Plasticized terephthalate-based polyester blends containing fatty acids or esters thereof
A plasticized terephthalate-based polyester blend comprising a terephthalate-based polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, i.e., PET) homogeneously blended with a fatty acid or ester thereof, wherein said fatty acid or ester thereof is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 1-50 wt %. Also described herein is a method for producing a plasticized terephthalate-based polyester blend, the method comprising melt mixing a terephthalate-based polyester with a fatty acid or ester thereof at a temperature in a range of 230-250° C. to produce said polyester blend, wherein said fatty acid or ester thereof is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 1-50 wt % and is homogeneously blended with said terephthalate-based polyester.
1. A plasticized terephthalate-based polyester blend comprising a terephthalate-based polyester homogeneously blended with a fatty acid or ester thereof, wherein said fatty acid or ester thereof is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 10-50 wt %; and
wherein the terephthalate-based polyester has the formula:
wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon linker containing 1-12 carbon atoms, and n is at least 50.
2. The polyester blend of claim 1 , wherein said fatty acid contains at least eight carbon atoms.
3. The polyester blend of claim 1 , wherein said fatty acid contains at least ten carbon atoms.
4. The polyester blend of claim 1 , wherein said fatty acid contains at least twelve carbon atoms.
5. The polyester blend of claim 1 , wherein said fatty acid is tall oil fatty acid.
6. The polyester blend of claim 1 , wherein said terephthalate-based polyester is polyethylene terephthalate.
7. The polyester blend of claim 1 , wherein said fatty acid or ester thereof is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 10-30 wt %.
8. The polyester blend of claim 1 , further comprising lignin in an amount of 1-50 wt % by weight of said polyester blend, wherein said lignin is homogeneously blended in said polyester blend.
9. The polyester blend of claim 8 , wherein said lignin has a molecular weight of 500-5000 g/mole.
10. The polyester blend of claim 8 , wherein said lignin is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 5-50 wt %.
11. The polyester blend of claim 8 , wherein said lignin is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 1-40 wt %.
12. The polyester blend of claim 8 , wherein said lignin is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 5-40 wt %.
13. A method for producing a plasticized terephthalate-based polyester blend, the method comprising melt mixing a terephthalate-based polyester with a fatty acid or ester thereof at a temperature in a range of 230-250° C. to produce said polyester blend, wherein said fatty acid or ester thereof is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 10-50 wt % and is homogeneously blended with said terephthalate-based polyester; and wherein the terephthalate-based polyester has the formula:
wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon linker containing 1-12 carbon atoms, and n is at least 50.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said fatty acid contains at least eight carbon atoms.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said fatty acid contains at least ten carbon atoms.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein said fatty acid contains at least twelve carbon atoms.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein said fatty acid is tall oil fatty acid.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein said terephthalate-based polyester is polyethylene terephthalate.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein said fatty acid or ester thereof is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 10-30 wt %.
20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising melt mixing lignin with said terephthalate-based polyester and fatty acid or ester thereof, wherein said lignin is included in an amount of 1-50 wt % by weight of said polyester blend, and wherein said lignin is homogeneously blended in said polyester blend.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said lignin has a molecular weight of 500-5000 g/mole.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein said lignin is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 5-50 wt %.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein said lignin is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 1-40 wt %.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein said lignin is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 5-40 wt %.
25. The method of claim 20 , wherein one or more solid ingredients in said terephthalate-based polyester are thermally treated under at least partial vacuum at a temperature within a range of 150-250° C. before being melt-mixed to produce the polyester blend.
26. The method of claim 20 , wherein said lignin is heat treated lignin.
27. The polyester blend of claim 1 , wherein n is 50-1000.