Thermoplastic and thermoset polymer compositions
AssigneeRohm and Haas Company
InventorsJiun-Chen Wu, William J. Work, David L. Dunkelberger, Newman M. Bortnick
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Abstract
Polymer particles in a size range between 2 and 15 micrometers, and having a refractive index close to, but not identical with, that of a matrix polymer and optionally having one or more enclosing shells, the outer shell being compatible with the matrix polymer, impart light-diffusing properties to the matrix polymer without degrading its physical properties, while the particles having a closer refractive index match to the matrix polymer impart gloss reduction to the surface of the matrix polymer.
Claims52
A thermoplastic composition having modified optical properties which comprises a thermoplastic matrix polymer and, distributed throughout the matrix polymer, from about 0.1% to about 40% of the total composition weight of spherical polymer particles of core/shell having an average diameter of from about 2 to about 15 .mu.m and a size distribution such that at least 90% by weight of the polymer particles fall with .+-.20% of the average particle diameter, a core of rubbery alkyl acrylate polymer and one or more shells, the outer shell of which is compatible with the matrix polymer.
A thermoset polymer composition having modified optical properties which comprises a thermoset matrix polymer and, distributed throughout the matrix polymer, from about 0.1% to about 40% of the total composition weight of spherical polymer particles of core/shell having an average diameter of from about 2 to about 15 .mu.m and a size distribution such that at least 90% by weight of the polymer particles fall with .+-.20% of the average particle diameter, a core of rubbery alkyl acrylate polymer and one or more shells, the outer shell of which is compatible with the matrix polymer.
A light-diffusing polymer composition which comprises a matrix polymer and, distributed throughout the matrix polymer, from about 0.1% to about 40% of the total composition weight of particles of core/shell having an average diameter of from about 2 to about 15 .mu.m, a size distribution smaller than about .+-.20% of the average particle diameter, a core of rubbery alkyl acrylate polymer and one or more shells, the outer shell of which is compatible with the matrix polymer and where the particles have a refractive index (n.sub.D.sup.25) within about .+-.0.05 units of, but no closer than about .+-.0.003 units to, the refractive index of the matrix polymer.
A light-diffusing polymer composition which comprises a matrix polymer and, distributed throughout the matrix polymer, from about 0.1% to about 10% of the total composition weight of particles of core/shell polymer having an average diameter of from about 2 to about 15 .mu.m, a size distribution smaller than about .+-.20% of the average particle diameter, a core of rubbery alkyl acrylate copolymer, the alkyl group having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, the core containing from 0 to about 5% crosslinker and 0 to about 5% graftlinker (based on the total weight of the core) and having a refractive index (n.sub.D.sup.25) within about .+-.0.05 units of, but no closer than about .+-.0.003 units to, the refractive index of the matrix polymer, and one or more polymer shells, the outer shell of which is compatible with the matrix polymer, which shells comprise from about 5 to about 40% of the weight of the particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.