Tough thermoplastic nylon compositions

Claim 2

A multiphase thermoplastic composition consisting essentially of 55 to 99 parts by weight of a polyamide matrix resin of number average molecular weight in the range of about 5000 to 30,000 and 1 to 45 parts by weight of a multiphase core//shell polymer comprising about 50 to about 90 parts by weight of a crosslinked elastomer core and about 10 to about 50 parts by weight of a rigid thermoplastic polymer shell of glass transition temperature at least about 35° C., comprising from about 1 to about 25 parts by weight of an interpolymerized ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer, from about 20 to about 80 parts by weight of interpolymerized styrene, from about 0 to about 79 parts by weight of an interpolymerized C 1 to C 8 alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and from about 0 to about 45 parts by weight of interpolymerized acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile based on 100 parts by weight of shell polymer, wherein the multiphase core//shell polymer has a core of weight average particle diameter of at least about 0.3 micron and a rigid shell of average thickness of at least about 0.025 micron.

Claim 3

The composition according to claim 1 wherein the multiphase core//shell polymer has a core of weight average particle diameter in the range of about 0.3 to about 0.8 micron.

Claim 4

The composition according to claim 1 wherein the crosslinked elastomer core comprises interpolymerized butadiene.

Claim 5

The composition according to claim 3 wherein the carboxylic acid monomer is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, mesaconic acid, citraconic acid, aconitic acid, fumaric acid and maleic acid, and monoesters of itaconic acid, mesaconic acid, citraconic acid, aconitic acid, maleic acid and fumaric acid and C 1 to C 6 alcohols.

Claim 6

The composition according to claim 3 wherein the carboxylic acid monomer is selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 6 monoalkyl and monocycloalkyl maleates and fumarates.

Claim 7

The composition according to claim 5 wherein the notched impact strength is at least about 300 J/m.

Claim 8

The composition according to claim 1 wherein the polyamide is nylon 6, nylon 6,6 or a copolymer of nylon 6-nylon 6,6.

Claim 9

The composition according to claim 5 wherein the polyamide is nylon 6, nylon 6,6 or a copolymer of nylon 6-nylon 6,6.

Claim 10

The composition according to claim 7 wherein the crosslinked elastomer core comprises interpolymerized butadiene.

Claim 11

The composition according to claim 1 containing up to 50 weight percent of fibrous or particulate mineral filler.

Claim 12

The composition according to claim 1 containing up to 50 weight percent of glass fiber.

Claim 13

The compositions according to claim 1 wherein the polyamide matrix resin has a number average molecular weight in the range of about 8,000 to about 20,000.

Claim 14

The composition of claim 1 wherein the weight average particle diameter of the core is in the range of about 0.4 to about 0.7 micron.

Claim 15

The composition of claim 1 consisting essentially of 65 to 90 parts by weight of the polyamide matrix resin and 10 to 35 parts by weight of the multiphase core//shell polymer.

Claim 16

The composition of claim 5 consisting essentially of 65 to 90 parts by weight of the polyamide matrix resin and 10 to 35 parts by weight of the multiphase core//shell polymer.

Claim 17

A process of preparing a toughened multiphase thermoplastic composition which comprises: 1. preparing an aqueous emulsion of an elastomeric core polymer of weight average particle size in the range of about 0.3 to about 0.8 micron; 2. graft polymerizing on the elastomeric core a rigid shell comprising from about 1 to about 25 parts by weight of an interpolymerized ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer, from about 20 to about 80 parts by weight of interpolymerized styrene, from about 0 to about 79 parts by weight of a C 1 to C 8 alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and from about 0 to about 45 parts by weight of interpolymerized acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile per 100 parts by weight of rigid shell, wherein the rigid shell has a glass transition temperature of at least about 35° C. and is of average thickness at least about 0.025 micron and wherein the weight ratio of core to shell is in the range of about 9:1 to about 1:1; 3. recovering the multiphase core//shell polymer from the aqueous emulsion; and 4. melt blending the multiphase core//shell polymer with a polyamide of number average molecular weight in the range of about 5,000 to about 30,000.

Claim 18

A process of preparing a toughened multiphase thermoplastic composition which comprises: 1. preparing an aqueous emulsion of an elastomeric core polymer of weight average particle size in the range of about 0.3 to about 0.8 micron; 2. graft polymerizing on the elastomeric core a rigid shell comprising from about 1 to about 25 parts by weight of an interpolymerized ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer, from about 20 to about 80 parts by weight of interpolymerized styrene, from about 0 to about 79 parts by weight of a C 1 to C 8 alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and from about 0 to about 45 parts by weight of interpolymerized acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile per 100 parts by weight of rigid shell, wherein the rigid shell has a glass transition temperature of at least about 35° C. and is of average thickness at least about 0.025 micron and wherein the weight ratio of core to shell is in the range of about 9:1 to about 1:1; 3. recovering the multiphase core//shell polymer from the aqueous emulsion; and 4. melt blending the multiphase core//shell polymer with a polyamide of number average molecular weight in the range of about 5,000 to about 30,000.

Claim 19

The process of claim 16 wherein the polyamide is of number average molecular weight in the range of about 8,000 to about 20,000.

Claim 20

The process of claim 16 wherein the weight average particle size of the core is in the range of about 0.4 to about 0.7 micron.

Claim 21

The process of claim 16, 17, or 18 wherein the carboxylic acid monomer is selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 6 monoalkyl and monocycloalkyl maleates and fumarates.