Eastman Chemical Company

Damon Bryan Shackelford

Benjamin Fredrick Barton

Emmett Dudley Crawford

Gary Wayne Connell

Thomas Joseph Pecorini

Ted Germroth

Douglas Stephen McWilliams

Brent Alan Tennant

Steven Leroy Cook

Jeff Scott Howell

Phillip Wayne Turner

Noah Glenn McMillan

David Scott Porter

Michael Paul Ekart

Douglas Stephens McWilliams

David Dunlap Cornell

Thomas Michael Pell, Jr

Joseph Franklin Knight

Lanny Calvin Treece

Daniel Lee Martin

Benjamin Frederick Barton

Ted Calvin Germroth

Douglas Stephens Mcwilliams

Jeff Soctt Howell

Lisa Marie Robinette

A molded article comprising at least one polyester which comprises: (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising: i) 95 to 99.99 mole % of terephthalic acid residues; and ii) 0.01 to 5 mole % of isophthalic acid; and (b) a glycol component comprising: i) 5 to 15 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; ii) 85 to 95 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues; and iii) 5 mole % or less of modifying glycols which are not 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol or cyclohexanedimethanol, wherein the polyester has an inherent viscosity from 0.80 to 1.0 dL/g and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 90 to 110&#xb0; C., and wherein the molded article does not contain polycarbonate.

Polyester compositions containing cyclobutanediol having a certain combination of inherent viscosity and moderate glass transition temperature and articles made therefrom

Described as one aspect of the invention are polyester compositions containing:

Polyester compositions which comprise cyclobutanediol and certain thermal stabilizers, and/or reaction products thereof

Described are polyesters comprising (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising 80 to 100 mole % terephthalic acid residues; optionally, 0 to 20 mole % aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues; 20 to 30 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and 70 to 80 mole % 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues. The polyesters may be manufactured into articles such as fibers, films, bottles or sheets.

Disclosed is a process for the preparation of 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol from isophthalic acid. Isophthalic acid is esterified with (3-methylcyclohexyl)methanol and the isophthalate ester hydrogenated to 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol in a 2-stage process. The (3-methylcyclohexyl)methanol that is formed during the hydrogenation step is recycled to the esterification reaction. Also disclosed is a method for purifying and recovering the 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol product.

Process for the preparation of 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol from isophthalic acid

Disclosed is an integrated process for the preparation of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol from terephthalic acid. Terephthalic acid is esterified with (4-methylcyclohexyl)methanol and the terephthalate ester hydrogenated to 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol in a 2-stage process. The (4-methylcyclohexyl)methanol that is formed during the hydrogenation step is recycled to the esterification reaction. Also disclosed is a method for purifying and recovering the 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol product.

Integrated process for the preparation of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol from terephthalic acid

Disclosed is a process for the preparation of high molecular weight, thermoplastic copolyesters by reacting a diester composition comprising a dialkyl ester of terephthalic acid with a diol composition comprising a first diol component comprising 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol and a second diol component comprising 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol. The diester composition can be reacted with the first diol component to produce a polyester oligomer that can be reacted further with the second diol component to produce a modified polyester oligomer. The modified polyester oligomer can then be heated to form a copolyester. The process reduces the precipitation of poly(1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene) terephthalate in the reaction mixture.

Process for the preparation of copolyesters based on 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol

Described are polyesters comprising (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising terephthalic acid residues; optionally, aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues; 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and cyclohexanedimethanol residues. The polyesters have a desirable combination of inherent viscosity and glass transition temperature ('Tg'). The polyesters can have an inherent viscosity from 0.35 to 1.2 dL/g as determined in 60/40 (wt/wt) phenol/tetrachloroethane at a concentration of 0.5 g/100 ml at 25&#xb0; C. and a Tg of 85 to 115&#xb0; C. The polyesters may be manufactured into articles such as fibers, films, bottles or sheets.

Disclosed is a process for the preparation of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol from terephthalic acid. Terephthalic acid is esterified with (4-methylcyclohexyl)methanol and the terephthalate ester hydrogenated to 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol in a 2-stage process. The (4-methylcyclohexyl)methanol that is formed during the hydrogenation step is recycled to the esterification reaction. After removal of the (4-methylcyclohexyl)methanol from the crude hydrogenation product, the 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol product can be recovered and purified by a phase separation and distillation.

Process for the preparation of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol

Disclosed is a process for the preparation of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol from terephthalic acid. Terephthalic acid is esterified with (4-methylcyclohexyl)methanol and the terephthalate ester hydrogenated to 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol in a 2-stage process. The (4-methylcyclohexyl)methanol that is formed during the hydrogenation step is recycled to the esterification reaction. Also disclosed is a method for purifying and recovering the 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol product.

Process for the preparation of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol from terephthalic acid

Described as one aspect of the invention are polyester compositions containing: (I) at least one polyester which comprises: (a) dicarboxylic acid component comprising: (i) 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues; (ii) 0 to 30 mole % of aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbons atoms; and (iii) 0 to 10 mole % of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 16 carbon atoms; and (b) a glycol component comprising: (i) 1 to 99 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and (ii) 1 to 99 mole % of cyclohexanedimethanol residues; and (II) at least one thermal stabilizer chosen from at least one alkyl phosphate esters, aryl phosphate esters, mixed alkyl aryl phosphate esters, reaction products thereof, and mixtures thereof; wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and wherein the total mole % of the glycol component is 100 mole %.

Polyester compositions which comprise cyclobutanediol and certain phosphate thermal stabilizers, and/or reaction products thereof

Disclosed is a process for the preparation of high molecular weight polyesters by reacting one or more dicarboxylic acids directly with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and, optionally, one or more diols. The process uses an overall diol to dicarboxylic acid molar ratio of about 0.97 to about 1.2 and an incremental addition of either the diacid or diol components. The process provides a shorter total reaction time and, thus, lessens the thermal degradation of polyester which may result in high color and reduced molecular weight.

Process for the preparation of polyesters containing 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol

An apparatus for depolymerizing recycled polyester into its component ester monomers and half esters includes a first reactor for depolymerizing the recycled polyester, a separator for separating ester monomeric components and half-esters from secondary materials produced in the first reactor, and a second reactor for producing a low molecular weight polyester from liquefied separator products.

Depolymerization apparatus for recycling polyesters

A process for recovering suitable polyester feedstock material from recycled polyester includes the steps of depolymerizing the polyester into its component ester monomers and half-esters; separating the monomers and half-esters from other secondary materials; and mixing the component ester monomers and half-esters with additional monomers to produce a low molecular weight polyester. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the recycled polyester is contacted with a component monomer or oligomer thereof to liquefy the polyester before the polyester is depolymerized. The invention further provides an apparatus for carrying out the process. The apparatus includes a first reactor for depolymerizing the recycled polyester, a separator for separating ester monomeric components and half-esters from secondary materials produced in the first reactor, and a second reactor for producing a low molecular weight polyester from the liquefied separator products.

Growing community of inventors

Kingsport, TN, United States of America

Damon Bryan Shackelford