The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 18, 2022
Filed:
Feb. 26, 2019
The University of Akron, Akron, OH (US);
Covestro Llc, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Matthew Becker, Stow, OH (US);
Robert A. Weiss, Lenox, MA (US);
Zachary Kurtiss Zander, Sheffield Village, OH (US);
Don S. Wardius, Pittsburgh, OH (US);
Karl W. Haider, Wexford, PA (US);
Bruce D. Lawrey, Carnegie, PA (US);
The University of Akron, Akron, OH (US);
Abstract
In one or more embodiments, the present invention provides a novel approach to the addition of plasticizers for softening TPUs, i.e., lowering the durometer and the melt viscosity. This approach involves incorporating bonded sulfonate groups with quaternary ammonium counterions into the TPU. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the softening of TPU is achieved by incorporating an ionic diol, such as N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethane-sulfonic acid (BES), coupled with various bulky alkyl ammonium cations, during the chain extension step of the TPU synthesis. It is believed that that steric hindrance of the bulky quaternary ammonium groups weakens the dipole-dipole interactions of the sulfonate groups and/or lowers the crystallinity of the hard block, thereby creating additional free volume that softens the polymer and lowers the melt viscosity.