Moldable poly(arylene ether) thermosetting compositions, methods, and articles

Abstract

A method of forming a poly(arylene ether)-containing solid concentrate is described. The method includes blending a poly(arylene ether) and a thermosetting resin in the presence of a solvent to form a homogeneous solution, and removing the solvent to yield the solid concentrate. The solid concentrate is useful for preparing curable conditions.

1 . A method of forming a poly(arylene ether)-containing solid concentrate, comprising: 
 blending about 30 to about 90 parts by weight of a poly(arylene ether) and about 10 to about 70 parts by weight of a thermosetting resin in the presence of a suitable solvent to form a homogeneous solution; and    substantially removing the suitable solvent to yield a solid concentrate;    wherein the parts by weight of the poly(arylene ether) and the thermosetting resin sum to 100.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) comprises a plurality of structural units of the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein for each structural unit, each Q 1  is independently halogen, primary or secondary C 1 -C 7  alkyl, phenyl, C 1 -C 7  haloalkyl, C 1 -C 7  aminoalkyl, C 1 -C 7  hydrocarbonoxy, or C 2 -C 7  halohydrocarbonoxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms; and each Q 2  is independently hydrogen, halogen, primary or secondary C 1 -C 7  alkyl, phenyl, C 1 -C 7  haloalkyl, C 1 -C 7  aminoalkyl, C 1 -C 7  hydrocarbonoxy, or C 2 -C 7  halohydrocarbonoxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the poly(arylene ether) is a homopolymer comprising 2,6-dimethylphenylene ether units, or a random copolymer comprising 2,6-dimethylphenylene ether units in combination with 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether units.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) comprises a redistributed poly(arylene ether).  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) has an intrinsic viscosity of about 0.20 to about 0.40 deciliter/gram as measured at 25° C. in chloroform.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) has a number average molecular weight of about 15,000 to 25,000 atomic mass units.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) has a number average molecular weight of about 8,000 to 13,000 atomic mass units.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermosetting resin is selected from the group consisting of epoxy resins, polyester resins, polyimide resins, bis-maleimide resins, cyanate ester resins, vinyl resins, benzoxazine resins, benzocyclobutene resins, and mixtures comprising at least one of the foregoing thermosetting resins.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermosetting resin comprises an epoxy resin.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermosetting resin comprises a reaction product of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane and epichlorohydrin.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the suitable solvent is selected from the group consisting of alcohols, ketones, aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorohydrocarbons, nitrohydrocarbons, ethers, esters, amides, mixed ether-esters, sulfoxides, and mixtures comprising at least one of the foregoing solvents.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the suitable solvent is selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, and xylenes.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said substantially removing the suitable solvent comprises removing at least 95 weight percent of the solvent.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising blending a compatibilizing agent with the poly(arylene ether) and the thermosetting resin in the presence of the suitable solvent; wherein the compatibilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetal resins, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, styrene ethylene styrene block copolymers, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymers, functionalized butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, styrene-butadiene core shell rubbers, styrene-butadiene-styrene core shell rubbers, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the compatibilizing agent comprises a polyvinyl acetal.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , 
 wherein the poly(arylene ether) is a homopolymer comprising 2,6-dimethylphenylene ether units, or a random copolymer comprising 2,6-dimethylphenylene ether units in combination with 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether units;    wherein the thermosetting resin comprises an epoxy resin; and    wherein the solid concentrate comprises about 30 to about 76 weight percent poly(arylene ether), about 20 to about 70 weight percent thermosetting resin, and about 4 to about 6 weight percent compatibilizing agent.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising redistributing the poly(arylene ether) in the presence of a phenolic compound and an oxidizing agent to form a redistributed poly(arylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity up to about 0.35 dL/g as measured at 25° C. in chloroform.  
     
     
         18 . A method of forming a poly(arylene ether)-containing solid concentrate, comprising: 
 blending about 30 to about 90 parts by weight of a poly(arylene ether), about 10 to about 70 parts by weight of a thermosetting resin, and about 3 to about 150 parts by weight of a cure agent in the presence of a suitable solvent to form a homogeneous solution; and    removing the suitable solvent to yield a solid concentrate;    wherein the parts by weight of the poly(arylene ether) and the thermosetting resin sum to 100; and wherein the parts by weight of the cure agent are based on 100 parts by weight of the thermosetting resin.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising blending a compatibilizing agent with the poly(arylene ether), the thermosetting resin, and the cure agent in the presence of the solvent.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the compatibilizing agent comprises a polyvinyl acetal.  
     
     
         21 . A poly(arylene ether)-containing solid concentrate prepared according to the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         22 . A poly(arylene ether)-containing solid concentrate prepared according to the method of  claim 16 .  
     
     
         23 . A poly(arylene ether)-containing solid concentrate prepared according to the method of  claim 18 .  
     
     
         24 . A poly(arylene ether)-containing solid concentrate prepared according to the method of  claim 20.