Biodegradable articles made from certain trans-polymers and blends thereof with other biodegradable components
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsBryn Hird, John Collins Dyer, David Harry Melik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Biodegradable articles such as diaper topsheets, diaper backsheets, garbage bags, tampon applicators, disposable syringes and the like that are made from trans-1,4-polyisoprene and like trans-polymers. These articles can also be made from blends of these trans-polymers with other biodegradable components such as starch.
Claims54
A biodegradable article which is selected from the group consisting of fluid pervious disposable absorbent article topsheets, disposable absorbent article backsheets, nonwovens, thermally bondable bicomponent fibers, adhesive tape substrates, laminates, surgical sponges, tampon applicators, disposable syringes, toys, bags, containers, carriers comprising a plurality of connected annular sections wherein each annular section is capable of releasably securing a container, disposable garments, disposable surgical drapes, agricultural mulch, agricultural products containing seeds, pesticides or herbicides, and foamed plastic products, said article at least partially comprising a thermoplastic trans-polymer having a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) of at least about 20,000 and made by polymerizing a monomer component that comprises:
- (1) from about 70 to 100 mole % 1,3-dienes selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-3-ethyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-3-propyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-phenyl-1,3-butadiene, 2,3-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, 1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-3-ethyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-3-propyl-1,3-pentadiene, 1,3-hexadiene, beta-myrcene, ocimene, and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (2) from 0 mol % to about 30 mole % compatible comonomers.
A biodegradable polymer-containing composition which comprises:
- a. from about 20 to about 99% by weight of a thermoplastic trans-polymer having a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) of at least about 20,000 and made by polymerizing a monomer component that comprises:
- (1) from about 70 to 100 mole % 1,3-dienes selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-3-ethyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-3-propyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-phenyl-1,3-butadiene, 2,3-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, 1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-3-ethyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-3-propyl-1,3-pentadiene, 1,3-hexadiene, beta-myrcene, ocimene, and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (2) from 0 to about 30 mole % compatible comonomers;
- and
- b. from about 1 to about 80% by weight of another biodegradable component.
An absorbent article, which comprises
- I. a fluid pervious topsheet;
- II. a backsheet,
- III. an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and backsheet
- IV. wherein at least one of said topsheet and backsheet are a film or nonwoven made from:
- A. a thermoplastic trans-polymer having a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) in the range of from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000 and made by polymerizing a monomer component that comprises:
- (1) from about 80 to 100 mole % 1,3-dienes selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene and 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene;
- and
- (2) from 0 to about 20 mole % compatible comonomers;
- or
- B. a combination of:
- (1) from about 30 to about 95% by weight of said trans-polymer;
- and
- (2) from about 5 to about 70% by weight of another biodegradable component comprising a biodegradable polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, hydrolyzable aliphatic polyesters, hydrolyzable polyurethanes, cis-polyisoprene, cis-polybutadiene, poly(caprolactone), poly(lactic acid), poly (hydroxy alkanoates), natural rubber, gutta percha, balata, dextran, chitin, chitosan, cellulose, cellulose esters, starch, and mixtures thereof.
A method for applying a temporary covering to the ground which comprises the step of applying to the ground a biodegradable covering which is made from:
- A. a thermoplastic trans-polymer having a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) in the range of from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000 and made by polymerizing a monomer component that comprises:
- (1) from about 80 to 100 mole % 1,3-dienes selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-3-ethyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-3-propyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-phenyl-1,3-butadiene, 2,3-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, 1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-3-ethyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-3-propyl-1,3-pentadiene, 1,3-hexadiene, beta-myrcene, ocimene, and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (2) from 0 to about 20 mole % compatible comonomers;
- or
- B. a combination of:
- (1) from about 20 to about 99% by weight of said trans-polymer;
- and
- (2) from about 1 to about 80% by weight of another biodegradable component.
A packaged product which is wrapped in a packaging material which is made from:
- A. a thermoplastic trans-polymer having a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) in the range of from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000 and made by polymerizing a monomer component that comprises:
- (1) from about 80 to 100 mole % 1,3-dienes selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-3-ethyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-3-propyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-phenyl-1,3-butadiene, 2,3-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, 1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-3-ethyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2-methyl-3-propyl-1,3-pentadiene, 1,3-hexadiene, beta-myrcene, ocimene, and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (2) from 0 mol % to about 20 mole % of compatible comonomers;
- or
- B. a combination of:
- (1) from about 30 to about 95% by weight of said trans-polymer;
- and
- (2) from about 5 to about 70% by weight of another biodegradable component.
A method for packaging a product which comprises wrapping the product in a packaging material which is made from:
- A. a thermoplastic trans-polymer having a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) in the range of from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000 and made by polymerizing a monomer component that comprises:
- (1) from about 90 to 100 mole % 1,3-dienes selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene and 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene;
- and
- (2) from 0 to about 10 mole % compatible comonomers;
- or
- B. a combination of:
- (1) from about 50 to about 90% by weight of said trans-polymer;
- and
- (2) from about 10 to about 50% by weight of another biodegradable component comprising a biodegradable polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, hydrolyzable aliphatic polyesters, hydrolyzable polyurethanes, cis-polyisoprene, cis-polybutadiene, poly(caprolactone), poly(lactic acid), poly(hydroxy alkanoates), natural rubber, gutta percha, balata, dextran, chitin, chitosan, cellulose, cellulose esters, starch, and mixtures thereof.
A method for making a biodegradable foamed plastic which comprises foaming:
- A. a thermoplastic trans-polymer having a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) in the range of from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000 and made by polymerizing a monomer component that comprises:
- (1) from about 80 to 100 mole % 1,3-dienes selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene and 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene;
- and
- (2) from 0 to about 20 mole % compatible comonomers;
- or
- B. a combination of:
- (1) from about 30 to about 95% by weight of said trans-polymer;
- and
- (2) from about 5 to about 75% by weight of another biodegradable component comprising a biodegradable polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, hydrolyzable aliphatic polyesters, hydrolyzable polyurethanes, cis-polyisoprene, cis-polybutadiene, poly(caprolactone), poly(lactic acid), poly(hydroxy alkanoates), natural rubber, gutta percha, balata, dextran, chitin, chitosan, cellulose, cellulose esters, starch, and mixtures thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.