Nylon 6/silicone blends

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention provides a method of making a nylon 6/silicone polymer blend comprising the steps of preparing a silicone polymer emulsion comprising a silicone polymer dispersed in a liquid continuous phase; introducing the silicone polymer emulsion into a nylon 6 ring opening reaction either prior to or during the nylon 6 ring opening reaction medium wherein the reaction medium comprises caprolactam; and opening the ring and reacting the caprolactam, thereby providing a nylon 6/silicone polymer emulsion blend. Nylon 6/silicone polymer blends are also provided by the invention herein.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of making a nylon 6/silicone polymer blend comprising the steps of: 
 a. preparing a silicone polymer emulsion comprising a silicone polymer dispersed in a liquid continuous phase;    b. introducing the silicone polymer emulsion into a nylon 6 ring opening reaction either prior to or during the nylon 6 ring opening reaction medium, wherein the reaction medium comprises caprolactam; and    c. opening the ring and reacting the caprolactam, thereby providing a nylon 6/silicone polymer blend.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous phase comprises water.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the continuous phase comprises from about 10 to about 100% by weight water.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous phase comprises caprolactam.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the continuous phase comprises from about 10 to about 90% by weight caprolactam.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone polymer comprises homo or copolymers of polydimethylsiloxane, wherein the homo or copolymers comprise aminopropyl, vinyl, mercaptopropyl, phenylmethyl, epoxy or aminoethylaminopropyl functionalities.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone polymer emulsion comprises a surfactant and wherein the surfactant comprises an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein glass fibers are added to the nylon 6 reaction medium prior to or during the nylon 6 ring opening reaction.  
     
     
         9 . The product made by the process of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . A nylon 6/silicone polymer blend comprising nylon 6 and a silicone polymer emulsion, wherein the silicone polymer of the nylon 6/silicone polymer blend is derived from a silicone polymer emulsion, wherein the blend is formed by introducing the silicone polymer emulsion into a nylon 6 ring opening reaction either prior to or during the nylon 6 ring opening reaction medium and wherein the reaction medium comprises caprolactum.  
     
     
         11 . The polymer blend of  claim 10 , wherein the silicone polymer emulsion comprises 
 (a) a silicone polymer;    (b) a surfactant; and    (c) a liquid continuous phase.    
     
     
         12 . The polymer blend of  claim 11 , wherein the continuous phase comprises water.  
     
     
         13 . The polymer blend of  claim 12 , wherein the continuous phase comprises from about 10% to about 100% water.  
     
     
         14 . The polymer blend of  claim 11 , wherein the continuous phase comprises caprolactam.  
     
     
         15 . The polymer blend of  claim 14 , wherein the continuous phase comprises from about 10% to about 90% caprolactam.  
     
     
         16 . The polymer blend of  claim 11 , wherein the silicone polymer comprises homo or copolymers of polydimethylsiloxane and wherein the homo or copolymers comprise aminopropyl, vinyl, mercaptopropyl, phenylmethyl, epoxy or aminoethylaminopropyl functionalities.  
     
     
         17 . The polymer blend of  claim 11 , wherein the silicone polymer is polydimethylsiloxane.  
     
     
         18 . The polymer blend of  claim 11 , wherein glass fibers are added to the nylon 6/silicone polymer blend.  
     
     
         19 . The polymer blend of  claim 11 , wherein the surfactant comprises an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         20 . A method of making an amide-type polymer/silicone polymer blend comprising the steps of: 
 a. preparing a silicone polymer emulsion comprising a liquid continuous phase;    b. introducing the silicone polymer emulsion into a nylon 6 polymer; and    c. extruding the silicone polymer emulsion and the nylon 6 polymer, thereby providing a nylon 6/silicone polymer blend.