Multilayer thermoplastic article with unique visual effects and a core containing recycled thermoplastic material

1 . A blow molded multilayer article comprising:

a. a hollow body defined by a wall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the wall being formed in at least one region by 3 or more layers comprising:

i. a first skin layer and a second skin layer comprising:

from about 94% to about 99.5% by weight of the first skin layer and second skin layer of a mechanically recycled thermoplastic material comprising a first thermoplastic material; and

0.5% to 2% by weight of the first or second skin layers of a dye, pigment, and/or an effect pigment producing a chroma of 15 or greater in the blow molded multilayer article;

wherein the first skin layer comprises the outer surface of the wall in the region and the second skin layer comprises the inner surface of the wall in the region;

ii. a core sandwiched between the first skin layer and the second skin layer, wherein the core comprises:

from about 90% to about 99% mechanically recycled thermoplastic material by weight comprising a second thermoplastic material and greater than 200 ppm impurities wherein the article comprises greater than 92% mechanically recycled thermoplastic material by weight and wherein the mechanically recycled thermoplastic comprises green, brown, gray, black, blue, and/or combinations thereof.

2 . The blow molded article of claim 1 , wherein the mechanically recycled thermoplastic material comprises from about 0.01% to about 2% impurities by weight.

3 . The blow molded article of claim 1 , wherein the effect pigment comprises particles having a face wherein the particles are oriented so the face is parallel to the outer surface.

4 . The blow molded article of claim 1 , wherein the first thermoplastic material and/or the second thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene naphthalate, polycyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate, glycol-modified PCT copolymer, copolyester of cyclohexanedimethanol and terephthalic acid, polybutylene terephthalate, acrylonitrile styrene, styrene butadiene copolymer, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and a combination thereof.

5 . The blow molded article of claim 4 , wherein the first thermoplastic material and the second thermoplastic material are the same.

6 . The blow molded article of claim 4 , wherein the first thermoplastic material and the second thermoplastic material comprise polyethylene terephthalate and the article comprises a 20° gloss of greater than or equal to 65 GUs.

7 . The blow molded article of claim 1 , wherein the article is a bottle.

8 . An array of articles, wherein each article comprises the blow molded article of claim 1 .

9 . The array of articles of claim 8 , wherein each article comprises a ΔE*−15° vs 45° using illumination at 45°, ΔL*, and mean C* and the ΔE*−15° vs 45°, ΔL* of each article varies by less than 3 units across the array.

10 . A blow molded multilayer article comprising:

a. a hollow body defined by a wall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the wall being formed in at least one region by 3 or more layers comprising:

i. a first skin layer and a second skin layer comprising:

from about 94% to about 99.5%, by weight of the first skin layer and second skin layer, of a mechanically recycled thermoplastic material and 0.5% to 2% by weight of the first or second skin layers of a dye, pigment, and/or an effect pigment producing a chroma of 15 or greater in the blow molded multilayer article;

wherein the first skin layer comprises the outer surface of the wall in the region and the second skin layer comprises the inner surface of the wall in the region;

ii. an opaque core sandwiched between the first skin layer and the second skin layer, wherein the core comprises:

from about 90% to about 99% mechanically recycled thermoplastic material by weight comprising a second thermoplastic material and an L* value of less than or equal to 80;

wherein the first skin layer and the core are interpenetrated at an interface between the first skin layer and the core; and wherein the article comprises greater than 92% mechanically recycled thermoplastic material by weight.

11 . The blow molded article of claim 10 , wherein the mechanically recycled thermoplastic material comprises mechanically recycled polyethylene terephthalate.

12 . The blow molded article of claim 10 , wherein the mechanically recycled thermoplastic material further comprises at least 200 ppm impurities.

13 . The blow molded article of claim 10 , wherein the core comprises from about 0.1% to about 6% pigment by weight wherein the pigment comprises opacifying pigment comprising particles comprising a particle size larger than 15 nm.

14 . The blow molded article of claim 10 , wherein the interface comprises a thickness from about 500 nm to about 125 μm.

15 . The blow molded article of claim 10 , wherein the article comprises a Critical Normal Load greater than 50 N.

16 . The blow molded article of claim 10 , wherein the core layer comprises a L* of less than or equal to 60.

17 . The blow molded article of claim 10 , comprising a ΔE*−15° vs 45° using illumination at 45°, a ΔL*, and a mean C* wherein the ΔE*−15° vs 45°, the ΔL*, and the mean C* are within about 6 units of a second multilayer structure comprising skin layers having the same elements as the first skin layer and the second skin layer and a core having the same elements as the core except comprising a virgin thermoplastic material instead of the mechanically recycled thermoplastic material.

18 . The blow molded article of claim 10 , wherein the ΔE*−15° vs 45° using illumination at 45° of from about 25 to about 150.

19 . The blow molded article of claim 10 , wherein an average panel wall thickness comprises from about 30% to about 80% core.