# US 2019/0375931 A1 · Super-vibration damping thermoplastic elastomer blends and lower specific gravity articles made therewith

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- Number: US 2019/0375931 A1
- Document ID: US20190375931A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/486,964
- Filed: 2018-02-19
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2017-02-21
- Assignees: PolyOne Corporation
- Applicants: PolyOne Corporation
- Inventors: Malar SHETTY; Thomas YAKULIS; Justin ROGERS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190375931A1

## CPC

- C08J 9/0061: {characterized by the use of several polymeric components}
- C08L 53/025: {modified}
- C08F 236/10: with vinyl-aromatic monomers
- C08J 9/0014: {Use of organic additives}
- C08J 9/0066: {Use of inorganic compounding ingredients}
- C08J 9/06: by a chemical blowing agent
- C08J 9/32: from compositions containing microballoons, e.g. syntactic foams
- C08L 53/00: Compositions of block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
- C08G 2350/00: Acoustic or vibration damping material
- C08J 2203/22: Expandable microspheres, e.g. Expancel®
- C08J 2205/05: Open cells, i.e. more than 50% of the pores are open
- C08J 2205/052: Closed cells, i.e. more than 50% of the pores are closed
- C08J 2323/10: Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
- C08J 2353/02: of vinyl aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
- C08J 2453/02: of vinyl aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
- C08J 2475/04: Polyurethanes
- C08K 3/26: Carbonates; Bicarbonates
- C08K 2003/265: {Calcium, strontium or barium carbonate}
- C08L 2205/03: containing three or more polymers in a blend
- C08L 2207/04: Thermoplastic elastomer
- 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)
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
- C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09)

## Abstract

A thermoplastic elastomer compound includes hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer having a polyisoprene soft block, styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer, tackifier having a softening point of at least about 80 C according to ASTM 6493, and, optionally, one or more additional thermoplastic elastomers. The compound has a Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature (at 10 Hz) of at least 10 C and a Compound Tan Delta Peak Height (at 10 Hz) of at least 0.85 if no thermoplastic polyurethane is present and at least 0.60 if additional thermoplastic elastomer is present and includes thermoplastic polyurethane. The thermoplastic elastomer compound exhibits superior damping properties across a broad range of temperatures, including at or above room temperature, and across a broad range of vibrational frequencies. The compound in sheet form can be used as a layer in an article of a structure susceptible to forceful impact of any item. Specific gravity can be lowered by use of a foaming agent or a blowing agent with increasing capability of absorbing G-force shock.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A low specific gravity polymeric article for mitigation of impact forces, comprising:
(1) from about 90 to about 97 weight percent of a thermoplastic elastomer compound comprising:
(a) hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer having a polyisoprene soft block;
(b) styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer;
(c) tackifier having a softening point of at least about 80° C. according to ASTM 6493; and
(d) optionally, one or more additional thermoplastic elastomers selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethanes, copolyesters, copolyamides, thermoplastic olefins, thermoplastic vulcanizates, olefinic block copolymers, and combinations thereof;
wherein the compound has a Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature of at least 10° C.; and
wherein the compound has a Compound Tan Delta Peak Height of (i) at least 0.85, provided that no additional thermoplastic elastomer is present, and (ii) at least 0.60, provided that additional thermoplastic elastomer is present and comprises thermoplastic polyurethane; and
(2) from about 3 to about 10 weight percent of a functional additive to impart lower specific gravity selected from the group consisting of foaming agents which yield closed cell polymer compound structures and blowing agents which yield open cell polymer compound structures.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the polyisoprene soft block of the compound is a vinyl-polyisoprene soft block.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the polyisoprene soft block of the compound is at least partially hydrogenated.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer of the compound has a Copolymer Tan Delta Peak Temperature of less than 10° C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the Compound Tan Delta Peak Temperature is at least room temperature.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the tackifier of the compound has a softening point ranging from about 80° C. to about 150° C. according to ASTM 6493.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the tackifier of the compound has a weight average molecular weight ranging from about 400 to about 3,500.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the tackifier of the compound comprises a saturated cyclo-aliphatic amorphous hydrocarbon resin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the tackifier of the compound is present in an amount ranging from about 20 parts by weight to about 200 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the styrenic block copolymer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the compound further comprises plasticizer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the compound further comprises non-elastomeric secondary polymer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the compound further comprises filler.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the compound further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of adhesion promoters; biocides; anti-fogging agents; anti-static agents; additional blowing and foaming agents; bonding agents and bonding polymers; dispersants; flame retardants and smoke suppressants; impact modifiers; initiators; lubricants; micas; pigments, colorants and dyes; processing aids; release agents; silanes, titanates and zirconates; slip and anti-blocking agents; stabilizers; stearates; ultraviolet light absorbers; viscosity regulators; waxes; and combinations of any of the aforementioned additives.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1, wherein the compound comprises:
(a) 100 parts by weight of the styrenic block copolymer;
(b) from about 50 to about 500 parts by weight of the styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer;
(c) from about 20 to about 200 parts by weight of the tackifier;
(d) from 0 to about 400 parts by weight of the optional additional thermoplastic elastomer;
(c) from 0 to about 200 parts by weight of optional plasticizer;
(d) from 0 to about 300 parts by weight of optional non-elastomeric secondary polymer;
(e) from 0 to about 150 parts by weight of optional filler; and
(f) from 0 to about 100 parts by weight of optional other additives.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The article of claim 1 wherein the low specific gravity article is in sheet form of from about 0.6 to about 1.2 inches thick.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The article of claim 14 wherein the low specific gravity article is in sheet form of from about 0.6 to about 1.2 inches thick.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The article of claim 15, wherein Gravitational Force according to ASTM F1446-3 measured at 3.0144 m/s was reduced from about 70 to about 83 percent as compared with the thermoplastic elastomer compound without the functional additive present.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The article of claim 15, wherein the article is in the form of a sheet in a vehicle, a building, industrial machinery, tooling, recreational item, health care article, or a structure susceptible to forceful impact.