Mechanically reinforced, transparent, anti-biofouling thermoplastic resin composition and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses a transparent standalone resin or masterbatch concentrate composition and manufacturing method of transforming commercial transparent grade base thermoplastics into anti-biofouling resins through extrusion or any similar hot melt mixing processes. The re-compound solids enable a number of product reforming processes, including but not limited to thermoforming, profile extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, blow filming, film casting, and spinning into articles of different shapes and geometries or overmolding on plastic substrates that can resist surface adsorption of microbes, mammalian cells, proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, steroids and other cellular constituents after solidification. The articles formed thereof additionally exhibit mechanical reinforcement and no leaching while retain the optical clarity of the base thermoplastics in the same product form as quantified in terms of the light transmittance and haze.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition for forming a functional polymer or a masterbatch concentrate resin comprising a transparent grade base thermoplastics at 70-99 wt %, impact modifiers at 0.1-30 wt %, chemical modifiers at 0.5-10 wt %, and other additives at 0.1-6 wt %, wherein said chemical modifiers comprise non-fouling modifiers in 0.1-5 wt %; and wherein said other additives comprise one or more of initiators, cross-linking agents, nucleators, anti-oxidants, and/or auxiliary additives in 0.1-6 wt %. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said transparent grade base thermoplastics comprise homopolymers, copolymers and blends of polyolefins, cyclic polyolefins, acrylics, acetates, styrenics, polyesters, polyimides, polyaryletherketones, polycarbonates, polyurethanes and thermoplastic elastomers. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said transparent grade base thermoplastics comprises poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), polymethylpentene (PMP), polysulfone, polyamide (PA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), styrene-methacrylate based copolymer, polypropylene based copolymer, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyimide (PI) cellulosic resins, methyl methacrylate butadiene styrene (MBS), and styrene ethylene butylene styrene block thermoplastic elastomer (SEBS). 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein said polypropylene based copolymer comprises polypropylene random copolymer (PPR), impact-modified polypropylene compound (PPM) and polypropylene homopolymer (PPH). 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said non-fouling modifiers comprise one or more of linear and/or multi-armed structures of non-ionic surfactants and are in a concentration from 0.5 wt % to 10 wt %. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein said non-ionic surfactants comprise fatty alcohol polyoxyalkylene ethers, polyoxyalkylene sorbitan/sorbitol fatty acid esters, polyoxyalkylene alkyl amines, polyether glycols, fatty acid alkanolamides and their derivatives. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein said non-ionic surfactants comprise polyethylene glycol (PEG) sorbitol hexaoleate, AEO-5 and polyetheramine. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said PEG sorbitol hexaoleate has an average molecular weight from 2000 to 20,000 Da. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 7  wherein said polyetheramine has a molecular weight from 200 to 6,000 Da. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said impact modifiers comprise polyolefin elastomers (POE) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said initiators comprise an acid or base catalyst and exist in either standalone form or is supported on filler particles with a weight percentage from 0.01 to 0.2 wt %. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said initiators comprise tosylic acid, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, or an organic peroxide and exist in either standalone form or is supported on filler particles with a weight percentage from 0.01 to 0.2 wt %. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 12 , wherein said organic peroxide comprises dicumyl peroxide, bis(tert-butylperoxyisopropyl)benzene, 2,5-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-2,5-dimethylhexane, benzoyl peroxide. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said cross-linking agents comprise triallyl isocyanurate, N,N′-m-phenylene dismaleimide or sulfur and are in a concentration from 0.01 to 0.2 wt %. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleators comprise MILLAD® NX8000, MILLAD® 3988, ADK STAB NA-18 or ADK STAB NA-25 in a concentration from 0.1 to 3 wt %. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said anti-oxidants comprise butylated hydroxytoluene, IRGANOX® 1010, Irganox® 1076, Irganox® 1098, Irgafos® 168 or Irganox® B 225, and are in a concentration from 0.1 to 2 wt %. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said auxiliary additives comprise alumina nanoparticles and are in a concentration from 0.1 to 4 wt %. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said polyetheramine comprise JEFFAMINE® D-230 or T-5000. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein said alumina nanoparticles are AEROXIDE® Alu C.