Flame retardant polyamide composition

• US 5,863,974 A
• Filed: 01/28/1997
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: George, Eric R., Blackburn, Kirk J., Tjahjadi, Mahari, Gallucci, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoke, Veronica P.
• Application Number:
  US08/790,012
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 524/412, 524/469, 524/468, 524/494, 524/417, 524/316
• US Class Current: 524/412
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/016 Flame-proofing or flame-retarding additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/32 Phosphorus-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 77/00 Compositions of polyamides obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain of polyhydrazides C08L79/06; of polyamideimides or polyamide acids C08L79/08; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers

Abstract

Flame retarded resin molding compositions with enhanced electrical properties comprising a polyamide resin, a flame retarding amount of a halogenated flame retardant, a fiber glass and/or mineral filler, and an effective amount of a pyro/polyphosphate, and optionally including an olefinic polymer for enhancing electrical properties.

Claims

1. A flame retarded resin molding composition with enhanced electrical properties comprising a polyamide resin, a flame retarding amount of a halogenated flame retardant including an antimony synergist, fiber glass and/or mineral filler, and an effective amount of a pyro/polyphosphate selected from the group consisting of metal pyrophosphates, metal polyphosphates, metal acid pyrophosphates, metal acid polyphosphates and mixtures thereof, additionally including an effective amount of an polyolefin polymer for improving electrical properties of articles molded from said composition wherein the CTI of the molder article is greater than about 400 volts wherein, based on the total weight of the composition, said filler content comprises from 10 to 50% of the total weight percent of the composition and consists essentially of said glass fiber, mineral filler, and pyro/polyphosphate wherein said glass fiber is present in an amount from 5 to 30 percent by weight, mineral filler is present in an amount from 3 to 30 percent by weight and said pyro/polyphosphate is present in an amount from 0.5 to 20 percent by weight, said olefinic polymer is present in an amount from about 3 to about 7 percent by weight wherein said weight percents are based on the total weight of said composition.

2. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 1 wherein said pyro/polyphosphate has the formula:

M^Z_X H_Y P_n O_3n+1, wherein M is a metal, z is from 1 to 5, x is a number from 1 to 12, y is a number from 0 to 12, n is a number from 2 to 10.

3. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 2 wherein said improved electrical properties comprise improved Comparative Tracking Index (CTI).

4. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 2 wherein M is a is a Group IA, IIA, IB or IIB metal.

5. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 2 wherein said pyro/polyphosphate is sodium acid pyrophosphate.

6. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 2 wherein M is sodium or potassium.

7. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 1 wherein said polyamide is selected from the group consisting of polyamide-6;

6,6;

11 and 12.

8. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 1 wherein said flame retardancy is V-0 according to Underwriters Laboratories Test No. 94.

9. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 1 wherein said flame retardant is a poly (haloarylmethacrylate), halogenated polystyrene or a poly (haloarylacrylate) flame retardant.

10. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 9 wherein said flame retardant is a polybromobenzylacrylate flame retardant.

11. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 1 wherein mineral filler comprises a metal sulfate, talc, clay, mica, or wollastonite.

12. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 11 wherein mineral filler comprises a talc.

13. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 11 wherein mineral filler comprises a metal sulfate of Group IA and Group IIA metal.

14. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 1 wherein said resin molding composition includes a reinforcing material.

15. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 1 wherein said reinforcing material comprises glass fiber material.

16. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 1 wherein said olefinic polymer comprises a copolymer of ethylene and an alkyl acrylate or alkylmethacrylate ester.

17. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 16 wherein said olefinic polymer is present in an amount from about 3 to about 10 percent by weight.

18. A flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 17 wherein said olefinic polymer is an addition polymer selected from the group consisting of the addition polymers of ethylene, propylene, butylene, hexene, octene and mixtures thereof.

19. An article molded from the flame retarded resin molding composition according to claim 1.

20. An electrical circuit breaker device prepared using the composition of claim 1.

21. An electrical circuit breaker device prepared using the composition of claim 2.