1. A rubber modified styrenic copolymer composition comprising:
about 55% to about 94% by weight of one or more styrenic monomers; and
about 2% to about 25% by weight of one or more maleate-type monomers; and
about 4% to about 20% by weight of an elastomer composition comprising:
a first high molecular weight elastomer polymer having a number average molecular weight of greater than 12,000 and a particle size ranging from about 0.05 micron to about 1.0 micron;
and a second high molecular weight elastomer polymer having a number average molecular weight of greater than 12,000, and a particle size ranging from about 0.50 to about 3.0 microns.
2. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 1 wherein the amount of said elastomer polymer composition range from about 10% to about 20% by weight based on the weight of the styrenic copolymer.
3. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 2 wherein the amount of said elastomer polymer composition ranges from about 15% to about 20% by weight based on the weight of the styrenic copolymer.
4. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 1 wherein said first high molecular weight elastomer polymer ranges from about 50 to about 99% by weight, based on the weight of the elastomer composition.
5. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 1 wherein said second high molecular weight elastomer polymer ranges from about 1% by weight to 50% by weight, based on the weight of the elastomer composition.
6. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 1 wherein the styrenic monomers are selected from the group consisting of styrene, p-methyl styrene, \u03b1-methyl styrene, tertiary butyl styrene, dimethyl styrene, nuclear brominated or chlorinated derivatives thereof and combinations thereof.
7. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 1 wherein the maleate-type monomers are selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride, maleic acid, fumaric acid, C1-C12 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl esters of maleic acid, C1-C12 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl esters of fumaric acid, itaconic acid, C1-C12 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl esters of itaconic acid, and itaconic anhydride.
8. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 7 wherein said high molecular weight elastomeric polymers are selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of butadiene, homopolymers of isoprene, and random, block, AB diblock, and ABA triblock copolymers of a conjugated diene with a styrenic monomer andor acrylonitrile.
9. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 8 wherein said high molecular weight elastomeric polymers are one or more block copolymers selected from the group consisting of diblock and triblock copolymers of styrene-butadiene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isoprene, styrene-isoprene-styrene, partially hydrogenated styrene-isoprene-styrene and combinations thereof.
10. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 1 wherein high molecular weight elastomers are selected from the group consisting of polybutadienes and styrene polybutadienes.
11. The styrenic copolymer of claim 1 wherein the styrenic and maleate-type monomers and copolymers formed therefrom comprise a continuous phase and the elastomer composition comprises a dispersed particulate phase having particles with an average particle size of from about 0.05 microns to about 3.0 microns.
12. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 1 further comprising one or more additives selected from the group consisting of heat stabilizers, light stabilizers, softening agents; plasticizers, dyes, pigments; anti-blocking agents; slip agents; lubricants; coloring agents; antioxidants; ultraviolet light absorbers; fillers; anti-static agents; impact modifiers, and combinations thereof.
13. The styrenic copolymer composition of claim 1 further comprising from about 0.1 to about 8.0% by weight of polybutene.
14. A thermoplastic sheet comprising a styrenic copolymer composition formed by polymerizing a mixture comprising:
about 55% to about 94% by weight of one or more styrenic monomers; and
about 2% to about 25% by weight of one or more maleate-type monomers; and
about 4% to about 20% by weight of an elastomer composition comprising:
a first high molecular weight elastomer polymer having a number average molecular weight of greater than 12,000 and a particle size ranging from about 0.05 micron to about 1.0 micron;
and a second high molecular weight elastomer polymer having a number average molecular weight of greater than 12,000, and a particle size ranging from about 0.50 to about 3.0 microns.
15-27. (canceled)
28. An article produced from the thermoplastic sheet according to claim 14.
29. The article according to claim 28, wherein the article is produced by thermoforming the thermoplastic sheet.
30. A container suitable for use in microwave heating of food formed from the thermoplastic sheet composition according to claim 14.
31. An article produced from the styrenic copolymer composition of claim 1.
32. A method of making a thermoplastic sheet comprising:
providing a polymer composition in polymer melt form prepared by polymerizing a mixture comprising:
about 55% to about 94% by weight of one or more styrenic monomers; and
about 2% to about 25% by weight of one or more maleate-type monomers; and
about 4% to about 20% by weight of an elastomer composition comprising:
a first high molecular weight elastomer polymer having a number average molecular weight of greater than 12,000 and a particle size ranging from about 0.5 micron to about 1.0 micron,
and a second high molecular weight elastomer polymer having a number average molecular weight of greater than 12,000, and a particle size ranging from about 0.50 to about 3.0 microns, and,
extruding the polymer composition to provide a thermoplastic sheet.
33. The method of making a thermoplastic sheet according to claim 32, wherein said polymer composition further comprises from about 0.1 to about 8.0% by weight of a polybutene.
34-48. (canceled)
49. A thermoplastic sheet made according to the method of claim 32.
50. An article produced from the thermoplastic sheet according to claim 49.
51. A container suitable for use in microwave heating of food formed from the thermoplastic sheet according to claim 49.
52-56. (canceled)
57. The method of making a thermoplastic sheet according to claim 32 comprising the steps of:
extruding or laminating a top layer over at least a portion of a top surface of the thermoplastic sheet: and
extruding or laminating a bottom layer over at least a portion of a bottom surface of the thermoplastic sheet to form a sandwich structure thermoplastic sheet.
58. The method of making a thermoplastic sheet according to claim 57, wherein the top layer and the bottom layer independently comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of crystal polystyrene, high impact polystyrenes, polyphenylene oxide, copolymers of styrene and maleic anhydride andor C1-C12 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl(meth)acrylates, rubber-modified copolymers of styrene and maleic anhydride andor C1-C12 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl(meth)acrylates, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, polyvinylidene fluoride, acrylonitrile(meth)acrylate copolymers, ethylenevinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, and combinations thereof.
59. A sandwich structure thermoplastic sheet made according to the method of claim 58.
60. An article produced from the sandwich structure thermoplastic sheet according to claim 59.
61. A container suitable for use in microwave heating of food formed from the sandwich structure thermoplastic sheet according to claim 60.
62. A two layer thermoplastic sheet comprising a first layer that includes the thermoplastic sheet according to claim 49 and a second layer comprising one or more resin selected from the group consisting of crystal polystyrene, high impact polystyrenes, polyphenylene oxide, copolymers of styrene and maleic anhydride andor C1-C12 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl(meth)acrylates, rubber-modified copolymers of styrene and maleic anhydride andor C1-C12 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl(meth)acrylates, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, polyvinylidene fluoride, acrylonitrile(meth)acrylate copolymers, ethylenevinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, and combinations thereof.
63. An article produced from the two layer thermoplastic sheet according to claim 62.
64. A container suitable for use in microwave heating of food formed from the two layer thermoplastic sheet according to claim 63.
65. A sandwich structure thermoplastic sheet comprising a middle layer that includes the thermoplastic sheet according to claim 49, and a top layer and a bottom layer independently comprising a resin selected from the group consisting of crystal polystyrene, high impact polystyrenes, polyphenylene oxide, copolymers of styrene and maleic anhydride andor C1-C12 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl(meth)acrylates, rubber-modified copolymers of styrene and maleic anhydride andor C1-C12 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl(meth)acrylates, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, polyvinylidene fluoride, acrylonitrile(meth)acrylate copolymers, ethylenevinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, and combinations thereof.
66. An article produced from the sandwich structure thermoplastic sheet according to claim 65.
67. A container suitable for use in microwave heating of food formed from the sandwich structure thermoplastic sheet according to claim 66.
68. A container suitable for use in microwave heating of food formed by thermoforming a thermoplastic sheet comprising a styrenic copolymer composition formed by polymerizing a mixture comprising:
about 55% to about 94% by weight of one or more styrenic monomers; and
about 2% to about 25% by weight of one or more maleate-type monomers; and
about 4% to about 20% by weight of an elastomer composition comprising:
a first high molecular weight elastomer polymer having a number average molecular weight of greater than 12,000 and a particle size ranging from about 0.05 micron to about 1.0 micron, and
a second high molecular weight elastomer polymer having a number average molecular weight of greater than 12,000, and a particle size ranging from about 0.50 to about 3.0 microns.
69-71. (canceled)
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A solar module containing at least one layer made up of at least one \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer, wherein the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer has a vinyl acetate content of \u226760% by weight, based on the total weight of the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer, and has been prepared by a solution polymerization process at a pressure of from 100 to 700 bar.
2. The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer has a vinyl acetate content of \u226780% by weight, based on the total weight of the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer.
3. The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the \u03b1-olefin in the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer is selected from among ethene, propene, butene, pentene, hexene, heptene and octene.
4. The solar module according to any claim 1, wherein the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer has an MFI (g10 min) measured in accordance with ISO 1133 at 190\xb0 C. under a load of 21.1 N of from 1 to 40.
5. The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer has an MFI (g10 min) measured in accordance with ISO 1133 at 190\xb0 C. under a load of 21.1 N of from 1 to 10.
6. The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer has an MFI (g10 min) measured in accordance with ISO 1133 at 190\xb0 C. under a load of 21.1 N of from 2 to 6.
7. The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer has a Mooney viscosity ML 1+4 at 100\xb0 C. measured in accordance with DIN 53 523 of from 3 to 50 Mooney units.
8. The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer has a Mooney viscosity ML 1+4 at 100\xb0 C. measured in accordance with DIN 53 523 of from 4 to 35 Mooney units.
9. The solar module according to claim 1, at wherein the number average molecular weight of the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer determined by means of GPC is from 5000 gmol to 200 000 gmol.
10. The solar module according to claim 1, that wherein the \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer is present in uncrosslinked form.
11. The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one layer made up of the at least one \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer contains no ageing inhibitors andor no bonding agents.
12. The solar module according to claim 1 which is made up of
i) a glass substrate A having a front side and a rear side, with the front side being the side facing the sun in the finished solar module;
ii) a transparent polymer layer B applied to the rear side of the glass substrate;
iii) one or more solar cells C applied to the polymer layer B;
iv) a further transparent polymer layer D applied on top of the solar cells;
v) a protective layer E;
where the solar cells C are embedded in the transparent polymer layers B and D, wherein at least one of the transparent polymer layers B andor D isare made up of an \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer as defined in any of claims 1 to 5.
13. The solar module according to claim 1 which is made up of
i) a glass substrate A having a front side and a rear side, with the front side being the side facing the sun in the finished solar module;
ii) a transparent polymer layer B applied to the rear side of the glass substrate;
iii) one or more solar cells C applied to the polymer layer B;
iv) a further transparent polymer layer D applied on top of the solar cells;
v) a protective layer E;
where the solar cells C are embedded in the transparent polymer layers B and D, wherein both transparent polymer layers B and D are made up of an \u03b1-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer as defined in any of claims 1 to 5.
14. The solar module according to claim 12 or 13, wherein a connection socket and a connection terminal and a frame are additionally present.
15. The solar module according to claim 12 or 13, that wherein a connection socket and a connection terminal and an aluminum profile frame are additionally present.
16. A solar power plant containing at least one solar module according to claim 1.
17. A solar power plant containing at least one solar module according to claim 12.
18. A solar power plant containing at least one solar module according to claim 13.