Halide polymers such as polyvinyl chloride and polyamides melt blended at a polyamide to halide polymer weight ratio of about 1.5:1 to about 2:1 with an effective amount of a carboxyl and/or CO-functional ethylene polymer to compatibilize the halide polymer and polyamide exhibit superior chemical resistance.
This is a division of Application No. 08/955,724 filed Oct. 22, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,405, incorporated by reference herein, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No. 08/701,519, filed Aug. 22, 1996, now abondoned which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/002,851, filed Aug. 28, 1995.
The invention relates to compositions containing a polyamide matrix (A) and a polyolefin dispersed phase (B), in which compositions the polyamide has a melting point below that of PA-6 and the dispersed phase consists of at least one polyolefin (B) chosen from functionalized polyolefins (B1) and non-functionalized polyolefins (B2). Advantageously, (A) is PA-6/12 or PA-6/6,6. These compositions are useful for making monolayer or multilayer films by extrusion with EVA or PE.
This invention relates to high molecular weight block copolymers of one or more lactones and/or one or more lactams prepared by sequential bulk polymerization using a mixture of at least one anionic polymerization initiator and optionally at least one co-initiator. A preferred continuous sequential bulk reactive extrusion process comprises feeding a mixture of at least one lactam, at least one anionic polymerization initiator, and at least one co-initiator into the first (i.e., upstream) hopper of an extruder, and thereafter feeding at least one lactone into a second (i.e., downstream) hopper of the extruder. The preferred continuous sequential bulk reactive extrusion is solvent free, rapid (typical mean and maximum residence times in the extruder being no more than about 20 minutes and 30 minutes respectively), and produces a high conversion of monomers to block copolymer. The poly(lactone(s)/lactam(s)) block copolymer compatibilize the blending of otherwise immiscible or poorly miscible polymers to form polymer blends having improved mechanical and thermal properties. Accordingly, the block copolymers can be compounded with chlorine or fluorine containing polymers and other polymers such as polyamides, anhydride polymers such as maleic anhydride, and the like. To improve the impact resistance of the compatibilized blend, impact modifiers can be utilized such as maleic anhydride modified EPM, EPDM, and the like. To improve thermal and mechanical properties, thermal performance modifiers can be utilized such as maleic anhydride polyolefins or maleic anhydride modified polymers made from vinyl substituted aromatic monomers.
This invention relates to high molecular weight block copolymers of .epsilon.-caprolactone and .omega.-lauryl lactam prepared by sequential bulk polymerization using a mixture of at least one anionic polymerization initiator and optionally at least one co-initiator. A preferred continuous sequential bulk reactive extrusion process comprises feeding a mixture of .omega.-lauryl lactam, at least one anionic polymerization initiator, and at least one co-initiator into the first (i.e., upstream) hopper of an extruder, and thereafter feeding .epsilon.-caprolactone into a second (i.e., downstream) hopper of the extruder. The preferred continuous sequential bulk reactive extrusion is solvent free, rapid (typical mean and maximum residence times in the extruder being no more than about 20 minutes and 30 minutes respectively), and produces a high conversion of monomers to block copolymer. The poly(.epsilon.-caprolactone/.omega.-lauryl lactam) block copolymers compatibilize the blending of otherwise immiscible or poorly miscible polymers to form polymer blends having improved mechanical and thermal properties. Accordingly, the block copolymers can be compounded with chlorine containing polymers and other polymers such as polyamides, anhydride polymers such as maleic anhydride, and the like. To improve the impact resistance of the compatibilized blend, impact modifiers can be utilized such as maleic anhydride modified EPM, EPDM, and the like. To improve thermal and mechanical properties, thermal performance modifiers can be utilized such as maleic anhydride polyolefins or maleic anhydride modified polymers made from vinyl substituted aromatic monomers.
Methods and devices are disclosed for measuring barrier properties of a barrier coating or coating arrays where each barrier coating has a small cross section. To reduce the edge effects in the measurements of barrier properties, measurements are made using a waveguide structure that includes at least one waveguide coated with a chemically sensitive layer and an array of barrier coatings. The coated waveguide is exposed to a material of interest that has the ability to produce an analyzable variation in the chemically sensitive layer, thereby providing the ability to detect an impact of the material of interest on the barrier coatings. In one variation, an initial light wave is propagated within the waveguide structure, a resulting wave associated with the initial wave and each barrier coating is detected, and any impacts on the coatings by the material of interest are correlated to a value of a barrier property for each of the array of barrier coatings.
Methods and devices are disclosed for determining barrier properties of at least one barrier coating with respect to a plurality of fluids. These methods and systems include a combination of acoustic wave and optical detection measurements. A dual-response acoustic wave transducer coated with the barrier coating is exposed to one or more of the fluids. The effects on the barrier coating, such as permeation of the fluid or dissolution of the coating, are measured using acoustic wave and optical techniques and the corresponding barrier properties are determined with respect to the fluids.
