Abstract: A container providing effective oxygen-scavenging functionality, while having high L* color or low darkness. The container has at least one wall, wherein the wall comprises a populated area, and wherein the populated area comprises a film-forming polymer; and a population of particles comprising an effective amount of oxygen-scavenging particles, wherein the number of oxygen scavenging particles does not exceed a concentration of about (1×107 particles÷T) per cubic centimeter of polymer wherein T is the thickness of the populated area in mils; and wherein the change in the transmission Hunter L* of said wall is less than about 0.4 per mil of the container wall when compared to a control that does not contain oxygen-scavenging particles.

Abstract: A container providing effective oxygen-scavenging functionality, while having low haze. The container has at least one wall, wherein the wall comprises a populated area, and wherein the populated area comprises a film-forming polymer; and a population of particles comprising an effective amount of oxygen-scavenging particles, wherein the number of particles of said population does not exceed a concentration of about (6×107 particles÷T) per cubic centimeter of polymer wherein T is the thickness of the populated area in mils; and wherein the wall has a transmission Hunter haze of up to about 1 percent per mil of the container wall.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process and article to simultaneously thermally treat at least two thermoplastics when one of the thermoplastics is an oxygen inert material and the other is an oxygen sensitive material, and the article also contains a promoter that converts the oxygen sensitive material to an oxygen reactive material when brought in contact with the oxygen sensitive material. The process utilizes the compartmentalized pellet, also known as a zoned pellet, construction wherein the major amount of each component is located within individual compartments or zones of the pellet such that the reactions with compounds in the atmosphere such as oxygen are less than the reaction if the thermoplastics were homogeneously dispersed in the pellet. This is of particular use to oxygen scavenging systems.

Abstract: Compartmentalized chips of at least two chemically similar crystallizable thermoplastic polymers each having a different intrinsic viscosity placed in separate zones are disclosed. These compartmentalized chips exhibit thermal characteristics that are different from the traditional technique of homogeneously combining the two materials into the chip. These compartmentalized chips in their amorphous, crystalline and solid phase polymerized forms exhibit a longer crystallization half time than the homogeneous mixture, thus permitting faster injection cycle times.

Abstract: This invention is to an improved method for cleaning contaminated polymer when that polymer is to be blended with clean material. The method involves combining the contaminated material and the clean material in a compartmentalized pellet wherein the contaminated material is placed in the outermost compartment, the clean material is placed in an inner compartment and then subjecting the pellet to an extraction process.

Abstract: This invention discloses a process and a necessary article to simultaneously thermally treat at least two thermoplastics. The process utilizes the necessary compartmentalized or zoned pellet construction wherein the major amount of each thermoplastic component is located within individual compartments or zones of the pellet such that the components of the reaction during thermal processing and/or reactions with compounds in the atmosphere such as oxygen are less than the reaction if the thermoplastics were homogeneously dispersed in the pellet. This invention allows the components of the multi-component pellets to be thermally treated together without significant degradation and/or stored in air or in the presence of oxygen without significant degradation.

Abstract: A transparent article includes a continuous polyester matrix having at least one incompatible filler dispersed therein. The incompatible filler provides domains in the polyester matrix, each domain having a particular dimension, thus providing a range of dimensions for the domains in the article. To create haze, the dimensions are within the range of from about 380 nm to about 720 nm. Once the range of dimensions is determined, a light absorbent composition can be found which absorbs light at a range of wavelengths that at least substantially covers the range of dimensions of the domains. In doing so, it has been found that the haze of the article can be substantially masked. Method for producing the article and for masking the haze are also provided.

Abstract: A transparent article comprises a thermoplastic polymer matrix and a plurality of domains, dispersed in the thermoplastic polymer matrix and having dimensions in an axial plane of the article, each domain encompassing an oxidizable inorganic composition, wherein the shortest dimension of each domain in the axial plane of the article is up to about 45 microns, so as to substantially preclude visibility of the domains to a naked eye resulting from oxidation of the inorganic composition within the domain as well as oxidation of the inorganic composition that exceeds the domain but does not exceed up to about 45 microns. A method of production of the article is also provided.

Abstract: A resin composition provides good optical properties when stretched and efficient oxygen-scavenging, the resin composition comprising a film-forming polyester and an effective amount of oxygen-scavenging particles, wherein the particles have a particle size distribution such that particles of less than about 25 microns in size do not exceed a concentration defined by a formula that includes the apparent density of the particles. Another resin composition comprises a film-forming polyester and from about 50 to about 2500 parts by weight of iron per million by weight of the resin, wherein the amount of iron particles having a size of less than about 20 microns does not exceed about 800 parts per million by weight of the resin. A method is also provided for incorporating high levels of oxygen-scavenging particles into a film-forming polyester resin composition with low haze when stretched.

Abstract: A resin composition provides good optical properties when stretched and efficient oxygen-scavenging, the resin composition comprising a film-forming polyester and an effective amount of oxygen-scavenging particles, wherein the particles have a particle size distribution such that particles of less than about 25 microns in size do not exceed a concentration defined by a formula that includes the apparent density of the particles. Another resin composition comprises a film-forming polyester and from about 50 to about 2500 parts by weight of iron per million by weight of the resin, wherein the amount of iron particles having a size of less than about 20 microns does not exceed about 800 parts per million by weight of the resin. A method is also provided for incorporating high levels of oxygen-scavenging particles into a film-forming polyester resin composition with low haze when stretched.

Abstract: A container providing effective oxygen-scavenging functionality, while having high L* color or low darkness. The container has at least one wall, wherein the wall comprises a populated area, and wherein the populated area comprises a film-forming polymer; and a population of particles comprising an effective amount of oxygen-scavenging particles, wherein the number of oxygen scavenging particles does not exceed a concentration of about (1×107 particles÷T) per cubic centimeter of polymer wherein T is the thickness of the populated area in mils; and wherein the change in the transmission Hunter L* of said wall is less than about 0.4 per mil of the container wall when compared to a control that does not contain oxygen-scavenging particles.

Abstract: A container providing effective oxygen-scavenging functionality, while having low haze.

Abstract: A resin composition provides good optical properties when stretched and efficient oxygen-scavenging, the resin composition comprising a film-forming polyester and an effective amount of oxygen-scavenging particles, wherein the particles have a particle size distribution such that particles of less than about 25 microns in size do not exceed a concentration defined by a formula that includes the apparent density of the particles. Another resin composition comprises a film-forming polyester and from about 50 to about 2500 parts by weight of iron per million by weight of the resin, wherein the amount of iron particles having a size of less than about 20 microns does not exceed about 800 parts per million by weight of the resin. A method is also provided for incorporating high levels of oxygen-scavenging particles into a film-forming polyester resin composition with low haze when stretched.

Abstract: This invention is an improved process for producing polyester copolymers, which employs a combination of an acid-based process and an ester-based process. The ester-based process is used to manufacture a low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer, and the acid-based process is used to manufacture phthalate-based oligomers. The low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer is combined with the phthalate-based oligomers, or the raw materials used to form the phthalate-based oligomers, to form a random polyester copolymer. Specifically, the process of the invention may be employed to manufacture, in an ester-based process, a low molecular weight polyethylene naphthalate polymer, which is then combined with polyethylene terephthalate oligomers produced in an acid-based process, and the acid-based process is then used to continue the polymerization reaction. Ester interchange reactions and further polymerization result in the production of a random polyethylene terephthalate/naphthalate copolymer.

Abstract: This invention is an improved process for producing polyester copolymers, which employs a combination of an acid-based process and an ester-based process. The ester-based process is used to manufacture a low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer, and the acid-based process is used to manufacture phthalate-based oligomers. The low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer is combined with the phthalate-based oligomers, or the raw materials used to form the phthalate-based oligomers, to form a random polyester copolymer. Specifically, the process of the invention may be employed to manufacture, in an ester-based process, a low molecular weight polyethylene naphthalate polymer, which is then combined with polyethylene terephthalate oligomers produced in an acid-based process, and the acid-based process is then used to continue the polymerization reaction. Ester interchange reactions and further polymerization result in the production of a random polyethylene terephthalate/naphthalate copolymer.

Abstract: This invention is an improved process for producing polyester copolymers, which employs a combination of an acid-based process and an ester-based process. The ester-based process is used to manufacture a low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer, and the acid-based process is used to manufacture phthalate-based oligomers. The low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer is combined with the phthalate-based oligomers, or the raw materials used to form the phthalate-based oligomers, to form a random polyester copolymer. Specifically, the process of the invention may be employed to manufacture, in an ester-based process, a low molecular weight polyethylene naphthalate polymer, which is then combined with polyethylene terephthalate oligomers produced in an acid-based process, and the acid-based process is then used to continue the polymerization reaction. Ester interchange reactions and further polymerization result in the production of a random polyethylene terephthalate/naphthalate copolymer.

Abstract: This invention reveals a process for recovering polyethylene terephthalate flakes from a recycle stream containing polyethylene terephthalate flakes and polyvinyl chloride flakes which comprises: (1) treating the recycle stream with (a) at least one inorganic base selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide and (b) at least one nonionic surfactant under conditions and for a time sufficient to decrease the contact angle of the polyethylene terephthalate flakes with water below a value of 25.degree. while maintaining the contact angle of the polyvinyl chloride flakes above a value of about 45.degree.

Abstract: Today there is a growing demand to recycle plastics including polyethylene terephthalate. Sources of polyethylene terephthalate for recycling often contain polyvinyl chloride. It is necessary to separate polyvinyl chloride from the polyethylene terephthalate before it can be recycled into useful products. This invention reveals a process for recovering polyethylene terephthalate flakes from a recycle stream containing polyethylene terephthalate flakes and polyvinyl chloride flakes which comprises: (1) treating the recycle stream with (a) at least one inorganic base selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide and (b) at least one nonionic surfactant under conditions and for a time sufficient to decrease the contact angle of the polyethylene terephthalate flakes with water below a value of 25.degree. while maintaining the contact angle of the polyvinyl chloride flakes above a value of about 45.degree.