 wherein said layers of fibrous reinforcing material are comprised of glass fiber.

Claim 11

A stampable sheet as defined in claim 7 wherein the overall thickness of said sheet ranges from about 40 to about 250 mils, and said layers of glass fiber comprise about 20 to about 50% by weight of said stampable sheet.

Claim 12

A stampable sheet as defined in claim 7 wherein the overall thickness of said sheet ranges from about 50 to about 150 mils, and said layers of glass fiber comprise about 20 to about 50 percent by weight of said stampable sheet.

Claim 13

A stampable sheet as defined in claim 7 wherein the overall thickness of said sheet ranges from about 60 to about 100 mils, and said layers of glass fiber comprise about 30 to about 40% by weight of said stampable sheet.

Claim 14

A stamped sheet of reinforced material from the stampable sheet of claim 1 and having a heat deflection temperature under 264 psi. load greater than T m -50° C. where T m is the melting point of the outer layers of the sheet.

Claim 15

A stamped sheet as defined in claim 11 wherein said layers of fibrous reinforcing material are comprised of glass fiber.