Thermoplastics polyamide

Nylon. Nylon is the designation for a family of thermoplastic polyamide materials which in film form are moderate-oxygen barriers. The gas-barrier properties are equal to odor and flavor barrier properties important in food appHcations. Nylon films are usually tough and thermoform able, but are only fain moisture barriers (see Polyamides). 

Cycloahphatic diamines react with dicarboxyUc acids or their chlorides, dianhydrides, diisocyanates and di- (or poly-)epoxides as comonomers to form high molecular weight polyamides, polyimides, polyureas, and epoxies. Polymer property dependence on diamine stmcture is greater in the linear amorphous thermoplastic polyamides and elastomeric polyureas than in the highly crosslinked thermo set epoxies (2—4). 

Thermoplastic polyamides are used in coatings to modify alkyd resins (qv) in thixotropic systems (238) and to plasticize nitroceUulose lacquers (239). DETA-taH oil fatty acid-based polyamides are suggested for use as corrosion inhibitors in alkyd paints (240). Printing inks for fiexo-gravure appHcation on certain paper, film and foil webs rely on EDA- and PDA-based polyamides for their specific performance (241). 

This route has only been developed during the 1980s and has proved of particular interest in the manufacture of thermoplastic polyamide rubbers. 

Other companies interested in thermoplastic polyamide rubbers have been Dow (following on work by Upjohn) and Akzo, whose initial development grades have been trade marked Ametal. 

The thermoplastic polyamide elastomers may be considered as premium grade materials available in a wide range of hardness values with, in some instances, very good heat resistance. Particular properties of interest are the flexibility and impact resistance at low temperatures and the good dynamic properties and related resilience, hysteresis and alternating flexural properties. 

If polypropylene is too hard for the purpose envisaged, then the user should consider, progressively, polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate and plasticised PVC. If more rubberiness is required, then a vulcanising rubber such as natural rubber or SBR or a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer may be considered. If the material requires to be rubbery and oil and/or heat resistant, vulcanising rubbers such as the polychloroprenes, nitrile rubbers, acrylic rubbers or hydrin rubbers or a thermoplastic elastomer such as a thermoplastic polyester elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer or thermoplastic polyamide elastomer may be considered. Where it is important that the elastomer remain rubbery at very low temperatures, then NR, SBR, BR or TPO rubbers may be considered where oil resistance is not a consideration. If, however, oil resistance is important, a polypropylene oxide or hydrin rubber may be preferred. Where a wide temperature service range is paramount, a silicone rubber may be indicated. The selection of rubbery materials has been dealt with by the author elsewhere. ... 

PEBA thermoplastic polyamide rubber, polyether block amide... 

Thermoplastic polyester rubbers are also block copolymers of polyethers and polyesters. The polyester groups are capable of crystallisation and the crystal structures act like cross-links. These materials have good hydrocarbon resistance. Similar thermoplastic polyamide rubbers are also now available. 

FIGURE S.1 Chemical structure of block copolymeric thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) (a) styrenic, (b) COPE, (c) thermoplastic pol)oirethane, and (d) thermoplastic polyamide. 

Table 6.33 shows the properties of the same thermoplastic (polyamide) reinforced with increasing levels of carbon fibres. 

The usefulness of piperazine and its derivatives for the preparation of polyamides has been known for some time, and it is one of the few disecondary diamines which can be employed to prepare high-melting polycondensates. Piperazine polyamides are especially useful as hot melt adhesives (68USP3377303), since they display unusually good adhesion to vinyl-based polymers such as poly(vinyl chloride). Piperazine is also the preferred diamine for the preparation of thermoplastic polyamides which exhibit the combined properties of low melt viscosity, high softening point and impact resistance at low temperatures (80USP4218351). 

POLYAMIDE-IMIDE RESINS. An injection-moldable, high-performance engineering thermoplastic, polyamide-imide is the condensation polymer of tnmellitic anhydride and various aromatic diamines with the general structure ... 

In comparison with other thermoplastics, polyamides have superior mechanical properties, vibration and chemical resistance, and high dielectric properties. The superior antifrictional characteristics of cast PA-6 allow us to use it for bearings instead of bronze, cast iron, steel, babbit, reinforced phenolic compounds, and other materials. 

Nass, B., Hoerold, S., and Schacker, O. 2007. Polymer molding compositions based on thermoplastic polyamides. U.S. Patent Appl. 2007072967. 

I would like to acknowledge the contributions of my former co-workers at the Donald S. Gilmore Research Laboratories of the Upjohn Company, especially Dr R.H. Richter and B. Tucker who were involved in the synthesis and cycloaddition reactions of carbodiimides Dr L.M. Alberino who participated in the synthesis of polycarbodiimides Dr K. Onder and Dr WJ. Farrissey, Jr, who played a major role in the development of thermoplastic polyamides based on carbodiimide chemistry Dr H.W. Temme and Dr C.P. Smith, who developed novel polymeric catalysts for the conversion of isocyanates into carbodiimides and A. Odinak, who developed the liquid MDI process. 1 would especially like to acknowledge the encouragement of the late Dr A.A.R. Sayigh. 

The generation of catalytic amounts of carbodiimides from diisocyanates is also applied in the manufacturing of polyamides from MDI and dicarboxylic acids and/or dicar-boxylic acid terminated prepolymers. These thermoplastic polyamides are produced continuously by reaction polymerization using a vented extruder to remove the carbon dioxide byproduct. Thermoplastic polyamides are manufactured today by the Dow Chemical Co., which purchased the Chemical Division of Upjohn in 1980. 

I became involved in carbodiimide chemistry in my research work on isocyanates at the former Donald S. Gilmore Research Laboratories of the Upjohn Company in North Haven, CT. Carbodiimides are readily synthesized from isocyanates using a phospholene oxide catalyst. This reaction can be conducted without a solvent, and the byproduct is carbon dioxide. We used this reaction in the manufacture of a liquid version of MDI (4,4 -diisocyanatodiphenylmethane), which today is sold in huge quantities worldwide. By reacting MDI with dicarboxylic acids in a vented extruder we manufactured a family of thermoplastic polyamide elastomers, which are sold today by the Dow Chemical Company. Also, N-sulfonylcarbodiimides were synthesized for the first time in our laboratories. They are the precursors of the antidiabetic sulfonamides, such as Upjohn s Tolbutamide (Orinase). Because of the close relationship of isocyanates with carbodiimides we studied many linear and cyclic carbodiimide reactions, especially their cycloaddition reactions. 

Durethan [Bayer], TM for injection molding and extrusion-grade thermoplastic polyamide resins. 

The following results indicate that not only carboxylic anhydride but also carboxylic acid groups show very high activity during polyamide melt processing at temperatures above 230°C. The controlled degradation of thermoplastic polyamides like PA-6, PA-66, and PA-12 by carboxylic acid and carboxylic anhydride... 

A commercial blend consisting of a thermoplastic polyamide (PA-6 or PA-66) and 5-25 wt% of a crosslinkable silicone, which forms a semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) upon curing, has been offered under the trade name of Rim-... 

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