Method of making a polymer blend composition by reactive extrusion
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsJames H. Wang, David M. Schertz
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Abstract
The present invention is a hydrolytically modified, biodegradable polymer and a method of making a hydrolytically modifiable a biodegradable polymer. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a method of grafting polar groups onto biodegradable polymers and modified biodegradable polymer compositions produced by the method. The polymer compositions are useful as components in flushable and degradable articles. Water-sensitive polymer blends and method of making those polymer blends are also disclosed.
Claims13
A method of making a polymer blend comprising the steps of:
- a) combining a first biodegradable polymer, a second biodegradable polymer, a polar monomer, oligomer, or polymer or a combination thereof and a free radical initiator in a reaction vessel;
- and
- b) providing sufficient energy to the combination of said first and second biodegradable polymers, said polar monomer, oligomer, or polymer or a combination thereof and said free radical initiator in order to form a blend of a first biodegradable polymer grafted with a polar monomer, oligomer, or polymer or a combination thereof and a second biodegradable polymer grafted with a polar monomer, oligomer, or polymer or a combination thereof, wherein said first and second biodegradable polymers are different polymers and wherein said polar monomer, oligomer, or polymer is selected from 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, polyethylene glycol methacrylate or derivatives thereof.
A method of making a polymer blend composition comprising the steps of:
- a) combining a polylactide, poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-β-hydroxyvalerate), and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate or polyethyleneglycol methacrylate and a free radical initiator in a reaction vessel;
- and
- b) providing sufficient energy to the combination of said polylactide, said poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-β-hydroxyvalerate), said 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate or polyethyleneglycol methacrylate and said free radical initiator in order to form a homogeneous blend of said polylactide grafted with said 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate or polyethyleneglycol methacrylate and said poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-β-hydroxyvalerate) grafted with said 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate or polyethyleneglycol methacrylate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.