Polyamide sheet silicate compositions

Abstract

The invention relates to polyamide sheet silicate compositions, containing an untreated clay mineral and a water-soluble polyamide, the concentration of the clay material being greater than 30% by weight. Furthermore the invention relates to nanocomposites which contain clay minerals distributed homogeneously in a water-insoluble thermoplastic matrix. These nanocomposites are produced by mixing the polyamide sheet silicate composition and a water-insoluble thermoplastic in the melt.

1 . Clay material, comprising:
 at least one sheet silicate which is treated with
 at least one water-soluble polyamide, 
 at least one water-soluble copolyamide, and/or 
 at least one water-soluble block copolyamide, 
   wherein the proportion of sheet silicate, relative to the entire clay material, is from more than 30% by weight to 60% by weight.   
   
   
       2 . Clay material according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one water-soluble polyamide, at least one water-soluble copolyamide, and/or at least one water-soluble block copolyamide is selected from water-soluble polyether amides. 
   
   
       3 . Clay material according to  claim 2 , wherein the water-soluble polyether amides are polyether amides which can be produced by polycondensation of
 a) at least one aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and/or aromatic dicarboxylic acid with 6 to 36 C atoms, and   b) at least one aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and/or aromatic diamine with 2 to 36 C atoms, and/or   c) at least one diamine selected from diethylene glycol diamine, triethylene glycol diamine, tetraethylene glycol diamine, 4,7,10-trioxa-1,13-tridecane diamine, 4,7,10,13-tetraoxa-1,16-hexadecane diamine, and   d) at least one polyalkylene glycol diamine, and/or   e) lactams and/or aminocarboxylic acids.   
   
   
       4 . Clay material according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one polyalkylene glycol diamine is selected from polyethylene glycol diamines, polypropylene glycol diamines, and polytetraethylene diamines. 
   
   
       5 . Clay material according to  claim 3 , wherein the aminocarboxylic acids are ω-aminocarboxylic acids with 5 to 12 C atoms. 
   
   
       6 . Clay material according to  claim 1 , wherein that the at least one water-soluble polyamide is a polycondensate comprising
 a) at least one aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and/or aromatic dicarboxylic acid with 6 to 36 C atoms; and   b) at least one diamine selected from diethylene glycol diamine, triethylene glycol diamine, tetraoxahexadecane diamine, tetraethylene glycol diamine, trioxamidecane diamine, or at least one polyalkylene glycol diamine.   
   
   
       7 . Clay material according to  claim 1 , wherein the relative solution viscosity η rel  of the at least one water-soluble polyamide, of the at least one water-soluble copolyamide, and/or of the at least one water-soluble block copolyamide is between 1.3 and 3.0. 
   
   
       8 . Clay material according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet silicate proportion, relative to the entire clay material, is 34 to 55% by weight. 
   
   
       9 . Clay material according to  claim 1 , wherein the proportion of the at least one water-soluble polyamide, of the at least one water-soluble copolyamide, and/or of the at least one water-soluble block copolyamide, relative to the total clay material, is 40 to 70% by weight. 
   
   
       10 . Clay material according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sheet silicate is selected from vermiculite, talcum and/or smectite. 
   
   
       11 . Clay material according to  claim 8 , wherein the smectite is selected from sodium montmorillonite, magnesium montmorillonite, calcium montmorillonite, aluminium montmorillonite, nontronite, beidellite, volkonskoite, hectorite, saponite, sauconite, sobockite, stevensite, svinfordite and/or kaolinite 
   
   
       12 . A method for producing a clay material according to  claim 1 , comprising
 a) mixing an aqueous solution of the at least one water-soluble polyamide, of the at least one water-soluble copolyamide, and/or of the at least one water-soluble block copolyamide with an aqueous dispersion of the at least one sheet silicate; and   b) removing the water after a dwell time.   
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 a) the mass concentration of the at least one water-soluble polyamide, of the at least one water-soluble copolyamide, and/or of the at least one water soluble block copolyamide in the solution is between 0.2 and 45% by weight, and/or   b) the mass concentration of the at least one sheet silicate in the dispersion is between 0.1 and 20% by weight.   
   
   
       14 . A thermoplastic moulding compound, comprising a clay material according to  claim 1 , which is dispersed in a water-insoluble thermoplastic matrix phase of the moulding compound. 
   
   
       15 . A moulding compound according to  claim 14 , wherein
 a) the weight proportion of the clay material, relative to the moulding compound, is between 1 and 50% by weight, and/or   b) the weight proportion of the matrix phase, relative to the moulding compound, is between 50 and 99% by weight.   
   
   
       16 . A moulding compound according to  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic matrix phase is selected from polyarylene sulphides, polylactones, polyesters, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, poly(meth)acrylates, polysulphones, polysiloxanes, polyamides, polyether amides, polyester amides and/or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       17 . A moulding compound according to  claim 14 , further comprising at least one additive and/or impact modifier. 
   
   
       18 . A moulding compound according to  claim 17 , wherein the proportion of the at least one additive and/or impact modifier is 0.3 to 30% by weight, relative to the moulding compound. 
   
   
       19 . A moulded article, produced from a moulding compound according to  claim 14 . 
   
   
       20 . A moulded article according to  claim 19 , for use as a pipe, fitting, profile for transporting gases, compressed air pipe, foil, container for packaging purposes, housing for industrial and consumer goods, or mobile phone housing.