Polycarbonate—ultem block copolymers
View Patent ↗The present invention provides novel block copolycarbonates comprising residues from a hydroxy terminated polyetherimide or polyimide, residues from a dihydroxy compound, and residues from an activated carbonate. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the polyetherimide or polyimide blocks exhibit high M w while the resulting block copolycarbonate exhibits a single T g . The novel block copolycarbonates of the present invention are produced under melt polymerization conditions in the presence an activated carbonate source.
1. A block copolymer comprising blocks of:
(i) polyetherimide or polyimide, the block having an average M n of at least 7,000, and
(ii) polycarbonate,
wherein the weight ratio of blocks (i) to the block copolymer is between 0.10 and 0.90.
2. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of blocks (i) to the block copolycarbonate is between 0.20 to 0.80.
3. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer has a single T g .
4. The block copolymer of claim 3 , wherein the T g is at least 130° C.
5. The block copolymer of claim 4 , wherein the T g is at least 150° C.
6. A method of forming a block copolycarbonate wherein the method comprises the steps of,
(i) forming a first reaction mixture comprising a hydroxy terminated polyetherimide oligomer blocks or polyimide oligomer blocks,
(ii) adding to the first reaction mixture an activated carbonate and a dihydroxy composition, thereby forming a second reaction mixture, and
(iii) allowing the second reaction mixture to react,
thereby forming a block copolycarbonate.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the weight ratio of the blocks in step (i) to the block copolymer is from 0.20 to 0.80.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the block copolymer has a single T g .
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the T g is at least 130° C.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the T g is at least 150° C.
11. The method of claim 6 wherein step (ii) further comprises adding a catalyst wherein the catalyst comprises a mixture of an alkali metal hydroxide and an organic catalyst.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide and the organic catalyst is tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH).
13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the blocks in step (i) are hydroxy terminated polyetherimide blocks, and wherein the first reaction mixture is formed by the method comprising the steps of:
(i) preparing a mixture comprising bis ether anhydride, diamine, aminoalcohol and solvent, and
(ii) allowing the mixture to react thereby forming a second reaction mixture wherein during the reaction hydroxy terminated polyetherimide blocks are built with an average M n of at least 7,000,
thereby forming the first reaction mixture.
14. A block copolymer comprising:
(i) residues from a hydroxy terminated polyetherimide or polyimide,
(ii) residues from a dihydroxy compound different than (i), and
(iii) residues from an activated carbonate.
15. The block copolymer of claim 14 , wherein the block copolymer has a single T g .
16. The block copolymer of claim 15 , wherein the T g is at least 130° C.
17. The block copolymer of claim 16 , wherein the T g is at least 150° C.
18. The block copolymer of claim 14 , wherein the residues from an activated carbonate comprises an ester substituted phenol.
19. The block copolymer of claim 18 , wherein the residue from an activated carbonate comprises methyl salicylate.
20. A block copolymer consisting essentially of blocks of:
(i) polyetherimide or polyimide, the block having an average M n of at least 7,000, and
(ii) polycarbonate,
wherein the weight ratio of blocks (i) to the block copolymer is between 0.10 and 0.90.
21. The block copolymer of claim 20 , wherein the weight ratio of blocks (i) to the block copolycarbonate is between 0.20 to 0.80.
22. The block copolymer of claim 20 , wherein the block copolymer has a single T g .
23. The block copolymer of claim 22 , wherein the T g is at least 130° C.
24. The block copolymer of claim 23 , wherein the T g is at least 150° C.