Poly(arylene ether)-polysiloxane composition and method

Abstract

A thermoplastic composition includes a poly(arylene ether) and a poly(arylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer. The thermoplastic composition is prepared by a method that includes oxidatively copolymerizing a monohydric phenol and a hydroxyaryl-terminated polysiloxane. The method is simpler than prior methods of preparing poly(arylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymers by linking pre-formed poly(arylene ether) and polysiloxane blocks. The method is also produces greater incorporation of polysiloxane into the poly(arylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer than prior methods of copolymerizing monohydric phenols and hydroxyaryl-terminated polysiloxane.

1 . A thermoplastic composition, comprising:
 a poly(arylene ether); and   a poly(arylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer comprising
 a poly(arylene ether) block, and 
 a polysiloxane block comprising, on average, 35 to 80 siloxane repeating units; 
   wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises 1 to 8 weight percent siloxane repeating units and 12 to 99 weight percent arylene ether repeating units;   wherein the thermoplastic composition is the product of a process comprising oxidatively copolymerizing a monomer mixture comprising a monohydric phenol and a hydroxyaryl-terminated polysiloxane; and   wherein the thermoplastic composition has a weight average molecular weight of at least 30,000 atomic mass units.   
     
     
         2 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition has a weight average molecular weight of 30,000 to 150,000 atomic mass units. 
     
     
         3 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition has an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.3 as measured at 25° C. in chloroform. 
     
     
         4 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.3 to 0.6 deciliter per gram as measured at 25° C. in chloroform. 
     
     
         5 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises less than 25 weight percent of molecules having a molecular weight less than 10,000 atomic mass units. 
     
     
         6 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 5 , wherein the molecules having a molecular weight less than 10,000 atomic mass units comprise, on average, 5 to 10 weight percent siloxane repeating units. 
     
     
         7 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises less than 25 weight percent of molecules having a molecular weight greater than 100,000 atomic mass units. 
     
     
         8 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 7 , wherein the molecules having a molecular weight greater than 100,000 atomic mass units comprise, on average, 3 to 6 weight percent siloxane repeating units. 
     
     
         9 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises less than 25 weight percent of molecules having a molecular weight less than 10,000 atomic mass units;   wherein the molecules having a molecular weight less than 10,000 atomic mass units comprise, on average, 5 to 10 weight percent siloxane repeating units;   wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises less than 25 weight percent of molecules having a molecular weight greater than 100,000 atomic mass units; and   wherein the molecules having a molecular weight greater than 100,000 atomic mass units comprise, on average, 3 to 6 weight percent siloxane repeating units.   
     
     
         10 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroxyaryl-terminated polysiloxane comprises 35 to 60 siloxane repeating units. 
     
     
         11 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroxyaryl-terminated polysiloxane comprises 40 to 50 siloxane repeating units. 
     
     
         12 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the monohydric phenol consists of 2,6-dimethylphenol, and wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises less than or equal to 0.4 weight percent of 2,6-dimethylphenoxy groups. 
     
     
         13 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the monohydric phenol consists of 2,6-dimethylphenol, and wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises 0.2 to 0.4 weight percent of 2,6-dimethylphenoxy groups. 
     
     
         14 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the poly(arylene ether) block comprises arylene ether repeating units having the structure   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein for each repeating unit, each Z 1  is independently halogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbyl provided that the hydrocarbyl group is not tertiary hydrocarbyl, C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbylthio, C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbyloxy, or C 2 -C 12  halohydrocarbyloxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms; and each Z 2  is independently hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbyl provided that the hydrocarbyl group is not tertiary hydrocarbyl, C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbylthio, C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbyloxy, or C 2 -C 12  halohydrocarbyloxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atom;
 wherein the polysiloxane block comprises repeating units having the structure 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein each occurrence of R 1  and R 2  is independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbyl or C 1 -C 12  halohydrocarbyl; and
 wherein the polysiloxane block further comprises a terminal unit having the structure 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein Y is hydrogen, C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbyl, C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbyloxy, or halogen, and wherein each occurrence of R 3  and R 4  is independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 12  hydrocarbyl or C 1 -C 12  halohydrocarbyl. 
     
     
         15 . The thermoplastic composition of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the poly(arylene ether) block comprises arylene ether repeating units having the structure   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and
 wherein the polysiloxane block has the structure 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein n is 35 to 60; and
 wherein the thermoplastic composition has a number average molecular weight of 10,000 to 30,000 atomic mass units.