# US 10,370,486 B2 · Polyester polymer particles having a small surface to center molecular weight gradient

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- Number: US 10,370,486 B2
- Document ID: US10370486B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/273,816
- Filed: 2016-09-23
- Published: 2017-01-12
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2004-03-08
- Assignees: Grupo Petrotemex, S.A. de C.V.
- Applicants: Grupo Petrotemex, S.A. De C.V.
- Inventors: Frederick Leslie Colhoun; Michael Paul Ekart; Mary Therese Jernigan; Stephen Weinhold
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370486B2

## CPC

- C08G 63/183: Terephthalic acids
- B29B 9/12: characterised by structure or composition
- B29C 48/793: upstream of the plasticising zone, e.g. heating in the hopper
- B29C 48/832: {Heating}
- C08G 63/181: Acids containing aromatic rings
- C08G 63/185: containing two or more aromatic rings
- B29K 2067/00: Use of polyesters {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material
- Y10T 428/1352: Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
- Y10T 428/2982: Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]
- C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
- B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Polyester polymer particle spheroids comprising a polyester polymer including: a carboxylic acid component containing at least 90 mole % of the residues of terephthalic acid, derivates of terephthalic acid, naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, and/or derivatives of naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, and a hydroxyl component containing from 90 to 96 mole % of the residues of ethylene glycol, based on 100 mole percent of the carboxylic acid component residues and 100 mole percent hydroxyl component residues in the polyester polymer, wherein said particle has an It.V. of at least 0.72 dL/g, and the It.V. at the surface of the particle is from 0.02 dL/g to less than 0.25 dL/g higher than the It.V. at the center of the particle, and wherein the polyester polymer spheroids are not solid state polymerized.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Polyester polymer particle spheroids comprising a polyester polymer comprising:
(a) a carboxylic acid component comprising at least 90 mole % of the residues of terephthalic acid, derivates of terephthalic acid, naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, derivatives of naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, or mixtures thereof; and
(b) a hydroxyl component comprising from 90 to 96 mole % of the residues of ethylene glycol,
based on 100 mole percent of the carboxylic acid component residues and 100 mole percent hydroxyl component residues in the polyester polymer,
wherein said particles have an It.V. of at least 0.72 dL/g, and the It.V. at the surface of the particles is from 0.02 dL/g to less than 0.25 dL/g higher than the It.V. at the center of the particles, and
wherein the polyester polymer particle spheroids are not solid state polymerized.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 1, having an It.V. of at least 0.74 dL/g.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 2, having an It.V. of at least 0.77 dL/g.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 2, wherein the It.V at the surface of the particles is less than 0.2 dL/g higher than the It.V. at the center of the particles.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 1, wherein the It.V. at the surface of the particles is less than 0.15 dL/g higher than the It.V. at the center of the particles.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 1, having a degree of crystallinity of at least 25%.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 1, comprising less than 10 ppm acetaldehyde.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 1, having a number average weight of at least 1.0 g per 100 particles.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 1, wherein said polyester polymer particles are a virgin polyester polymer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 1, having a degree of crystallinity of at least 35%.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The polyester polymer particle spheroids of claim 1, having a degree of crystallinity of at least 40%.