Compositions and methods for making clarified aesthetically enhanced articles
AssigneeMilliken & Company
InventorsTodd Danielson, Jennifer Rockwood, Nathan Mehl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Thermoplastic articles may be manufactured having a high degree of visual appeal to consumers. Clarifying agents may be employed as additives in such thermoplastic articles to produce high clarity articles. A coloring agent may be mixed with clarifying agents to form a first blend, and then such a first blend may be applied in very low loadings to form a clarified polymeric article. It is possible to achieve an observable visual benefit while using very low loadings of coloring agent in a polyolefin, such as polypropylene. Carbon black is a pigment that may provide such observable benefits in polypropylene.
Claims30
A composition comprising:
- (a) a clarifying agent, and
- (b) a water insoluble coloring agent, said water insoluble coloring agent being comprised of at least one pigment, said composition further comprising a ratio of about 50-10,000 parts of coloring agent to 1 million parts clarifying agent.
A high clarity substantially colorless polypropylene article made by a process of forming a first blend, said first blend being comprised of a clarifying agent and a coloring agent, wherein said first blend is dispersed within polypropylene in successive steps, said coloring agent further comprising at least one pigment, said coloring agent being provided in said article in a concentration range of about 0.25-5 ppm of said article.
A coloring agent additive precursor composition comprising:
- (a) a clarifying agent, and
- (b) a water insoluble coloring agent, said water insoluble coloring agent being comprised of at least one pigment, said composition further comprising a ratio of about 50-10,000 parts of coloring agent to 1 million parts clarifying agent, and
- (c) at least one other additive, said other additive being selected from the group of:
- antioxidants, acid scavengers, slip agents, light stabilizers, optical brighteners and UV light absorbers.
A method of making a clarified thermoplastic resin with a highly dispersed coloring agent, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a clarifying agent,
- (b) providing a coloring agent, said coloring agent having therein at least one pigment,
- (c) mixing said clarifying agent with said coloring agent to form a first blend,
- (d) mixing said first blend with polymer to form a compounded resin composition,
A method of making a clarified thermoplastic resin with a highly dispersed coloring agent, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a clarifying agent,
- (b) providing a coloring agent, said coloring agent having therein at least one pigment,
- (c) mixing said coloring agent and clarifying agent with one or more selected from the following:
- antioxidant, acid scavenger, slip agent, light stabilizer, UV light absorber, and polymer;
- thereby forming a coloring agent additive precursor,
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.