Blended nucleating agent compositions and methods

Abstract

Certain thermoplastic additives that induce simultaneous good material properties and high nucleation efficacy are provided. Such additives include combinations of a phosphate salt and a dicarboxylate salt. This combination or blend may be provided in various ratios. A method for applying such a combination in a thermoplastic formulation is also disclosed. A thermoplastic formulation, which may or may not include polypropylene, is also disclosed in connection with the combination.

1 . A blended nucleating or clarifying composition for thermoplastics comprising a blend of more than one species of nucleating agent, said blend comprising at least the following: 
 (a) a first nucleating agent of a carboxylic acid salt compound; and    (b) a second nucleating agent of a phosphate-containing salt compound.    
   
   
       2 . The blended composition of  claim 1  wherein said first nucleating agent is selected from the group conforming with the structure of Formula (I)  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein M 1  and M 2  are the same or different, or M 1  and M 2  are combined to from a single moiety, and are independently selected from the group consisting of metal or organic cations, and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and R 10  are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 -C 9  alkyl, hydroxyl, C 1 -C 9  alkoxy, C 1 -C 9  alkyleneoxy, amine, and C 1 -C 9  alkylamine, halogen, phenyl, alkylphenyl, and C 1 -C 9  carbocyclic.  
   
   
       3 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein said metal or organic cation is a metal cation selected from the group consisting of: Group I and Group II metal ions.  
   
   
       4 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein said metal or organic cation is selected from the group consisting of: sodium, potassium, calcium, lithium, rubidium, barium, magnesium, and strontium, silver, zinc, aluminum.  
   
   
       5 . The composition of  claim 4  wherein said metal or organic cation comprises sodium or calcium.  
   
   
       6 . A thermoplastic article comprising the blended composition of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       7 . A thermoplastic article comprising the blended composition of  claim 2 .  
   
   
       8 . A thermoplastic article comprising the blended composition of  claim 3 .  
   
   
       9 . A thermoplastic article comprising the blended composition of  claim 4 .  
   
   
       10 . A thermoplastic article comprising the blended composition of  claim 5 .  
   
   
       11 . The article of  claim 6  wherein said thermoplastic article comprises polypropylene.  
   
   
       12 . The article of  claim 7  wherein said thermoplastic article comprises polypropylene.  
   
   
       13 . The article of  claim 8  wherein said thermoplastic article comprises polypropylene.  
   
   
       14 . The article of  claim 9  wherein said thermoplastic article comprises polypropylene.  
   
   
       15 . The article of  claim 10  wherein said thermoplastic article comprises polypropylene.  
   
   
       16 . A blended nucleating or clarifying composition for thermoplastics comprising a blend of more than one species of nucleating agent, said blend comprising at least the following: 
 (a) a first nucleating agent of a carboxylic acid salt compound; said first nucleating agent being selected from the group conforming with the structure of Formula (I)                          wherein M 1  and M 2  are the same or different, or M 1  and M 2  are combined to from a single moiety, and are independently selected from the group consisting of metal or organic cations, and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and R 10  are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 -C 9  alkyl, hydroxyl, C 1 -C 9  alkoxy, C 1 -C 9  alkyleneoxy, amine, and C 1 -C 9  alkylamine, halogen, phenyl, alkylphenyl, and C 1 -C 9  carbocyclic; and    (b) a second nucleating agent of a Bis-phenol phosphate.    
   
   
       17 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein said Bis-phenol phosphate comprises the formula:  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein: R is selected from the group consisting of: a carbon-to-carbon bond; thio sulfur —S—; and alkylidene  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which R 3  and R 4  are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl having from one to about eighteen carbon atoms, and cycloalkyl, including cycloalkylidene in which R 3  and R 4  are taken together as part of a cycloalkylene ring, having from three to about twelve carbon atoms;  
       R 1  and R 2  each are selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, alkyl having from about one to about eighteen carbon atoms; and cycloalkyl having from about 3-12 carbon atoms;  
       M is a metal atom selected from the group consisting of: alkali metal atoms and alkaline earth metal atoms; and  
       n is the valence of the metal atom M, and ranges from 1 to 2.  
     
   
   
       18 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 17  wherein R is alkylidene  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     and said R 1  and R 2  are both alkyl.  
   
   
       19 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 17  in which R is thio sulfur —S— and R 1  and R 2  are both alkyl.  
   
   
       20 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 17  in which R is a carbon-to-carbon bond and R 1  and R 2  are both alkyl.  
   
   
       21 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 17  in which R is cycloalkylidene and R 1  and R 2  are both alkyl.  
   
   
       22 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 17  in which R 1  and R 2  are each t-alkyl and R comprises alkylidene.  
   
   
       23 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 17  in which R is a carbon-to-carbon bond.  
   
   
       24 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 17  in which R is thio sulfur —S—.  
   
   
       25 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 17  in which R is alkylidene according to the structure:  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       26 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which R 3  and R 4  are both hydrogen.  
   
   
       27 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which R 3  is hydrogen and R 4  is alkyl.  
   
   
       28 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which R 3  is hydrogen and R 4  is cycloalkyl.  
   
   
       29 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which R 3  and R 4  are taken together as cycloalkylidene.  
   
   
       30 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which M is an alkali metal.  
   
   
       31 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which M is an alkaline earth metal.  
   
   
       32 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which M is a polyvalent metal.  
   
   
       33 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which R 1  and R 2  are each tertiary alkyl.  
   
   
       34 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which R 1  is hydrogen and R 2  is tertiary alkyl.  
   
   
       35 . Bis-phenol phosphates according to  claim 25  in which R 1  is hydrogen and R 2  is cycloalkyl.  
   
   
       36 . A thermoplastic article comprising the blended composition of  claim 16 .  
   
   
       37 . A thermoplastic article comprising the blended composition of  claim 17 .  
   
   
       38 . A thermoplastic article comprising the blended composition of  claim 18 .  
   
   
       39 . A blended nucleating or clarifying composition for thermoplastics comprising a blend of more than one species of nucleating agent, said blend comprising at least the following: 
 (a) a first nucleating agent of a carboxylic acid salt compound; and    (b) a second nucleating agent of a phosphate-containing salt compound;    (c) further wherein said first nucleating agent and said second nucleating agent are provided in said thermoplastic at a predetermined ratio.    
   
   
       40 . The composition of  claim 39  wherein said ratio of (a):(b) comprises about 1:10.  
   
   
       41 . The composition of  claim 39  wherein said ratio of (a):(b) comprises about 1:5.  
   
   
       42 . The composition of  claim 39  wherein said ratio of (a):(b) comprises about 1:3.  
   
   
       43 . The composition of  claim 39  wherein said ratio of (a):(b) comprises about 1:2.  
   
   
       44 . The composition of  claim 39  wherein said ratio of (a):(b) comprises about 1:1.  
   
   
       45 . The composition of  claim 40  wherein said blended composition is provided in said thermoplastic at concentration level of (a) of about 100 ppm.  
   
   
       46 . The composition of  claim 41  wherein said blended composition is provided in said thermoplastic at a concentration level of (a) of about 200 ppm.  
   
   
       47 . The composition of  claim 42  wherein said blended composition is provided in said thermoplastic at an overall concentration level of (a) of about 1500 ppm.  
   
   
       48 . The composition of  claim 43  wherein said blended composition is provided in said thermoplastic at a concentration level of (a) of about 500 ppm.  
   
   
       49 . The composition of  claim 44  wherein said blended composition is provided in said thermoplastic at a concentration level of (a) of between about 500 and about 1000 ppm.  
   
   
       50 . A blended nucleating or clarifying composition for thermoplastics comprising a blend of more than one species of nucleating agent, said blend comprising at least the following: 
 (a) a first nucleating agent of a carboxylic acid salt compound; said first nucleating agent being selected from the group conforming with the structure of Formula (I)                          wherein M 1  and M 2  are the same or different, or M 1  and M 2  are combined to from a single moiety, and are independently selected from the group consisting of metal or organic cations, and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and R 10  are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 -C 9  alkyl, hydroxyl, C 1 -C 9  alkoxy, C 1 -C 9  alkyleneoxy, amine, and C 1 -C 9  alkylamine, halogen, phenyl, alkylphenyl, and C 1 -C 9  carbocyclic; and    (b) a second nucleating agent of a Bis-phenol phosphate, said second nucleating agent having the structure provided below:                          wherein t-Bu refers to a tertiary butyl group.