Plastics Patents

Korean Patent 0191075 Method and System for Continuously Preparing Gasoline, Kerosene and Diesel Oil From Waste Plastics Patent issued January 1999. 

This is a bimonthly publication published by Technomic Publishing Co., Inc. at 851 New Holland Avenue, Box 3535, Lancaster, PA 17604. This journal has been published for 24 years and is a major source of information in foamed plastics technology, covering new developments and applications. In addition to articles on product applications and markets there is an index of foamed plastic patents from industrial nations and a section on industry news. 

The first cellular synthetic plastic was an unwanted cellular phenol—formaldehyde resin produced by early workers in this field. The elimination of cell formation in these resins, as given by Baekeland in his 1909 heat and pressure patent (2), is generally considered the birth of the plastics industry. The first commercial cellular polymer was sponge mbber, introduced between 1910 and 1920 (3). 

Acrylic Polymers. Although considerable information on the plasticization of acryUc resins is scattered throughout journal and patent hterature, the subject is compHcated by the fact that acryUc resins constitute a large family of polymers rather than a single polymeric species. An infinite variation in physical properties may be obtained through copolymerization of two or more acryUc monomers selected from the available esters of acryUc and methacryhc acid (30) (see Acrylic esterpolya rs Methacrylic acid and derivatives). 

Plasticizers for acryhcs include all common phthalates and adipates. There has been interest in the development of acryUc plastisols similar to those encountered with PVC. Clearly the same aspects of both plastisol viscosity and viscosity stabiUty are important. Patents appear in the Hterature (32) indicating that the number of available plasticizers that show both good compatibiHty with acryHc resins and satisfactory long-term plastisol stabiHty may be fewer than those showing equivalent properties with emulsion PVC resins. 

Patents have appeared (33,34) which show formulations containing PMMA emulsion polymer and PMMA suspension polymer combined with benzyl butyl phthalate and octyl benzyl phthalate. It is likely that polymers of this type will require highly polar plasticizers in order to have both adequate compatibiHty and adequate gelation. When replacing PVC appHcations the use of large quantities of phosphate plasticizers is sometimes required to give equivalent fire performance. 

Bayer marketed PPS compounds in the United States under the trade name Tedur, but the company has exited the PPS business. PPS is also marketed in the United States by GE Plastics, whose source of neat resin is Tosoh Corporation of Japan. GE Plastics markets PPS under the trade name Supec PPS. Patent activity by Tennessee Eastman describes an alternative process for the production of poly(phenylene sulfide/disulfide), although samples of such product have not appeared as of early 1996. Both Phillips and Hoechst Celanese have aimounced plans to debotdeneck their existing U.S. faciUties in order to meet anticipated market growth. 

Extruded Rigid Foa.m. In addition to low temperature thermal insulation, foamed PSs are used for insulation against ambient temperatures in the form of perimeter insulation and insulation under floors and in walls and roofs. The upside-down roof system has been patented (256), in which foamed plastic such as Styrofoam (Dow) plastic foam is appHed above the tar-paper vapor seal, thereby protecting the tar paper from extreme thermal stresses that cause cracking. The foam is covered with gravel or some other wear-resistant topping (see Roofing materials). 

Industrial Applications. The antiultraviolet protection properties of vanillin have been patented and look promising for the plastics and cosmetics (suncreams) industries. 

The tubular positive plate uses rigid, porous fiber glass tubes covered with a perforated plastic foil as the active material retainer (Fig. 2). Dry lead oxide, PbO, and red lead, Pb O, are typically shaken into the tubes which are threaded over the grid spines. The open end is then sealed by a polyethylene bar. Patents describe a procedure for making a type of tube for the tubular positive plate (90) and a method for filling tubular plates of lead—acid batteries (91). Tubular positive plates are pickled by soaking in a sulfate solution and are then cured. Some proceed directiy to formation and do not requite the curing procedure. 

Modem electroless plating began in 1944 with the rediscovery that hypophosphite could bring about nickel deposition (7,8). Subsequent work led to the first patents on commercially usable electroless nickel solutions. Although these solutions were very useful for coating metals, they could not be used on most plastics because the operating temperature was 90—100°C. The first electroless nickel solution capable of wide use on plastics was introduced in 1966 (9). This solution was usable at room temperature and was extremely stable (see Nickel and nickel alloys). 

Commercial interest in PVC also commenced at about this time. The Russian, I. Ostromislensky, had patented the polymerisation of vinyl chloride and related substances in 1912, but the high decomposition rate at processing temperatures proved an insurmountable problem for over 15 years. Today PVC is one of the two largest tonnage plastics materials, the other being polyethylene. 

The high thermal stability of the carbon-fluorine bond has led to considerable interest in fluorine-containing polymers as heat-resistant plastics and rubbers. The first patents, taken out by IG Farben in 1934, related to polychlorotri-fluoroethylene (PCTFE) (Figure 13.1 (a)), these materials being subsequently manufactured in Germany and the United States. PCTFE has been of limited application and it was the discovery of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (Figure... 

Although the first two materials discussed in this chapter, the polyphenylenes and poly-p-xylylenes, have remained in the exotic category, most of the other materials have become important engineering materials. In many cases the basic patents have recently expired, leading to several manufacturers now producing a polymer where a few years ago there was only one supplier. Whilst such competition has led in some cases to overcapacity, it has also led to the introduction of new improved variants and materials more able to compete with older established plastics materials. 

With the expiry of the basic ICI patents on poly(ethylene terephthalate) there was considerable development in terephthalate polymers in the early 1970s. More than a dozen companies introduced poly(butylene terephthalate) as an engineering plastics material whilst a polyether-ester thermoplastic rubber was introduced by Du Pont as Hytrel. Polyfethylene terephthalate) was also the basis of the glass-filled engineering polymer (Rynite) introduced by Du Pont in the late 1970s. Towards the end of the 1970s poly(ethylene terephthalate) was used for the manufacture of biaxially oriented bottles for beer, colas and other carbonated drinks, and this application has since become of major importance. Similar processes are now used for making wide-neck Jars. 

Adamko, M., U.S. Patent 5,948,517, assigned to Norton Performance Plastics, 1999. Clarson, S.J., Siloxane Polymers. PTR Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993. 

The zinc chloride cell, which was first patented in 1899, IS actually an adaptation of the Leclanche cell. The major innovation was the development of plastic seals that permitted the replacement of animoliitim chloride in the electrolyte. 

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