Nylon nanocomposites

• US 7,279,521 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Washington Trust Company
• Original Assignee: Foster Assets
• Inventors: Acquarulo, Lawrence A. Jr., O'Neil, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoon; Tae H
• Application Number:
  US10/379,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 524/445, 524/446, 524/447, 524/186, 501/145
• US Class Current: 524/445
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2201/011 Nanostructured additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/346 Clay
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0025 Crosslinking or vulcanising agents; including accelerators
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 9/08 Ingredients agglomerated by treatment with a binding agent
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/715 On an organic substrate

Abstract

A method for modifying the properties of a nylon block copolymer comprising: supplying a nylon block copolymer wherein the nylon block copolymer has a flexural modulus, a tensile modulus, and an unnotched Izod impact strength. Incorporated into the nylon block copolymer is a nanoclay filler wherein the nanoclay filler is present at a level of between about 1.0-20.0 wt. %. The addition of the nanoclay filler serves to increase the values of the nylon block copolymer'"'"'s flexural modulus, tensile modulus, while substantially maintaining the value of the unnotched Izod impact strength and/or increasing the value of said unnotched Izod impact strength, upon addition of the nanoclay filler.

Claims

1. A method for modifying the properties of a nylon block copolymer comprising:

(a) supplying a nylon block copolymer wherein said nylon block copolymer has a flexural modulus, a tensile modulus, and an unnotched Izod impact strength, wherein said nylon block copolymer comprises a polyamide segment and a polyether segment;

(b) incorporating into said nylon block copolymer a nanoclay filler wherein said nanoclay filler is present at a level of between about 1.0-20.0 wt % and wherein said nanoclay is treated with a cation; and

(c) increasing the values of said tensile modulus at least 980 percent and substantially maintaining the value of said unnotched Izod impact strength and/or increasing the value of said unnotched Izod impact strength, upon addition of said nanoclay filler.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said nanoclay is montmorillonite.

3. The method of claim 1, further including supplying a nylon block copolymer which has an ultimate elongation expressed in percent elongation, and wherein, upon addition of said nanoclay filler, the percent elongation decreases but is maintained to a level of +/−

15.0% over the nanoclay filler level of 1.0-20.0 wt %.

4. A method for manufacturing an intravascular catheter having a tubular shaft, and a soft flexible tip distal thereof, formed from a nanocomposite, comprising supplying a nanocomposite comprising a nylon block copolymer and a nanoclay treated with a cation, wherein said nanoclay is present at a level of between about 1.0-20.0 wt %, and wherein said nylon block copolymer has a flexural modulus, tensile modulus and unnotched hod impact strength, and wherein the presence of said nanoclay filler is selected to increase the values of said nylon block copolymer'"'"'s tensile modulus at least 980 percent, while substantially maintaining the value of the unnotched Izod impact strength and/or increasing the value of said unnotched hod impact strength, and forming said intravascular catheter.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said nanoclay filler is montmorillonite.

6. The method of claim 4, further including supplying a nylon block copolymer which has an ultimate elongation expressed in percent elongation, and wherein, upon addition of said nanoclay filler, the percent elongation decreased but is maintained to a level of +/−

15.0% over the nanoclay filler level of 1.0-20.0 wt %.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said nylon block copolymer comprises a block copolymer containing a polyamide segment and a polyether segment.

8. A method for manufacturing a balloon catheter having a tubular shaft, and an integrally formed balloon section formed of a nanocomposite, comprising supplying a nanocomposite comprising a nylon block copolymer and a nanoclay treated with a cation, wherein said nanoclay is present at a level of between about 1.0-20.0 wt %, and wherein said nylon block copolymer has a flexural modulus, tensile modulus and unnotched hod impact strength, and wherein the presence of said nanoclay filler is selected to increase the values of said nylon block copolymer'"'"'s tensile modulus at least 980 percent, while substantially maintaining the value of the unnotched Izod impact strength and/or increasing the value of said unnotched Izod impact strength, and forming said balloon catheter from said nanocomposite.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said nanoclay filler is montmorillonite.

10. The method of claim 8, further including supplying a nylon block copolymer which has an ultimate elongation expressed in percent elongation, and wherein, upon addition of said nanoclay filler, the percent elongation decreases but is maintained to a level of +/−

15.0% over the nanoclay filler level of 1.0-20.0 wt %.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said nylon block copolymer comprises a block copolymer containing a polyamide segment and a polyether segment.