Macrocyclic polyester oligomers and processes for polymerizing the same

Abstract

A water slurry process is used to prepare a prepreg and to manufacture articles from macrocyclic polyester oligomers. In one embodiment, a process for preparing a water suspension of macrocyclic polyester oligomers includes the steps of contacting a macrocyclic polyester oligomer and a polymerization catalyst with water and a surfactant, and mixing the macrocyclic polyester oligomer and polymerization catalyst with water and the surfactant thereby forming a suspension. In another embodiment, a process for impregnating macrocyclic polyester oligomers for polymerization includes the steps of providing a suspension of a macrocyclic polyester oligomer and a polymerization catalyst in water, applying the suspension to a base material, drying to remove water from the suspension, and pressing the dried suspension to a desired form. In yet another embodiment, a composition of macrocyclic polyester oligomer includes a macrocyclic polyester oligomer, a polymerization catalyst and water. In yet another embodiment, a process for polymerizing macrocyclic polyester oligomers includes the steps of mixing a blend material having a macrocyclic polyester oligomer and a polymerization catalyst with water to form a mixture, applying the mixture to a base material, drying to remove water, heating to polymerize the macrocyclic polyester oligomer, and pressing the polymerized macrocyclic polyester oligomer to a desired form.

1 - 27 . (canceled)  
     
     
         28 . A rotational molding process comprising the steps of: 
 (a) loading a blend material into a mold comprising a chamber, the blend material comprising: 
 (i) a macrocyclic polyester oligomer; and  
 (ii) a polymerization catalyst,  
   wherein the macrocyclic polyester oligomer comprises a structural repeat unit of the formula                          wherein A is an alkylene, a cycloalkylene, or a mono- or polyoxyalkylene group and B is a divalent aromatic or alicyclic group;    (b) rotating the mold along at least one axis; and    (c) applying heat to polymerize the macrocyclic polyester oligomer.    
     
     
         29 . The rotational molding process of  claim 28 , wherein the blend material is stored at ambient conditions for at least one week before loading into the mold.  
     
     
         30 . The rotational molding process of  claim 28 , wherein step (b) comprises rotating the mold along at least two axes.  
     
     
         31 . The rotational molding process of  claim 28 , wherein the macrocyclic polyester oligomer comprises macrocyclic PBT oligomer.  
     
     
         32 . The rotational molding process of  claim 31 , wherein step (c) comprises heating the blend material to a temperature below 220° C.  
     
     
         33 . The rotational molding process of  claim 31 , wherein step (c) comprises heating the blend material to a temperature within a range from about 180° C. to about 220° C.  
     
     
         34 . The rotational molding process of  claim 28 , wherein the macrocyclic polyester oligomer comprises macrocyclic PBT/PET co-oligomer.  
     
     
         35 . The rotational molding process of  claim 34 , wherein step (c) comprises heating the blend material to a temperature below 240° C.  
     
     
         36 . The rotational molding process of  claim 34 , wherein step (c) comprises heating the blend material to a temperature within a range from about 180° C. to about 240° C.  
     
     
         37 . The rotational molding process of  claim 28 , wherein step (c) comprises heating the blend material to a temperature below the melting point of the polymerized product.