Thermoplastic compositions containing biobased materials and processes for forming an article therewith

Abstract

A masterbatch of dried distillers solubles and at least one thermoplastic resin and processes for forming the masterbatch, wherein the dried distillers solubles is greater than 70% by weight of the masterbatch are generally disclosed. The masterbatch generally includes compounding a mixture of dried distillers solubles and at least one thermoplastic resin to form a flowable solid medium, wherein the dried distillers solubles is greater than 70% by weight percent based on a total weight of the mixture and has a moisture content of less than 25% by weight of the dried distillers solubles. The article can then be formed by melt processing, direct injection molding or extruding the flowable solid medium (masterbatch) with an additional amount of at least one thermoplastic resin to form the article, wherein the article comprises dried distillers solubles in an amount of less than 50 weight percent based on a total weight of the article.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A melt processed solid article consisting of:
 a bio-based material consisting of dried distillers solubles; and   a thermoplastic resin.   
     
     
         2 . The melt processed article of  claim 1 , wherein the dried distiller solubles is less than 50 percent by weight of the article. 
     
     
         3 . The melt processed article of  claim 1 , wherein the dried distiller solubles is 5 to 40 percent by weight of the article. 
     
     
         4 . The melt processed article of  claim 1 , wherein the dried distiller solubles is 10 to 30 percent by weight of the article. 
     
     
         5 . The melt processed article of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises polycarbonate, polyphenylene ethers, polylactic acid, polyphenylene ether, polyolefin polyethersulfone, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyoxymethylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile terpolymer, cellulose acetate, polyamide, polyaryletherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, styrene-acrylonitrile, styrene-butadiene, urethanes, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The melt processed article of  claim 1 , wherein the dried distiller solubles has a moisture content less than 25%. 
     
     
         7 . The melt processed article of  claim 1 , wherein the dried distiller solubles has a moisture content of 3 to 20 percent by weight of the dried distillers solubles. 
     
     
         8 . A melt processed solid article consisting of:
 a bio-based material consisting of dried distillers solubles at less than 50 weight percent of the article;   a dispersing agent at 1 to 10 weight percent; and   a thermoplastic resin, wherein the weight percents are based on total weight of the article.   
     
     
         9 . The melt processed solid article of  claim 8 , wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises polycarbonate, polyphenylene ethers, polylactic acid, polyphenylene ether, polyolefin polyethersulfone, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyoxymethylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile terpolymer, cellulose acetate, polyamide, polyaryletherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, styrene-acrylonitrile, styrene-butadiene, urethanes, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The melt processed solid article of  claim 8 , wherein the dried distiller solubles has a moisture content less than 25%. 
     
     
         11 . A masterbatch composition consisting essentially of:
 a flowable solid medium comprising dried distillers solubles and at least one thermoplastic resin, wherein the dried distillers solubles is greater than 70 weight percent based on a total weight of the flowable solid medium.   
     
     
         12 . The masterbatch composition of  claim 11 , wherein the dried distillers solubles has an oil content of 3 to 15 percent by weight of the dried distillers solubles. 
     
     
         13 . The masterbatch composition of  claim 11 , wherein the flowable solid medium comprises a plurality of pellets. 
     
     
         14 . A process for forming an article, comprising:
 dry mixing a thermoplastic resin with a masterbatch to form a mixture, wherein the masterbatch comprises a flowable solid medium comprising dried distillers solubles, at least one thermoplastic resin, and a dispersing agent in an amount from 1 to 10 weight percent, wherein the dried distillers solubles is greater than 70 weight percent, and wherein the weight percents are based on a total weight of the masterbatch; and   melt processing, direct injection molding or extruding the mixture to form the article.   
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic resin and the masterbatch plastic resin are the same. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic resin and the masterbatch plastic resin are different. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the dispersing agent is mineral oil. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic resin and the at least one thermoplastic resin in the masterbatch is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyphenylene ethers, polylactic acid, polyphenylene ether, polyolefin polyethersulfone, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyoxymethylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile terpolymer, cellulose acetate, polyamide, polyaryletherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, styrene-acrylonitrile, styrene-butadiene, urethanes, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the dried distillers solubles in the article is less than 50 percent by weight of the article. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the dried distillers solubles in the article is 5 to 40 percent by weight of the article. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the dried distillers solubles in the article is 10 to 30 percent by weight of the article.