Resin-immobilized biocides

Abstract

For providing biocides in concentrated, immobilized form to an end use resin composition containing a primary thermoplastic resin with which the primary resin is incompatible at high concentrations, solid biocide resin concentrates are provided which immobilize high concentrations of biocide. The solid biocide resin concentrates may contain an alloy of two thermoplastic resins, one of which is substantially identical to the primary resin and one of which enables incorporation and immobilization of high concentrations of biocide in the solid biocide resin concentrates. The solid biocide resin concentrate may contain, in whole or in part, a thermoplastic copolymer having mer units such as are present in the primary resin in addition to dissimilar mer units which enhance compatibility of the biocide with the copolymer. OBPA-containing solid resin concentrates for adding to an end use resin composition in which polyethylene is the primary resin may contain polyethylene plus a second thermoplastic resin in which OBPA is generally compatible and/or a copolymer containing both ethylene and acrylic acid mer units and/or a terpolymer containing ethylene, vinyl acetate and carbon monoxide mer units. Ethylene/acrylic copolymers and ethylene/vinyl acetate/carbon monoxide terpolymers are each useful for forming solid biocide resin concentrates that are miscible with a wide variety of thermoplastic resins.