Arkema France

Rohm and Haas Company

Trinseo Europe Gmbh

Charles C Crabb

Robert John Barsotti

Florence Mehlmann

Adam N Toft

Steven B Lacock

Thomas H Richards

Robert A Wanat

Amy A Lefebvre

Jack Reed

Mark A Aubart

Michael Timothy Burchill

Paul J Keating

Laurent B Cartier

Donald E Roach

Harold Reid Banyay

Alan M Rothman

Robert L Kensicki

Dennis J Labanoski

Charles W Rissel

The invention relates to multilayer polymer structures having at least three layers. These layers include a polar capstock layer other than an acrylic, an olefinic substrate layer, and a tie layer. The tie layer is selected from olefinic acrylate copolymers, a block copolymer of vinyl aromatic monomer with an aliphatic conjugated diene or a derivative thereof, a copolymer of olefin and (meth)acrylic acid partially or fully in the salt form, a high impact polystyrene, and/or a vinyl cyanide-containing compound. Each layer could contain multiple sub-layers. The multilayer structure exhibits excellent structural integrity, excellent surface appearance, high impact strength, high scratch resistance, and excellent resistance to UV rays.

Multilayer polymeric structure

The invention relates to multi-layer thermoplastic composites, and in particular composites having fluoropolymer in the outer layer and a thermoplastic substrate layer. The fluoropolymer outer layer may either be a layer comprising a majority, and preferably 100 percent fluoropolymer, or may be a blend of a thermoplastic matrix with fluoropolymer at a level of from 5 to 60 weight percent, based on the total weight of all polymers. Especially useful thermoplastic matrices include acrylic polymers, and styrenic polymers, especially styrenic copolymers such as acrylonitrile/styrene/acrylate (ASA), acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene (ABS) and styrene/acrylonitrile (SAN). While the fluoropolymer may be any fluoropolymer, thermoplastic fluoropolymers, such as polymers and copolymers of polyvinylidene fluoride are especially useful. The improved flame retardant composite of the invention is especially useful in cap layers over plastic substrates, such as for flame-retardant plastic decking, railings, posts, fencing, siding, roofing, and window profiles.

Thermoplastic composite

The invention relates to multilayer composites having improved weathering properties without reducing flame retardation properties. The composites have a fluoropolymer layer over a thermoplastic layer. The multilayer composite may be a fluoropolymer layer directly over a relatively flammable substrate or non-flammable substrate (like PVC), or it may be a fluoropolymer layer over a relatively flammable cap layer, over a substrate (that is flammable or non-flammable). The composite is formed using coating, coextrusion and/or lamination techniques. The multilayer composite is especially useful in articles having surfaces that are used in a relatively horizontal position, including decking, railings, roofing and window profiles. The composites provide improved weathering for the substrate without a reduction in flame-resistance, when compared to the substrate without the outer fluoropolymer layer. The multi-layer composite also provides enhanced chemical resistance, hardness, scratch and mar, and water resistance.

Multilayer composite

The invention relates to a multilayered pultruded structure having a weatherable cap layer over a pultruded substrate, adhered with an appropriate tie layer. The structure provides improved weatherability and surface quality for pultruded structures. The invention is especially useful to provide a weatherable pultruded polyurethane, with an acrylic or styrenic cap layer. The weatherable polyurethane (PU) pultrusion of the invention provides an increased modulus over polyester pultrusions, making the weatherable PU pultrusion useful in commercial applications, and applications requiring a higher transverse modulus.

Weatherable first surface over a tie layer over a pultruded substrate

The invention relates to a multi-layer structure having at least one inner layer containing an alloy of a biopolymer and an acrylic polymer and at least one outer layer containing a thermoplastic or thermoset polar polymer matrix. The combination of outer polar layer and an inner biopolymer/acrylic layer provides improved properties, such as improved adhesion, and improved mechanical properties. The multi-layer structure may be in the form of a sheet, a film, a tube or pipe, or a profile, and could be used by itself or as a cap-layer over a substrate.

Multilayer structures containing biopolymers

The invention relates to a multi-layer structure in which one or more layers contain an acrylic polymer, and one or more layers contain biopolymers. The acrylic polymer and biopolymer could be in different layers of the structure, or in the same layer of the structure. The combination of acrylic polymer and biopolymer in the same multi-layer structure provides improved properties, such as improved adhesion, improved mechanical properties, and improvements in the ease of manufacturing. An inner layer containing a biopolymer gains significantly improved UV resistance, abrasion resistance, and surface appearance, when covered with an outer acrylic layer. The multi-layer structure may be in the form of a sheet, a film, a tube or pipe, or a profile, and could used by itself or as a cap-layer over another substrate.

The invention relates to the use of an impact-modified acrylic blend with a low level of fluoropolymer to achieve impact resistance and solvent resistance in a capstock formulation. Preferably the acrylic blend contains a methyl methacrylate-based acrylic polymer and polyvinylidene fluoride.

Fluoropolymer modified acrylic capstock

Disclosed is an improved weatherable thermoplastic composition. The composition is comprised of a copolymer of an alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate and (methyl)methacrylate and a multi-stage, sequentially-polymerized impact modifier polymer. The copolymer is characterized by greater than 15 weight percent alkyl acrylate content. The multi-stage, sequentially-polymerized impact modifier is characterized by an elastomer stage, which is 55 percent by weight or greater of the impact modifier composition and is minimally crosslinked. The thermoplastic composition can be used in a wide range of film, sheet, or molded applications.

Weather-resistant, high-impact strength acrylic compositions

The present invention is directed to methacrylic polymer compositions which may be used to form plastic products which have increased resistance to discoloration by sterilizing radiation, such as gamma or electron beam irradiation. The compositions, free from conventional ultraviolet stabilizers, contain .alpha.-hydroxyacids or esters thereof.

Stabilization of methacrylic polymers against sterilizing radiation

Plastics prepared from blends of polymers of methyl methacrylate with heterogeneous core/shell polymers having an poly(alkyl acrylate) core and a poly(alkyl methacrylate)shell exhibit improved color when the heterogeneous core/shell polymer is treated with a reducing agent.

Clear, impact-resistant plastics

A quantitative, sensitive method for monitoring low concentrations of isothiazolones in aqueous systems is provided. The method involves the adsorption of the isothiazolones on a suitable adsorbent, the desorption of the adsorbed isothiazolones, the breaking of the isothiazolone ring and the formation of a blue complex by the reaction of the broken isothiazolone ring with ferric chloride and potassium ferricyanide. The concentration of the isothiazolones is then determined by conventional colorimetric techniques.

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Royersford, PA, United States of America

Charles C Crabb