Method of preparing solventless, thermoplastic silicone pellets and the pellets so-produced

A plurality of solventless, thermoplastic silicone pellets, which pellets resist agglomeration at temperatures less than about 25.degree. C., said pellets having a formulation comprising:

• (A) 23 to 40 parts, by weight, of an organosilicone resin of the empirical formula
• (R.sub.3 SiO.sub.1/2).sub.a (R.sub.2 SiO.sub.2/2).sub.b (RSiO.sub.3/2).sub.c (SiO.sub.4/2).sub.d
• wherein:
• a and d are or positive numerical values and b and c are zero or positive numerical values With the provisos that a+b+c+d=1, 0.ltoreq.(b+c).ltoreq.0.2 and the ratio of a:(b+c+d) is between about 0.3 and 1.0;
• and R is a monovalent radical independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, oximo, aryl, epoxide, carboxyl, ether, polyether, amide and alkyl amino radicals, which R groups may be the same-or different, with the proviso that at least sixty mole percent of said R radicals are methyl;
• said organosilicone resin (A) having a number average molecular weight (Mn) between about 2,000 and about 7,000;
• (B) about 10 parts, by weight of a predominantly linear silicone fluid having the empirical formula
• (R'.sub.3 SiO.sub.1/2).sub.x (R'.sub.2 SiO.sub.2/2).sub.y (R'SiO.sub.3/2).sub.z
• wherein:
• x and y are positive numerical values and z is 0 or a positive numerical value with the provisos that x+y+z=1, y/(x+y+z).gtoreq.0.8;
• and R' is a monovalent radical independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, oximo, aryl, epoxide, carboxyl, ether, polyether, amide and alkyl amino radicals, which R' groups may be the same or different, with the proviso that at least sixty mole percent of said R' radicals are methyl;
• said predominantly linear silicone fluid (B) having a degree of polymerization greater than about 10;
• and
• said pellets having a dynamic shear modulus (G*), measured at a frequency of 10 radians/sec, of at least 5.times.10.sup.7 dyne/cm.sup.2 at temperatures less than about 25.degree. C.

A plurality of solventless, thermoplastic silicone pellets, which pellets resist agglomeration at temperatures less than a predetermined storage temperature, said pellets having a formulation comprising:

• (A) an organosilicone resin of the empirical formula
• (R.sub.3 SiO.sub.1/2).sub.a (R.sub.2 SiO.sub.2/2).sub.b (RSiO.sub.3/2).sub.c (SiO.sub.4/2).sub.d
• wherein:
• a and d are or positive numerical values and b and c are zero or positive numerical values with the provisos that a+b+c+d=1, 0.ltoreq.(b+c).ltoreq.0.2;
• and R is a monovalent radical independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, oximo, aryl, epoxide, carboxyl, ether, polyether, amide and alkyl amino radicals, which R groups may be the same or different, with the proviso that at least sixty mole percent of said R radicals are methyl;
• said organosilicone resin (A) having a number average molecular weight (Mn) between about 3,000 and about 7,000;
• and
• (B) a predominantly linear silicone fluid having the empirical formula
• (R'.sub.3 SiO.sub.1/2).sub.x (R'.sub.2 SiO.sub.2/2).sub.y (R'SiO.sub.3/2).sub.z
• wherein:
• x and y are positive numerical values and z is 0 or a positive numerical value with the provisos that x+y+z=1, y/(x+y+z).gtoreq.0.8;
• and R' is a monovalent radical independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, oximo, aryl, epoxide, carboxyl, ether, polyether, amide and alkyl amino radicals, which R' groups may be the same or different, with the proviso that at least sixty mole percent of said R' radicals are methyl;
• said predominantly linear silicone fluid having a degree of polymerization greater than about 10;
• said organosilicone resin (A) and said predominantly linear silicone fluid (B) being present in relative amounts such that said pellets have a dynamic shear modulus (G*), measured at a frequency of 10 radians/sec, of at least 5.times.10.sup.7 dyne/cm.sup.2 at temperatures less than said predetermined maximum storage temperature.