Polyester composition and molded articles, preferably a film, produced therefrom

Claim 2

A composition comprising a polyester chemically modified with from 0.005 to 5.0 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of said composition, of cross-linked polymer particles covalently bonded to and substantially homogeneously distributed throughout said polyester, said particles having a grain size distribution of from 0.02 to 2.0 μm, wherein the quotient of the weight average particle diameter and the number average particle diameter is less than 1.1, with the following provisos: (1) that said particles comprise the reaction products of (a) at least one polyethylenically unsaturated comonomer selected from the group consisting of diallyl phthalate, divinyl benzene, butanediol dimethacrylate, ethanediol dimethacrylate, hexanediol dimethacrylate, ethanediol diacrylate, butanediol diacrylate, hexanediol diacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, tetraethyleneglycol diacrylate, tripropyleneglycol diacrylate, and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, and (b) at least one monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, maleic acid dialkyl ester, styrene, vinyl toluene, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, maleic acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate, N-methylol methacrylamide, glycidyl methacrylate, allylglycidyl ether, and acrylamidopropane sulfonic acid, (2) that said crosslinked polymer particles are emulsion polymerized from said polyethylenically unsaturated comonomer and said monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer using from 0.01 to 10 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of said comonomers, of a free radical generating initiator which is at least partly soluble in water; and (3) that said crosslinked particles are polymerized in the absence of emulsifiers and protective colloids.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1 wherein the quotient of the weight average particle diameter and the number average particle diameter is less than 1.05.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 1 wherein said polyester comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 1 wherein said polyethylenically unsaturated comonomer is divinyl benzene, and said monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer is selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, styrene, acrylonitrile, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 4 wherein said monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer comprises, at least in part, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyl methacrylate, acrylic acid, and methacrylic acid.

Claim 7

A process for the manufacture of chemically modified polyester comprising (a) reacting at least one polyethylenically unsaturated cross-linking comonomer and at least one monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer such that a crosslinked polymer particle is produced having a grain size distribution of from 0.02 to 2.0 μm, wherein the quotient of the weight average particle diameter and the number average particle diameter is less than 1.1, (b) introducing said cross-linked polymer particles into a polyester synthesis such that said particles are chemically incorporated into the polyester, in a substantially homogeneous distribution, with the following provisos: (1) that said polyethylenically unsaturated comonomer is selected from the group consisting of diallyl phthalate, divinyl benzene, butanediol dimethacrylate, ethanediol dimethacrylate, hexanediol methacrylate, ethanediol diacrylate, butanediol diacrylate, hexanediol diacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, tetraethyleneglycol diacrylate, tripropyleneglycol diacrylate, and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, and (2) that said monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer is selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, maleic acid dialkyl ester, styrene, vinyl toluene, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, maleic acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate, N-methylol methacrylamide, glycidyl methacrylate, allylglycidyl ether, and acrylamidopropane sulfonic acid, (3) that said crosslinked polymer particles are emulsion polymerized from said polyethylenically unsaturated comonomer and said monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer using from 0.01 to 10 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of said comonomers, of a free-radical generating initiator which is at least partly soluble in water, and (4) that said crosslinked particles are polymerized in the absence of emulsifiers and protective colloids.

Claim 8

A process for the manufacture of chemically modified polyester comprising (a) reacting at least one polyethylenically unsaturated cross-linking comonomer and at least one monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer such that a crosslinked polymer particle is produced having a grain size distribution of from 0.02 to 2.0 μm, wherein the quotient of the weight average particle diameter and the number average particle diameter is less than 1.1, (b) introducing said cross-linked polymer particles into a polyester synthesis such that said particles are chemically incorporated into the polyester, in a substantially homogeneous distribution, with the following provisos: (1) that said polyethylenically unsaturated comonomer is selected from the group consisting of diallyl phthalate, divinyl benzene, butanediol dimethacrylate, ethanediol dimethacrylate, hexanediol methacrylate, ethanediol diacrylate, butanediol diacrylate, hexanediol diacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, tetraethyleneglycol diacrylate, tripropyleneglycol diacrylate, and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, and (2) that said monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer is selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, maleic acid dialkyl ester, styrene, vinyl toluene, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, maleic acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate, N-methylol methacrylamide, glycidyl methacrylate, allylglycidyl ether, and acrylamidopropane sulfonic acid, (3) that said crosslinked polymer particles are emulsion polymerized from said polyethylenically unsaturated comonomer and said monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer using from 0.01 to 10 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of said comonomers, of a free-radical generating initiator which is at least partly soluble in water, and (4) that said crosslinked particles are polymerized in the absence of emulsifiers and protective colloids.

Claim 9

The process of claim 6 wherein said polyester synthesis employs direct esterification and said polymer particles are introduced at the beginning of the esterification reaction.

Claim 10

The process of claim 6 wherein said polyester synthesis employs transesterification and said polymer particles are introduced at the beginning of the transesterification reaction.

Claim 11

The process of claim 6 wherein said polyethylenically unsatureted comonomer is divinyl benzene, and said monoolefically unsaturated comonomer is selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, styrene, acrylonitrile, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 12

The process of claim 9 wherein said monoolefinically unsaturated comonomer comprises, at least in part, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of hydroxymethyl methacrylate, acrylic acid, and methacrylic acid.

Claim 13

A film comprising the compostion of claim 1.

Claim 14

The film of claim 11 wherein said film is oriented.

Claim 15

The film of claim 12 wherein said film is biaxailly oriented.

Claim 16

The film of claim 11 wherein said film is heat set.

Claim 17

A composite film wherein one layer of said film comprises the composition of claim 1.

Claim 18

The film of claim 15 wherein one outer layer contains a pigment and the second outer layer is unpigmented.

Claim 19

A fiber comprising the composition of claim 1.