Clear Semi-Crystalline Articles with Improved Heat Resistance
The present invention relates to a clear, semicrystalline article comprising a polyester comprising terephthalic acid residues as the dicarboxylic acid component, and 1 to 15 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues and 85 to 99 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues as the glycol component. The article may be in the form of a film or sheet, a bottle, or a fiber. The article, when produced by a process involving strain-induced crystallization, is characterized with high crystallinity.
1 . A clear, semicrystalline article comprising at least one polyester which comprises:
(a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising:
i) 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues;
ii) 0 to 30 mole % of aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms; and
iii) 0 to 30 mole % of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 16 carbon atoms; and
(b) a glycol component comprising:
i) 1 to 14 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and
ii) 86 to 99 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues,
wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and the total mole % of the glycol component is 100 mole %;
wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is 0.35 to 1.2 dL/g as determined in 60/40 (wt/wt) phenol/tetrachloroethane at a concentration of 0.5 g/100 ml at 25° C.;
wherein said polyester has a Tg of 85 to 115° C.; and
wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of greater than zero when stretched at a temperature above the Tg of the polyester.
2 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is from 0.35 to less than 1.0 dL/g.
3 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is from 0.35 to 0.80 dL/g.
4 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is from 0.50 to 0.75 dL/g.
5 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is from 0.60 to 0.75 dL/g.
6 . The article of claim 1 , wherein said polyester has a crystallization half-time of less than 10 minutes but greater than about 30 seconds at 170° C.
7 . The article of claim 1 , wherein said polyester has a Tg of 90 to 110° C.
8 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid component of the polyester comprises 80 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues.
9 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid component of the polyester comprises 90 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues.
10 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid component of the polyester comprises 95 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues.
11 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid component of the polyester comprises 99 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues.
12 . The article of claim 1 , wherein said polyester is blended with at least one polymer chosen from at least one of the following: poly(etherimides), polyesters other than those of claim 1 , polyphenylene oxides, poly(phenylene oxide)/polystyrene blends, polystyrene resins, polyphenylene sulfides, polyphenylene sulfide/sulfones, poly(ester-carbonates), polycarbonates, polysulfones; polysulfone ethers, and poly(ether-ketones).
13 . The article of claim 1 , wherein said polyester comprises residues of at least one branching agent.
14 . The article of claim 13 , wherein said polyester comprises residues of at least one branching agent an amount of 0.01 to 10 weight % based on the total mole percentage of the diacid or diol residues.
15 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the yellowness index of said polyester according to ASTM D-1925 is less than 50.
16 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the polyester has a b* value of from −10 to less than 10 and a L* value from 50 to 90 according to the L*, a* and b* color system of the CIE (International Commission on Illumination.
17 . A clear strain induced crystallized article according to claim 1 .
18 . The article of claim 1 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 0.8% to 35% when stretched at a temperature above the Tg of the polyester.
19 . The article of claim 1 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 8% to 35% when stretched at a temperature 10° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
20 . The article of claim 1 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 8% to 35% when stretched at a temperature 20° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
21 . The article of claim 1 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 10% to 35% when stretched at a temperature 10° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
22 . The article of claim 1 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 10% to 35% when stretched at a temperature 20° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
23 . The article of claim 1 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 10% to 30% when stretched at a temperature 10° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
24 . The article of claim 1 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 10% to 30% when stretched at a temperature 20° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
25 . A film or sheet according to claim 1 .
26 . A bottle according to claim 1 .
27 . A fiber according to claim 1 .
28 . A clear, semicrystalline, strain induced crystallized article comprising at least one polyester which comprises:
(a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising:
i) 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues;
ii) 0 to 30 mole % of aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms; and
iii) 0 to 30 mole % of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 16 carbon atoms; and
(b) a glycol component comprising:
i) 1 to 14 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and
ii) 86 to 99 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues,
wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and the total mole % of the glycol component is 100 mole %;
wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is 0.35 to 1.2 dL/g as determined in 60/40 (wt/wt) phenol/tetrachloroethane at a concentration of 0.5 g/100 ml at 25° C.; and
wherein said polyester has a Tg of 85 to 115° C., and a crystallization half-time of less than 10 minutes but greater than about 30 seconds at 170° C.
29 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is from 0.35 to less than 1.0 dL/g.
30 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is from 0.35 to 0.80 dL/g.
31 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is from 0.50 to 0.75 dL/g.
32 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is from 0.60 to 0.75 dL/g.
33 . The article of claim 28 , wherein said polyester has a Tg of 90 to 115° C.
34 . The article of claim 28 , wherein said polyester has a Tg of 90 to 110° C.
35 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid component of the polyester comprises 80 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues.
36 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid component of the polyester comprises 90 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues.
37 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid component of the polyester comprises 95 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues.
38 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the polyester comprises 5 to 14 mole % of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues and 86 to 95 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues.
39 . The article of claim 28 , wherein said polyester comprises ethylene glycol residues.
40 . The article of claim 28 , wherein said polyester is blended with at least one polymer chosen from at least one of the following: poly(etherimides), polyesters other than those of claim 28 , polyphenylene oxides, poly(phenylene oxide)/polystyrene blends, polystyrene resins, polyphenylene sulfides, polyphenylene sulfide/sulfones, poly(ester-carbonates), polycarbonates, polysulfones; polysulfone ethers, and poly(ether-ketones).
41 . The article of claim 28 , wherein said polyester comprises residues of at least one branching agent.
42 . The article of claim 28 , wherein said polyester comprises residues of at least one branching agent an amount of 0.01 to 10 weight % based on the total mole percentage of the diacid or diol residues.
43 . The article of claim 28 wherein the yellowness index of said polyester according to ASM D-1925 is less than 50.
44 . The article of claim 28 wherein the polyester has a b* value of from −10 to less than 10 and a L* value from 50 to 90 according to the L*, a* and b* color system of the CIE (International Commission on Illumination.
45 . The article of claim 28 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 5% to 35% when stretched at a temperature 10° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
46 . The article of claim 28 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 8% to 35% when stretched at a temperature 20° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
47 . The article of claim 28 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 10% to 35% when stretched at a temperature 10° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
48 . The article of claim 28 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 10% to 35% when stretched at a temperature 20° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
49 . The article of claim 28 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 10% to 30% when stretched at a temperature 10° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
50 . The article of claim 28 wherein said article has a strain induced crystallinity of from 10% to 30% when stretched at a temperature 20° C. above the Tg of the polyester.
51 . A film or sheet according to claim 28 .
52 . A bottle according to claim 28 .
53 . A fiber according to claim 28 .