IMPROVING WEATHERABILITY AND ADHERENCE OF POLYPROPYLENE

Abstract: A process is provided for improving the resistance to deterioration when exposed to weather and the adherence to other materials of polypropylene, particularly in the form of moldings, which comprises subjecting a surface of poly­ propylene to the action of activated oxygen gas at a tem­ perature below about 100 °C in the presence of an N-alkyl or N-acyl 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl compound for a time sufficient to improve such weather resistance and adher­ ence.

Description: EMIS à vérifier après 2ème sortie le 1/03/91 à 17H15 Polypropylene resins leave excellent mechanical properties, thermal properties and processability, in addition to being light in weight and relatively inexpensive, so that they find applications in a variety of molding shapes and sizes, However, since polypropylene resins have inferior adherence to other materials, such as are used in coating compositions, their use in applications requiring that they be coated, printed or adhered to another material has inevitably been limited. To improve the adherence of other materials to polypropylene resins, a specific primer coating has been applied to the polypropylene. However, primer coatings are expensive, and not always successful. Accordingly, a plasma surface treatment of the polypropylene using oxidising gases has recently been suggested, to improve the adherability of the surface. By this method, the adherability of the surface of polypropylene resins has been improved to a practically sufficient level, Polypropylene resins also have the disadvantage of poor weather resistance. Moldings which are used outdoors such as automobile bumpers must have good weatherability, and to do so, various kinds of stabilizers have been used. Of these stabilizers, compounds containing 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl groups in the molecule give the best stabilizing effects, and thus are usually added to moldings which are to be coated so as to prevent such degradation. However, when a low temperature plasma treatment is applied to the surface of a polypropylene resin molding which contains an N-unsubstituted 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl compound, to improve the adherability, the adherability is often degraded significantly, and after coating, the coating film can be peeled off or swelled out, raising serious problems. The Japanese Patent No. 58 179 240 in addition to N-unsubstituted 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl compounds also discloses incorporation of N-substituted compounds into moldings before plasma treatment. However, results obtained are not satisfactory due to the degradation of the adherability. In accordance with the present invention, these problems are overcome by a process for improving the resistance to deterioriation when exposed to weather and the adherence to other materials of polypropylene which comprises subjecting a surface of polypropylene to the action of activated oxygen gas at a temperature below about 100°C in the presence of an N-alkyl, N-hydroxyalkyl, N-alkoxyalkyl, N-alkylaryl (N-aralkyl) or N-acyl 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl compound and a phenolic antioxidant, which have been incorporated into the polypropylene before such treatment. By the term "incorporated" it is not only understood that the N-substituted piperidyl compound and the phenolic antioxidant can be present throughout the molding but, of course, they shall at least be present at the area of the activation. The N-substituted 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl compound contains at least one group having the formula: wherein R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, hydroxyalkyl and alkoxyalkyl, having from one to eighteen carbon atoms, alkylaryl (aralkyl) having from seven to eighteen carbon atoms, and acyl having from one to eighteen carbon atoms. The low temperature plasma treatment is effected at a temperature below 100°C, and preferably at below 50°C, by causing a low pressure oxidizing gas, oxygen or a mixture of oxygen with ozone, nitrogen, air, argon, carbon dioxide, chlorine, fluorine or bromine, to excite by high frequency electric discharge or microwave discharge, so as to generate an activated gas, and contacting the surface of the polypropylene moldings with the activated gas. Treatment time and gas pressure are not critical. An effective treatment is obtained at a gas pressure within the range from 13.3 to 1333 Pa (0.1 to 10 torr) for from 5 seconds to 15 minutes. In the foregoing Formula (I), the R alkyl includes methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, octyl, 2-ethylhexyl, decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl and octadecyl; alkylaryl aralkyl include benzyl, phenylethyl, phenpropyl, phenbutyl, phenhexyl, phenoctyl, phendodecyl, hydroxyalkyl include hydroxyethyl, hydroxypropyl, hydroxybutyl, hydroxyhexyl, hydroxyoctadecyl; and alkoxy including ethoxyethyl and 2,3-epoxypropyl. Exemplary R acyl include acetyl, propionyl, acryloyl, methacryloyl, butyroyl, octanoyl, decanoyl, dodecanoyl, octadecanoyl, benzoyl, 4-tertbutylbenzoyl, salicyloyl and phthaloyl. The N-alkyl and N-acyl (or 1-alkyl and 1-acyl) 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidine compounds used according to this invention are known compounds that as indicated have in the molecule the group: Such 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidine compounds, inter alia , are disclosed in US-P 4 089 842 as light stabilizers, optionally also in the presence of a phenolic antioxidant. Particularly preferred classes of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl compounds have the formulae II and III: wherein; R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl having from one to eighteen carbon atoms; and acyl having from one to eighteen carbon atoms; Y is _O_ or _N(R₇)_ R₇ is alkyl having from one to five carbon atoms; R₈ is hydrogen or alkyl having from one to eighteen carbon atoms; R₁ is a residue of mono- or poly-carboxylic acid; n is a number from 1 to 6; m is a number from 0 to 5; and n + m is from 1 to 6; R₂ is _O_R₈ or _N(R₈)R₉; R₉ is alkyl having from one to eighteen carbon atoms; and R₈ and R₉ may be taken together to form alkylene or oxadialkylene; R₄ is alkylene; and p is a number from one to twenty; p represents the number of units in the polymer molecule of III. Exemplary N-alkyl and N-acyl 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl compounds include 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidylbenzoate, bis (1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl) sebacate, bis (1-benzyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl) sebacate, bis(1-acetyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl) sebacate, tetrakis(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl) butanetetracarboxylate, tetrakis(1-octyl-2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl) butanetetracarboxylate, tetrakis(1-acetyl-2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl) butanetetracarboxylate, bis(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)-2-butyl-2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) malonate, bis(1-acryloyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)-2-butyl-2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) malonate, bis(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)di(tridecyl)butanetetracarboxylate, bis [1-(2,3-epoxypropyl)-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl]-di(tridecyl) butanetetracarboxylate, N-(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl) dodecyl succinic acid imide, 3,9-bis [1,1-dimethyl-2-tris(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyloxycarbonyl) butylcarbonyl-oxyethyl]-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro [5.5] undecane, 1,3,8-triaza-7,7,9,9-tetramethyl-3-dodecyl-8-acetylspiro [4.5] decane-2,4-di-one, bis (3-ethyl-8,8,9,10,10-pentamethyl-1,5-dioxaspiro [5.5]-3-undecylmethylether. Small amounts of these compounds is effective. An amount within the range from 0.001 to 5 parts by weight, preferably from 0.01 to 3 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the resin, is satisfactory. Any polypropylene resin can be improved by the process of the present invention, including propylene homopolymers and random or block copolymers of propylene and an α-olefin which contain ethylene or other α-olefin in an amount from 1 to 30 wt.%, as well as blends of polypropylene with other olefin polymers and copolymers, such as low and high density polyethylene, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene/ propylene copolymer rubbers and styrene/butadiene block-copolymer rubbers. Phenolic antioxidants which are employed together with the stabilizer include 2,6-di-t-butyl-p-cresol, 2,6-di-phenyl-4-octadecyloxyphenol, stearyl (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionate, distearyl-3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzylphosphonate, thio-diethylenebis (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenylpropionate, hexamethylene-bis (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenylpropionate, 4,4′-thiobis (6-t-butyl-m-cresol), 2-octylthio-4,6-bis (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-s-triazine, 2,2′-methylenebis(4-methyl-6-t-butylphenol), 2,2′-methylene-bis(4-ethyl-6-t-butylphenol), bis(3,3-bis(4-hydroxy-3-t-butylphenyl)butylc acid) glycol ester, 4,4′-butylidenebis (6-t-butyl-m-cresol), 2,2′-ethylidenebis (4,6-di-t-butylphenol), 2,2′-ethylidenebis (4-sec-butyl-6-t-butylphenol), 3,6-dioxaoctylenebis (3-methyl-5-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenylpropionate), 1,1,3-tris (2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-t-butylphenyl)butane, bis (2-t-butyl-4-methyl-6-(2-hydroxy-3-t-butyl-5-methyl benzyl)phenyl) terephthalate, 1,3,5-tris (2,6-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-4-t-butylbenzyl) isocyanurate, 1,3,5-tris (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) isocyanurate, 1,3,5-tris (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-tris ((3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionyloxyethyl) isocyanurate, tetrakis(methylene-3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionate) methane. The amount of phenolic antioxidant to be added is within the range from 0.001 to 5 parts by weight, and preferably from 0.01 to 3 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the resin. In addition, thioether antioxidants, organic phosphorus-containing compounds such as organic phosphites, and other ultraviolet light absorbers can be added to the polypropylene resin, as needed to improve resistance to oxidation and light. Thioether antioxidants which can be employed together with the stabilizer include dialkylthiodipropionates, such as dilauryl-, dimyristyl- and di-stearylthiodipropionate, and esters of β-alkylthiopropionic acid with polyhydric alcohols, such as pentaerythritol tetrakis (β-dodecylthiopropionate). Phosphite antioxidants which can be employed together with the stabilizer include trioctylphosphite, trilaurylphosphite, tridecylphosphite, octyl diphenylphosphite, tris(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl) phosphite, tris(nonylphenyl) phosphite, hexa(tridecyl) 1,1,3-tris(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-t-butylphenyl) butane triphosphite, tetra (C₁₂₋₁₃ alkyl) 4,4′-isopropylidenedi-phenol diphosphite, tetra(tridecyl)4,4′-butylidenebis (3-methyl-6-t-butylphenol) diphosphite, hydrogenated-4,4′-isopropylidene-diphenol polyphosphite, distearyl pentaerylthritol diphosphite, phenyl 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol pentaerythritol diphosphite, bis(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl) pentaerythritol diphosphite, bis (2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenyl) pentaerythritol diphosphite, di(nonylphenyl) pentaerythritol diphosphite and 4,4′-isopropylidenebis (2-t-butylphenol) di(nonylphenyl) phosphite. Ultraviolet light absorbers which can be employed together with the stabilizer include hydroxybenzophenones such as 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, 2-hydroxy-4-n-octoxybenzophenone, 2,2′-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone; benzotriazoles such as 2-(2′-hydroxy-3′-t-butyl-5′-methylphenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole, 2-(2′-hydroxy-3′,5′-di-t-butylphenyl)-5-chloro-benzotriazole, 2-(2′-hydroxy-5′-methylphenyl) benzotriazole and 2-(2′-hydroxy-3′,5′-di-t-amylphenyl) benzotriazole; benzoates such as phenyl salicylate, p-t-butylphenyl salicylate, 2,4-di-t-butylphenyl-3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoate and hexadecyl-3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoate; Ni compounds such as 2,2′-thiobis(4-t-octylphenol) Ni salt, (2,2′-thiobis(4-t-octylphenolate))-n-butylamine Ni and (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) phosphonic acid monoethyl ester Ni salt; substituted acrylonitriles such as α-cyano-β-methyl-β-(p-methoxyphenyl) acrylic acid methyl ester; and oxanilides such as N-2-ethylphenyl-N′-2-ethoxy-5-t-butylphenyloxanilide and N-2-ethylphenyl-N′-2-ethoxyphenyloxanilide. In addition, inorganic fillers such as talc, calcium carbonate and glass fiber, metal soaps such as calcium stearate and calcium stearoyl-lactate, nucleating agents, etc. may be added to the polypropylene resin of the present invention, as occasion demands. The invention is applicable to polypropylene resin moldings formed in any desired shape by any melting method conventionally known per se in the art, such as injection molding, extrusion molding, blow molding, etc. The molding method constitutes no part of the present invention, The following Examples represent preferred embodiments of the process and molded products of the invention. Examples 1 to 9 Molding compositions were prepared by blending the following components uniformly in a high speed mixer: The mixtures were extruded at 230°C in a 50ø-uniaxial extruder, thereby preparing pellets. Test pieces of 100 ×100 × 3 mm were prepared by injection molding of the pellets. The test pieces were treated in a microwave plasma treatment apparatus (TMZ-9602Z, product of Toshiba Corporation) at room temperature (25°C) for 10 seconds at a flow rate of 400 ml/minute and a pressure of 66.7 Pa (0.5 torr), with activated oxygen gas and a power output of 400 W. The test pieces after having undergone the plasma treatment were sprayed with twin pack polyurethane coating (R-263, product of Nippon Beechemical Co., Ltd.) to attain a film thickness of about 100 to 120 µ. Thereafter, the coated test pieces were baked at 90°C for 40 minutes. Then, a strip of the coating film was cut out at a width of 10 mm, and the belt-shaped coating film strip then was peeled off from one end of the cut and folded in the opposite direction, thereby conducting a 180 degree peeling test at a pulling rate of 20 mm/minute. further, after immersing a coated test piece in hot water of 40°C for 10 days, it was observed whether or not the coating film was swelled. Further, using a test piece uncoated and untreated and a test piece uncoated but treated, light stability was measured in a sunshine Weatherometer at 83°C. The results are shown in Table I: From the results shown in Table I for Examples 1 to 9, it is apparent that the polypropylene resin moldings which contain a compound having an N-alkyl or N-acyl 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl group are superior in light stability after plasma treatment, and also their adherence to coating film is not reduced, as compared with polypropylene resin moldings which contain a compound having the corresponding N-unsubstituted-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl group. Examples 10 to 13 Molding compositions containing stabilizers were prepared by blending the following components uniformly in a high speed mixer: The mixtures were extruded at 230°C in a 50ø-uniaxial extruder, thereby preparing pellets. Test pieces of 100 ×100 × 3 mm were prepared by injection molding of the pellets. The test pieces were treated in a microwave plasma treatment apparatus (TMZ-9602Z, product of Toshiba Corporation) at room temperature (25°C) for 10 seconds at a flow rate of 400 ml/minute and a pressure of 66.7 Pa (0.5 torr), with activated oxygen gas and a power output of 400 W. The test pieces after having undergone the plasma treatment were sprayed with twin pack polyurethane coating (R-263, product of Nippon Beechemical Co., Ltd.) to attain a film thickness of about 100 to 120 µ. Thereafter, the coated test pieces were baked at 90°C for 40 minutes. Then, a strip of the coating film was cut out at a width of 10 mm, and the belt-shaped coating film strip then was pelled off from one end of the cut and folded in the opposite direction, thereby conducting a 180 degree peeling test at a pulling rate of 20 mm/minute. Further, after immersing a coated test piece in hot water of 40°C for 10 days, it was observed whether or not the coating film was swelled. Further, using a test piece uncoated and untreated and a test piece uncoated but treated, light stability was measured in a sunshine Weatherometer at 83°C. The results are shown in Table II: The results for Examples 10 to 13 demonstrate that the polypropylene resin moldings which contain a compound having an N-alkyl or acyl 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl group are superior in light stability after plasma treatment and also their adherence to coating film is not reduced, as compared with polypropylene resin moldings which contain a compound having the corresponding N-unsubstituted-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl group. Examples 14 to 17 Molding compositions containing stabilizers were prepared by blending the following components uniformly in a high speed mixer: The mixtures were extruded at 230°C in a 50ø-uniaxial extruder, thereby preparing pellets. Test pieces of 100 ×100 × 3 mm were prepared by injection molding of the pellets. The test pieces were treated in a microwave plasma treatment apparatus (TMZ-9602Z, product of Toshiba Corporation) at room temperature (25°C) for 10 seconds at a flow rate of 400 ml/minute and a pressure of 66.7 Pa (0.5 torr), with activated oxygen gas and a power output of 400 W. The test pieces after having undergone the plasma treatment were sprayed with twin pack polyurethane coating (R-263, product of Nippon Beechemical Co., Ltd,) to attain a film thickness of about 100 to 120 µ. Thereafter, the coated test pieces were baked at 90°C for 40 minutes. Then, a strip of the coating film was cut out at a width of 10 mm, and the belt-shaped coating film strip then was peeled off from one end of the cut and folded in the opposite direction, thereby conducting a 180 degree peeling test at a pulling rate of 20 mm/minute. Further, after immersing a coated test piece in hot water of 40°C for 10 days, it was observed whether or not the coating film was swelled. Further, using a test piece uncoated and untreated and a test piece uncoated but treated, light stability was measured in a sunshine Weatherometer at 83°C. The results are shown in Table III: The results shown in Table III for Examples 14 to 17 demonstrate that the polypropylene resin moldings which contain a compound having an N-alkyl or acyl 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl group are superior in light stability after plasma treatment and also do not have their adherence to coating film reduced, as compared with polypropylene resin moldings which contain a compound having the corresponding N-unsubstituted-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidyl group.

Claims: 1. A process for improving the resistance to deterioration when exposed to weather and the adherence to other materials of polypropylene whih comprises subjecting a surface of polypropylene to the action of activated oxygen gas at a temperature below 100°C in the presence of an N-alkyl, N-hydroxyalkyl, N-alkoxyalkyl having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, N-alkylaryl (N-aralkyl) having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or N-acyl(acryl having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms) 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidyl compound and a phenolic antioxidant, which have been incorporated into the polypropylene before such treatment. 2. A process according to claim 1 in which the gas is a mixture of activated oxygen and a gas selected from the group consisting of air, argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, chlorine, fluorine and bromine. 3. A process according to one or both of the claims 1 to 2 in which the temperature is from 25 to 50°C. 4. A process according to one or more of the claims 1 to 3 in which the time is from five seconds to 15 minutes. 5. A process according to one or more of the claims 1 to 4 in which the polypropylene is polypropylene homo-polymer or a copolymer of propylene and another α-olefin. 6. A process according to claim 1 in which the piperidyl compound contains an N-alkyl group. 7. A process according to claim 1 in which the piperidyl compound contains an N-acryl group. 8. A process according to one or more of the claims 1 to 7 in which the phenolic antioxidant is tetrakis (methylene-3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionate)methane. 9. A process according to one or more of the claims 1-8 in which the phenolic antioxidant is present within the range from 0.001 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the resin.

Inventors: NAKAHARA, YUTAKA, SEKIGUCHI, TETSUO, SONODA, NAOTOSHI, YAGI, MASAKI
Applicants: ADEKA ARGUS CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: C08J7
IPC codes: C08J7, C08F8, C08K5, C08L23, C08J5, B29C59