Composition, polymer composite article formed therewith, and method of preparing same

1. A composition for preparing a polymer composite article, said composition comprising:

(A) a filler in an amount of from 10 to 90 wt. %, said (A) filler comprising a lignocellulosic filler;

(B) a polymer in an amount of from 10 to 90 wt. %, wherein said (B) polymer is selected from polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, or combinations thereof; and

(C) an organopolysiloxane in an amount of from greater than 0 to 10 wt. %; the (C) organopolysiloxane having at least one silicon-bonded hydroxyl group and a viscosity of from 1,000 to 60,000 mPa·s at 25° C.;

each based on the total weight of components (A), (B) and (C) in said composition.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein: (i) said (C) organopolysiloxane is present as a liquid at 25° C.; (ii) said organopolysiloxane is present in said composition in a solid carrier component comprising said organopolysiloxane; (iii) said (C) organopolysiloxane has a viscosity of from 4,000 to 50,000 mPa·s at 25° C.; or (iv) any combination of (i) to (iii).

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said (C) organopolysiloxane has the following average unit formula:

[R 1 3-n (OH) n SiO 1/2 ] a′ [R 1 2-m (OH) m SiO 2/2 ] b′ [R 1 SiO 3/2 ] c′ [SiO 4/2 ] d′ ;

wherein each R 1 is an independently selected hydrocarbyl group; n is 0, 1, 2, or 3, m is 0, 1 or 2, with the proviso that n and m are not simultaneously 0; 0<a′<1; 0<b′<1; 0≤c′≤0.1; and 0≤d′≤0.1, with the proviso that a′+b′+c′+d′=1.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said (C) organopolysiloxane has the following average unit formula (I) or (II):

[R 1 3-n (OH) n SiO 1/2 ] a″ [R 1 2-m (OH) m SiO 2/2 ] b″   (I)

wherein each R 1 is an independently selected hydrocarbyl group; n is 0, 1, 2, or 3, m is 0, 1 or 2, with the proviso that n and m are not simultaneously 0; 0≤a″<1; 0≤b″<1; with the proviso that a″+b″=1; or

R 1 3-x (OH) x SiO[SiR 1 2 O] c″ Si(OH) y R 1 3-y   (II)

wherein each R 1 is an independently selected hydrocarbyl group; x is 0, 1, 2, or 3, y is 0, 1, 2, or 3, with the proviso that x and y are not simultaneously 0; and c″ is from 60 to 1,200.

5. The composition claim 1 , wherein: (i) said (A) filler is a lignocellulosic filler and is present in an amount of from 40 to 80 wt. %; (ii) said (B) polymer comprises a polyolefin and is present in an amount of from 20 to 60 wt. %; and (iii) said (C) organopolysiloxane is present in an amount of from 0.8 to 4.0 wt. %.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein: (i) said (B) polymer is present in an amount of from 50 to 90 wt. %; (ii) said (C) organopolysiloxane is present in an amount of from 0.1 to 10 wt. %; and (iii) said (C) organopolysiloxane has a viscosity of from 1,000 to 50,000 mPa·s at 25° C.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein: (i) said (B) polymer is present in an amount of from 20 to 40 wt. %; (ii) said (C) organopolysiloxane is present in an amount of from 0.1 to 10 wt. %; and (iii) said (C) organopolysiloxane has a viscosity of from 1,000 to 50,000 mPa·s at 25° C.

8. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additives selected from (D) a compatibilizer, (E) a colorant, (F) a blowing agent, (G) a UV stabilizer, (H) an antioxidant, (I) a process aid, (J) a preservative, (K) a biocide, (L) a flame retardant, and (M) an impact modifier.

9. A method of preparing the composition of claim 1 , said method comprising:

combining (A) said filler, (B) said polymer, and (C) said organopolysiloxane, thereby preparing the composition.

10. A method of preparing a polymer composite article, said method comprising:

mixing the composition of claim 1 ; and

preparing the polymer composite article from the composition.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises (i) heating the (B) polymer to melt the (B) polymer prior to and/or during forming the composition; (ii) mixing a mixture of the (A) filler and (C) organopolysiloxane prior to adding the (B) polymer or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method comprises:

combining the (A) filler, the (B) polymer, and the (C) organopolysiloxane at an elevated temperature under mixing to give a flowable mixture; and

forming the polymer composite article from the composition.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein: (i) the (C) organopolysiloxane is a liquid when combining the flowable mixture with the (C) organopolysiloxane; or (ii) the (C) organopolysiloxane is present within a solid carrier component and the method further comprises melting the solid carrier component when combining the flowable mixture and the (C) organopolysiloxane.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein: (i) preparing the polymer composite article from the composition further comprises forming the composition into a desired shape; (ii) preparing the polymer composite article from the composition comprises extruding the composition; (iii) preparing the polymer composite article from the composition comprises molding the composition; or (iv) any combinations of (i) to (iii).

15. The method of claim 10 carried out in an extruder, wherein: (i) an extrusion processing temperature of the composition in the extruder is reduced as compared to an extrusion processing temperature of a mixture of the (A) filler and the (B) polymer without the (C) organopolysiloxane; and/or (ii) a torque of the extruder is reduced when mixing the composition as compared to a torque of the extruder when extruding a mixture of the (A) filler and the (B) polymer without the (C) organopolysiloxane.

16. A polymer composite article prepared by the method of claim 10 .

17. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said (A) filler is present in an amount of from 35 to 80 wt. % based on the total weight of components (A), (B) and (C) in said composition.