MXPA98004994A - Compositions that include polymers hidroxifunciona - Google Patents

Abstract

Compositions comprising a polysaccharide and a hydroxy-functional polyester are prepared by mixing the hydroxy-functional polyester and polysaccharide, modified polysaccharide or a naturally occurring fiber or particle filler and, optionally, other additives in an intensive mixer at a temperature and for a sufficient time to provide a well-dispersed mixture of the components

Description

COMPOSITIONS THAT COMPRISE HYDROXY-FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS This invention relates to compositions comprising hydroxy-functional polymers and to articles prepared therefrom. Polysaccharides are inexpensive and have good mechanical properties, but can not be easily processed as thermoplastics. To take advantage of its low cost, attempts have been made to mix them with synthetic polymers, such as polyolefins, to produce more useful materials. However, the resulting materials often suffer from several problems. For example, the physical properties of the mixture of the polysaccharide starch with polyolefin are adversely affected by the incompatibility of and poor adhesion between the polar starch and the non-polar polyolefin. In order to solve this problem, the starch must be modified, or compatible with the polyolefin, thus increasing the cost of the mixture. When more polar thermoplastics are used in the preparation of the mixture, other physical properties such as moisture resistance can be adversely affected. It would be desirable to provide a composition with useful mechanical properties comprising a polysaccharide and other hydroxy-functional polymer that is compatible therewith.

The present invention is a composition comprising (1) a polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide or a naturally occurring fiber or particle filler, and (2) a thermoplastic hydroxy-functional polyether derived from monomers containing 1 or more epoxy groups. has discovered that the hydroxy-functional polyether adheres strongly to a pohsacápdo. This adhesion, and the good physical properties in general of hydroxy-functional polyethers, allows the preparation of known materials with useful physical properties. The compositions of the present invention are suitable for use in the manufacture of articles, containers, films, foils, or coatings. molded, extruded or foamed, by using conventional manufacturing techniques such as extrusion, compression molding, injection molding, blow molding and similar manufacturing techniques commonly used to produce such articles. Examples of such articles include films, foams, sheets, tubes, bars, bags, boxes, meat trays, egg cartons, cups and plates, knives, and other disposable consumer items. The compositions of the present invention are also suitable for use as adhesives and encapsulating agents. Preferably, the hydroxy-functional polyethers used in the practice of the present invention are (1) hydroxy-functional polyethers having repeating units represented by the formula: O O II I -OC-R1-COR3OR4O-R34- I (2) hydroxy-functional polyethers having repeating units represented by the formula: OH OH -0-CH2-C-CH2-A-CH2-C-CH2-O-B-- II. J Rs m (3) hydroxy-functional polyethers having repeating units represented by the formula: wherein R represents individually a divalent organic portion which is predominantly hydrocarbylene, or a combination of different organic portions which are predominantly hydrocarbylene; R3 is OH CH2OH I I -CH2CCH2- or -C-CH2-O- I R5 R4 is - wherein R is a divalent organic moiety that is predominantly hydrocarbylene or R5 is hydrogen or alkyl, R6 is independently an organic portion that is predominantly hydrocarbylene, R7 is independently hydrogen or methyl, A is an amine portion or a combination of different amine portions; B is a divalent organic moiety that is predominantly hydrocarbylene; m is an integer from 10 to about 1000, n is an integer from about 0 to about 100, and x and y are independently integers from 0 to 100. The term "predominantly hydrocarbylene" is defined as a divalent radical that is predominantly hydrocarbon, but optionally containing a minor amount of a heteroatom portion such as oxygen, sulfur, imino, sulfonyl, and sulfoxyl Representative representative divalent organic moieties useful as R 1, R 2 and R 6 include alkylene, cycloalkylene, alkylenearylene, polyalkanoxyalkyl alkylene), alkylenethioalkylene, alkylenesulfonyl-alkylene, alkylene substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, cycloalkylene substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, alkylene-substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, pol i- (alkyleneoxyalkylene) substituted with less a hydroxyl group, alkylenethioalkylene substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, alkylene sulfonalkylene substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, aplene, dialkylenearylene, dialenyletone, diaplenesulfone, diarylene oxide and diarylene sulfide. In the most preferred hydroxy-functional polyethers, R1, R2 and R6 are independently methylene, ethylene, propylene, butylene, pentamethylene, hexamethylene, heptamethylene, octamethylene, nonamethylene, decamethylene, dodecamethylene, 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,3-cyclohexylene or 1,2-c-Clohexylene optionally substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, p-phenylene, m-phenylene, or 2,6-naphthalene, diphenylene-isopropylidene, sulfonyldiphenylene, carbonyldiphenylene, oxydiphenylene, or 9,9-fluorend? Phenylene and n is from 0 to 10 Preferably, A is 2-hydroxyethylimino-, 2-hydroxypropylimino-, piperazenyl, N, N'-β (2-hydroxyl) -1, 2-et? lendimino-, and B is isopropydendiphenylene, 1,3-phenlene, or 1,4-phenylene and R 5 is hydrogen.

The polyhydroxy ester ethers represented by the formula I are prepared by reacting diglycidyl esters of aliphatic or aromatic diacids such as diglycidyl terephthalate, or diglycidyl ethers of dihydric phenols as described in US Pat. 5,171,820 and 5,496,910; and the copending patent applications Series Nos. 131, 110, filed on October 1, 1993; 278,361, filed on July 21, 1994; and 280,425, filed July 26, 1994. The polyhydroxyamino ethers represented by the formula II are prepared by contacting one or more of the diglycidyl ethers of a dihydric phenol with an amine having two amine hydrogens under conditions sufficient to cause that the amine moieties react with portions of epoxy to form a polymer base structure having amine ligatures, ether ligatures and pendant hydroxyl moieties. These polyethers are described in the patent of E.U.A. 5,275,853. These polyethers can also be prepared by contacting a diglycidyl ether or an epihaiohydrin with a difunctional amine. The polyhydroxyethers represented by the formula III can be prepared by contacting a diglycidyl ether or a combination of diglycidyl ethers with a dihydric phenol or combination of dihydric phenols using the process described in US Pat. 5,164,472. Alternatively, the polyhydroxyethers are obtained by allowing a dihydric phenol or a combination of dihydric phenols to react with an epihaiohydrin by the process described by Reinking, Barnabeo, and Hale in Journal of Applied Polymer Science, volume 7, page 2135 (1963). Although the amount of hydroxy-functional polyethers used depends on a variety of factors, including the specific polymer employed and the desired end uses of the composition, in general, the hydroxy-functional polyesters may be present in an amount of 1 to 99 percent. by weight, preferably from 10 to 95 weight percent, and most preferably from 20 to 90 weight percent, based on the total weight of the hydroxy-functional polyester and polysaccharide. Naturally occurring fibers or particle fillers that can be used in the practice of the present invention to prepare the composition are, for example, wood flour, wood pulp, wood fibers, cotton, flax, hemp, or ramin fibers, or rice or wheat straw, chitin, chitosan, cellulose materials derived from agricultural products, nut shell flour, corn flour, and mixtures thereof. The polysaccharides which can be used in the practice of the present invention to prepare the composition are the different starches, celluloses, hemicelluloses, xylans, gums, pectins and pululans. Polysaccharides are known and described, for example, in Encvclopedia of Polvmer Science and Technology, 2nd edition, 1987. Preferred polysaccharides are starch and cellulose. Modified polysaccharides that can be employed in the practice of the present invention to prepare the composition are esters and ethers of pohsacapdos, such as, for example, cellulose ethers and cellulose esters, or starch esters and starch ethers Modified polysaccharides are known and described in Encyclopedia of Polvmer Science and Technology, 2nd edition 1987. The term " "starch" as used herein, refers to carbohydrates of natural, plant origin, composed primarily of amylose and / or amylopectin, and includes unmodified starches, physically modified starches, such as thermoplastic, gelatinized or cooked starches, starches with a modified acid value (pH) where acid has been added to reduce the acid value of a starch on a scale of 3 to 6, gelatinized starches, non-gelatinized starches, interlaced starches and broken starches (starches that are not in the form of particle) The starches may be in regular, particle or powder form. They can be extracted from various plants, such as, for example, potatoes, rice, tapioca, corn, peas, and cereals such as rye, oats, and wheat Celluloses are known and described, for example, in Encvclopedia of Polvmer Science and Technology. 2nd edition, 1987 Celluloses are polymers with high natural carbohydrate content (pohsacápdos) consisting of unhydrated glucose units linked by an oxygen ligature to form long molecular chains that are essentially linear Celluloses can be hydrogenated to form glucose The degree of polymerization vain from 1000 for wood pulp to 3500 for cotton fiber, giving a molecular weight of 160,000 to 560,000 Cellulose can be extracted from plant tissues (wood, grass and cotton) Celluloses can be used in the form of fibers The composition of the present invention may also contain various additives such as, for example, plasticizers, lubricants, pigments, foaming agents, extenders, stabilizers, chemical modifiers, and flow accelerators. Each of these additives is known and several types of each are commercially available. , the compositions of the present invention can be prepared by mixing (1) a thermoplastic hydroxy-functional polyether and (2) a poassapedal, a modified saccharum po or a naturally occurring fiber or particle filler and, optionally (3) other additives in an intensive mixer, such as a Haake mixer, a Banbury mixer, single screw extruder, screw extruder g emines, or an injection molding machine, at a temperature and for a time sufficient to provide a well-dispersed intimate mixture of the components. Preferably, the components are brought together and processed in an appropriate melting extruder from which the mixture is extruded into a suitable extruder. the form of powders or strains Powders or strains are then formed into pellets or granules for injection molding and other thermal processes. Normal techniques and apparatuses well known in the art can be used for these processes The material can be made into films by using processes well known to those skilled in the art, such as by cast film extrusion, blown film extrusion, and can be incorporated into multilayer constructions such as coextruded cast or blown films, with or without intermediate adhesive layers or layers containing scraped material recycled from the manufacturing process. The material can be extruded into shapes such as profiles, tubes, rods, strips, tapes, sheets or strains, and can be formed by molding using well-known methods such as compression or injection molding, or thermoforming or vacuum molding. The material may be in the form of a foamed or cellular structure, such as a flexible, rigid or structural foam, with open, closed or partially open cell morphologies. The foam can be conveniently formed by extrusion, or by expanding globules in a hot mold to form a shaped article. The extruded foam can also be formed by thermoforming into shaped articles. The foam can also be extruded directly into useful shapes such as bars, plates, planks or tables. The articles and forms thus formed are useful, for example, for packaging, insulation and damping purposes. The foam of the present invention is generally prepared by heating the composition comprising a polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide, a fiber that occurs naturally or particle filler, and a hydroxy-functional polyether to form a pellet or molten polymer material, incorporating a blowing agent to form a foamable gel, and extruding the gel through a die to form the foam product. The blowing agent can be incorporated into the polymer material before melting, or it can be incorporated after heating the polymer material at a temperature at or above its melting point. The blowing agent can be incorporated or mixed into the molten polymer material by any means known in the art such as with an extruder, mixer or beater. The blowing agent is mixed with the molten polymer material at a high enough pressure to prevent substantial expansion of the molten polymer material and to generally disperse the blowing agent homogeneously therein. Optionally, a nucleator can be mixed in the polymer melt or mixed dry with the polymer material before plasticizing or melting. The foamable gel is typically cooled to a lower temperature to optimize the physical characteristics of the foam structure. The gel is then extruded through a given die in a desired manner to a zone of reduced or reduced pressure instead of holding the gel before extrusion through a die. The lower pressure may be superatmospheric or subatmospheric, but is preferably at an atmospheric level. Blowing agents useful in making the present foam structures include inorganic agents, organic blowing agents, and chemical blowing agents. The agents Suitable inorganic blowers include carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, water, air, and helium. Organic blowing agents include aliphatic hydrocarbons having from 1 to 9 carbon atoms and fully or partially halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms. The present foam has a density of 5 to 200 kilograms per cubic meter. The foam has an average cell size of 0.1 to 5.0 millimeters. The foam can be open or closed cell. Although the present process for making the present foam is an extrusion process, it is understood that the above structure can be formed by the expansion of globules, which can be molded at the time of expansion to form structures in various ways. The composition of the present invention is also useful as hot melt adhesives, and can be formulated with tackifying resins, plasticizers, waxes, and / or conventional additives in amounts that vary as are known to those skilled in the art. The composition can be manufactured in a container by using conventional processes such as blow molding, injection molding, vacuum forming, thermoforming, injection blow molding, extrusion blow molding, and pultrusion. The composition can be used as a coating or a laminar unit, and can be applied to a substrate by such methods as calender, curtain coating, extrusion coating, roll coating, or spray coating The composition can be used as an encapsulant capable of slow or controlled release of a pharmaceutically active agent, a catalyst, a biocide or a fertilizer, and can be prepared when composing the material with, as an additional component, the pharmaceutically active agent, the biocide, the fertilizer, or the fertilizer, either during or after preparing the composition In case the active materials are not stable under the processing conditions employed to produce the composition, the composition of the invention can be applied to particles of the active agent by spray coating, solution coating, or other well-known methods to produce the encapsulated active ingredient. The composition can also be in the form of a substrate that comprises a polysaccharide, such as wood, paper, cloth, or a starch article, optionally containing a hydroxy-functional polyether derived from monomers containing one or more epoxy groups, coated with a hydroxy-functional polyether derived from monomers containing one or more epoxy groups. The hydroxy-functional polyether can be used to modify the surface or structural properties of the substrate, to protect the substrate in use. The coating can be conveniently applied using well-known methods such as extrusion, calender, pressure lamination, roll coating, powder coating, curtain coating, or solution coating. The substrate is preferably a paper, cardboard, cellulose film, modified cellulose film, starch film, modified starch film, wood, or a film or an article comprising a polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide, a fiber that occurs from natural way or particle filler, and a hydroxy-functional polyether. The substrate is most preferably paper, cardboard, or an article comprising a polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide, a naturally occurring fiber or particle filler, and a hydroxy-functional polyether. The examples of work that are given to illustrate the invention should not be considered as a limitation within their scope. All parts and percentages are by weight, unless otherwise indicated.

EXAMPLE 1 A 13L resin flask, equipped with a mechanical stirrer and nitrogen inlet, was charged with hydroquinone diglycidyl ether (1312.5 g, 5.8 moles, 113.06 g / epoxide equivalent), 1, 10-decanedicarboxylic acid (1343.5 g, 5.83 moles), and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (94.2 g, 0.29 moles). Diglyme (3 L) was added and the mixture was heated at 110 ° C for 5.5 hours under a nitrogen atmosphere. Glacial acetic acid (250 mL) was added and heating continued at 110 ° C overnight. The solution was allowed to cool at about 50 ° C and poured into water in a large Waring blender (300 mL portions in 2 L of water) The fibrous precipitate was collected by suction filtration and suspended in fresh water for 3 days The product was collected by filtration Suction and allowed to air dry overnight The product was dried in a vacuum oven at 100 ° C to 115 ° C overnight The polymer had an inherent viscosity of 0.42 dL / g (DMF, 25 ° C, 05g / dL), a Tg of 5 ° C, and a Tm of 75 ° C. Dry mixtures of the above polymer and unmodified potato starch were prepared by using the weight ratios indicated in the table. The mixtures were composed using a Haake mixer. (60 ce bowl) at 120 ° C for 6 minutes as indicated. Plates (10 16 cm by 10.16 cm by 0.15 cm) were prepared by compression molding the material obtained from the Haake mixer. Samples were obtained for the mechanical property test from these plates. The tension properties selected are listed in Table 1.

TABLE I MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYESTER STARCH-STARCH MIXTURES Properties Control 20% of 40% of 60% of Mechanical 80% (0% of starch starch starch starch) Stress 61,864 66,082 79,439 94,202 produced (kg / cm2) Force 15 12 produced (%) Effort of 214,415 129,352 61,161 75,924 155,363 tension (kg / cm2) Lengthening 705 370 190 14 tension (%) Module 860.472 1169.792 2087.207 3178.263 6784.653 tension (kg / cm¿) EXAMPLE 2 The polyhydroxyamino ether derived from the reaction of the diglycidyl ether of biphenol A with ethanolamine was compounded with varying amounts of hardwood flour (American Wood Fibers grade 20010) by using a mechanical Brabender Plasticorder with roll sheets in a rotary counting mixer of 60 ce nominally at 180 ° C The polymer was loaded and processed at 63 rpm for two minutes, then hard wood flour was added and processed under the conditions shown in Table II TABLE II Number of% by weight of Minutes Fine twist Eiempl or m ade processed (m-q) 2 (a) 10 5 2500 2 (b) 30 2 3200 2 (c) 50 2 4500 The composite materials were compression molded into test plates by using a 10 16 cm by 10 16 cm by 0 158 cm thick frame between two flat stainless steel plates when using Fluoroglide ™ CP as a mold release. it was molded at 200 ° C for 3 minutes using 878750 kg / cm2 in the mold cavity The plate was cooled under pressure to less than 45 ° C before demolding ASTM Type IV strain test bars of these plates were machined and were tested by using an Instron 4507 test frame at a cross rate of 254 cm / minute. The results of the test are shown in Table III.

TABLE III Effort Number of Module% of Example tension a Stress elongation (kg / cm2) break (kg / cm2) break 2 (a) 456.95 10.6 36696.6 2 (b) 724.09 3.5 47101.0 2 (c) 780.33 2.2 57153.9 EXAMPLE 3 The polyhydroxy ester ether derived from the reaction of the diglycidyl ether of biphenol A with adipic acid was compounded with several levels of hardwood flour (American Wood Fibers grade 20010) by using a mechanical Brabender Plasticorder with roller blades in a rotary counting mixer of 60 ce nominal at 150 ° C. The polymer was loaded and processed at 63 rpm for two minutes, then wood flour was added and processed under the conditions shown in Table IV.

TABLE IV Number of% by weight of Minutes Final twist Eiempl or processed wood (m-fl) 3 (a) 10 3 400 3 (b) 30 5 520 3 (c) 50 5 1500 Composite materials were compression molded into test plates when using a 10.16 cm by 10.16 cm by 0.158 cm thick frame between two flat stainless steel plates when using Fluoroglide ™ CP as a mold release. The materials of examples 3 (a) and 3 (b) were molded at 150 ° C for 3 minutes when using 79.0875-87.8750 kg / cm2 in the mold cavity. The material of Example 3 (c) was molded at 175 ° C. The plates were cooled under pressure to less than 30 ° C before demolding. ASTM Type IV strain test bars were machined from these plates and tested by using an Instron 4507 test frame at a cross rate of .254 cm / minute. The results of the test are shown in table V.

TABLE V Effort Number of Module% of Eiempl or tension a Elongation at tension (kg / cm2) rupture (kg / cm2) rupture 3 (a) 231.99 13.6 31705.3 3 (b) 400.71 4.5 45554.4 3 (c) 548.34 2.0 59262.9 EXAMPLE 4 The polyhydroxy ether biphenol A (35 g, PAPHEN ™ PHENOXY RESIN PKHHMM from Phenoxy Associates) was compounded with 15 grams of dry corn starch using a Haake Rheocord 9000 tension rheometer equipped with a Haake Model 600 mixer using roller blades at a 160 ° C temperature. The polymer and starch were charged and processed at 60 rpm for ten minutes. The torsion and melting temperature were equilibrated to a torque of about 1650 m-g at 183 ° C after about 5 minutes. The composite material was compression molded into test plates by using a 10.16 cm by 10.16 cm by 0.158 cm thick frame between two flat stainless steel plates. use Fluoroglide ™ CP (a product of Norton Performance Plastic Company) an aerosol fluorocarbon mold release agent. The material was molded at 200 ° C for 3 minutes using 43.2375 kg / cm2 in the mold cavity. The plate was cooled under pressure to less than 45 ° C before demolding. ASTM Type IV strain test bars were machined from these plates and tested as in Example 1. The results of the test are shown in Table VI.

TABLE VI '"stress strain at% elongation to rupture (kg / cm2) rupture (kg / cm2) 592.6993 2.47 35121.88 EXAMPLE 5 The polyhydroxyamino ether derived from the reaction of the diglycidyl ether of biphenol A with ethanolamine (35 g) was compounded with 15 grams of dry corn starch (Buffalo 3401) by using a Haake Rheocord 9000 torsion rheometer equipped with a Haake Model 600 mixer using roller blades at a temperature of 160 ° C. The polymer and starch were loaded and processed at 60 rpm for ten minutes. The torsion and melting temperature were equilibrated to a torque of about 1500 mg at 183 ° C after about 5 minutes. The composite material was compression molded into test plates using a frame mold of 10 mm. 16 cm by 10 16 cm by 0 158 cm thick between two flat stainless steel plates when using Fluoroglide ™ CP as a mold release agent The material was molded at 200 ° C for 3 minutes using 432375 kg / cm2 in the Mold cavity The plate was cooled under pressure to less than 45 ° C before demolding. ASTM Type IV strain test bars of these plates were machined and tested as in example 1 The results of the test are shown in the table Vile TABLE VII Stress strain at% Elongation a Stress modulus (kg / cm2) rupture (kg / cm2) 571 8202 2.75 387353 The above data indicates that the addition of starch to a hydroxy-functional polyether according to the present invention produces materials having useful mechanical properties

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS 1 - . 1 - A composition of matter comprising (1) a polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide, or a naturally occurring fiber or particle filler and (2) a thermoplastic hydroxy functional polyether having repeating units represented by any of the following formulas OH OH I I -0-CH2-C-CH2-A-CH2-C-CH2-O-B-, or m wherein R1 is a divalent organic portion that is predominantly hydrocarbylene, R is OH CH2OH I I -CH2CCH2- or -C-CH2-0- I R5 R 4 is O O OH -C-R -C- -R '-OCH 2 CH 2 OR: R; wherein R2 and R6 are independently divalent organic moieties which are predominantly hydrocarbon, and R5 is hydrogen or alkyl; A is an amine portion or a combination of different amine portions; B is a divalent organic moiety that is predominantly hydrocarbylene; m is an integer from 10 to 1000 and n is from 0 to 100. 2 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein R1, R2 and R6 are independently alkylene, cycloalkylene, alkylenearylene, polyalkylenenoxyalkylene, alkylenethioalkylene, alkylene sulfonylalkylene, alkylene substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, cycloalkylene substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, alkylenearylene substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, polyalkyleneoxyalkylene substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, alkylenethioalkylene substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, alkylene sulfonylalkylene substituted with for the less a hydroxyl group, arylene, dialkylenearylene, diaryletketone, diarylene sulphone, diarylene oxide or diarylene sulfide. 3 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein R1, R2 and R6 are independently methylene, ethylene, propylene, butylene, pentamethylene, hexamethylene, heptamethylene, octamethylene, nonamethylene, decamethylene, dodecamethylene, 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1, 3-cyclohexylene or 1, 2-cyclohexylene optionally substituted with at least one hydroxyl group. 4 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein R1, R2 and R6 are represented by the formula: -H2C-f-HC-H 2-? 4-HC-H2C-O-CH2-CH- | -O-CH2-CH-4-CH2- I R7 R R7 R7 wherein R7 is hydrogen or methyl and x and y are independently from 0 to 100. 5. The composition according to claim 1, wherein R1 and R6 are independently p-phenylene, m-phenylene or 2,6-naphthalene. 6 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein R2 is m-phenylene, p-phenylene, naphthylene, diphenylene-isopropylidene, sulfonyldiphenylene, carbonyldiphenylene, oxydiphenylene, or 9,9-fluorendiphenylene. 7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein R5 is hydrogen. 8 -. 8 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein n is from 0 to 10 9 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein A is 2-h? Drox? Et? L? M? No-, 2 -h? drox? prop? l? no?, piperazinyl, N, N'-b? (2-h? drox? et? l) -1, 2-et? lend? m? no-, and B is isopropylidenediphenylene, 1,3-phenlene or 1,4-phenlene, and R 5 is hydrogen 10 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein B is isopropydendiphenylene, 1,3-phenlene or 1 , 4-phenol, and R5 is hydrogen 11 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic hydroxy-functional polyether is derived from the reaction of an epihalohydrin and a biphenol 12 - The composition according to the claim 1, wherein the polysaccharide is a starch or a cellulose 13 - The composition according to claim 12, wherein the starch is derived from potato, rice, corn or wheat 14 - The composition according to claim 12, wherein the starch is a granulated starch, and the cellulose is in the form of a fiber 15 - The composition according to claim 12, wherein the starch is a thermoplastic starch 16 - The composition according to claim 12, wherein the cellulose is extracted of wood pulp or cotton fibers 17 -. 17 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein the modified polysaccharide is an ether or ester of polysaccharide 18 - The composition according to claim 17, wherein the modified pohsaccharide is a cellulose ether or cellulose ester. 19 - The composition according to claim 1, wherein the naturally occurring fiber or particle filler is wood flour, wood pulp, wood fibers, cotton, flax, hemp, or ramin fibers, straw rice or wheat, chitin, chitosan, cellulose materials derived from agricultural products, nut shell flour, corn flour, or mixtures thereof. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic hydroxy functional polyether is present in an amount of 1 to 99 weight percent, and the polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide, or a fiber that occurs naturally or Particle filler is present in an amount of 99 to 1 weight percent, based on the weight of the two components. 21 - The composition according to claim 1, in the form of a film. 22 - The composition according to claim 1, in the form of a molded or extruded article. 23 - The composition according to claim 1, in the form of an open cell foam or closed cell. 24 -. 24 - The composition according to claim 1, in the form of an adhesive 25 - The composition according to claim 1, in the form of a rigid or flexible container 26 - The composition according to claim 1, in the form of a packaging material 27 - The composition according to claim 1, in the form of a coating 28 - The composition according to claim 1, in the form of a laminar unit 29 - The composition according to the claim 1, in the form of an encapsulation capable of slow or controlled release of a pharmaceutically active agent, a catalyst, a biocide or a fertilizer 30 - An article comprising a substrate coated with a thermoplastic hydroxy-functional polyether derived from monomers containing 1 or more epoxy groups 31 - The article according to claim 30, wherein the pohsacápdo is a paper product 32 - Una unida d laminar comprising a thermoplastic hydroxy-functional polyether derived from monomers containing 1 or more epoxy groups attached to a substrate comprising, paper, cardboard, cellulose film, modified cellulose film, starch film, modified starch film or wood 33 -. 33 - A process for preparing a mixture comprising mixing a thermoplastic hydroxy-functional polyether derived from monomers containing 1 or more epoxy groups with a polysaccharide, modified polysaccharide, or naturally occurring fiber or particle filler in an intensive mixer a a temperature and for a time sufficient to provide a well dispersed mixture of the components