Composites Comprising a Polymer and a Layered Compound and Methods of Preparing and Using Same

Abstract

A method comprising extrusion compounding a styrenic polymer and a layered compound to produce a composite, and orienting the composite to produce an oriented composite wherein the layered compound comprises natural clay, synthetic clay, natural colloid, synthetic colloid, natural sol, synthetic sol, natural gel, synthetic gel, natural fumes, synthetic fumes, or combinations thereof. A method of preparing an oriented film comprising extrusion compounding a styrenic polymer and a clay to produce a nanocomposite, casting the nanocomposite into a film, and orienting the film in at least one direction.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of preparing an oriented film comprising:
 extrusion compounding a styrenic polymer and a clay to produce a nanocomposite;   casting the nanocomposite into a film; and   orienting the film in at least one direction.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the styrenic polymer is present in an amount of from 50% to 99.9% by weight of the nanocomposite, and wherein the clay is present in an amount of from 0.1% to 50% by weight of the nanocomposite. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the styrenic polymer comprises substituted styrenes, alpha-methyl styrene, ring-substituted styrenes, p-methylstyrene, disubstituted styrenes, p-t-butyl styrene, unsubstituted styrenes, halogenated styrenes, alkylated styrenes, acrylonitrile, esters of methacrylic acid with alcohols having from 1 to 8 carbons, N-vinyl compounds, vinylcarbazole, maleic anhydride, compounds which contain two polymerizable double bonds, divinylbenzene, butanediol diacrylate, or combinations thereof; and the clay comprises natural clay, synthetic clay, natural colloid, synthetic colloid, natural sol, synthetic sol, natural gel, synthetic gel, natural fumes, synthetic fumes, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the oriented film has a gloss 20° of from 10 to 90; a haze of from 0 to 20; an oxygen transmission rate that is reduced from 1.0% to 99.9% and a water vapor transmission rate that is reduced from 
     
     
         1 . 0% to 99.9% when compared to an otherwise similar composite prepared in the absence of extrusion compounding and orientating. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the clay is an organoclay comprising montmorillonite; and
 wherein the styrenic polymer comprises substituted styrenes, alpha-methyl styrene, ring-substituted styrenes, p-methylstyrene, disubstituted styrenes, p-t-butyl styrene, unsubstituted styrenes, halogenated styrenes, alkylated styrenes, acrylonitrile, esters of methacrylic acid with alcohols having from 1 to 8 carbons, N-vinyl compounds, vinylcarbazole, maleic anhydride, compounds which contain two polymerizable double bonds, divinylbenzene, butanediol diacrylate, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the clay is a layered compound in the form of a colloid or colloidal dispersion, wherein the colloid or colloidal dispersion comprises a dispersed phase and a continuous phase, wherein the continuous phase is an aqueous solution, and wherein the colloid or colloidal dispersion comprises colloidal borates, colloidal aluminates, colloidal phosphates, colloidal sulfates, colloidal sulfides, colloidal halides, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the colloid or colloidal dispersion comprises colloidal borates, colloidal aluminates, colloidal halides, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the styrenic polymer comprises homopolymers, copolymers, terpolymers, thermoplastics, blends thereof, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the styrenic polymer further comprises monomers comprising C 2  to C 30  olefin, ethylenically unsaturated monomers, C 4  to C 18  diolefins, conjugated or nonconjugated dienes, polyenes, vinyl monomers, cyclic olefins, norbornene, nobornadiene, isobutylene, isoprene, vinylbenzocyclobutane, alkyl substituted styrene, ethylidene norbornene, dicyclopentadiene, cyclopentene or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the styrenic polymer comprises polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, high impact polystyrene, methyl methacrylate butadiene styrene, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the styrenic polymer further comprises an elastomer. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the elastomer comprises conjugated diene monomer, 1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene, 2 chloro-1,3 butadiene, 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene, 2 chloro-1,3-butadiene, aliphatic conjugated diene monomer, C 4  to C 9  dienes butadiene, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the styrenic polymer further comprises a thermoplastic. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the thermoplastic comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, celluloid, cellulose acetate, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl alcohol, fluoroplastics, ionomers, polyacetal, polyacrylates, polyacrylonitrile, polyamide, polyamide-imide, polyaryletherketone, polybutadiene, polybutylene, polybutylene terephthalate, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polyketone, polyester, polyethylene, polyethereetherketone, polyetherimide, polyetheresulfone, polyethylenechlorinate, polyimide, polylactic acid, polymethylpentene, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphthalamide, polypropylene, polysulfone, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein orienting the film comprises stretching the film in the machine direction, the transverse direction, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein casting the nanocomposite into the film comprises passing the film over a first roller that solidifies the nanocomposite into the film. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein orienting the film comprises longitudinal orientation and lateral orientation; and
 wherein after longitudinal orientation the film is cooled, pre-heated and then subjected to lateral orientation.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising annealing the oriented film. 
     
     
         38 . An oriented film prepared by the method of  claim 20 .