Heavy metal-free and anaerobically compostable vinyl halide compositions, articles and landfill biodegradation
AssigneeBiotech Products, LLC
InventorRichard F. Grossman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Heavy metal-free compostable polymers, composites and articles anaerobically biodegrade in landfills in a relatively short time. Heavy metal-free composite polymeric articles and sheets such as indoor or outdoor signs, billboards, banners, images, protective barriers, backdrops and wall coverings have very useful service durations and yet are landfill biodegradable.
Claims38
A heavy metal-free and anaerobically compostable vinyl halide polymer composition comprising
- a vinyl halide polymer or copolymer thereof,
- an organic based heat stabilizer essentially free of heavy metals in an effective amount to heat stabilize said polymer or copolymer, and
- a monomeric adduct of an organotitanate or an organozirconate as a prodegradant in relative amounts to render the polymer composition anaerobically compostable under ASTM D-5526-94 conditions, and wherein said adduct is defined by the formula
- ORGANOTITANATE OR ZIRCONATE —X-SALT FORMING GROUP-R—C═C-ACTIVATING GROUP,
- where X is a phosphate, nitrate or sulfonate group, R is a hydrocarbon radical or substituted hydrocarbon radical and activating group has a C═O, —CN, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or an aromatic ring conjugated with the C═C to activate the carbon-carbon double bond, wherein the substituent of the substituted hydrocarbon radical is selected from the group consisting of an ether, thioether, ester, thioester, and amide.
A heavy metal-free and anaerobically compostable polymeric composite article comprising
- an article having an hydrophobic vinyl halide polymer or copolymer surface layer, and
- biodegradable polymer layer underlying said surface layer
- said surface layer containing (a) an organic based heat stabilizer essentially free of heavy metals in an effective amount to heat stabilize said polymer or copolymer and (b) a monomeric adduct of an organotitanate or an organozirconate as a prodegradant in relative amounts to render the surface layer anaerobically compostable under ASTM D-5526-94 conditions, thereby enhancing degradation of said article, and wherein said adduct is defined by the formula
- ORGANOTITANATE OR ZIRCONATE —X-SALT FORMING GROUP-R—C═C=ACTIVATING GROUP
- where X is a phosphate, nitrate or sulfonate group, where R is a hydrocarbon radical or substituted hydrocarbon radical and activating group has a C═O, —CN, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or an aromatic ring conjugated with the C═C to activate the carbon-carbon double bond, wherein the substituent of the substituted hydrocarbon radical is selected from the group consisting of an ether, thioether, ester, thioester, and amide.
A method of anaerobic biodegradation of a compostable polymeric article having a surface layer of an hydrophobic vinyl halide polymer or copolymer containing
- (a) an organic based heat stabilizer in effective amount to heat stabilize said polymer or copolymer and
- (b) a monomeric adduct of an organotitanate or an organozirconate as a prodegradant in relative amounts to render the surface layer anaerobically compostable under ASTM D-5526-94 conditions, and wherein said adduct is defined by the formula
- ORGANOTITANATE OR ZIRCONATE —X-SALT FORMING GROUP-R—C═C-ACTIVATING GROUP
- where X is a nitrate or sulfonate group, R is a hydrocarbon radical or substituted hydrocarbon radical and activating group has a C═O, —CN, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or an aromatic ring conjugated with the C═C to activate the carbon-carbon double bond, wherein the substituent of the substituted hydrocarbon radical is selected from the group consisting of an ether, thioether, ester, thioester, and amide,
- anaerobically degrading said article surface layer in the landfill, thereby enhancing degradation of said article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.