Optical absorbing thermoplastic polymer particles and methods of production and uses thereof

Abstract

Optical absorber-containing thermoplastic polymer particles (OACTP particles) may be produced by methods that comprise: mixing a mixture comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a carrier fluid that is immiscible with the thermoplastic polymer, and optionally 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; separating the solidified particles from the carrier fluid; and exposing the solidified particles to an optical absorber to produce the OACTP particles.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising:
 optical absorber-containing thermoplastic polymer particles (OACTP particles) comprising a thermoplastic polymer and at least one optical absorber non-covalently bound to the thermoplastic polymer;
 wherein the OACTP particles have a circularity of about 0.90 to about 1.0. 
   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical absorber comprises a first optical absorber distributed throughout the OACTP particles and, optionally, a second optical absorber non-covalently bound to an outer surface of the OACTP particles. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the OACTP particles comprise 0.01 wt % to 30 wt % of the at least one optical absorber, based on a weight of the thermoplastic polymer in the OACTP particles. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical absorber is selected from the group consisting of rhodamines, fluoresceins, coumarins, naphthalimides, benzoxanthenes, acridines, cyanines, oxazins, phenanthridine, pyrrole ketones, benzaldehydes, polymethines, triarylmethanes, anthraquinones, pyrazolones, quinophthalones, carbonyl dyes, diazo dyes, perinones, diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP), dioxazine dyes, phthalocyanines, indanthrenes, benzanthrone, violanthrones, azo dyes, phthalocyanine dyes, quinacridone dyes, anthraquinone dyes, indigo dyes, thioindigo dyes, perinone dyes, perylene dyes, isoindolene dyes, aromatic amino acids, flavins, derivatives of pyridoxyl, derivatives of chlorophyll, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an emulsion stabilizer associated with an outer surface of the OACTP particles.   
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the emulsion stabilizer comprises oxide nanoparticles. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the oxide nanoparticles are embedded in the outer surface. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the OACTP particles have a D10 of about 0.1 μm to about 125 μm, a D50 of about 0.5 μm to about 200 μm, and a D90 of about 3 μm to about 300 μm, wherein D10<D50<D90. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the OACTP particles have a diameter span of about 0.2 to about 10. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 shearing a mixture comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a carrier fluid that is immiscible with the thermoplastic polymer, a first optical absorber, and, optionally, 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 containing the first optical absorber non-covalently bound to the thermoplastic polymer (OACTP particles); and
 wherein the first optical absorber is distributed throughout the OACTP particles separating the OACTP particles from the carrier fluid. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first optical absorber is mixed with the thermoplastic polymer before shearing the mixture at or above the melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 exposing the OACTP particles to a second optical absorber;
 wherein the second optical absorber is non-covalently bound to an outer surface of the OACTP particles. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the OACTP particles comprise 0.01 wt % to 30 wt % of the at least one optical absorber, based on a weight of the thermoplastic polymer in the OACTP particles. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the emulsion stabilizer is present in the mixture, and the emulsion stabilizer is associated with an outer surface of the OACTP particles. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the emulsion stabilizer comprises oxide nanoparticles. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the OACTP particles have a D10 of about 0.1 μm to about 125 μm, a D50 of about 0.5 μm to about 200 μm, and a D90 of about 3 μm to about 300 μm, wherein D10<D50<D90. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the OACTP particles have a diameter span of about 0.2 to about 10. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the OACTP particles have a circularity of about 0.90 to about 1.0. 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 depositing the composition of  claim 1 , optionally in combination with other thermoplastic polymer particles, upon a surface in a specified shape; and   once deposited, heating at least a portion of the OACTP particles and the other thermoplastic polymer particles, if present, to promote consolidation thereof to form a consolidated body.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the OACTP particles comprise an emulsion stabilizer associated with an outer surface of the OACTP particles, and the emulsion stabilizer comprises oxide nanoparticles.