Thermoplastic Polymer Particles and Methods of Production and Uses Thereof

Abstract

Thermoplastic polymer particles can be produced that comprise a thermoplastic polymer and an emulsion stabilizer (e.g., nanoparticles and/or surfactant) associated with an outer surface of the particles. The nanoparticles may be embedded in the outer surface of the particles. Melt emulsification can be used to produce said particles. For example, a method may include: mixing a mixture comprising a thermoplastic polymer, an carrier fluid that is immiscible with the thermoplastic polymer, and the emulsion stabilizer at a temperature greater than a melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer and at a shear rate sufficiently high to disperse the thermoplastic polymer in the carrier fluid; cooling the mixture to below the melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer to form the thermoplastic polymer particles; and separating the thermoplastic polymer particles from the carrier fluid.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising:
 particles comprising a thermoplastic polymer and an emulsion stabilizer associated with an outer surface of the particles, wherein the particles have a circularity of about 0.90 to about 1.0.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the emulsion stabilizer comprises nanoparticles and at least some of the nanoparticles are embedded in the outer surface of the particles. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the particles have a void therein comprising the emulsion stabilizer at a void/thermoplastic polymer interface. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the void contains a carrier fluid having a viscosity at 25° C. of 1,000 cSt to 150,000 cSt. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the carrier fluid is selected from the group consisting of: silicone oil, fluorinated silicone oils, perfluorinated silicone oils, polyethylene glycols, alkyl-terminal polyethylene glycols, paraffins, liquid petroleum jelly, vison oils, turtle oils, soya bean oils, perhydrosqualene, sweet almond oils, calophyllum oils, palm oils, parleam oils, grapeseed oils, sesame oils, maize oils, rapeseed oils, sunflower oils, cottonseed oils, apricot oils, castor oils, avocado oils, jojoba oils, olive oils, cereal germ oils, esters of lanolic acid, esters of oleic acid, esters of lauric acid, esters of stearic acid, fatty esters, higher fatty acids, fatty alcohols, polysiloxanes modified with fatty acids, polysiloxanes modified with fatty alcohols, polysiloxanes modified with polyoxy alkylenes, and any combination thereof 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  further comprising:
 elongated structures on the surface of the particles, wherein the elongated structures comprises the thermoplastic polymer with the emulsion stabilizer associated with an outer surface of the elongated structures. 
 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the emulsion stabilizer forms a coating that covers at least 25% of the surface of the particles. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of: polyamides, polyurethanes, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyacetals, polycarbonates, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polyhexamethylene terephthalate, polystyrenes, polyvinyl chlorides, polytetrafluoroethenes, polyesters (e.g., polylactic acid), polyethers, polyether sulfones, polyetherether ketones, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyimides, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyphenylene sulfides, vinyl polymers, polyarylene ethers, polyarylene sulfides, polysulfones, polyether ketones, polyamide-imides, polyetherimides, polyetheresters, copolymers comprising a polyether block and a polyamide block (PEBA or polyether block amide), grafted or ungrafted thermoplastic polyolefins, functionalized or nonfunctionalized ethylene/vinyl monomer polymer, functionalized or nonfunctionalized ethylene/alkyl (meth)acrylates, functionalized or nonfunctionalized (meth)acrylic acid polymers, functionalized or nonfunctionalized ethylene/vinyl monomer/alkyl (meth)acrylate terpolymers, ethylene/vinyl monomer/carbonyl terpolymers, ethylene/alkyl (meth)acrylate/carbonyl terpolymers, methylmethacrylate-butadiene-styrene (MBS)-type core-shell polymers, polystyrene-block-polybutadiene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (SBM) block terpolymers, chlorinated or chlorosulphonated polyethylenes, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), phenolic resins, poly(ethylene/vinyl acetate)s, polybutadienes, polyisoprenes, styrenic block copolymers, polyacrylonitriles, silicones, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a first thermoplastic polymer, and wherein the particles further comprise a second thermoplastic polymer and a compatibilizer. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the particles have a D10 of about 0.5 μm to about 125 μm, a D50 of about 1 μm to about 200 μm, and a D90 of about 70 μm to about 300 μm, wherein D10<D50<D90. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the particles have a diameter span of about 0.2 to about 10. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the particles have a Hausner ratio of about 1.0 to about 1.5. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise particles selected from the group consisting of: oxide nanoparticles, carbon black, polymer nanoparticles, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A composition comprising:
 particles comprising a thermoplastic polymer and an emulsion stabilizer embedded in an outer surface of the particles, wherein the particles have a circularity of about 0.90 to about 1.0, wherein at least some of the particles have a void therein comprising the emulsion stabilizer at a void/thermoplastic polymer interface.   
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 mixing a mixture comprising a thermoplastic polymer, an carrier fluid that is immiscible with the thermoplastic polymer, and an emulsion stabilizer at a temperature greater than a melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer and at a shear rate sufficiently high to disperse the thermoplastic polymer in the carrier fluid;   cooling the mixture to below the melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer to form solidified particles comprising the thermoplastic polymer and the emulsion stabilizer associated with an outer surface of the solidified particles; and   separating the solidified particles from the carrier fluid.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the emulsion stabilizer comprises nanoparticles at least some of the nanoparticles are embedded in the outer surface of the solidified particles. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the emulsion stabilizer comprises nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of: oxide nanoparticles, carbon black, polymer nanoparticles, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the solidified particles further comprises elongated structures on the surface of the solidified particles, wherein the elongated structures comprises the thermoplastic polymer with the emulsion stabilizer associated with an outer surface of the elongated structures. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the emulsion stabilizer is present in the mixture at 0.01 wt % to 10 wt % by weight of the thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is present the mixture at 5 wt % to 60 wt % of the mixture.