Eastman Chemical Company

Grupo Petrotemex S.a. De C.v.

Mary Therese Jernigan

Bruce Roger Debruin

Rodney Scott Armentrout

Kenrick Lyle Venett

Bruce Roger DeBruin

Frederick Leslie Colhoun

Lawrence Americus Coppari

A method for adding an additive into a polymer melt, preferably a polyester polymer melt such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), comprising:

Method for addition of additives into a polymer melt

A process for preparing modified polymer by withdrawing a slip stream of polymer melt from the discharge line of a continuous polymerization reactor, admixing in a highly modified polymeric additive into the polymer melt within the slip stream, then introducing the modifier containing slip stream late in the manufacturing process prior to the slip stream withdrawal point. The improved processes of the invention have particular utility for large-scale, continuous reactor where transitions and short production runs are economically prohibitive thereby limiting the product breath. The process is particularly suited for producing a family of copolyesters using a continuous melt phase production process.

Late addition to effect compositional modifications in condensation polymers

A polyester polymer composition containing polyester polymers such as polymers having repeating ethylene terephthalate units, aluminum atoms in an amount of at least 3 ppm based on the weight of the polymer, the polyester polymers having an It.V. of at least 0.72 dL/g obtained through a melt phase polymerization and a residual acetaldehyde level of 10 ppm or less. Also provided are polyester polymer compositions containing polyester polymers and:

Aluminum containing polyester polymers having low acetaldehyde generation rates

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Blountville, TN, United States of America

Kenrick Lyle Venett