Polymeric materials
A liquid formulation for addition to a polymeric material comprises a vehicle, an additive (e.g. a colourant) and carbonyl bis (1-caprolactan)). The liquid formulation may be used to colour melt spun fibre (e.g. PET or polyamide).
1. A liquid formulation for addition to a polymeric material, said liquid formulation comprising a vehicle, an additive and carbonyl bis (1-caprolactan)) (herein referred to as CBC), wherein said vehicle has a flash point of at least 285° C., a % weight retention of greater than 85 wt % and a number average molecular weight in the range 750-1250 g/mol; and/or wherein said vehicle is a liquid at STP, has a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 760 mmHg of greater than 300° C. and less than 1150° C. and a melting point of less than 0° C.
2. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein said vehicle includes a moiety —OCOR 50 wherein R 50 includes at least 5 —CH 2 — moieties and includes less than 24 —CH 2 — moieties; and the sum of the number of —CH 2 — moieties in all R 50 groups of moieties —OCOR 50 is at least 15.
3. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein said vehicle is selected from groups (A) to (I) defined as follows:
Group A—Pentaerythritol tri or tetra esters where the ester is derived or derivable from reaction of pentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 12 to C 22 ;
Group B—Alkoxylated pentaerythritol tri or tetra esters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of an alkoxylated pentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 12 to C 22 ;
Group C—Dipentaerythritol penta or hexa esters where the ester is derived from the reaction of dipentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 5 to C 18 ;
Group D—Alkoxylated dipentaerythritol penta or hexa esters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of an alkoxylated dipentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 5 to C 16 ;
Group E—Trimethylolpropane triesters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of trimethylolpropane with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 8 to C 22 ;
Group F—Alkoxylated trimethylolpropane triesters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of an alkoxylated trimethylolpropane with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 8 to C 22 ;
Group G—Esters of the tri-carboxylic acid of general formula:
where R 9 , R 10 and R 11 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an ester group or an optionally-substituted, preferably unsubstituted, alkyl group;
Group H—Aliphatic dicarboxylic acid species containing between 2 and 22 carbon atoms in the main structural backbone;
Group I—Fatty acid diesters of hydroxyl terminated polyester plasticisers derived from adipic acid and an alky diol; acetylated monoglycerides from hydrogenated castor oil; and ethoxylated fatty acid diesters.
4. A formulation according to claim 3 , wherein said vehicle is selected from Group A.
5. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein said vehicle is of general formula
wherein each R 20 independently represents a C 11 to C 21 optionally-substituted, linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl group; and R 21 comprises a moiety R 20 COO— or an hydroxy group.
6. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein said vehicle is a pentaerythritol tetra ester.
7. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein said vehicle is pentaerythritol tetraisostearate.
8. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein said liquid formulation includes at least 2 wt % of CBC.
9. A liquid formulation for addition to a polymeric material, said liquid formulation comprising a vehicle, an additive and carbonyl bis (1-caprolactan)) (herein referred to as CBC), wherein said liquid formulation includes:
30-80 wt % of one or more vehicles;
5-60 wt % of one or more colourants;
3-25 wt % of CBC.
10. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein, in said liquid formulation, the ratio of the total weight of colourants divided by the weight of CBC is at least 2 and is less than 10.
11. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein, in said liquid formulation, said CBC includes particles having a 1 μm or greater median particle diameter.
12. A method of introducing an additive into a polymeric material, the method comprising:
(i) selecting a polymeric material;
(ii) contacting the polymeric material with said additive, carbonyl bis (1-caprolactam) (CBC) and vehicle; and
(iii) melt-processing said polymeric material;
wherein said vehicle is selected from groups A to (I) defined as follows:
Group A—Pentaerythritol tri or tetra esters where the ester is derived or derivable from reaction of pentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 12 to C 22 ;
Group B—Alkoxylated pentaerythritol tri or tetra esters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of an alkoxylated pentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 12 to C 22 :
Group C—Dipentaerythritol penta or hexa esters where the ester is derived from the reaction of dipentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 5 to C 18 ;
Group D—Alkoxylated dipentaerythritol penta or hexa esters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of an alkoxylated dipentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 5 to C 16 ;
Group E—Trimethylolpropane triesters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of trimethylolpropane with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 8 to C 22 ;
Group F—Alkoxylated trimethylolpropane triesters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of an alkoxylated trimethylolpropane with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 8 to C 22 ;
Group G—Esters of the tri-carboxylic acid of general formula:
where R 9 , R 10 and R 11 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an ester group or an optionally-substituted, preferably unsubstituted, alkyl group;
Group H—Aliphatic dicarboxylic acid species containing between 2 and 22 carbon atoms in the main structural backbone;
Group I—Fatty acid diesters of hydroxyl terminated polyester plasticisers derived from adipic acid and an alky diol; acetylated monoglycerides from hydrogenated castor oil; and ethoxylated fatty acid diesters.
13. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein said liquid formulation includes:
40-70 wt% of pentaerythritol tetraisostearate;
20-50 wt% of one or more colourants;
3-20 wt% of CBC.
14. A liquid formulation according to claim 9 , wherein said vehicle is selected from groups (A) to (I) defined as follows:
Group A—Pentaerythritol tri or tetra esters where the ester is derived or derivable from reaction of pentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 12 to C 22 ;
Group B—Alkoxylated pentaerythritol tri or tetra esters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of an alkoxylated pentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 12 to C 22 ;
Group C—Dipentaerythritol penta or hexa esters where the ester is derived from the reaction of dipentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 5 to C 18 ;
Group D—Alkoxylated dipentaerythritol penta or hexa esters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of an alkoxylated dipentaerythritol with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 5 to C 16 ;
Group E—Trimethylolpropane triesters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of trimethylolpropane with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 8 to C 22 ;
Group F—Alkoxylated trimethylolpropane triesters where the ester is derived or derivable from the reaction of an alkoxylated trimethylolpropane with a carboxylic acid with a carbon chain length of C 8 to C 22 ;
Group G—Esters of the tri-carboxylic acid of general formula:
where R 9 , R 10 and R 11 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an ester group or an optionally-substituted, preferably unsubstituted, alkyl group;
Group H—Aliphatic dicarboxylic acid species containing between 2 and 22 carbon atoms in the main structural backbone;
Group I—Fatty acid diesters of hydroxyl terminated polyester plasticisers derived from adipic acid and an alky diol; acetylated monoglycerides from hydrogenated castor oil; and ethoxylated fatty acid diesters.
15. A formulation according to claim 14 , wherein said liquid formulation includes 30-80 wt % of a pentaerythritol tetra ester.
16. A formulation according to claim 14 , wherein said liquid formulation includes:
40-70 wt % of pentaerythritol tetraisostearate;
20-50 wt % of one or more colourants;
3-20 wt % of CBC.
17. A formulation according to claim 15 , wherein, in said liquid formulation, the ratio of the total weight of colourants divided by the weight of CBC is at least 2 and is less than 10; and, in said liquid formulation, said CBC includes particles having a median particle diameter of between ≥1 μm and ≤200 μm.
18. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein said liquid formulation includes less than 25 wt % of CBC.
19. A formulation according to claim 1 , wherein, in said liquid formulation said CBC includes particles having a median particle diameter 200 μm or less.