Novel acrylic castings and process for the preparation thereof

Claim 2

A novel process for the production of acrylic castings, said process comprising the steps of: (a) combining an acrylic monomer comprising methyl methacrylate with about 0.5 to 20 percent by weight of a carboxylated cellulose ester having an acid number of at least about 5, an inherent viscosity of from about 0.01 to about 1.00 and wherein the anhydroglucose units thereof having ring substituents comprising by weight based on total polymer weight, of from about 0.05 to about 20% hydroxyl groups, from about 0.5 to about 44% acetyl groups, from 0 to about 54% butyryl groups, from 0 to about 47% propionyl groups, from about 0.4 to about 4.0% total carboxyl groups wherein from about 20% to about 100% of these carboxyl groups are non-saponifiable backbone, and wherein the material has a lactone level of from about 4.52×10 -5 to about 6.13×10 -4 , under appropriate conditions of shear so as to form an easily pourable syrup; (b) adding to said syrup about 1 to 100 ppm of a vanadium promoter and pouring the resulting solution into a suitable mold; and (c) curing said solution at room temperature so as to form a hard acrylic casting.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 which further comprises the use of up to about 20% by weight of a heat dissipative material.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein said heat dissipative material comprises an additional monomer.

Claim 5

The process of claim 3 wherein said monomer comprises vinyl acetate, diallyl phthalate, or a mixture thereof.

Claim 6

The process of claim 2 wherein said heat dissipative material comprises a plasticizer.

Claim 7

The process of claim 5 wherein said plasticizer comprises dioctyl phthalate, butyl benzyl phthalate, triethyl phosphate, or a mixture thereof.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 wherein said acrylic monomer consists essentially of methyl methacrylate.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1 wherein said carboxylated cellulose ester comprises carboxylated cellulose acetate, carboxylated cellulose acetate propionate, carboxylated cellulose acetate butyrate, or a mixture thereof.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 wherein said carboxylated cellulose ester is employed in an amount of about 1 to 10% by weight.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 wherein said vanadium promoter comprises vanadium naphthenate.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 wherein said vanadium promoter is employed in an amount of about 1 to 10 ppm.

Claim 13

The process of claim 1 wherein said curing is substantially complete within about 8 hours.

Claim 14

The process of claim 12 wherein said curing is substantially complete within about 5 hours.

Claim 15

A novel process for the production of acrylic sheet material, said process comprising the steps of: (a) combining under appropriate conditions of shear (i) an acrylic monomer consisting essentially of methyl methacrylate, (ii) about 0.5 to 20 percent by weight of a carboxylated cellulose ester comprising carboxylated cellulose acetate, carboxylated cellulose acetate propionate, carboxylated cellulose acetate butyrate, or a mixture thereof, said carboxylated cellulose ester having an acid number of at least about 5, an inherent viscosity of from about 0.01 to about 1.00 and wherein the anhydroglucose units thereof having ring substituents comprising by weight based on total polymer weight, of from about 0.05 to about 20% hydroxyl groups, from about 0.5 to about 44% acetyl groups, from 0 to about 54% butyryl groups, from 0 to about 47% propionyl groups, from about 0.4 to about 4.0% total carboxyl groups wherein from about 20% to about 100% of these carboxyl groups are non-saponifiable backbone, and wherein the material has a lactone level of from about 4.52×10 -5 to about 6.13×10 -4 , and (iii) up to about 20 percent by weight of a heat dissipative material, so as to form an easily pourable syrup; (b) adding to said syrup about 1 to 100 ppm of vanadium naphthenate as a promoter and pouring the resulting solution into a suitable mold; and (c) curing said solution at room temperature so as to form a hard acrylic casting, said curing being substantially complete within about 8 hours.

Claim 16

A novel process for the production of acrylic sheet material, said process comprising the steps of: (a) combining under appropriate conditions of shear (i) an acrylic monomer consisting essentially of methyl methacrylate, (ii) about 0.5 to 20 percent by weight of a carboxylated cellulose ester comprising carboxylated cellulose acetate, carboxylated cellulose acetate propionate, carboxylated cellulose acetate butyrate, or a mixture thereof, said carboxylated cellulose ester having an acid number of at least about 5, an inherent viscosity of from about 0.01 to about 1.00 and wherein the anhydroglucose units thereof having ring substituents comprising by weight based on total polymer weight, of from about 0.05 to about 20% hydroxyl groups, from about 0.5 to about 44% acetyl groups, from 0 to about 54% butyryl groups, from 0 to about 47% propionyl groups, from about 0.4 to about 4.0% total carboxyl groups wherein from about 20% to about 100% of these carboxyl groups are non-saponifiable backbone, and wherein the material has a lactone level of from about 4.52×10 -5 to about 6.13×10 -4 , and (iii) up to about 20 percent by weight of a heat dissipative material, so as to form an easily pourable syrup; (b) adding to said syrup about 1 to 100 ppm of vanadium naphthenate as a promoter and pouring the resulting solution into a suitable mold; and (c) curing said solution at room temperature so as to form a hard acrylic casting, said curing being substantially complete within about 8 hours.

Claim 17

The process of claim 14 wherein said heat dissipative material comprises vinyl acetate, diallyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, butyl benzyl phthalate, triethyl phosphate, or a mixture thereof.

Claim 18

The process of claim 14 wherein said heat dissipative materal is employed in an amount of about 1 to 10 percent by weight.

Claim 19

The process of claim 14 wherein said carboxylated cellulose ester comprises carboxylated cellulose acetate butyrate.

Claim 20

The process of claim 14 wherein said vanadium naphthenate is present in an amount of about 1 to 10 ppm.

Claim 21

The process of claim 14 wherein said curing is substantially complete within about 5 hours.

Claim 22

A cured acrylic casting prepared according to the process of claim 1.

Claim 23

A cured acrylic sheet material prepared according to the process of claim 14.