Molded article formed from post consumer recycled material

Abstract

A molded article includes post-consumer recycled material and has a container with a base, a sidewall connected to the base and extending therefrom, and an opening. The container includes a 100% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate polymer. The container has a mass to internal volume ratio of between about 0.04 grams per cubic centimeter and about 0.06 grams per cubic centimeter. A value of ΔE* ab is less than about 3.5 between the container and a reference container having the same dimensions as the container. The reference container is formed from a reference polymer including 50% virgin polyethylene terephthalate and 50% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A molded article including post-consumer recycled material, comprising:
 a container including:
 a base; 
 a sidewall connected to the base and extending therefrom; and 
 an opening, 
   wherein the container comprises a polymer comprising 100% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate,   wherein the container has a mass to internal volume ratio of between about 0.04 grams per cubic centimeter and about 0.06 grams per cubic centimeter, and   wherein a value of ΔE* ab  is less than about 3.5 for the container with respect to a reference container having the same dimensions as the container, the reference container comprising a reference polymer consisting of 50% virgin polyethylene terephthalate and 50% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate.   
     
     
         2 . The molded article of  claim 1 , wherein an L* of the container is about 90 to about 96, an a* of the container is about −1.0 to about 0.0 and a b* of the container is about 1.0 to about 4.0 according to the CIELAB color space. 
     
     
         3 . The molded article of  claim 1 , wherein a total mass of the container is less than about 45 grams. 
     
     
         4 . The molded article of  claim 1 , wherein the container has an internal volume of at least about 0.75 cubic centimeters. 
     
     
         5 . The molded article of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the container has a maximum thickness of less than about 0.6 millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The molded article of  claim 1 , wherein an average intrinsic viscosity of the container is less than about 0.80 deciliters per gram. 
     
     
         7 . The molded article of  claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises between about 0.05% and about 0.2% by weight of a slip agent. 
     
     
         8 . The molded article of  claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises a toner incorporated at a let-down ratio of between about 0.01% and about 0.05% relative to the polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The molded article of  claim 1 , wherein the opening of the container is threaded for reversible coupling to a trigger sprayer head. 
     
     
         10 . A molded article including post-consumer recycled material, comprising:
 a container defining an interior space, the container including:
 a base; 
 a sidewall connected to the base and extending therefrom, the sidewall having a maximum thickness of less than about 0.6 millimeters; 
 a neck connected to the sidewall; and 
 an opening in the neck, 
   wherein the container is devoid of virgin polyethylene terephthalate,   wherein the container comprises a polymer consisting essentially of 100% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate,   wherein the container has an intrinsic viscosity of less than about 0.8 deciliters per gram as determined by ASTM D4603, and   wherein the container has a top load strength of at least about 90% of a top load strength of a reference container having the same dimensions as the container, the reference container comprising a reference polymer consisting of 50% virgin polyethylene terephthalate and 50% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate.   
     
     
         11 . The molded article of  claim 10 , wherein the container has a top load strength of at least about 200 Newtons for a 6.35 millimeter maximum deflection at 25.4 millimeters per minute as determined by ASTM D2659. 
     
     
         12 . The molded article of  claim 10 , wherein an average intrinsic viscosity of the container is between about 0.65 and about 0.77 deciliters per gram. 
     
     
         13 . The molded article of  claim 10 , wherein the container is characterized by at least about a 95% pass rate for a standard 4 foot flat bottom drop test as determined by ASTM D2463. 
     
     
         14 . The molded article of  claim 10 , wherein a permeability of the container is within about 10% of a permeability of the reference container. 
     
     
         15 . The molded article of  claim 10 , wherein the container further comprises between about 0.05% and about 0.2% by weight of a slip agent. 
     
     
         16 . The molded article of  claim 10 , wherein the container further comprises a toner incorporated at a let-down ratio of between about 0.01% and about 0.05% relative to the polymer. 
     
     
         17 . The molded article of  claim 10 , wherein the opening of the container is threaded for reversibly coupling to a trigger sprayer head. 
     
     
         18 . A blow-molded container prepared from an injection molded preform including post-consumer recycled material, comprising:
 a container defining an interior space, the container including:
 a barrel including a front wall, a back wall, and a pair of opposing sidewalls interconnecting the front and back walls; 
 a base connected to a first end of the barrel; 
 a neck connected to a second end of the barrel, the neck including a plurality of horizontal grooves; and 
 a mouth connected to the neck, the mouth including an opening in fluid communication with the interior space and an exterior surface for coupling to a trigger sprayer head, 
   wherein the container consists of (i) 100% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate having an intrinsic viscosity of less than about 0.8 deciliters per gram, and optionally (ii) an additive selected from a toner, a colorant and a slip agent.   
     
     
         19 . The blow-molded container of  claim 18 , wherein a top load strength of the container is at least about 175 Newtons. 
     
     
         20 . The blow-molded container of  claim 18 , wherein an L* of the container is about 90 to about 96, an a* of the container is about −1.0 to about 0.0 and a b* of the container is about 1.0 to about 4.0 according to the CIELAB color space.