Patent ID: 7901603
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: C08F,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for improving adhesion characteristics of a polymeric material composed of a polymeric composition material containing at least one of expanded foam precursor material, the polymeric precursor material composed of expanded polyethylene pellets, the method comprising the steps of: contacting expanded polyethylene pellets with a composition containing at least one oxidizing agent, wherein said oxidizing agent is a bivalent oxygen compound, wherein the bivalent oxygen compound is selected from the group consisting of a) halogenated oxycompounds selected from the group that includes oxycompounds of chlorine, oxycompounds of bromine, oxycompounds of iodine, b) oxycompounds of boron, c) oxycompounds of nitrogen and mixtures thereof, said oxidizing agent made present in a kinetically degrading state which produces at least one chemical intermediate reactive with a polymeric substrate in a controlled reaction mechanism, wherein the contacting step occurs at a temperature between about 20 degree C. and a temperature at which decomposition of the polymeric material commences, wherein the contacting step includes at least one of spraying a heated treatment mist onto the expanded polyethylene pellets spraying a mist onto the expanded polyethylene pellets and, dipping expanded polyetheylene pellets into a bath containing the composition; maintaining contact between the expanded polyethylene pellets and the oxidizing agent composition for an interval sufficient to impart at least one functional groups derived from the oxidizing agent onto the polymeric precurser material; and reacting the oxidizing agent imparted into the resulting material with at least one activating agent, the activating agent containing at least one functionality capable of preferentially reacting with said oxidizing agent to produce at least one intermediate reactive with the resulting material, wherein the activating agent comprises at least one of an inorganic acid, an inorganic acid precursor, organic acids or derivatives thereof, the reaction step occurring in at least one of an aqueous environment, an anhydrous environment or a vaporous environment, the reaction step between the oxidizing agent and the activating agents occurring at a rate essentially equal to reaction between said polymeric material and the reaction intermediate; contacting the treated expanded polyethylene pellets with a polymeric coating solution while the treated expanded polyetheylene pellets are maintained proximate to each other; and allowing the polymeric solution to thy to form a coated construct.