POLYMERIZABLE COMPOSITION

Abstract

A polymerizable composition comprising a) a cyclic amide formed from a mixture of laurolactam and caprolactam, where the amount of laurolactam is 10% to 35% by weight, based on the total amount of cyclic amide, b) at least one activator, and c) at least one catalyst for polymerization of the cyclic amides.

Claims

1. A polymerizable composition comprising: a) cyclic amides comprising at least a mixture of laurolactam and caprolactam, where the amount of laurolactem is 10% to 35% by weight, based on the total amount of cyclic amides, b) at least one activator, and c) at least one catalyst for polymerization of the cyclic amides.

2. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activator comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of isocyanates, uretdiones, carbodlimides, add anhydrides, add halides or the reaction products thereof with the monomer.

3. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activator comprises at least one blocked isocyanate.

4. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one catalyst comprises a catalyst selected from the group consisting of sodium caprolactamate, potassium caprolactamate, magnesium bromide caproiactamate, magnesium chloride caprolactamate, magnesium bis(caprolactamate), sodium hydride, sodium, sodium hydroxide, sodium methoxide, sodium ethoxide, sodium propoxide, sodium butoxide, potassium hydride, potassium hydroxide, potassium methoxide, potassium ethoxide, potassium propoxide and potassium butoxide.

5. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprises sodium caprolactamate.

6. A process for preparing a polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, the process comprising contacting the cyclic amides with the activator and the at least one catalyst.

7. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the process comprises: producing.an activator mixture comprising cyclic amides of component a) and at least one activator of component b); producing a catalyst mixture comprising cyclic amides of component a) and at least one catalyst of component c); and combining the activator mixture and the catalyst mixture.

8. A process for producing a polymer matrix, the process comprising treating the polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1 at a temperature of 120 to 200 C.

9. A process for producing a fiber composite, the process comprising: i) contacting the polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1 or the individual components a), b) and c) with fibers to form a resulting composition; and ii) treating the resulting composition at a temperature of 120 to 200 C.

10. A polymer matrix obtained by the process as claimed in claim 8.

11. A method for encapsulation of a component, the method comprising at least one of: forming a capsule of the polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1 with a cavity therein for receipt of the cornponent; and encapsulating the component with the polymerizable composition, and polymerizing the polymerizable composition.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein: the component is a cable, cable bundle, or component of an electric motor; and the method further comprises adding fibers to the polymerizahie composition to produce a fibrous encapsulation composite for encapsulating the component.

13. A fiber composite obtained by the process as claimed in claim 9.

14. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the activator comprises a diisocyanate blocked with a cyclic amide, and the cyclic amides comprise more than 95% by weight of combined laurolactam and caprolactam; and the polymerizable composition contains 60% to 100% by weight of components a) to c).

15. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activator comprises caprolactam-blocked hexamethylene diisocyanate.

16. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprises a catalyst selected from the group consisting of sodium hydride, sodium and sodium caprolactamate.

17. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprises sodium caprolactamate.

18. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the cyclic amides comprise more than 98% by weight of combined laurolactam and caprolactam; the activator comprises caprolactam-biocked hexamethylene diisocyanate; the catalyst comprises sodium caprolactamate; and a mass ratio of the cyclic amides to the blocked isocyanate is 20:1 to 1000:1; and a molar ratio of the cyclic amides to catalyst is 1:1 to 500:1; and the polymenzable composition contains 95% to 100% by weight of components a) to c) based on the total weight of the composition.

19. The polymerizable composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the cyclic amides comprise more than 98% by weight of combined laurolactam and caprolactam; the activator comprises caprolactam blocked hexamethylene diisocyanate; the catalyst comprises sodium caprolactamate; and a mass ratio of the cyclic amides to the blocked isocyanate is 20:1 to 1000:1; and a molar ratio of the cyclic amides to catalyst is 1:1 to 500:1; and the polymerizable composition contains up to 50% by weight of fillers selected from kaolin, chalk, wollastonite, talc, calcium carbonate, silicates, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, graphite, graphenes, glass particles, nanoscale fillers carbon black, nanoscale sheet silicates, nanoscale aluminum oxide (Al.sub.2O.sub.2), nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2), boron fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, silica fibers, ceramic fibers, basalt fibers; aramid fibers, polyester fibers, nylon fibers, polyethylene fibers; wood fibers, flax fibers, hemp fibers, and sisal fibers.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0097] The total mass of caprolactam and laurolactam specified in table 1 is divided into two masses of equal size in order to independently prepare the activator melt and the catalyst melt:

[0098] Catalyst Melt:

[0099] 180 g of a mixture of caprolactam and laurolactam specified in table 1 and 20 g of Addonyl Kat NL (18.5% by weight sodium caprolactamate in caprolactam, CAS No. 2123-24-2), which is purchased commercially from Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH, are initially charged in a three-neck flask.

[0100] Activator Melt:

[0101] 180 g of a mixture of caprolactam and laurolactam specified in table 1 are initially charged in a second three-neck flask together with 8.0 g of Addonyl 8120. Addonyl 8120 is a double-sidedly caprolactam-blocked hexamethylene diisocyanate, specifically N,N-hexane-1,6-diylbis(hexahydro-2-oxo-1H-azepine-1-carboxamide), CAS No.: 5888-87-9.

[0102] The contents of the two flasks were melted in oil baths preheated to 150 C., then equilibrated to 110 C. This was followed by evacuation at this temperature for 10 minutes. Then the two flasks were filled with nitrogen and the oil baths were removed.

[0103] For polymerization of the activated melts, the two melts were introduced into an open, nitrogen-blanketed beaker and the melts were mixed with a glass stirrer bar; the beaker was heated with the aid of an oil bath heated to 160 C.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Polymerization recipes used, densities achieved therewith both of the activated melts and of the resulting polymers. Additionally listed are the residual monomer contents of caprolactam and laurolactam. The polymer density was determined in accordance with DIN EN ISO 1183, the residual monomer contents (RMC) via GC in accordance with DIN EN ISO 11337: Density of the Polymer Polymer RMG RMG Capro- Lauro- partly activated* density density Capro- Lauro- lactam/ lactam/ melt at 150 C./ at 23 C./ at 150 C./ lactam lactam g g g .Math. ml.sup.1 g .Math. ml.sup.1 g .Math. ml.sup.1 % by wt. % by wt. CME A 360 / 0.971 1.143 1.071 1.0 0 INV 1 320 40 0.963 1.109 1.037 1.0 0 INV 2 280 80 0.960 1.084 1.026 1.8 0.4 INV 3 240 120 0.954 1.066 1.002 2.2 0.3 INV 4 200 160 0.945 X X X X CME B 160 200 / X X X X CME C 120 240 / X X X X CME D 80 280 / X X X X CME E 40 320 / X X X X CME F / 360 / X X X X CME: comparative example; INV: inventive; X: polymerization starts immediately after the mixing of catalyst melt and activator melt; therefore, the combined melts cannot be transferred into the vessel intended for full polymerization

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Calculated volume shrinkage (shrinkage) from the density values Shrinkage Shrinkage A/% B/% CME A 15.0 9.3 INV 1 13.2 7.1 INV 2 11.4 6.4 INV 3 10.5 4.8 Shrinkage A: change in density and hence in volume of the activated lactam melt melted at 150 C. in relation to the polymer formed at 23 C. volume shrinkage in percent = (1 density of the polymerizable lactam melt at 150 C./density of the polymer obtained at room temperature 23 C.) 100 Shrinkage B: change in density and hence in volume of the activated lactam melt melted at 150 C. in relation to the polymer formed at likewise 150 C. (cooled to room temperature after preparation and heated to 150 C. again for density determination). volume shrinkage in percent = (1 density of the polymerizable lactam melt at 150 C./density of the polymer obtained at 150 C.) 100

[0104] Conclusion:

[0105] Volume shrinkage in the conversion of the activated caprolactam melt to the polymer at 150 C. was distinctly reduced by the presence of up to about 30% by weight of laurolactam. Higher laurolactam contents (over and above 40% by weight) were no longer manageable by the procedure described.