Colorant composition, a polymer nanocomposite comprising the colorant composition and articles produced therefrom
AssigneeUniversity of South Carolina Research Foundation
InventorsRobert Boyd Barbee, Max Allen Weaver, James Christopher Matayabas, Jr.
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Abstract
This invention relates to a colorant composition comprising a layered clay material intercalated with at least one cationic colorant, optical brightener or a mixture thereof. This invention also relates to a polymer-clay nanocomposite comprising (i) a melt-processible matrix polymer, and (ii) a layered clay material intercalated with at least one cationic colorant, optical brightener or a mixture thereof, wherein the clay-cation colorant/optical brightener intercalate is incorporated into the matrix polymer. The invention further relates to articles produced from the polymer nanocomposite.
Claims55
A polymer-clay nanocomposite comprising:
- (i) a melt-processible matrix polymer, and incorporated therein
- (ii) a colorant composition comprising a clay material intercalated with at least one cationic colorant having a cation group and a chromophore group, wherein the cation group is separated from the chromophore group by at least two carbons.
A polymer-clay nanocomposite comprising:
- (i) a melt-processible matrix polymer, and incorporated therein
- (ii) an optical brightener composition comprising a clay material intercalated with at least one optical brightener having a cation group and a chromophore group, wherein the cation group is separated from the chromophore group by at least two carbons.
A colorant composition comprising:
- (i) at least one cationic colorant having a cation group and a chromophore group, wherein the cation group is separated from the chromophore group by at least two carbons, and
- (ii) a clay material intercalated with component (i).
A composition comprising:
- (i) at least one optical brightener having a cation group and a chromophore group, wherein the cation group is separated from the chromophore group by at least two carbons, and
- (ii) a clay material intercalated with component (i).
A process for preparing a polymer-clay nanocomposite comprising:
- (i) preparing an intercalated layered clay material by reacting a swellable layered clay material with a cationic colorant, optical brightener, or a mixture thereof, wherein the cationic colorant or optical brightener has a cation group separated from the chromophore group by at least two carbons, and
- (ii) incorporating the intercalated clay material in a matrix polymer by melt processing the matrix polymer with the intercalated clay.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.