# US 10,865,273 B2 · Process for the production of a thermoplastic elastomer and the thermoplastic elastomer

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- Number: US 10,865,273 B2
- Document ID: US10865273B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/312,515
- Filed: 2017-06-26
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-27
- Assignees: Dsm IP Assets B.V.
- Applicants: Dsm IP Assets B.V.
- Inventors: Ellen Van Hemelrijck; Wilhelmus Petrus Johannes Appel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865273B2

## CPC

- C08G 63/80: Solid-state polycondensation
- B29C 49/0015: {Making articles of indefinite length, e.g. corrugated tubes}
- B29C 49/04: Extrusion blow-moulding
- C08G 63/183: Terephthalic acids
- C08G 63/64: Polyesters containing both carboxylic ester groups and carbonate groups
- C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
- 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)

## Abstract

A thermoplastic elastomer contains (a) hard segments of a polyester and (b) soft segments containing repeating units derived from an aliphatic carbonate, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer exhibits a melt flow index (MFI) measured at 230° C. under a load of 10 kg (MFI 230° C./10 kg) according to ISO1133 (2011) of at most 40 g/10 min. The thermoplastic elastomer is produced by subjecting a precursor of the thermoplastic elastomer to solid state post reaction processing at a temperature between 140 and 170° C. until the thermoplastic elastomer has the required MFI of at most 40 g/10 min measured at 230° C. under a load of 10 kg (MFI 230° C./10 kg) according to ISO1133 (2011).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the production of a thermoplastic elastomer containing (a) hard segments of a polyester and (b) soft segments comprising repeating units derived from an aliphatic carbonate, wherein the process comprises subjecting a precursor thermoplastic elastomer to solid state post-reaction processing at a temperature between 140 and 170° C. until the thermoplastic elastomer has a melt flow index (MFI) measured at 230° C. under a load of 10 kg (MFI 230° C./10 kg), according to ISO1133 (2011) of at most 40 g/10 min.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the precursor thermoplastic elastomer is subjected to solid state post-reaction at a temperature below 165° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the hard segments (a) of a polyester contain as repeating units butylene terephthalate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein soft segments (b) contain alkylene carbonate repeating unit is represented by Formula I:
where R=H and/or alkyl; and
X=2-20.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the hard segments (a) and the soft segments (b) are bonded via ester bonds forming copolyester units and the copolyester units are joined by a urethane group having the formula:
where R1=an alkyl, aryl or aralkyl group and p=2 or 3.

### Claim 6

A thermoplastic elastomer comprising:
(a) hard segments of a polyester, and
(b) soft segments which comprise repeating units derived from an aliphatic carbonate, wherein
the thermoplastic elastomer has a melt flow index (MFI) measured at 230° C. under a load of 10 kg (MFI 230° C./10 kg) according to ISO1133 (2011) of at most 40 g/10 min.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The thermoplastic elastomer according to claim 6, wherein the MFI of the thermoplastic elastomer is at most 30.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The thermoplastic elastomer according to claim 6, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has a melting temperature measured with DSC according to ISO 11357-1:1997 under air atmosphere (purge 50 ml/min) using a heating and cooling rate of 20 K/min is at least 180° C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The thermoplastic elastomer according to claim 8, wherein the melting temperature of the thermoplastic elastomer is at least 200° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The thermoplastic elastomer according to claim 6, wherein the hard segments (a) comprise butylene terephthalate as repeating units.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The thermoplastic elastomer according to claim 6, wherein the soft segments (b) comprise repeating units represented by Formula I:
where R=H and/or alkyl; and
X=2-20.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

A process for forming a blow-molded article which comprises blow molding a polymer composition comprising the thermoplastic elastomer according to claim 6.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The process according to claim 12, wherein the process is suction blow molding.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

A shaped object comprising the thermoplastic elastomer according to claim 6, wherein the shaped object is an air duct, a corrugated tube for the production of jounce bumpers or a cover for a constant velocity joint.