Polymer interlayers comprising epoxidized vegetable oil

Abstract

An interlayer comprised of a thermoplastic resin, varying amounts of an epoxidized vegetable oil, and, optionally, a conventional plasticizer. The use of a thermoplastic resin, an epoxidized vegetable (plant) oil, and, optionally, a conventional plasticizer creates synergy allowing the flow of the interlayer to be increased without sacrificing other characteristics typically associated with an increased flow (e.g., increased blocking and creep, exudation, surface roughness formation, decreased mechanical strength, and decreased manufacturing capability). In this regard, the epoxidized vegetable oil acts as a flow improvement agent, resulting in a high-flow interlayer. As a result, a thinner interlayer can be utilized in forming multiple layer panels because the resulting thinner interlayer has improved flow properties.

1 . A high-flow interlayer comprising:
 poly(vinyl butyral) resin; and   a mixture comprising:
 at least one plasticizer selected from the group consisting of: triethylene glycol di-(2-ethylhexanoate), triethylene glycol di-(2-ethylbutyrate), triethylene glycol diheptanoate, tetraethylene glycol diheptanoate, dihexyl adipate, dioctyl adipate, hexyl cyclohexyladipate, diisononyl adipate, heptylnonyl adipate, and dibutyl sebacate; and 
 epoxidized vegetable oil; 
   wherein the interlayer comprises about 15 to about 100 parts mixture per one hundred parts poly(vinyl butyral) resin.   
     
     
         2 . The high-flow interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises about 10 to about 75 parts plasticizer selected from said group per one hundred parts poly(vinyl butyral) resin. 
     
     
         3 . The interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises about 25 to about 50 parts plasticizer selected from said group per one hundred parts poly(vinyl butyral) resin. 
     
     
         4 . The high-flow interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises about 5 to about 90 parts epoxidized vegetable oil per one hundred parts poly(vinyl butyral) resin. 
     
     
         5 . The high-flow interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises about 5 to about 25 parts epoxidized vegetable oil per one hundred parts poly(vinyl butyral) resin. 
     
     
         6 . The high-flow interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein the epoxidized vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of: epoxidized soybean oil and epoxidized linseed oil. 
     
     
         7 . The high-flow interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein the epoxidized vegetable oil is epoxidized soybean oil. 
     
     
         8 . The high-flow interlayer of  claim 1 , wherein the interlayer is a multilayered interlayer. 
     
     
         9 . A multiple layer panel, the panel comprising:
 at least one rigid substrate; and   a high-flow interlayer comprising:
 poly(vinyl butyral) resin; and 
 a mixture comprising:
 at least one plasticizer selected from the group consisting of: triethylene glycol di-(2-ethylhexanoate), triethylene glycol di-(2-ethylbutyrate), triethylene glycol diheptanoate, tetraethylene glycol diheptanoate, dihexyl adipate, dioctyl adipate, hexyl cyclohexyladipate, diisononyl adipate, heptylnonyl adipate, and dibutyl sebacate; and 
 epoxidized vegetable oil; 
 
 wherein the interlayer comprises about 15 to about 100 parts mixture per one hundred parts poly(vinyl butyral) resin. 
   
     
     
         10 . The multiple layer panel of  claim 9 , wherein the mixture comprises about 5 to about 90 parts epoxidized vegetable oil per one hundred parts poly(vinyl butyral) resin. 
     
     
         11 . The multiple layer panel of  claim 9 , wherein the epoxidized vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of: epoxidized soybean oil and epoxidized linseed oil. 
     
     
         12 . The multiple layer panel of  claim 9 , wherein the panel further comprises a photovoltaic cell, wherein the high-flow interlayer encapsulates the photovoltaic cell. 
     
     
         13 . An interlayer comprising:
 a poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprising about 60 to about 100 parts epoxidized vegetable per 100 parts poly(vinyl butyral) and having a glass transition temperature of about 10° C. or less.   
     
     
         14 . The interlayer of  claim 13 , wherein the poly(vinyl butyral) layer has a glass transition temperature of about 4° C. or less. 
     
     
         15 . The interlayer of  claim 13 , the poly(vinyl butyral) layer further comprising:
 at least one plasticizer selected from the group consisting of: triethylene glycol di-(2-ethylhexanoate), triethylene glycol di-(2-ethylbutyrate), triethylene glycol diheptanoate, tetraethylene glycol diheptanoate, dihexyl adipate, dioctyl adipate, hexyl cyclohexyladipate, diisononyl adipate, heptylnonyl adipate, and dibutyl sebacate,   wherein the poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprises a combined total of less than about 100 parts epoxidized vegetable oil and plasticizer per one hundred parts poly(vinyl butyral).   
     
     
         16 . The interlayer of  claim 13 , wherein the interlayer is a multilayered interlayer. 
     
     
         17 . The interlayer of  claim 13 , further comprising a second poly(vinyl butyral) layer and a third poly(vinyl butyral) layer, the second and third poly(vinyl butyral) layers having glass transition temperatures of about 25° C. to about 40° C., wherein the first poly(vinyl butyral) layer is disposed between the second and third poly(vinyl butyral) layers. 
     
     
         18 . An interlayer comprising:
 a poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprising between 2 and 20 parts epoxidized vegetable per 100 parts poly(vinyl butyral) and having a glass transition temperature of about 35° C. or greater.   
     
     
         19 . The interlayer of  claim 18 , wherein the poly(vinyl butyral) layer has a glass transition temperature of about 39° C. or greater. 
     
     
         20 . The interlayer of  claim 18 , the poly(vinyl butyral) layer further comprising:
 at least one plasticizer selected from the group consisting of: triethylene glycol di-(2-ethylhexanoate), triethylene glycol di-(2-ethylbutyrate), triethylene glycol diheptanoate, tetraethylene glycol diheptanoate, dihexyl adipate, dioctyl adipate, hexyl cyclohexyladipate, diisononyl adipate, heptylnonyl adipate, and dibutyl sebacate,   wherein the poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprises a combined total of about 50 or less parts epoxidized vegetable oil and plasticizer per one hundred parts poly(vinyl butyral).   
     
     
         21 . The interlayer of  claim 18 , wherein the interlayer is a multilayered interlayer. 
     
     
         22 . The interlayer of  claim 18 , further comprising a second poly(vinyl butyral) layer and a third poly(vinyl butyral) layer, the second and third poly(vinyl butyral) layers having glass transition temperatures of about 20° C. to about 35° C., wherein the first poly(vinyl butyral) layer is disposed between the second and third poly(vinyl butyral) layers.