Biodegradable plastic materials, method of producing them, and their use

US5376708A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Battelle Institute e.V. · DE

Inventors

• Bernd Best · Mörfelden, DE
• Klaus Wollmann
• Alexander Ach · Frankfurt am Main, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 2, 1992
• Grant date: Dec 27, 1994
• Expiry date: Jul 2, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C08L77/00
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A biodegradable plastic material based on cellulose esters and possibly biodegradable carboxylic acid esters, glycol esters or glycol ethers as softener, composed of from about 50 to about 90 weight percent cellulose ester, from about 5 to about 40 weight percent softener, from about 5 to about 30 weight percent polyester and from about 0.5 to about 5 weight percent AQ-nylon. The biodegradable plastic material may also contain organic acids and/or acid esters and/or ethers different from the softener, and other additives, such as flame inhibitors, and is distinguished by excellent biodegradability, injection molding and blow molding characteristics. Also disclosed are articles made of the material of the invention and methods of making such articles. It is preferably molded into thin sheets and transparent plastic articles, preferably into enclosures/containers for oil lamps, eternal flame oil candles, composition lights, other cemetery light designs, votive lights and thin sheets.