Patent ID: 6767972
Filing Date: 2004-07-27
Classification: C08L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for preparing an article from a biodegradable polymer composition wherein the method comprises:a. introducing a phenol-containing compound comprising terpene-phenol resin into a composition comprising a biodegradable polymer having a degradation rate, wherein the phenol-containing compound is added in an amount sufficient to slow the degradation rate of the biodegradable polymer; and b. mixing the phenol-containing compound with the biodegradable polymer thereby providing a biodegradable polymer composition; wherein the biodegradable polymer consists essentially of: an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester having repeat units of the following â€ƒwherein (i) R11 and R12 are the same or different, and are residues of one or more of diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 2,2dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexanediol, thiodiethanol, 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol, triethylene glycol, or tetraethylene glycol; (ii) R11 and R12 are 100% of the diol components in the copolyester; (iii) R13 is absent or is selected from one or more of the groups consisting of C1-C12 alkylene or oxyalkylene; C1-C12 alkylene or oxyalkylene substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C6-C10 aryl, and C1-C4 alkoxy; C5-C10 cycloalkylene; and C5-C10 cycloalkylene substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C6-C10 aryl, and C1-C4 alkoxy; and (iv) R14 is selected from one or more of the groups consisting of C6-C10 aryl, and C6-C10 aryl substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C1-C4 alkyl, and C1-C4 alkoxy; and c. forming the biodegradable polymer composition into an article, wherein the article comprises: a film, a bottle, a blow molded article, an injection molded article or a container, and wherein the article exhibits a delayed biodegradation rate over an article formed from a biodegradable polymer composition not including the phenol-containing compound.