Wire and cable jacket composition of PA6/66 copolymer base resin for improved processability and properties
Polyamide compositions for use in forming wire or cable jacket compositions. The polyamide compositions include a component of polyamide 6/66 copolymer formed from substantially randomly distributed caprolactam monomers and hexamethylenediamine monomers. The polyamide 6/66 copolymer component may form the entirety of the polyamide composition or alternatively, the polyamide composition may include an amount of polyamide 6 homopolymer blended with the polyamide 6/66 copolymer component. The composition also includes one or more additives, such as at least one UV mitigation component, and the polyamide composition further has at least one of a measured transmittance of at least 70% and a measured haze of less than 60%, as determined by ASTM D1003.
1. A wire product, comprising:
a wire core; and
a polyamide composition surrounding the core, the polyamide composition comprising:
a polyamide base resin including a caprolactam monomer component present in an amount between 75 and 99 wt. % and a hexamethylenediamine adipate monomer component present in an amount between 1 and 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polyamide base resin;
at least one UV mitigation component present in an amount of between 0.1 and 6 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polyamide composition; and the polyamide composition further having at least one of:
a measured transmittance of at least 70%, as determined by ASTM D1003; and
a measured haze of less than 60%, as determined by ASTM D1003.
2. The wire product of claim 1 , wherein the polyamide base resin includes a caprolactam monomer component present in an amount between 90 and 97 wt. % and a hexamethylenediamine adipate monomer component present in an amount between 3 and 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polyamide base resin.
3. The wire product of claim 1 , wherein the polyamide composition has a measured transmittance of at least 85%, as determined by ASTM D1003.
4. The wire product of claim 1 , wherein the polyamide composition, when formed into a molded plaque having dimensions of 60 mm width, 60 mm length, and 1.0 mm thickness, has a measured haze of less than 30%, as determined by ASTM D1003.
5. The wire product of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the polyamide composition, when removed from the wire core, has a measured haze of less than 50%, as determined by ASTM D1003.
6. The wire product of claim 1 , wherein the polyamide composition exhibits retention of tensile strength at break of at least 80%, following exposure to 720 hours of Xenon-Arc energy source under conditions specified by ASTM G155 cycle 1.
7. The wire product of claim 1 , wherein the polyamide composition exhibits retention of elongation at break of at least 80%, following exposure to 720 hours of Xenon-Arc energy source under conditions specified by ASTM G155 cycle 1.
8. The wire product of claim 1 , wherein the at least one UV mitigation component is a UV stabilizer.
9. The wire product of claim 1 , wherein the at least one UV mitigation component is a UV absorber.
10. A wire product, comprising:
a wire core; and
a polyamide composition surrounding the core, the polyamide composition comprising:
a polyamide base resin including a polyamide copolymer of caprolactam monomers and hexamethylenediamine adipate monomers, the caprolactam monomers present in an amount between 75 and 99 wt. % and the hexamethylenediamine adipate monomers present in an amount between 1 and 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polyamide copolymer;
at least one UV mitigation component present in an amount of between 0.1 and 6 wt. % based on the total weight of the polyamide composition; and
the polyamide composition further having at least one of:
a measured transmittance of at least 70%, as determined by ASTM 01003; and
a measured haze of less than 60%, as determined by ASTM D1003.
11. The wire product of claim 10 , wherein the polyamide base resin is a blend of the polyamide copolymer and a polyamide 6 homopolymer, the polyamide copolymer present in an amount between 5 and 90 wt. % and the polyamide 6 homopolymer present in an amount between 10 and 95 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polyamide base resin.
12. The wire product of claim 10 , wherein the caprolactam monomers are present in an amount between 90 and 97 wt. % and the hexamethylenediamine adipate monomers present in an amount between 3 and 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polyamide copolymer.
13. The wire product of claim 10 , wherein the polyamide composition has a measured transmittance of at least 85%, as determined by ASTM D1003.
14. The wire product of claim 10 , wherein the polyamide composition, when formed into a molded plaque having dimensions of 60 mm width, 60 mm length, and 1.0 mm thickness, has a measured haze of less than 30%, as determined by ASTM D1003.
15. The wire product of claim 10 , wherein a portion of the polyamide composition, when removed from the wire core, has a measured haze of less than 50%, as determined by ASTM D1003.
16. The wire product of claim 10 , wherein the polyamide composition exhibits retention of tensile strength at break of at least 80%, following exposure to 720 hours of Xenon-Arc energy source under conditions specified by ASTM G155 cycle 1.
17. The wire product of claim 10 , wherein the polyamide composition exhibits retention of elongation at break of at least 80%, following exposure to 720 hours of Xenon-Arc energy source under conditions specified by ASTM G155 cycle 1.
18. The wire product of claim 10 , wherein the at least one UV mitigation component is a UV stabilizer.
19. The wire product of claim 10 , wherein the at least one UV mitigation component is a UV absorber.