Transparent Composition

Abstract

Compositions contain a poly(alkyl)(meth)acrylate matrix material and at least one additive, where the transparency is influenced to a minimal degree by the addition of the additive.

Claims

1: A composition, consisting of; a poly(alkyl)(meth)acrylate matrix material, and at least one additive of the formula (I)
M.sup.1.sub.m1M.sup.2.sub.m2D.sup.1.sub.d1D.sup.2.sub.d2  (I) with M.sup.1=[R.sub.3SiO.sub.1/2] M.sup.2=[R.sub.2R.sup.1SiO.sub.1/2] D.sup.1=[R.sub.2SiO.sub.2/2] D.sup.2=[RR.sup.1SiO.sub.2/2] wherein R is independently an alkyl radical or an aromatic or alkylaromatic radical, R.sup.1 is independently —R.sup.3—(O—R.sup.4).sub.p wherein R.sup.4 is a polyester radical, R.sup.3 is a p+1-valent hydrocarbon interrupted by oxygen atoms, having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and p is 1 to 4, with d1=5 to 70, d2=0 to 20, m1=0 to 2, m2=0 to 2, with the proviso that:
m1+m2=2, N=d1+d2+2=10 to 80, and d2+m2≥1.

2: The composition according to claim 1, wherein in formula (I), (d2+m2)*100/N is from 4% to 40%.

3: The composition according to claim 1, wherein the R.sup.3 in formula (I) are independently saturated or unsaturated oxygen-interrupted hydrocarbons having p+1 binding sites, where R.sup.3 consists of fragments (a) and (b), where the fragments (a) and (b) are bonded to one another via oxygen atoms.

4: The composition according to claim 3, wherein fragment (a) has saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbons having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and fragment (b) has saturated hydrocarbons having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, d both fragments (a) and (b) are free of heteroatoms.

5: The composition according to claim 1, wherein the polyester radicals R.sup.4 are formed from 3 to 30 ester units.

6: The composition according to claim 1, wherein the polyester radicals R.sup.4 are formed from an acyl radical of one or more of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, 3-methylbutyric acid, caproic acid, oenanthic acid, caprylic acid, 3,5,5-trimethylcaproic acid, or a corresponding hydroxy acid or lactone.

7: The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition consists to an extent of 0.05% by weight to 10% by weight, of the at least one additive of the formula (I), based on the overall composition.

8: A moulding compound or shaped body, comprising the composition according to claim 1.

9: The moulding compound or shaped body according to claim 8, further comprising an impact modifier.

10: The moulding compound or shaped body according to claim 8, wherein the poly(alkyl)(meth)acrylate matrix material is a homopolymer, a copolymer, or a mixture thereof, where at least one component of the poly(alkyl)(meth)acrylate matrix material is a polymer of methyl methacrylate to an extent of 50% to 100% by weight.

11: The moulding compound or shaped body according to claim 8, wherein the moulding compound or shaped body contains an auxiliary, a filler, or a further additions.

12: The moulding compound or shaped body according to claim 8, wherein the moulding compound or shaped body is in a form of a decorative covering panel or functional installable component in a motor vehicle, consumer electronic, or domestic appliance.

13: The composition according to claim 1, wherein in the formula (I), R is independently an alkyl radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an aromatic or alkylaromatic radical having 6 to 8 carbon atoms.

14: The composition according to claim 4, wherein fragment (a) has saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbons having 2 to 3 carbon atoms, and fragment (b) has saturated hydrocarbons having 2 to 6 carbon atoms.

15: The composition according to claim 5, wherein the polyester radical R.sup.4 is formed from 5 to 15 ester units.

16: The composition according to claim 6, wherein the polyester radical R.sup.4 is formed from an acyl radical of an acid selected from the group consisting of valeric acid, caproic acid, and a corresponding hydroxy acid or lactone.

17: The composition according to claim 7, wherein the composition consists to an extent of 0.5% by weight to 3% by weight, of the at least one additive of the formula (I), based on the overall composition.

18: The moulding compound or shaped body according to claim 9, comprising the impact modifier in a proportion of 0.1% to 15% by weight, based on a total mass of the moulding compound or shaped body.

19: The moulding compound or shaped body according to claim 10, wherein the poly(alkyl)(meth)acrylate matrix material comprises the polymer of methyl methacrylate to an extent of 99% to 100% by weight.

20: The moulding compound or shaped body according to claim 11, wherein the further addition is a colorant.

Description

EXAMPLE 1: PREPARATION

Example 1.1. Synthesis

[0146] The additives of Table 1 were produced in accordance with example 1 of WO 1986/004072; the details in column E result from the metered addition.

[0147] For preparation of sample 12 (table 1), a four-neck flask equipped with a precision glass stirrer, reflux condenser and thermometer was charged with 395.7 g of anhydrous ε-caprolactone and 204.3 g of a poly(methyl, hydroxyethylpropoxy)(dimethyl)siloxane copolymer having an OH number of 68 mg KOH/g, and heated to 140° C. while stirring. At 140° C., 0.3 g of tin(II) octanoate was added and exothermicity was permitted up to 150° C. After a reaction time of 7 h at 145° C., the viscous liquid product was cooled down to about 70° C. and poured out into a metal tank for cooling. After cooling to room temperature, a solid colorless product having a residual caprolactone content determined by 1H NMR of not more than 0.3% was obtained.

##STR00001##

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Additives according to Example 1; the generic parameters reported are based on the formula shown above; the fragments in column A are bonded to the left-hand valence of the silicone polymer Sample R.sup.1 A E n m 1 —A—E —(CH.sub.2).sub.6—O— 20 × capryl 28 0 2 —A—E —(CH.sub.2).sub.6—O— 14 × capryl 20 0 3 —A—E —(CH.sub.2).sub.6—O— 6 × capryl 13 5 4 —CH.sub.3 —(CH.sub.2).sub.6—O— 14 × capryl 43 5 5 —A—E —(CH.sub.2).sub.6—O— 14 × capryl + 28 0 6 × valeryl 7 —A—E —(CH.sub.2).sub.3—O—(CH.sub.2).sub.2—O— 20 × capryl 28 0 8 —A—E —(CH.sub.2).sub.2—O—(CH.sub.2).sub.4—O— 20 × capryl 28 0 9 —A—E -propoxy - glyceryl 10 × capryl 28 0 10 —A—E -propoxy - TMP 10 × capryl 28 0 11 —A—E —(CH.sub.2).sub.3—O—(CH.sub.2).sub.2—O— 6 × capryl 13 5 12 —CH.sub.3 —(CH.sub.2).sub.3—O—(CH.sub.2).sub.2—O— 14 × capryl 43 5 13 —A—E —(CH.sub.2).sub.3—O—(CH.sub.2).sub.2—O— 14 × capryl + 28 0 6 × valeryl

[0148] Noninventive compounds are samples 1 to 5.

[0149] The propoxy—glyceryl radical corresponds to:

##STR00002##

[0150] The propoxy—TMP radical corresponds to:

##STR00003##

[0151] The E radicals of samples 1 to 13 bear a terminal hydroxyl group.

Example 1.2. Production of the Compounds

[0152] For production of the compounds, 3 kg of PMMA is mixed with the appropriate proportions of the additives according to Example 1.1 in a Henschel mixer (volume of 4 litres) for 5 minutes and then introduced into the main intake of the extrusion line. Extrusion is effected in a 27 mm twin-screw extruder (co-rotating compounding screw with an L/D ratio=40 from Leistritz). The temperature profile was taken from the respective data sheet of the PMMA; PLEXIGLAS® FT 15, PLEXIGLAS@ 8N and PLEXIGLAS@ 8N 9V002 (black) (trade marks of Evonik, Germany) were sourced from Evonik Röhm GmbH.

EXAMPLE 2: PRODUCTION AND TESTING OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF MOULDINGS

[0153] The moulding compounds produced in Example 1 were processed on an injection moulding machine to give plaques of size 6 cm×6 cm with different thickness. These plaques were examined for their optical properties (opacity and L* values) with an SP 62 from X-rite. The L* values were recorded against a black background of a Leneta film; the black background had an L* value of 27.41. Samples 14 and 15 from results tables 2 and 3 are each the values for PLEXIGLAS without additive, where it becomes clear with values in the region of 40 units for L* that even transparent PMMA without additive already brings about a significant change because the light is partially altered by the PMMA layer before it hits the black background. Thus, the higher the L* value of the sample, the greater the loss of transparency in the material. This increase in the L* value is then also accompanied by an increase in the opacity value, but this is a reduction in transparency.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Opacity (abbreviated to “Opac.”) and L* values according to Example 2 in PLEXIGLAS FT 15 with different concentrations of additive and different layer thicknesses (SD), concentration figures in % by weight based on the composition; sample 14 corresponds to the matrix polymer without any additive 1% additive 2% additive 3% additive 2% additive SD 2 mm SD 2 mm SD 2 mm SD 0.60 mm Comp. Opac. L* value Opac. L* value Opac. L* value Opac. L* value 1 18.4 43.17 23.7 45.27 28.8 48.55 20.4 44.89 2 18.1 43.04 22.3 45.01 27.5 47.89 3 19.8 44.54 4 19.9 44.79 5 18.2 42.75 22.3 44.92 26.7 47.53 20.0 44.51 7 16.2 41.55 18.0 42.10 20.8 44.17 15.1 41.09 8 16.9 41.48 17.1 41.88 20.2 43.81 9 16.5 41.54 17.5 42.01 10 17.2 42.17 11 16.4 41.48 12 17.9 42.31 21.9 44.27 14.1 40.54 14 15.6 41.24 15.6 41.24 15.6 41.24 14.1 40.20

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Opacity (abbreviated to “Opac.”) and L* values according to Example 2 in PLEXIGLAS 8N with different concentrations of additive and different layer thicknesses (SD), concentration figures in % by weight based on the composition; sample 15 corresponds to the matrix polymer without any additive 1% additive 2% additive 2% additive SD, 2 mm SD, 2 mm 0.60 mm Comp. Opac. L* value Opac. L* value Opac. L* value 1 19.9 44.01 27.3 48.10 23.1 44.85 2 20.1 44.92 27.1 47.92 22.9 44.78 5 20.5 44.81 28.0 48.72 23.6 45.17 7 16.5 41.57 19.2 42.76 16.2 40.81 8 16.9 41.44 18.9 43.31 15.8 40.72 12 16.1 40.87 19.7 43.54 17.0 41.57 15 16.3 41.05 16.3 41.05

[0154] The examples in Tables 2 and 3 show that the compositions according to the invention have lower values across the board in opacity and also in the L* value than exhibited by the noninventive compositions. Thus, the plastic plaques produced using the compositions according to the invention are much clearer and less hazy than using prior art compositions.

EXAMPLE 2: TESTING OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

[0155] To determine wiping resistance, the plastic plaques produced according to Example 2 were tested by means of a Crockmaster 670 (James H. Heal, UK) to EN ISO 105-X12 or BS 1006 X12. For this purpose, the plate with a crocking cloth and an applied weight of 9 N was used to apply a defined number of wiping strokes (forward/backward), with 100, 250 and 500 strokes in three experiments. The assessment is made visually; a mark is awarded from 1 for very good to 5 for unsatisfactory, with 1 meaning no trace, 2 perceptible, 3 slightly scratched, 4 highly scratched and 5 very highly scratched.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Wiping resistance according to Example 3 of transparent, uncoloured PLEXIGLAS ® 8N with different concentrations of additive 1% additive 2% additive Comp. 100 250 500 100 250 500 1 4 5 5 4 5 5 7 3 3 4 2 2 2 8 3 3 4 2 2 3 15 4 5 5 4 5 5

[0156] Samples 7 and 8 according to the invention show a distinct increase in wiping resistance compared to the untreated material, and also compared to the prior art additive.