Avient Corporation

Polyone Corporation

Gls Corporation

Felix Schoeller Technical Papers, Inc.

Gls Thermoplastic Alloys (suzhou) Co., Ltd.

Jiren Gu

Krishna Venkataswamy

Jason D Piunti

Malar Shetty

Sanford K Lauderback

Hanxing Wei

Bruce A J McKee

David Hulse

Gerald W Meyer

Zachary Muscato

Russell Danielson

Santosh Bawiskar

Antony Ian Woodward

Thermoplastic articles are molded from thermoplastic polyurethane compounds including aromatic polycaprolactone thermoplastic polyurethane. The thermoplastic articles exhibit enhanced stain resistance, as represented by achieving a rating of 1 according to Blue Jean Abrasion Test, relative to thermoplastic articles molded from thermoplastic polyurethane compounds including other types of thermoplastic polyurethanes, while also having good clarity (i.e., low haze) and other desirable properties. The thermoplastic articles can be especially useful as protective cases for handheld electronic devices.

Thermoplastic polyurethane compounds exhibiting enhanced stain resistance

Thermoplastic articles are molded from thermoplastic polyurethane compounds including blends of aliphatic polycaprolactone thermoplastic polyurethane and aromatic thermoplastic polyurethane selected from aromatic polyester thermoplastic polyurethane, aromatic polyether thermoplastic polyurethane, and combinations thereof. The thermoplastic articles exhibit enhanced stain resistance, as represented by achieving a rating of 2 or better according to Blue Jean Abrasion Test, relative to thermoplastic articles molded from thermoplastic polyurethane compounds including either aromatic polyester thermoplastic polyurethane or aromatic polyether thermoplastic only, while also having good clarity (i.e., low haze) and other desirable properties. The thermoplastic articles can be especially useful as protective cases for handheld electronic devices.

Thermoplastic articles are molded from thermoplastic polyurethane compounds including blends of aromatic polycaprolactone thermoplastic polyurethane and aliphatic polycaprolactone thermoplastic polyurethane. The thermoplastic articles can have enhanced stability against exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light relative to thermoplastic articles molded from thermoplastic polyurethane compounds including only aromatic polycaprolactone thermoplastic polyurethane as the thermoplastic polyurethane component. Additionally, the thermoplastic articles can have good stain resistance, good clarity (i.e., low haze), and other desirable properties.

Thermoplastic polyurethane compounds exhibiting stain resistance and enhanced UV stability

A thermoplastic elastomer compound includes polyester-type thermoplastic polyurethane and no greater than about 30 weight percent of styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer. The compound has good clarity, as exhibited by a haze of no greater than about 60%, or 50%, or 30%, according to ASTM D 1003. Additionally, the compound has good damping properties, as exhibited by a resilience or vertical rebound of less than about 25% according to ASTM D2632.

Damping thermoplastic elastomer blends exhibiting clarity

A thermoplastic elastomer compound includes polyolefin elastomer, high softening point tackifier, and, optionally, styrenic block copolymer. When styrenic block copolymer is present, the weight ratio of polyolefin elastomer to styrenic block copolymer is no less than about 1:1. The polyolefin elastomer has a POE Tan Delta Peak Temperature, the styrenic block copolymer has a SBC Tan Delta Peak Temperature, and the thermoplastic elastomer compound has a Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature is greater than the POE Tan Delta Peak Temperature. When styrenic block copolymer is present, Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature is also greater than the SBC Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The thermoplastic elastomer compound exhibits useful damping properties at or above room temperature and can be formed into plastic articles, including foamed plastic articles and/or crosslinked plastic articles, which can be useful for a variety of damping applications.

Damping thermoplastic olefin elastomers

An overmolded thermoplastic article includes a substrate portion molded from a thermoplastic resin compound and an overmold portion molded from a thermoplastic elastomer compound. The thermoplastic resin compound includes thermoplastic polymer resin. The thermoplastic elastomer compound includes thermoplastic elastomer and polysiloxane as a mold release agent, and is free of wax. The overmold portion is bonded onto the substrate portion with a peel strength at least comparable to that of an overmolded thermoplastic elastomer compound containing wax as a mold release agent instead of the polysiloxane. Undesirable effects observed with the use of wax as a mold release agent in overmolded thermoplastic elastomer compounds such as blooming and ease of scratching/marring can be reduced, while desirable properties such as silky feel of the surface of the overmold portion and good bonding of the overmold portion onto the substrate portion can be at least maintained.

Polysiloxanes in thermoplastic elastomer compounds for overmolded thermoplastic articles

A tackifier to modify the Tan Delta of midblock segments of a hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer in a thermoplastic elastomer compounds aids in rendering the HSBC TPE more effective as an overmolding compound having a low percentage compression set value when measured at the high temperature compression set standard. The HSBC TPE can overmold effectively upon polar polymeric substrates depending on the bonding agent chosen.

Thermoplastic elastomer compounds exhibiting low compression set properties

A thermoplastic elastomer compound includes hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer having a polyisoprene soft block, styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer, tackifier having a softening point of at least about 80&#xb0; C. according to ASTM 6493, and, optionally, one or more additional thermoplastic elastomers. The compound has a Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature (at 10 Hz) of at least 10&#xb0; C. and a Compound Tan Delta Peak Height (at 10 Hz) of at least 0.85 if no thermoplastic polyurethane is present and at least 0.60 if additional thermoplastic elastomer is present and includes thermoplastic polyurethane. The thermoplastic elastomer compound exhibits superior damping properties across a broad range of temperatures, including at or above room temperature, and across a broad range of vibrational frequencies. The compound in sheet form can be used as a layer in an article of a structure susceptible to forceful impact of any item.

Super-vibration damping thermoplastic elastomer blends and articles made therewith

A thermoplastic elastomer compound includes styrenic block copolymer and high softening point tackifier. The styrenic block copolymer has a Copolymer Tan Delta Peak Temperature and the thermoplastic elastomer compound has a Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature is greater than the Copolymer Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The thermoplastic elastomer compound exhibits useful damping properties at or above room temperature while also advantageously possessing improved stability for processing and/or applications at high temperatures and upon exposure to weathering.

Damping thermoplastic elastomers

An article is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer compound that includes styrenic block copolymer and high softening point tackifier. The styrenic block copolymer has a Copolymer Tan Delta Peak Temperature and the thermoplastic elastomer compound has a Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature is greater than the Copolymer Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The article exhibits useful damping properties at or above room temperature while also exhibiting low compression set, which makes the article especially suitable for use as a seal or a gasket.

Damping thermoplastic elastomer articles with low compression set

A thermoplastic elastomer compound includes styrenic block copolymer that is high vinyl styrene-(ethylene/butylene)-styrene block copolymer and high softening point tackifier. The high vinyl styrene-(ethylene/butylene)-styrene block copolymer has a Copolymer Tan Delta Peak Temperature and the thermoplastic elastomer compound has a Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature is greater than the Copolymer Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The thermoplastic elastomer compound exhibits useful damping properties at or above room temperature while also advantageously possessing improved stability for processing and/or applications at high temperatures and upon exposure to weathering.

A sound damping article is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer compound that includes styrenic block copolymer, high softening point tackifier, plasticizer, and secondary polymer. The styrenic block copolymer has a Copolymer Tan Delta Peak Temperature and the thermoplastic elastomer compound has a Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature is greater than the Copolymer Tan Delta Peak Temperature. The sound damping article exhibits useful vibration damping properties while also exhibiting beneficial sound and/or noise damping properties at or above room temperature.

Sound damping thermoplastic elastomer articles

A flame-retardant thermoplastic elastomer compound is disclosed having polyphenylene ether, a hydrogenated styrene block copolymer, at least one solid non-halogenated phosphorus containing flame retardant, and a nucleated olefinic polymer. The compound has a before-aging tensile elongation of &#x3e;200% and an after-aging tensile elongation residual of at least 75%, according to the UL 62 test, which makes it useful as an insulation layer, a jacketing layer, or both for protected electrical lines such as alternating current wire and cable products, accessory cables, and variety of injection molded electrical or electronic parts.

Flame retardant thermoplastic elastomers

A thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is disclosed which is markable by a laser operating at an ultra-violet wavelength because of the presence of between about 0.05 and about 0.1 weight percent of titanium dioxide or between about 0.1 and 0.3 weight percent of zinc oxide.

UV laser markable thermoplastic elastomer compound

A thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) for overmolding (OM) a nylon substrate with an overmolded layer consists essentially of an inert filler, a plasticizer, preferably a mineral oil, and chosen combinations of ingredients from the following: (i) a functionalized 'high rubber' SHDS (styrene-hydrogenated diene-styrene) having a functionality of 1%, the 'small end blocks' together present in an amount in the range from about 8-25% by weight; (ii) hydrogenated SDS or SHDS block copolymer having polystyrene endblocks and a polymerized vinyl aromatic monomer in the poly(conjugated diene) midblock, the polystyrene endblocks together present in an amount in the range from 20-30% by weight of the block copolymer, excluding weight of the polystyrene in the polydiene midblock; (iii) a functionalized &#x201c;high rubber&#x201d; SHDS having a functionality of &#x3e;1% but &#x3c;2%, the &#x201c;small end blocks&#x201d; together present in an amount in the range from about 8-25% by weight; (iv) from 0-30% by weight of the composition, of a functionalized polyolefin (F3), the olefin having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms; (v) from 0-15% by wt of the composition, of a hydrogenated nonfunctionalized hydrogenated polystyrene-poly(conjugated diene)-polystyrene (SHDS) block copolymer; and, (vi) an additive to enhance the useful life of the composition.

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Crystal Lake, IL, United States of America

Jiren Gu