POLY(ARYLENE ETHER) BLOCK COPOLYMER COMPOSITIONS, METHODS, AND ARTICLES

Abstract

Poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymers and methods for their preparation are provided. The block copolymers include structural units derived from a hydroquinone, a poly(arylene ether), and an activated aromatic carbonate.

Description

Claims

1. A poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer comprising structural units derived from: (A) a hydroquinone;(B) a poly(arylene ether) comprising a hydroxy group;(C) optionally, a dihydroxy aromatic compound other than the hydroquinone; and(D) an activated aromatic carbonate.

2. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, wherein the block copolymer is melt crystalline.

3. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, wherein the hydroquinone has the structure

4. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, wherein the hydroquinone is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-hydroquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-hydroquinone, and mixtures thereof.

5. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, wherein the activated aromatic carbonate has the structure

6. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, wherein the activated aromatic carbonate is bis(methyl salicyl) carbonate.

7. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, further comprising an end group having the structure

8. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 4, further comprising structural units having the structure

9. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, wherein the poly(arylene ether) comprises repeating structural units having the formula

10. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 6, wherein the poly(arylene ether) comprises a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the poly(arylene ether) has an intrinsic viscosity of about 0.04 to about 0.6 deciliter per gram at 25° C. in chloroform.

12. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, wherein from 50 to about 95 mole percent of a total molar amount of the poly(arylene ether) comprises a hydroxy group.

13. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, wherein the poly(arylene ether) comprises, on average, about 0.5 to 1 hydroxy group per mole.

14. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, wherein the poly(arylene ether) comprises, on average, greater than 1 hydroxy group per mole.

15. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 1, having a glass transition temperature of about 95 to about 140° C., and a melting temperature of about 260 to about 330° C.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer is a diblock copolymer, a triblock copolymer, a linear multiblock copolymer having more than three blocks, or a radial teleblock copolymer.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer is a poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate-poly(arylene ether) triblock copolymer.

18. A poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer comprising structural units derived from: (A) a hydroquinone selected from the group consisting of 1,4-hydroquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-hydroquinone, and mixtures thereof,(B) a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) comprising a hydroxy group;(C) bisphenol A; and(D) bis(methyl salicyl) carbonate;wherein the block copolymer is melt crystalline.

19. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 18, further comprising structural units having the structure

20. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 18, wherein the hydroquinone is 1,4-hydroquinone and is present in an amount corresponding to greater than or equal to 60 mole percent of 1,4-hydroquinone, based on a total number of moles of the hydroquinone and bisphenol A, orwherein the hydroquinone is 2-methyl-1,4-hydroquinone and is present in an amount corresponding to greater than or equal to 94 mole percent of 2-methyl-1,4-hydroquinone, based on a total number of moles of the hydroquinone and bisphenol A.

21. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 18, wherein the hydroquinone consists of a mixture of 1,4-hydroquinone and 2-methyl-1,4-hydroquinone, wherein the 1,4-hydroquinone and 2-methyl-1,4-hydroquinone are present in an amount corresponding to 97 mole percent of a total number of moles of the hydroquinone and bisphenol A.

22. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 18, wherein the structural units derived from the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) are present in an amount of about 6 to about 60 weight percent based on a total weight of the block copolymer.

23. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 18, wherein the structural units derived from the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) are present in an amount corresponding to about 30 to about 50 weight percent based on a total weight of the block copolymer.

24. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 18, further comprising structural units derived from an endcapping agent.

25. The poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer of claim 24, having a percent endcapping of at least about 90 percent.

26. A molded article comprising the poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer product of claim 1.

27. A molded article comprising the poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer product of claim 18.

28. A method for producing a poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer, the method comprising heating in the presence of a transesterification catalyst, at one or more temperatures in a temperature range of about 100 to about 400° C., a mixture comprising: (A) a polycarbonate;(B) a poly(arylene ether) comprising a hydroxy group; and(C) an activated aromatic carbonate.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the heating comprises melt mixing carried out on an extruder equipped with a vent adapted for removal of a volatile component.

30. A method for producing a poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer, the method comprising heating in the presence of at a transesterification catalyst, at one or more temperatures in a temperature range of about 100 to about 400° C., a mixture comprising (A) a hydroquinone;(B) a poly(arylene ether) comprising a hydroxy group;(C) a dihydroxy aromatic compound other than the hydroquinone; and(D) an activated aromatic carbonate.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the mixture further comprises about 10 to about 99 percent by weight of a solvent selected from the group consisting of ester-substituted phenols, halogenated aromatic solvents, halogenated aliphatic solvents, non-halogenated aromatic solvents, non-halogenated aliphatic solvents, and mixtures thereof.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the poly(arylene ether) is a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

33. A method for producing a poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer, the method comprising: heating in the presence of a transesterification catalyst, a mixture comprising a hydroquinone; a poly(arylene ether) comprising a hydroxy group; optionally one or more dihydroxy aromatic compounds other than the hydroquinone; and an activated aromatic carbonate at a temperature in a range of about 100 to about 300° C. to provide a solution comprising a polycarbonate, a poly(arylene ether), and a solvent derived from the activated aromatic carbonate; andextruding the solution at one or more temperatures in a range of about 100 to about 400° C., and at one or more screw speeds in a range of about 50 to about 1200 rpm, the extruding being carried out on an extruder comprising a vent adapted for solvent removal, to provide a poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer.

34. A method of preparing a poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer, comprising melt reacting a poly(arylene ether), a polycarbonate comprising structural units derived from a hydroquinone, and an activated aromatic carbonate.

35. A poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer, comprising: a poly(arylene ether) block;a polycarbonate block comprising units derived from a hydroquinone; anda carbonate group linking the poly(arylene ether) block and the polycarbonate block.

36. A poly(arylene ether)-polycarbonate block copolymer, consisting of: at least one poly(arylene ether) block;at least one polycarbonate block comprising units derived from a hydroquinone; andat least one carbonate group linking the poly(arylene ether) block and the polycarbonate block.