Use of Cyclodextrins to Increase the Surface Energy of Polymer Plastics

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a polymer, the method comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the polymer has a surface energy ranging from 1 to 100 mN/m when measured at 20° C.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A method of increasing the surface energy of a polymer, the method comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the polymer has a surface energy ranging from 1 to 100 mN/m when measured at 20° C.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the polymer has a surface energy ranging from 5 to 80 mN/m when measured at 20° C.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the polymer has a surface energy ranging from 10 to 65 mN/m when measured at 20° C.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the polymer has a surface energy ranging from 15 to 50 mN/m when measured at 20° C.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the polymer comprises at least one selected from the following group: ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), low-energy ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), natural rubber (NR), nitrile rubber (NBR), linear polyethylene (PE), branched polyethylene (PE), isotactic polypropylene (PP), polyisobutylene (PIB), polystyrene (PS), poly-alpha-methylstyrene (PMS, or polyvinyltoluene PVT), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), polyvinylidene flouride (PVDF), polytrifluoroethylene (P3FEt/PTrFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (Teflon®), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTrFE), polyvinylacetate (PVA), polymethylacrylate (polymethacrylic acid (PMAA), polyethylacrylate (PEA), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyethylmethacrylate (PEMA), polybutylmethacrylate (PBMA), polyisobutylmethacrylate (PIBMA), poly(tert-butylmethacrylate) (PtBMA), polyhexylmethacrylate (PHMA), polyethylene oxide (PEO), polytetramethylene oxide (PTME) or polytetrahydrofurane (PTHF), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyimide-6,6 (PA-66), polyimide-12 (PA-12), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polycarbonate (PC), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyethylene (PE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyarylsulfone (PAS), polyester, polyimide (PI), polyoxymethylene (polyformaldehyde, polyacetal (POM)), polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT) and silicone rubber (MVQ).

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the cyclodextrin is a cyclical oligosaccharide of alpha-1,4-linked glucose molecules of the general formula I, ##STR00003## wherein n is an integer ranging from 6 to 20.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein n ranges from 6 to 15.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein n ranges from 6 to 9.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the cyclodextrin is present in the form of particles having a particle size ranging from 0.1 to 50 μm.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the particle size ranges from 10 to 30 μm.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the particle size ranges from 15 to 25 μm.

26. The method according to claim 15, wherein the weight ratio of polymer to cyclodextrin ranges from 90.000 to 99.999 percent by weight to 0.001 to 10 percent by weight.

27. The method according to claim 15, wherein the weight ratio of polymer to cyclodextrin ranges from 92.5 to 99.99 percent by weight to 0.01 to 7.5 percent by weight.

28. The method according to claim 15, wherein the weight ratio of polymer to cyclodextrin ranges from 95.0 to 99.9 percent by weight to 0.1 to 5.0 percent by weight.

29. The method according to claim 15, wherein the polymer comprises a low-energy polymer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer.

[0039] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the polymer has a solid surface energy ranging from 1 to 100 mN/m when measured at 20° C.

[0040] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the polymer has a solid surface energy ranging from 5 to 80 mN/m when measured at 20° C.

[0041] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the low-energy polymer has a solid surface energy ranging from 10 to 65 mN/m when measured at 20° C.

[0042] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the polymer comprises at least one selected from the following group: ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), low-energy ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), natural rubber (NR), nitrile rubber (NBR), linear polyethylene (PE), branched polyethylene (PE), isotactic polypropylene (PP), polyisobutylene (PIB), polystyrene (PS), poly-␣-methyl styrene (PMS or polyvinyltoluene PVT), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), polyvinylidene flouride (PVDF) polytrifluoroethylene (P3FEt/PTrFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (Teflon®), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTrFE), polyvinylacetate (PVA), polymethylacrylate (polymethacrylic acid, PMAA), polyethylacrylate (PEA), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyethylmethacrylate (PEMA), polybutylmethacrylate (PBMA), polyisobutylmethacrylate (PIBMA), poly(tert-butylmethacrylate) (PtBMA), polyhexylmethacrylate (PHMA), polyethylene oxide (PEO), polytetramethylene oxide (PTME) or polytetrahydrofurane (PTHF), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyamide-6,6 (PA-66), polyamide-12 (PA-12), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polycarbonate (PC), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyethylene (PE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyarylsulfones (PAS), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyimide (PI), polyoxymethylene (polyformaldehyde, polyacetal) (POM), polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT) and silicone rubber (MVQ).

[0043] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the cyclodextrin is a cyclical oligosaccharide of α-1,4-linked glucose molecules of the general formula (I),

##STR00002##

[0044] where n is an integer ranging from 6 to 20.

[0045] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, n in the general formula (I) is an integer ranging from 6 to 15.

[0046] According to embodiments of the present disclosure , n in the general formula (I) is an integer ranging from 6 to 9.

[0047] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the cyclodextrin is present in the form of particles having a particle size ranging from 0.1 to 50 μm.

[0048] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the cyclodextrin is present in the form of particles having a particle size ranging from 10 to 30 μm.

[0049] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the cyclodextrin is present in the form of particles with a particle size ranging from 15 to 25 μm.

[0050] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer , wherein the weight ratio of polymer to cyclodextrin ranges from 90.000 to 99.999 percent by weight to 0.001 to 10 percent by weight.

[0051] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the weight ratio of polymer to cyclodextrin ranges from 92.5 to 99.99 percent by weight to 0.01 to 7.5 percent by weight.

[0052] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of increasing the surface energy of a low-energy polymer comprising adding cyclodextrin to the polymer, wherein the weight ratio of polymer to cyclodextrin lies ranges from 95.0 to 99.9 percent by weight to 0.1 to 5.0 percent by weight.

[0053] Having described aspects of the present disclosure in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of aspects of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims. As various changes could be made without departing from the scope of aspects of the present disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.