Thermoplastic polymer masterbatch

1. A process for increasing the scratch resistance of a composition comprising a thermoplastic organic polymer (P), the process comprising the steps of:

(I) reactively mixing a thermoplastic organic polymer (A) and an organopolysiloxane (B) at a temperature at which the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) and the organopolysiloxane (B) are in liquid phases to form a masterbatch,

wherein the organopolysiloxane (B) contains at least one functionality capable of reacting with the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) so that a copolymer of components (A) and (B) is formed in the masterbatch during the reactive mixing; and

(II) mixing the masterbatch with the composition comprising thermoplastic organic polymer (P);

wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (P) is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene homopolymer, polypropylene copolymer comprising propylene units, polyethylene homopolymer, a copolymer comprising polyethylene units, and mixtures thereof; and

wherein the organopolysiloxane (B) is the only organopolysiloxane added in the process.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the organopolysiloxane (B) comprises predominantly D units and/or T units.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the organopolysiloxane (B) contains alkenyl functionality.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the organopolysiloxane (B) is a vinyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the organopolysiloxane (B) has a number average molecular weight of 200,000 to 2,000,000 g/mole.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) is a polyolefin.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the polyolefin has a melt flow index in the range of 100 to 2,000 as measured by ASTM D1238 at a temperature of 230° C. and an applied load of 2.16 kg.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (P) and the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) are chemically the same.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) and the organopolysiloxane (B) are reactively mixed at a ratio of 10 to 90 parts by weight of the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) to 90 to 10 parts by weight of the organopolysiloxane (B).

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) and the organopolysiloxane (B) are reactively mixed in the substantial absence of other components.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) and the organopolysiloxane (B) are reactively mixed in melt blending equipment at a temperature in the range of 180° C. to 250° C.

12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) and the organopolysiloxane (B) are reactively mixed in a twin-screw extruder.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the number average molecular weight of the reaction product of components (A) and (B) formed in the masterbatch is at least 1.1 times the number average molecular weight of the organopolysiloxane (B).

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the masterbatch produced in step (I) is cooled and divided into pellets before being mixed with the thermoplastic organic polymer (P) in step (II).

15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the masterbatch produced in step (I) is mixed with the thermoplastic organic polymer (P) at a ratio of 1 to 10 parts by weight of the masterbatch to 99 to 90 parts by weight of the thermoplastic organic polymer (P).

16. A scratch resistant polymer composition comprising a blend of:

99 to 90 parts by weight of a thermoplastic organic polymer (P); and

1 to 10 parts by weight of a masterbatch;

wherein the masterbatch is produced by reactively mixing a thermoplastic organic polymer (A) and an organopolysiloxane (B) at a temperature at which the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) and the organopolysiloxane (B) are in liquid phases to form the masterbatch;

wherein the organopolysiloxane (B) contains at least one functionality capable of reacting with the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) so that a copolymer of components (A) and (B) is formed in the masterbatch during the reactive mixing;

wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (P) is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene homopolymer, polypropylene copolymer comprising propylene units, polyethylene homopolymer, a copolymer comprising polyethylene units, and mixtures thereof; and

wherein the organopolysiloxane (B) is the only source of organopolysiloxane units in the scratch resistant polymer composition.

17. The scratch resistant polymer composition according to claim 16 , wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) and the thermoplastic organic polymer (P) are both polypropylene.

18. An automobile interior product comprising the scratch resistant polymer composition according to claim 17 .

19. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the thermoplastic organic polymer (A) is polypropylene.

20. The process according to claim 15 , wherein the masterbatch produced in step (I) is mixed with the thermoplastic organic polymer (P) at a ratio of 1 to 5 parts by weight of the masterbatch to 99 to 95 parts by weight of the thermoplastic organic polymer (P).