US-12617945-B2 - Thermoplastic composition

US12617945B2US 12617945 B2US12617945 B2US 12617945B2US-12617945-B2

Abstract

Thermoplastic silicone vulcanisates as masterbatch additives in thermoplastic compositions including thermoplastic elastomer compositions are disclosed. Using thermoplastic silicone vulcanisates as masterbatch additives have been found to, for example increase impact resistance, decrease mechanical modulus and increase surface properties comparative to non-modified thermoplastic compositions. A process for making the masterbatch and thermoplastic composition is also described.

Inventors

Yann GRADELET
Sylvain Boucard

Assignees

MULTIBASE S.A.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20190405
Priority Date: 20180405

Claims (7)

1 . A thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of (A) one or more thermoplastic organic materials, with (B) a thermoplastic masterbatch composition comprising (B1) one or more thermoplastic organic materials, (B2) a silicone elastomer; and (B3) an uncured organopolysiloxane polymer in which the silicone elastomer (B2) is prepared by dynamic vulcanization of: a silanol terminated diorganopolysiloxane (B2b1), an organopolysiloxane having at least two Si-bonded hydrogen atoms (B2a2), and a condensation catalyst (B2b3), in which the uncured organopolysiloxane polymer (B3) is present in an amount of from 0.1 to 25% by weight of the thermoplastic masterbatch composition (B), in which the thermoplastic masterbatch composition (B) there is contained from 20% to 60% by weight of silicone elastomer based on the weight of (B1)+(B2)+(B3), and in which thermoplastic composition there is a total of from 0.2 to 25% by weight of silicone elastomer based on the weight of (A)+(B).
2 . A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the one or more thermoplastic organic materials (B1) are selected from polycarbonates; polyamides; polyesters; polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyphenyleneoxide (PPO); polyphenylene sulphide (PPS), polyether sulphone (PES), polyaramids, polyimides, phenyl-containing resins having a rigid rod structure, styrenic materials; polyacrylates, SAN; halogenated plastics; polyketones, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyolefins, copolymers and blends of polyolefin; thermoplastic urethanes, thermoplastic polyolefinic elastomers, thermoplastic vulcanizates; styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS) copolymer, cellulosics, rayon, and polylactic acid.
3 . A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein one or more thermoplastic organic materials (A) is selected from polycarbonates; polyamides; polyesters; polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyphenyleneoxide (PPO); polyphenylene sulphide (PPS), polyether sulphone (PES), polyaramids, polyimides, phenyl-containing resins having a rigid rod structure, styrenic materials; polyacrylates, SAN; halogenated plastics; polyketones, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyolefins, copolymers and blends of polyolefin; thermoplastic urethanes, thermoplastic polyolefinic elastomers, thermoplastic vulcanizates; styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS) copolymer, cellulosics, rayon, and polylactic acid.
4 . A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein component (A) and component (B1) may be the same or different.
5 . A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the uncured organopolysiloxane (B3) is a linear organopolysiloxane having trialkyl silyl termination, dialkylhydroxy silyl termination or dialkylalkenyl silyl termination.
6 . A part or component for sports equipment, footwear, automotive, appliances, electronics, portable electronic, electrical, communication, and medical applications wherein the part or component comprises the thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 1 .
7 . A wearable item selected from a bracelet or a support pad for sunglasses, reading glasses or wearable electronics, wherein the wearable item comprises the thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 1 .

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a U.S. national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT Application No. PCT/EP19/58726 filed on Apr. 5, 2019, currently pending, which claims the benefit of EP patent application Ser. No. 18/305,401.4 filed Apr. 5, 2018 under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e). PCT Application No. PCT/EP19/58726, EP patent application Ser. No. 18/305,401.4 are hereby incorporated by reference. This disclosure relates to thermoplastic silicone vulcanisates as masterbatch additives in thermoplastic compositions including thermoplastic elastomer compositions. A process for making the masterbatch and thermoplastic composition is also described. A Thermoplastic material is a plastic material that becomes pliable or moldable above a specific temperature and solidifies upon cooling. When reheated the thermoplastic material can be remoulded into a new shape. In contrast a thermoset material is a plastic that is irreversibly cured from a soft solid or viscous liquid prepolymer or resin and once cured/hardened a thermoset material cannot be remoulded into a new shape upon reheating. Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) are thermoplastic materials which possess both plastic and rubbery properties. Whilst TPEs have elastomeric mechanical properties, unlike conventional thermoset rubbers, they can be re-processed at elevated temperatures. This re-process ability is a major advantage of TPEs over chemically crosslinked rubbers since it allows recycling of fabricated parts and results in a considerable reduction of scrap. In general, two main types of thermoplastic elastomers are known, block copolymer TPEs and simple blend TPEs (physical blends). Block copolymer TPEs contain (i) blocks or segments that are called hard or rigid (i.e. having a thermoplastic behaviour), typically these have a melting point or glass transition temperature above ambient temperature; and(ii) blocks or segments that are called soft which are pliable or flexible (i.e. having an elastomeric behaviour) and typically have a low glass transition temperature (Tg) or a melting point considerably below room temperature. The expression “low glass transition temperature” is understood to mean a glass transition temperature Tg below 15° C., preferably below 0° C., advantageously below −15° C., more advantageously below −30° C., possibly below −50° C. In block copolymer thermoplastic elastomers, the hard segments aggregate to form distinct micro phases and act as physical crosslinks for the soft phase, thereby imparting a rubbery character at room temperature. At elevated temperatures, the hard segments melt or soften and allow the copolymer to flow and to be processed. The hard blocks are generally based on polyamides, polyurethanes, polyesters, polystyrene, polyolefin or a mixture of thereof. The soft blocks are generally based on polyethers, polyester, polyolefin and copolymers or blends thereof. TPEs referred to as simple blends or physical blends can be obtained by uniformly mixing an elastomeric component with a thermoplastic resin. For a long period, (Since the 1950s), many efforts have been made to modify the properties of thermoplastic materials such as impact resistance. In the case of polystyrene, this lead to the development of high impact polystyrene (HIPS). In the case of other thermoplastic polymers such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP) and polyamides (PA) improvements in impact resistance properties have been obtained by the dispersion of one or more elastomers in the thermoplastic concerned. It was identified that one of the key factors to achieve such improvements is the control of the quality and homogeneity of the elastomer particle dispersion and contact intimacy between phases. Principal elastomers used were nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), natural rubber (NR), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polymethacrylate butadiene styrene (MBS), olefinic elastomers such as polypropylene (PP) and/or polyethylene (PE) polymers and copolymers, and terpolymer of polyolefins, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), styrene block polymer acrylic elastomers. However the introduction of such elastomer particles had a negative effect on other properties, for instance, a decrease in surface performance properties resulting in a poorer scratch and/or mar resistance, higher coefficient of friction (COF) values were also identified. These as a result of the introduction of the elastomer phase which may be present at surface which provides an overall rubbery effect. Up to now, there is no unique solution able to jointly improve impact resistance, brings elastomeric behavior and improve surface performance properties such as mar and abrasion resistance. Masterbatches of uncured organopolysiloxane polymers in thermoplastics and/or TPEs are a proven solution to enhance surface performance of the thermoplastics and/or TPEs. Siloxane masterbatches containing high molecular weight sil