Process for making recyclable copolyesters articles with living hinges

A process for producing three-component recyclable article comprising

• A) producing component A—a reclosable lid with a living hinge as a single component by injection molding at least one polyester using a mold with one or more injection points wherein the average polyester flow length divided by the average thickness of the lid is below 200;
• wherein at least one polyester comprises:
• (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising:
• (i) 88 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues;
• (ii) 0 to 12 mole % of aromatic and/or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms;
• and
• (b) a glycol component comprising:
• (i) 88 to 100 mole % of ethylene glycol residues;
• and
• (ii) 0 to 12 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues;
• wherein the total mole % of the acid residues is 100 mole %, and the total mole % of the glycol residues is 100 mole %;
• wherein the inherent viscosity (IhV) of said polyester ranges from 0.60 to 1.1 dL/g as determined in 60/40 (wt/wt) phenol/tetrachloroethane at a concentration of 0.25 g/50 ml at 25° C.;
• and
• wherein the melting point temperature (Tm) of said polyester ranges from 225 to 255° C. as determined by ASTM D3418 at a scan rate of 10° C./min;
• B) producing component B—a container by injection stretch blow molding at least one polyester;
• wherein at least one polyester comprises:
• (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising:
• (i) 88 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues;
• (ii) 0 to 12 mole % of aromatic and/or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms;
• and
• (b) a glycol component comprising:
• (i) 88 to 100 mole % of ethylene glycol residues;
• and
• (ii) 0 to 12 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues;
• and
• (c) optionally at least one branching agent in the amount ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 mole % based on the total moles of glycol residues if said branching agent has hydroxyl substituents and otherwise based on the total moles of acid residues;
• wherein the total mole % of the acid residues is 100 mole %, and the total mole % of the glycol residues is 100 mole %;
• wherein the inherent viscosity (IhV) of said polyester ranges from 0.60 to 1.1 dL/g as determined in 60/40 (wt/wt) phenol/tetrachloroethane at a concentration of 0.25 g/50 ml al 25° C.;
• and wherein the melting point temperature (Tm) of said polyester ranges from 225 to 255° C. as determined by ASTM D3418 at a scan rate of 10° C./min
• and
• C) producing component C—a heat shrinkable film or label from at least one crystallizable resin which comprises a polyester composition comprising:
• at least one polyester which comprises:
• (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising:
• (i) about 70 to about 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues;
• (ii) about 0 to about 30 mole % of aromatic and/or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms;
• and
• (b) a diol component comprising:
• about 75 mole % or greater of ethylene glycol residues and
• about 25 mole % or less of other glycols comprising one or more of:
• (i) about 0.1 to less than about 24 mole % of neopentyl glycol residues;
• (ii) 0 to less than about 24 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues;
• (iii) about 1 to less than about 10 mole % of total diethylene glycol residues in the final polyester composition;
• wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and wherein the total mole % of the diol component is 100 mole %;
• or
• C′) producing component C′—a heat shrinkable film or label from at least one crystallizable resin which comprises a blend of polyester compositions comprising:
• (1) 5-80% of at least one crystallizable polyester which comprises:
• (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising:
• (i) about 70 to about 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues;
• (ii) about 0 to about 30 mole % of aromatic and/or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms;
• and
• a diol component chosen from either (b) or (b′), wherein
• (b) is a diol component comprising:
• about 75 mole % or greater of ethylene glycol residues and
• about 25 mole % or less of other glycols comprising one or more of:
• (i) about 0 to less than about 25 mole % of neopentyl glycol residues;
• (ii) about 0 to less than about 25 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues;
• (iii) about 0 to less than about 10 mole % of total diethylene glycol residues in the final polyester composition;
• wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and wherein the total mole % of the diol component is 100 mole %;
• or wherein
• (b′) is a diol component comprising:
• about 75 mole % or greater of ethylene glycol residues and
• about 25 mole % or less of other glycols comprising one or more of:
• (i) about 0.1 to less than about 24 mole % of neopentyl glycol residues;
• (ii) about 0.1 to less than about 24 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues;
• (iii) about 1 to less than about 10 mole % of total diethylene glycol residues in the final polyester composition;
• wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and wherein the total mole % of the diol component is 100 mole %;
• and
• (2) 20-95% of at least one amorphous polyester which comprises:
• (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising:
• (i) about 70 to about 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues;
• (ii) about 0 to about 30 mole % of aromatic and/or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms;
• and
• (b) a diol component comprising:
• about 60 mole % or greater of ethylene glycol residues and
• about 40 mole % or less of other glycols comprising one or more of:
• (i) about 0 to less than about 40 mole % of neopentyl glycol residues;
• (ii) about 0 to less than about 40 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues;
• (iii) about 0 to less than about 15 mole % of total diethylene glycol residues in the final polyester composition, whether or not formed in situ;
• wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, and wherein the total mole % of the diol component is 100 mole %;
• and wherein (1) and (2) are different.