BIODEGRADABLE NYLON AND METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF
A method for the preparation of a biodegradable polyamide-based composition comprising glycine substantially uniformly dispersed into a polyamide matrix, the method comprising: first mixing more than 2 weight percent glycine, at least one polyamide-producing monomer, and optionally water or other additives, to form a suspension wherein the glycine is substantially uniformly dispersed therein; then polymerizing the at least one polyamide-producing monomer with the glycine substantially uniformly dispersed in situ to provide a polyamide matrix wherein the glycine remains substantially uniformly dispersed in the resulting polyamide matrix to form the biodegradable polyamide-based composition.
1 . A method for the preparation of a biodegradable polyamide-based composition comprising glycine substantially uniformly dispersed into a polyamide matrix, the method comprising:
first mixing more than 2 weight percent glycine, at least one polyamide-producing monomer, and optionally water or other additives, to form a suspension wherein the glycine is substantially uniformly dispersed therein;
then polymerizing the at least one polyamide-producing monomer with the glycine substantially uniformly dispersed in situ to provide a polyamide matrix wherein the glycine remains substantially uniformly dispersed in the resulting polyamide matrix to form the biodegradable polyamide-based composition.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of mixing comprises: first mixing the at least one polyamide-producing monomer with water to form a reaction mixture and then adding glycine to the reaction mixture to form a suspension before commencement of polymerization.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of mixing comprises: first mixing the glycine with water to solubilize the glycine to form a glycine/water mixture, and then mixing the at least one polyamide-producing monomer with the glycine/water mixture to form a suspension before commencement of polymerization.
4 . The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one polyamide-producing monomer is selected from caprolactam, 11-amino undecanoic acid, laurolactam, or mixtures thereof.
5 . The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one polyamide-producing monomer is selected from hexamethylenediamine and a second polyamide-producing monomer is selected from adipic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, and dodecanedioic acid.
6 . The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one polyamide-producing monomer is selected from any number of diamines and any number of diacids sufficient to produce a polyamide copolymer.
7 . The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the glycine is crystalline.
8 . The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the composition is substantially devoid of water or other additives.
9 . The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the biodegradable polyamide-based composition is extruded to form a filament.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the filament is biodegradable trimmer line.
11 . A biodegradable nylon trimmer line extruded from a polyamide-based composition prepared by the method of claim 1 .