# US 10,870,748 B2 · Polarity manipulation in polystyrene for enhanced bio-polymer miscibility

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- Number: US 10,870,748 B2
- Document ID: US10870748B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/157,324
- Filed: 2018-10-11
- Published: 2019-02-07
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-29
- Assignees: Fina Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Fina Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Wei Wang; David W. Knoeppel; Jose M. Sosa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870748B2

## CPC

- C08L 25/14: with unsaturated esters
- C08L 1/00: Compositions of cellulose, modified cellulose or cellulose derivatives
- C08L 3/00: Compositions of starch, amylose or amylopectin or of their derivatives or degradation products
- C08L 5/00: Compositions of polysaccharides or of their derivatives not provided for in groups C08L1/00 or C08L3/00
- C08L 25/08: Copolymers of styrene (C08L29/08, C08L35/06, C08L55/02 take precedence)
- C08L 29/04: Polyvinyl alcohol; Partially hydrolysed homopolymers or copolymers of esters of unsaturated alcohols with saturated carboxylic acids
- C08L 35/06: Copolymers with vinyl aromatic monomers
- C08L 67/04: Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones (C08L67/06 takes precedence)
- C08K 5/0016: {Plasticisers}
- C08L 2201/06: Biodegradable
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)
- C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09)

## Abstract

A styrenic composition including a polar modified styrenic co-polymer resulting from the polymerization of a combined mixture of at least one styrenic monomer and at least one comonomer and a biodegradable component is disclosed. The at least one comonomer includes a polar functional group and the polar modified styrenic co-polymer and the biodegradable component are combined to obtain a styrenic composition having a biodegradable component. Also disclosed is a method of enhancing bio-polymer miscibility in a styrenic based polymer. The polarity of a blend is manipulated by combining a styrenic monomer and a polar co-monomer to form a combined mixture and subjecting the combined mixture to polymerization to obtain a styrenic polymer blend to which a bio-polymer is added.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A styrenic composition comprising:
a polar modified styrenic co-polymer resulting from the polymerization of a combined mixture of at least one styrenic monomer and at least one comonomer;
a biodegradable component comprising polylactic acid; and
a polar additive comprising styrene maleic anhydride, glyceride oil, poly(1,4-butylene adipate), epoxidized linseed oil, polyester, or combinations thereof;
wherein the at least one comonomer comprises a polar functional group, wherein the comonomer comprising a polar functional group is selected from the group consisting of caprolactone(meth)acrylate, polyethylene glycol(meth)acrylate, silyl-(meth)acrylate, and fluoro-alkyl(meth)acrylate;
wherein the polar modified styrenic co-polymer and the biodegradable component are combined to obtain a styrenic composition comprising the biodegradable component.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the polar additive is present in the styrenic composition in amounts ranging from 0.5 to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the styrenic composition.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the polar modified styrenic co-polymer is present in amounts ranging from 75 to 99 wt % based on the total weight of the styrenic composition.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the biodegradable component in the styrenic composition has a particle size distribution having a peak particle size of less than 2.0 μm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An article made from the composition of claim 1.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the styrenic composition comprising the biodegradable component exhibits a polydispersity index ranging from 1.0 to 5.0.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the styrenic composition comprising the biodegradable component exhibits a melt flow index of at least 1.0 g/10 min., as determined in accordance with ASTM D-1238.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the styrenic composition comprising the biodegradable component exhibits a glass transition temperature ranging from 50 to 200° C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the styrenic composition comprising the biodegradable component has an average particle size distribution ranging from 0.1 to 1000.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the styrenic composition comprising the biodegradable component has a particle size distribution having a peak particle size ranging from 30 to 300 μm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the styrenic composition comprising the biodegradable component has a particle size distribution having a peak particle size ranging from 0.3 to 3 μm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the styrenic composition comprising the biodegradable component has a particle size distribution having a peak particle size ranging from 2 to 10 μm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the styrenic composition comprising the biodegradable component has an average particle size ranging from 0.3 to 30 μm.

### Claim 14

A method of making a styrenic polymer comprising a biodegradable component comprising:
combining a styrenic monomer and a comonomer comprising a polar functional group to form a combined mixture, wherein the comonomer comprising a polar functional group is selected from the group consisting of caprolactone(meth)acrylate, polyethylene glycol(meth)acrylate, silyl-(meth)acrylate, and fluoro-alkyl(meth)acrylate;
subjecting the combined mixture to polymerization to obtain a polar modified styrenic co-polymer; and
combining the polar modified styrenic co-polymer with a biodegradable component and a polar additive to obtain the styrenic polymer comprising the biodegradable component, wherein the biodegradable component comprises polylactic acid, and wherein the polar additive comprises poly(1,4-butylene adipate), epoxidized linseed oil, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the biodegradable component in the styrenic composition has a particle size distribution having a peak particle size of less than 2.0 μm.