Compositions for containers and other articles and methods of using same

Abstract

This invention provides a polymer, which is preferably a polyether polymer. The polymer may be uses in coating compositions. Containers and other articles comprising the polymer and methods of making such containers and other articles are also provided. The invention further provides compositions including the polymer (e.g., powder coatings), which have utility in a variety of coating end uses, including, for example, valve and pipe coatings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article comprising:
 a packaging container, or a portion thereof, having a metal substrate and a coating composition applied on at least a portion of the metal substrate, wherein the coating composition comprises a polyether polymer that: (a) includes at least 25% by weight of aryl or heteroaryl groups and (b) is substantially free of bound bisphenol A, bisphenol F, bisphenol S, polyhydric phenols having estrogenic activity greater than or equal to that of bisphenol S, and epoxides thereof; and   wherein the polymer is formed by reacting ingredients including: (i) an extender and (ii) a diepoxide compound that includes a segment of the below Formula (I):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein:
 each of the oxygen atoms depicted in Formula (I) is present in an ether or ester linkage; 
 each R 1  is independently an atom or group having an atomic weight of at least 15 Daltons; 
 v is independently 0 to 4; 
 w is 4; 
 R 2 , if present, is a divalent group; 
 n is 0 or 1; with the proviso that if n is 0, the phenylene groups depicted in Formula (I) can optionally join to form a fused ring system in which case w is 3 and each v is independently 0 to 3; 
 t is 0 or 1; and 
 two or more R 1  and/or R 2  groups can join to form one or more cyclic groups. 
 
       
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the polyether polymer includes at least 25% by weight of phenylene groups and each of the depicted oxygen atoms are present in an ether linkage. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the polyether polymer includes at least 45% by weight of phenylene groups. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein each v is independently 1 or more and each R 1  is independently selected from an organic group or a sulfur-containing group and is free of halogen atoms. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein each R 1  is independently a group selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, or an isomer thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein t and n are each 1 and R 2  is an organic group having 8 or more carbon atoms. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein t is 1 and each depicted oxygen atom in Formula (I) is located at a para position relative to R 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein t and n are each 1 and R 2  includes one or more heteroatoms. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein t and n are each 1 and R 2  includes one or mom aryl or heteroaryl groups. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the segment of Formula (I) has an atomic weight of less than 600 Daltons. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the segments of Formula (I) constitute at least 30% by weight of the polyether polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the diepoxide compound is non-genotoxic and is derived from a dihydric phenol that that exhibits a log Relative Proliferative Effect value in the MCF-7 cell proliferation assay of less than −3. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the diepoxide compound is selected from the diglycidyl ether of 4,4′-methylenebis(2,6-di-t-butylphenol); the diglycidyl ether of 2,2′-methylenebis(4-methyl-6-t-butylphenol); the diglycidyl ether of 4,4′-methylenebis(2,6-dimethylphenol); the diglycidyl ether of 4,4′butylidenebis(2-t-butyl-S-methylphenol); the diglycidyl ether of 2,5-di-t-butylhydroquinone; or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the extender comprises a dihydric phenol. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the dihydric phenol comprises catechol, hydroquinone, or resorcinol. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the depicted oxygen atoms are each present in an ether linkage and the polymer includes —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 — or —CH 2 —CH 2 —CH(OH)— segments. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer has a glass transition temperature of at least 60° C. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging container or portion thereof is a food or beverage container, or a portion thereof, having the coating composition applied as a food-contact coating on an interior surface. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the polyether polymer is completely free of bound polyhydric phenols, or epoxides thereof, having estrogenic activity greater than that of 4,4′-(propane-2,2-diyl)bis(2,6-dibromophenol). 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the polyether polymer is completely free of bound polyhydric phenols, or epoxides thereof, having estrogenic activity greater than that of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid.