Arkema France

Arkema Inc.

Trinseo Europe Gmbh

Mark A Aubart

Kurt Arthur Wood

David Shin-Ren Liu

Florence Mehlmann

Jiaxin Jason Ge

Robert A Wanat

Robert John Barsotti

Jack J Reilly

Steven B Lacock

Thomas H Richards

Michael Timothy Burchill

Noah Eliot Macy

David A Mountz

Charles C Crabb

James J Henry

Walter Phillip Kosar

David A Seiler

Rong Maria Hu

Adam N Toft

Thomas F Roland

Nicholas J Rodak

Jing-Han Wang

Sara Reynaud

Paul D Fellenger

Steven W Gaskey

Wayne Skilton

Gregory S O'brien

Camille Khadraoui

Noah E Macy

David Shen-Ren Liu

Scott C Schmidt

Gary S Silverman

Thomas P Mc Andrew

Evan J Fisher

Mary K Calvin

Michael T Burchill

An acrylic alloy composition that can be 3-D printed by a material extrusion additive manufacturing process, an acrylic filament that has a very uniform diameter useful in the extrusion additive manufacturing process, acrylic articles made from the acrylic alloy composition by a material extrusion additive process, and a material extrusion additive manufacturing process for producing the acrylic articles. The acrylic alloy composition is an alloy of an acrylic polymer, and a low melt viscosity polymer, such as polylactic acid. The alloy may optionally be impact modified, preferably with hard core core-shell impact modifiers.

Dimensionally stable acrylic alloy for 3-d printing

The invention relates to 3D printed parts made with thermoplastic polymers having a low stiffening temperature. 3D printed parts of the invention have very good Z layer adhesion, have a high elongation at break in the Z direction, preferably of more than 50 percent, and have at least an 80 percent ratio of Z to XY stress at yield or at break. The resulting part may be nearly isotropic—having similar mechanical properties in the XY and Z print directions. The excellent layer adhesion makes the resultant printed part more robust—able to withstand many cycles of use. Certain polymers of the invention produce printed parts that have a very low haze, and are nearly transparent.

3-D printed semi-crystalline and amorphous polymer articles

The invention relates to the use of a compatible thermoplastic material (film, sheet, or raft) as the base sheet or layer for 3-D printing an article. The use of the base film provides a means of printing a large article, and of reducing warpage by printing directly on the film. The printed article adheres to the film better than to traditional printer surfaces (glass, metal, glue, or reusable films), because the printed article and film weld together by forming chain entanglements, due to being compatible, miscible, or semi-miscible in the melt.

Material extrusion 3-D printing on compatible thermoplastic film

The invention relates to an acrylic alloy composition that can be 3-D printed by a material extrusion additive manufacturing process, to an acrylic filament that has a very uniform diameter useful in the extrusion additive manufacturing process, to acrylic articles made from the acrylic alloy composition by a material extrusion additive process, and to a material extrusion additive manufacturing process for producing the acrylic articles. The acrylic alloy composition is an alloy of an acrylic polymer, and a low melt viscosity polymer, such as polylactic acid. The alloy may optionally be impact modified, preferably with hard core core-shell impact modifiers.

Dimensionally stable acrylic alloy for 3-D printing

The invention relates to an acrylic layer (in the form of a coating, film or sheet) useful as part of a photovoltaic module backsheet. The acrylic layer contains at least 40 percent of one or more acrylic polymers, including an acrylic polymer matrix and optionally acrylic impact modifiers. The acrylic polymer is preferably a polymer, copolymer, or terpolymer containing at least 50 weight percent of methylmethacrylate monomer units. The acrylic layer is flexible and optionally contains high levels of white pigment. It may also contain fluoropolymers such as polyvinylidene fluoride to improve weathering, processibility and film formation. The acrylic layer adheres to a polymer support layer such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). A preferred substrate is PET that is pre-treated to improve adhesion, but unprimed PET can also be used. The backsheet provides excellent weatherability, environmental stability and reflectivity as part of a photovoltaic module.

Acrylic photovoltaic module backsheet

Films useful as optical reflectors are prepared by coating a sheet of polyethylene terephthalate or other thermoplastic with acrylic polymer, white pigment, and optionally other additives such as impact modifiers, matting agents and UV stabilizers.

Optical reflection films

The invention relates to optical light diffusers for use with point light sources, such as LED lighting. The optical diffusers achieve an optimum balance of light transmission and hiding power. The optical light diffuser is a transparent plastic matrix, such as Plexiglas&#xae; resin from Arkema Inc., having organic particles dispersed within the matrix. The particles are crosslinked beads having specific particle sizes and loading. Different beads can be combined to provide added properties such as a textured surface, and to optimize hiding power and light transmission. The invention also relates to a luminous device containing at least one light-emitting diode and a cover made of the optical light diffuser. The invention further relates to a method for assessing hiding power.

Optical light diffuser and method for measurement thereof

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 impact-modified, thermoplastic compositions, where the measured refractive index difference between the impact modifier particles and the matrix composition is greater than 0.008 units, yet a blend of the impact modifier particles in the matrix produces a transparent composition. The impact modifier particles are preferably impact modifier composite particles, being intimately blended with one or more polymeric process aids or dispersing aids. The polymeric process aids are physically or chemically attached to the impact modifier particles, forming composite particles that allow for facile powder isolation. The impact modifier composite particles provide improved physical, chemical, and/or rheological properties to the thermoplastic composition. Preferably the impact modifier particles of the invention are core-shell impact modifiers.

Impact resistant transparent thermoplastic compositions

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.

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West Chester, PA, United States of America

Mark A Aubart