Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
An improved modified polyethylene terephthalate polymer or copolymer of the type having high zero shear rate melt viscosity and shear sensitivity, comprising end-capped and branched polyethylene terephthalate polymer or copolymer molecules comprising terephthalic acid structual units and isophthalic acid structural units, of high molecular weight, formed by reacting end-capping agents and branch agents with low molecular weight polyethylene terephthalate polymer or copolymer molecules and thereafter polycondensing the endcapped and branched low molecular weight molecules to form high molecular weight molecules, wherein the improvement comprises: the end-cap consists of the reacted component of a difunctional acid or alkali metal salt of a difunctional acid having the formula: ##STR3## wherein: X has a valency of 6 and is selected from sulfur, selenium, and tellurium; M is an alkali metal or hydrogen; and, Y is hydrogen or an aliphatic group containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
An improved modified polyethylene terephthalate polymer or copolymer of the type having high zero shear rate melt viscosity and shear sensitivity, comprising end-capped and branched polyethylene terephthalate polymer or copolymer molecules comprising terephthalic acid structual units and isophthalic acid structural units, of high molecular weight, formed by reacting end-capping agents and branch agents with low molecular weight polyethylene terephthalate polymer or copolymer molecules and thereafter polycondensing the endcapped and branched low molecular weight molecules to form high molecular weight molecules, wherein the improvement comprises: the end-cap consists of the reacted component of a difunctional acid or alkali metal salt of a difunctional acid having the formula: ##STR3## wherein: X has a valency of 6 and is selected from sulfur, selenium, and tellurium; M is an alkali metal or hydrogen; and, Y is hydrogen or an aliphatic group containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The polymer of claim 1 having an inherent viscosity greater than 1.0 dl/gram, and wherein the weight ratio of terephthalic acid structural units to isophthalic acid structural units in the modified polymer is in the range from about 85:15 to 100:0.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The polymer of claim 2 wherein the inherent viscosity is greater than 1.2 dl/gram and the weight ratio of terephthalic acid structural units to isophthalic acid structural units is in the range from about 91:9 to 100:0.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The polymer of claim 3 having an inherent viscosity greater than 1.4 dl/gram and a weight ratio of terephthalic acid structural units to isophthalic acid structural units in the range from about 93:7 to about 98:2.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The polymer of claim 3 comprising an absence of large gels having diameters greater than about 0.1 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
9 words
The polymer of claim 2 wherein X is sulfur.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
9 words
The polymer of claim 6 wherein M is sodium.