Oxygen scavenging compositions requiring no induction period

Abstract

The present invention provides a composition comprising: a polyester base polymer; an oxidizable polyether-based additive; and a transition metal catalyst, wherein the polyester base polymer is substantially free of antimony. Containers made include a wall made of the composition. The polyester base polymer may preferably include polyethylene terephthalate and include less than about 100 ppm of antimony, less than about 50 ppm, less than about 10 ppm, or between about 0 and about 2 ppm. Containers made from the composition are substantially clear and exhibit excellent oxygen scavenging properties with little to no induction period.

1 . A composition comprising:
 a substantially antimony-free polyester base polymer;   an oxidizable polyether-based additive; and   a transition metal catalyst.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester base polymer comprises polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester base polymer contains less than 100 ppm of antimony. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester base polymer contains less than 50 ppm of antimony. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester base polymer contains less than 10 ppm of antimony. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester base polymer contains between about 0 ppm and about 2 ppm of antimony. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive has the formula X—[R—O] n —R′—Y, wherein
 R is a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene chain having from 2 to 10 carbon atoms; 
 n ranges from 4 to 100; 
 X and Y are selected from the group consisting of H, OH, —OCOR 1 , —OCOAr 1 , —OR 1 , and —OAr 1 , wherein R 1  is an alkyl group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms and Ar 1  is an aryl group; and 
 R′ may be the same as R or selected from the group consisting of —[COR 2 COOR 3 O] p — and —[COAr 2 COOR 3 O] p — wherein Ar 2  is a phenylene or naphthylene group, R 2  and R 3  are C 2  to C 18  alkylene groups, and p ranges from 10 to 100. 
 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive is selected from the group consisting of polyether diols, ester capped derivatives of polyether diols, polyether-polyester block copolymers, and ether end-capped ether end-capped derivatives of polyether diols. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive comprises polytetramethylene ether glycol. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive comprises polytetramethylene ether glycol dibenzoate or polytetramethylene ether glycol dioctaoate. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive comprises PTMEG-b-PET copolymer. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive comprises polytetramethylene ether glycol dimethyl ether. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the transition metal catalyst comprises cobalt. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the transition metal catalyst comprises a carboxylate salt. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the transition metal catalyst comprises cobalt neodecanoate. 
     
     
         16 . A wall for a package comprising at least one layer, said one layer comprising a composition, said composition comprising:
 a substantially antimony-free polyester base polymer containing;   an oxidizable polyether-based additive; and   a transition metal catalyst.   
     
     
         17 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester base polymer comprises polyethylene. 
     
     
         18 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester base polymer contains less than 100 ppm of antimony. 
     
     
         19 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester base polymer contains less than 50 ppm of antimony. 
     
     
         20 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester base polymer contains less than 10 ppm of antimony. 
     
     
         21 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester base polymer contains between about 0 ppm and about 2 ppm of antimony. 
     
     
         22 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive has the formula X—[R—O] n —R′—Y, wherein
 R is a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene chain having from 2 to 10 carbon atoms; 
 n ranges from 4 to 100; 
 X and Y are selected from the group consisting of H, OH, —OCOR 1 , —OCOAr 1 , —OR 1 , and —OAr 1 , wherein R 1  is an alkyl group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms and Ar 1  is an aryl group; and 
 R′ may be the same as R or selected from the group consisting of —[COR 2 COOR 3 O] p — and —[COAr 2 COOR 3 O] p — wherein Ar 2  is a phenylene or naphthylene group, R 2  and R 3  are C 2  to C 18  alkylene groups, and p ranges from 10 to 100. 
 
     
     
         23 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive is selected from the group consisting of polyether diols, ester capped derivatives of polyether diols, polyether-polyester block copolymers, and ether end-capped derivatives of polyether diols. 
     
     
         24 . The wall of  claim 23 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive comprises polytetramethylene ether glycol. 
     
     
         25 . The wall of  claim 23 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive comprises polytetramethylene ether glycol dibenzoate or polytetramethylene ether glycol dioctaoate. 
     
     
         26 . The wall of  claim 23 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive comprises PTMEG-b-PET copolymer. 
     
     
         27 . The wall of  claim 23 , wherein the oxidizable polyether-based additive comprises polytetramethylene ether glycol dimethyl ether. 
     
     
         28 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein package is a monolayer package and the composition comprises up to about 1 wt. % of the oxidizable polyether-based additive. 
     
     
         29 . The wall of  claim 28 , wherein the composition comprises up to about 0.5 wt. % of the oxidizable polyether-based additive 
     
     
         30 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein package is a multilayer package, wherein the composition comprises a single layer, and wherein the composition comprises at least 0.5 wt. % of the oxidizable polyether-based additive. 
     
     
         31 . The wall of  claim 30 , wherein the composition comprises about 1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of the oxidizable polyether-based additive. 
     
     
         32 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the transition metal catalyst comprises cobalt. 
     
     
         33 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the transition metal catalyst comprises a carboxylate salt. 
     
     
         34 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the transition metal catalyst comprises cobalt neodecanoate.