Production of non-solid-stated polyester particles having solid-stated properties
View Patent ↗A process for producing non-solid-stated polyester polymer particles having one or more properties similar to polyester polymer particles that have undergone solid-state processing.
1. A bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles, wherein said particles have the following characteristics:
(a) comprise a shell and a core, wherein said shell substantially surrounds said core, wherein at least a portion of said shell exhibits strain-induced crystallinity and at least a portion of said core exhibits spherulitic crystallinity;
(b) when measured on a first heating DSC scan, said particles have a low melting peak temperature greater than 190° C., and a melting endotherm area greater than the absolute value of 1 J/g;
(c) an intrinsic viscosity of from 0.78 to 1.1 dL/g; and
(d) a total content of titanium, germanium, tin, and aluminum of less than 50 ppm.
2. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein a total content of titanium, germanium, tin, aluminum, Group I metals and Group II metals is less than 50 ppm.
3. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein the particles have not been subjected to polycondensation in the solid state.
4. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein (c) a degree of crystallinity is less than 45 percent.
5. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein the total content of titanium, germanium, tin, antimony, aluminum, Group I metals and Group II metals of less than 25 ppm.
6. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein said particles have a low melting peak temperature greater than 220° C.
7. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein said particles have a low melting peak temperature of from 220° C. to 235° C.
8. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein the intrinsic viscosity is from 0.81 to 0.84 dL/g.
9. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein the particles are particles of a polyethylene terephthalate resin comprising isophthalic acid monomer units in an amount of up to 20 mole % based on 100 mole % of carboxylic acid monomer units in the polyethylene terephthalate resin.
10. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said particles are spheroidal.
11. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , having an onset-of-melt temperature (T om ) greater than 175° C.
12. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein said particles comprise less than 100 ppm of one or more acetaldehyde scavengers.
13. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein said particles are substantially free of acetaldehyde scavengers.
14. A bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles, wherein said particles have the following characteristics:
(a) comprise a shell and a core, wherein said shell substantially surrounds said core, wherein at least a portion of said shell exhibits strain-induced crystallinity and at least a portion of said core exhibits spherulitic crystallinity;
(b) when measured on a first heating DSC scan, said particles have a low melting peak temperature greater than 190° C., and a melting endotherm area greater than the absolute value of 1 J/g;
(c) an intrinsic viscosity of from 0.78 to 1.1 dL/g; and
(d) a total content of each of titanium, germanium, tin, and aluminum, independently, of less than 50 ppm.
15. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein a total content of each of Group I metals and Group II metals, independently, is less than 50 ppm.
16. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein the particles have not been subjected to polycondensation in the solid state.
17. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein (c) a degree of crystallinity is less than 45 percent.
18. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein the total content of titanium, germanium, tin, antimony, aluminum, Group I metals and Group II metals of less than 25 ppm.
19. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein said particles have a low melting peak temperature greater than 220° C.
20. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 1 , wherein said particles have a low melting peak temperature of from 220° C. to 235° C.
21. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein the intrinsic viscosity is from 0.81 to 0.84 dL/g.
22. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein the particles are particles of a polyethylene terephthalate resin comprising isophthalic acid monomer units in an amount of up to 20 mole % based on 100 mole % of carboxylic acid monomer units in the polyethylene terephthalate resin.
23. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of said particles are spheroidal.
24. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , having an onset-of-melt temperature (T om ) greater than 175° C.
25. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein said particles comprise less than 100 ppm of one or more acetaldehyde scavengers.
26. The bulk of polyethylene terephthalate particles of claim 14 , wherein said particles are substantially free of acetaldehyde scavengers.