Solid polymeric articles having hydrophobic compounds intermixed therein

1. A three-dimensional solid polymeric article having surface effects comprising 60 to 99.9% of a polymer composition and 0.1 to 20% by weight of a hydrophobic compound, based on the total weight of the solid polymeric article,

where the hydrophobic compound is intermixed throughout the polymer composition and throughout the three-dimensional solid polymeric article;

where the hydrophobic compound is selected from Formula (Ia′):

wherein R is further limited to independently —H; or

—(CH 2 CH 2 O) n (CH(CH 3 )CH 2 O) m C(O)R 1 ;

each n is independently 0 to 20;

each m is independently 0 to 20;

m+n is greater than 0;

each R 1 is independently a linear or branched alkyl group having 5 to 29 carbons;

provided at least one R is —H and at least two R groups are —(CH 2 CH 2 O) n (CH(CH 3 )CH 2 O) m C(O)R 1 ;

wherein the polymer composition is a polymer selected from thermoplastic urethanes; thermoplastic elastomer polyesters; or a thermoplastic resin, a thermoset resin, an elastomer resin, or an amorphous polymer selected from linear polyamides, polystyrene and polystyrene copolymers, polyethylene and polyethylene copolymers, polypropylene and polypropylene copolymers, poly(acrylic acid) and poly(acrylic acid) copolymers, poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(methyl methacrylate) copolymers, poly(methyl acrylate) and poly(methyl acrylate) copolymers, polymethacrylate and polymethacrylate copolymers, polyacrylate and polyacrylate copolymers, polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride copolymers, polycarbonates and polycarbonate copolymers, polycaprolactones and polycaprolactone copolymers, silicones, fluoroolefins, and fluoroelastomers.

2. The solid polymeric article of claim 1 , where the hydrophobic compound is substituted with at least three —(CH 2 CH 2 O) n (CH(CH 3 )CH 2 O) m C(O)R 1 .

3. The solid polymeric article of claim 1 , further comprising at least one hydrophobic surface effect agent which provides a surface effect, where the hydrophobic surface effect agent is intermixed with the polymer composition and the hydrophobic compound.

4. The solid polymeric article of claim 3 , comprising 1 to 5% by weight of the hydrophobic compound, and 1 to 5% by weight of the hydrophobic surface effect agent, based on the total weight of the polymeric article.

5. The solid polymeric article of claim 3 , wherein the hydrophobic surface effect agent is selected from the group consisting of non-fluorinated or fluorinated cationic acrylic polymers, non-fluorinated or fluorinated anionic acrylic polymers, non-fluorinated or fluorinated nonionic acrylic polymers, partially fluorinated urethanes, fluorinated ethoxylates, fluorinated alcohols, fluorinated phosphate acids, non-fluorinated urethanes, silicones, waxes, and mixtures thereof.

6. The solid polymeric article of claim 1 , comprising 1 to 10% by weight of the hydrophobic compound, based on the total weight of the polymeric article.

7. A method of imparting a surface effect to a polymeric article comprising contacting 60 to 99.9% of a flowable or liquid polymer composition with 0.1° A by weight to 20% by weight of a hydrophobic compound, based on the total weight of the polymer composition, to form a treated polymer composition, and allowing or causing the treated polymer composition to solidify to form a treated polymeric article,

where the hydrophobic compound is selected from Formula (Ia′):

wherein R is further limited to independently —H; or

—(CH 2 CH 2 O) n (CH(CH 3 )CH 2 O) m C(O)R 1 ;

each n is independently 0 to 20;

each m is independently 0 to 20;

m+n is greater than 0;

each R 1 is independently a linear or branched alkyl group having 5 to 29 carbons;

provided at least one R is —H and at least two R groups are —(CH 2 CH 2 O) n (CH(CH 3 )CH 2 O) m C(O)R 1 ;

wherein the polymer composition is a polymer resin selected from thermoplastic urethanes; thermoplastic elastomer polyesters; or a thermoplastic resin, a thermoset resin, an elastomer resin, or an amorphous polymer selected from linear polyamides, polystyrene and polystyrene copolymers, polyethylene and polyethylene copolymers, polypropylene and polypropylene copolymers, poly(acrylic acid) and poly(acrylic acid) copolymers, poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(methyl methacrylate) copolymers, poly(methyl acrylate) and poly(methyl acrylate) copolymers, polymethacrylate and polymethacrylate copolymers, polyacrylate and polyacrylate copolymers, polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride copolymers, polycarbonates and polycarbonate copolymers, polycaprolactones and polycaprolactone copolymers, silicones, fluoroolefins, and fluoroelastomers.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of molding, extruding, or spinning the treated polymer composition prior to solidification.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of thermoforming the treated polymeric article to form a treated three dimensional polymeric article.