Arkema Inc.

Total Research & Technology Feluy

Bruce Clay

Gregory Scott O'Brien

Philippe Bussi

Yves Deyrail

Jason M Lyons

Timothy A Spahr

Richard Audry

Eric Maziers

Manuel A Garcia-Leiner

Jerome Pascal

Nadine Decraemer

Ronald H Partridge

Barbara Ramfel

Angelo Pedicini

John C Chen

William Todd Rogers

Denis Huze

A method of manufacturing a semi-crystalline article from at least one pseudo-amorphous polymer including a poly aryl ether ketone, such as PEKK, including a softening step, wherein the at least one pseudo-amorphous polymer is heated to a temperature above its glass transition temperature to soften the polymer, and a crystallization step, wherein the at least one pseudo-amorphous polymer is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and melting temperature, the pseudo-amorphous polymer being placed on a mold during either the softening step or the crystallization step before at least some crystallization takes place. The method results in articles demonstrating increased opacity, increased crystallinity, increased thermal resistance, improved chemical resistance, and improved mechanical properties over articles formed by traditional thermoforming processes.

Production of semicrystalline parts from pseudo-amorphous polymers

A method and apparatus for heat treating powders of semi-crystalline or crystallizable polymers. The apparatus includes a heating device for heating the powder to a temperature that is less than the melting temperature of a highest melting crystalline form of the powder, a vessel containing the powder that is exposed to heat produced by the heating device, and a mechanism for moving the vessel to cause the powder within the vessel to move with respect to the vessel.

Process and apparatus for heat treatment of a polymer powder

A method of manufacturing an article comprises rotomolding at least one polymer comprising a poly(aryl ketone), such as PEKK, under conditions effective to produce a rotomolded article having an impact value of at least 35 in-lbs. A rotomolding method comprises heating the mold for a period of time after the internal air temperature of the mold reaches the highest melting point of the at least one polymer. Methods also include using a PEKK powder with a bulk density of at least about 400 g/L. Rotomolded articles of the present invention have impact values of between about 40 in-lbs to about 95 in-lbs, and in particular embodiments greater than about 95 in-lbs.

Rotomolding processes for poly(aryl ketones) and other high temperature polymers

The present disclosure is directed to improved poly(arylene ether ketone) powders for use in laser sintering.

Processes for producing polymer powders

A multilayer article prepared by rotational moulding can include a layer A that is a polyolefin (PO) based layer prepared from PO and a functionalised polyolefin (FPO), or a PO grafter to a non-polyolefin (NPO) in the form of a block copolymer (PO-g-NPO). A layer B can be a PO that is dissimilar from layer A, an NPO, a mixture thereof, and optionally an FPO or a PO-g-NPO. A layer C can be dissimilar from layer A and similar to or dissimilar from layer B. Layer C can be adjacent to layer A and/or layer B, can have good adhesion to layer A and/or layer B, and is not a blend of layer A and layer B. A method of preparing the multilayer article can include rotational moulding.

Multilayer rotational moulding

The invention relates to an article formed by a rotational molding process, having at least one layer formed from a high molecular weight polyamide. The high molecular weight polyamide is one having a molecular weight in the range of 20,000 to 35,000 and also having an inherent viscosity of 1.05-1.60 dL/g. Rotomolded articles having a high molecular weight polyamide layer have better low-temperature impact performance compared to articles formed from lower molecular weight polyamides.

Rotational molded article formed from high molecular weight polyamides

The invention relates to a rotomolding process for forming a multi-layer article of two different polymers with different melting points in which an outer layer polymer powder is added to a rotational molder along with an inner layer polymer powder that is separated from the outer layer powder by a release film. The release film has a particular melting point that is greater than that of the outer layer polymer and preferably between the melting points of the inside layer and outside layer polymers. In one embodiment, the release layer forms an enclosure or bag in which the inner layer (higher melting point) powder is enclosed. In another embodiment the release film forms a barrier between an insulated cavity and the mold. The process provides a means for a 'one-shot' rotomolding method.

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Boyertown, PA, United States of America

Bruce Clay