# US 11,078,342 B2 · Block expandable polymeric compositions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,078,342 B2 - Document ID: US11078342B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/314,098 - Filed: 2017-07-28 - Published: 2019-10-10 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-29 - Assignees: Versalis S.P.A. - Applicants: Versalis S.p.A. - Inventors: Giovanni Cuder; Stefano Comba - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078342B2 ## CPC - C08J 9/141: {Hydrocarbons} - C08J 9/0061: {characterized by the use of several polymeric components} - C08J 9/16: Making expandable particles - C08J 9/224: Surface treatment - C08J 9/232: by sintering expandable particles - C08L 25/06: Polystyrene - C09D 125/06: Polystyrene - C08J 2201/03: Extrusion of the foamable blend - C08J 2201/036: Use of an organic, non-polymeric compound to impregnate, bind or coat a foam, e.g. fatty acid ester - C08J 2203/14: Saturated hydrocarbons, e.g. butane; Unspecified hydrocarbons - C08J 2207/00: Foams characterised by their intended use - C08J 2325/06: Polystyrene - C08J 2453/02: of vinyl aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) ## Abstract The present invention relates to an expandable polymeric composition that comprises: a) from 60% to 88% by weight of a vinyl aromatic polymer and/or copolymer, calculated respect to (a)+(b); b) from 12% to 40% by weight of a block copolymer, containing at least one vinyl aromatic polymer and/or copolymer and at least one hydrogenated diene polymer, calculated respect to (a)+(b); c) from 3 parts to 10 parts by weight of a blowing agent, calculated on 100 parts of (a)+(b). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An expandable polymeric composition comprising: a. from 60% to 88% by weight of a vinyl aromatic polymer and/or vinyl aromatic copolymer, calculated with respect to (a)+(b); b. from 12% to 40% by weight of a block copolymer, containing at least one vinyl aromatic polymer and/or vinyl aromatic copolymer and at least one hydrogenated diene polymer, calculated with respect to (a)+(b); c. from 3 parts to 10 parts by weight of a blowing agent, calculated on 100 parts of (a)+(b); wherein all of the polymer and/or (co)polymer of the composition consists of components a) and b); wherein the vinyl aromatic polymer and/or vinyl aromatic copolymer (a) is obtained from a vinyl aromatic monomer of formula (I): alone, or from a mixture of said vinyl aromatic monomers of formula (I), or from a mixture containing said vinyl aromatic monomers of formula (I) and copolymerizable vinyl monomers; in which R is a hydrogen or a methyl group; n is zero or an integer that ranges from 1 to 3; Y is selected from a halogen; a chloromethyl; an alkyl group or an alkoxy group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; wherein said copolymerizable vinyl monomers are selected from (meth)acrylic acid, maleic anhydride, alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or amides and nitriles of (meth)acrylic acid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1 consisting of elements a), b) and c). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1, wherein the block copolymer is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1 wherein the vinyl aromatic monomer is selected from styrene, α-methylstyrene, methyl-styrene, ethyl-styrene, vinyltoluene isomers, ethylstyrene isomers, propylstyrene isomers, chloro styrene isomers, methylchlorostyrene isomers, methoxystyrene isomers, acetoxystyrene isomers, hydroxystyrene isomers, methylhydroxystyrene isomers, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1 wherein the block copolymers are selected from polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene or block copolymers of polystyrene poly(ethylene-propylene)-polystyrene type. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1 wherein conjugated dienes used for the preparation of block copolymers (b) are those having from 4 to 8 carbon atoms. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Polymeric composition according to claim 6 wherein the conjugated dienes are selected from 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, piperylene, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1 in which a vinyl aromatic component content in the block copolymer (b) ranges from 20% to 45% by weight. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1, wherein the Melt Flow Index (MFI) of the vinyl aromatic copolymer in the block copolymer is greater than or equal to 1 g/10 min, measured with ASTM D1238 method; 5 kg, 200° C. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1 wherein the blowing agent is selected from aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons containing from 3 to 6 carbon atoms and the halogenated derivatives of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Expanded beads which contain the polymeric composition according to claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) Packaging comprising the beads according to claim 11. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Packaging comprising the polymeric composition according to claim 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) Polymeric composition according to claim 2, wherein the block copolymer is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) Polymeric composition according to claim 2 wherein the block copolymers are selected from polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene or block copolymers of polystyrene poly(ethylene-propylene)-polystyrene type. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) Polymeric composition according to claim 2 wherein conjugated dienes used for the preparation of block copolymers (b) are those having from 4 to 8 carbon atoms. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) Polymeric composition according to claim 16 wherein the conjugated dienes are selected from 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, piperylene, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) Polymeric composition according to claim 2 in which the vinyl aromatic copolymer content in the block copolymer (b) ranges from 20% to 45% by weight. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) Polymeric composition according to claim 2, wherein the Melt Flow Index (MFI) of the vinyl aromatic copolymer in the block copolymer is greater than or equal to 1 g/10 min, measured with ASTM D1238 method; 5 kg, 200° C. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) Polymeric composition according to claim 2 wherein the blowing agent is selected from aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons containing from 3 to 6 carbon atoms and the halogenated derivatives of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms. ### Claim 21 (depends on 2) Expanded beads which contain the polymeric composition according to claim 2. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) Packaging comprising the beads according to claim 21. ### Claim 23 (depends on 2) Packaging comprising the polymeric composition according to claim 2. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1 comprising from 18% to 30% by weight of said block copolymer, containing said at least one vinyl aromatic polymer and/or vinyl aromatic copolymer and said at least one hydrogenated diene polymer, calculated with respect to (a)+(b). ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) Polymeric composition according to claim 1 consisting essentially of elements (a), (b) and (c).