JPH0371712B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to plastic clay.

More specifically, the thermoplastic polycaprolactone composition alone or the thermoplastic polycaprolactone composition in combination with a coloring substance has a softening temperature of 35°C to 100°C.
The present invention relates to a plastic clay which is a thermoplastic composition containing polycaprolactone as an essential component and which has a shape-changing property that can be processed at a relatively low temperature as described above.

That is, the plastic clay referred to in the present invention is
Conventionally known paper clay, oil clay,
It can be used for the same purposes as flour clay, earth clay, and wax clay.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Clay has traditionally been widely used by art lovers, but recently it has also come to be widely used as a teaching material for school children and as a toy for young children.

However, if a failure occurs during the modeling process with this kind of clay, it is extremely difficult to correct it, and depending on the extent of the failure, it is often necessary to redo the modeling using a new material. .

Furthermore, the completed work develops cracks when it dries, and is easily damaged if dropped, and the details of the model are easily crumbled even by a light shot, and cracks are likely to occur. In addition, when kneading the mixture by hand, clay adheres to the hands from beginning to end, resulting in dirty hands and loss of clay. Furthermore, it takes a considerable amount of time for the work to dry, so managing it during that time is difficult.

Furthermore, even when a finished work is colored using paint or poster color, it is difficult to achieve a uniform and beautiful finish if the surface is not polished sufficiently or cracks occur. Furthermore, it is difficult to mix in pigments and dyes to color the material, and it is impossible to color the entire surface beautifully.

As explained above, the existing clays have many drawbacks, and there is currently a strong demand for the development of plastic clays that have improved these points.

The present invention has been developed as a result of various studies focusing on the above-mentioned circumstances.The present invention is easy to model, can be easily modeled with a light force, and, in the event of a failure during modeling, can be heated to the softening temperature as described above. The present invention has succeeded in providing a new plastic clay that can be reshaped, is lightweight and durable, and can be easily colored.

(Structure of the Invention) That is, the present invention provides a thermoplastic polycaprolactone composition alone or a mixture of a coloring substance and a thermoplastic polycaprolactone composition,
"Plastic clay" which is characterized by having a softening temperature of 100°C and being solid at temperatures below room temperature.

The plastic clay of the present invention is a solid material kneaded with a caprolactone polymer and a colored substance depending on the purpose. Its characteristics are that it remains solid without deforming at room temperature, and during molding processing it can be heated at temperatures between 35°C and 100°C.
It softens at a low temperature of ℃.

It is particularly desirable that the softening temperature is a low temperature of about 35°C to 50°C, that is, about the temperature of bathing water. Materials having a softening temperature of this level are particularly suitable for use as toys for infants, teaching materials for schoolchildren, and the like.

Grades used by sculpture or statue specialists may have a softening temperature of 50°C or higher and 100°C in some cases.
It is also possible to have a certain degree. Needless to say, when processing such a material with a relatively high softening temperature, it is necessary to mold it using a spatula or the like to avoid the risk of burns.

The caprolactone polymer used in the present invention is usually ε
- Obtained by reacting caprolactone with a diol such as ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol in the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst used in this reaction is generally an organic tin compound, an organic titanium compound, an organic tin halide compound, etc., and is added at 0.1 to 500 ppm and polymerized at 100 to 230°C, preferably in an inert gas. Polycaprolactone resin can then be obtained.

This polycaprolactone composition has various degrees of polymerization, ranging from liquid to solid at room temperature, and is used for various purposes, but in order to uniformly satisfy all of its uses as a plastic clay, It is desirable to use a thermoplastic polycaprolactone composition having a degree of polymerization within a certain range.

The key point of the present invention is that among various polycaprolactone compositions, solid polycaprolactone compositions have a degree of polymerization within a certain range, that is, a number average molecular weight of 10,000 to 200,000 as determined by gel permeation chromatography.
The plastic clay is made of a non-hazardous grade that softens when heated at a low temperature of 35°C to 100°C, and is kneaded with a coloring substance as necessary. ℃
It softens easily at a moderate temperature, solidifies by pouring or soaking it in cold water, and remains solid at room temperature. If the molecular weight is less than 10,000, it is waxy or liquid at room temperature and is useless as clay.

(Effects of the Invention) Clay made using the plastic clay of the present invention has the following advantages when compared to conventionally used paper clay, oil clay, flour clay, earthen clay, wax clay, etc. has.

b) Since there is no need to use water, there is no need to dry.

b) Even if the molded product is vibrated or dropped, it will not crack or break.

c) Hands and work area will not get dirty during molding work.

d) It is possible to reuse molded products or failed products.

e) Excellent surface smoothness and gloss.

f) Since it is possible to perform drilling and thread cutting, it is possible to create items with complex shapes.

g) Easy to color.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Thermoplastic polycaprolactone composition alone or
Alternatively, a plastic clay is a mixture of a colored substance and a thermoplastic polycaprolactone composition, which has a softening temperature of 35°C to 100°C and is solid at temperatures below room temperature.