Poly(arylene ether)/polyamide composition

1. A composition comprising

a poly(arylene ether)

a polyamide;

an electrically conductive additive; and

a polymeric impact modifier,

wherein the polyamide comprises greater than or equal to 25 weight percent, based on the total weight of the polyamide, of a polyamide having a melt temperature within 20% of the glass transition temperature of the poly(arylene ether);

wherein the composition has

a melt volume rate less than or equal to 15 cubic centimeters per 10 minutes as determined by ISO 1133 performed at 300° C. with a load of 5 kilograms when the composition moisture content, at the time of testing, is less than or equal to 0.05 weight percent (wt %), based on the total weight of the composition, and

further wherein the composition demonstrates less than or equal to 0.0150 grams of composition buildup on the die face per minute of running time per meter of die opening perimeter after extruding the composition at a steady state for five minutes at 260° C. and 100 rotations per minute (rpm) on a 19 millimeter diameter single screw extruder through a rectangular slit die having a width of 102 millimeters (mm), an opening height of 2 mm and a depth of 29 mm with a die set temperature of 280° C. and further wherein no cooling means is applied to the extruded composition until the composition is greater than or equal to 100 millimeters from the die face and the composition has a flow rate through the die of 4.5 to 5.5 kilograms per hour as determined by weighing the extruded composition that has gone through downstream uptake reels over a known amount of time.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of composition buildup on the die face is less than or equal to 0.0118 grams.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a melt volume rate less than or equal to 13 cubic centimeters per 10 minutes.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a Vicat B120 greater than or equal to 170° C. when Vicat B120 is determined using ISO 306 standards.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a specific volume resistivity less than or equal to 10 6 ohm-cm.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) has a glass transition temperature, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry at 20° C./minute ramp, of 160° C. to 250° C.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises poly(arylene ether) in an amount of 15 to 65 weight percent, polyamide in an amount of 35 to 85 weight percent, and an impact modifier or a combination of impact modifiers, in an amount of 1 to 15 weight percent, wherein the amounts are based on the total weight of the thermoplastic composition.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyamide comprises a polyamide having an amine end group concentration greater than or equal to about 35 microequivalents amine end group per gram of polyamide (μeq/g) as determined by titration with HCl.

9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the impact modifier comprises polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butene)-polystyrene, polystyrene-poly(ethylene-propylene) or a combination of the foregoing.

10. The composition of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive additive comprises carbon black, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers or a combination of two or more electrically conductive additives.

11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises a compatibilized poly(arylene ether)/polyamide blend.

12. A composition comprising

a poly(arylene ether)

a polyamide;

an electrically conductive additive; and

a polymeric impact modifier,

wherein the polyamide comprises greater than or equal to 25 weight percent, based on the total weight of the polyamide, of a polyamide having a melt temperature within 20% of the glass transition temperature of the poly(arylene ether), and

further wherein the composition demonstrates less than or equal to 0.0150 grams of composition buildup on the die face per minute of running time per meter of die opening perimeter after extruding the composition at a steady state for five minutes at 260° C. and 100 rotations per minute (rpm) on a 19 millimeter diameter single screw extruder through a rectangular slit die having a width of 102 millimeters (mm), an opening height of 2 mm and a depth of 29 mm with a die set temperature of 280° C. and further wherein no cooling means is applied to the extruded composition until the composition is greater than or equal to 100 millimeters from the die face and the composition has a flow rate through the die of 4.5 to 5.5 kilograms per hour as determined by weighing the extruded composition that has gone through downstream uptake reels over a known amount of time.

13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the amount of composition buildup on the die face is less than or equal to 0.118 grams.

14. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the composition has a melt volume rate less than or equal to 13 cubic centimeters per 10 minutes.

15. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the composition has a Vicat B120 greater than or equal to 170° C. when Vicat B120 is determined using ISO 306 standards.

16. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the composition has a specific volume resistivity less than or equal to 10 6 ohm-cm.

17. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) has a glass transition temperature, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry at 20° C./minute ramp, of 160° C. to 250° C.

18. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the composition comprises poly(arylene ether) in an amount of 15 to 65 weight percent, polyamide in an amount of 35 to 85 weight percent, and an impact modifier or a combination of impact modifiers, in an amount of 1 to 15 weight percent, wherein the amounts are based on the total weight of the thermoplastic composition.

19. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the polyamide comprises a polyamide having an amine end group concentration greater than or equal to about 35 microequivalents amine end group per gram of polyamide (μeq/g) as determined by titration with HCl.

20. The composition of claim 12 wherein the impact modifier comprises polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butene)-polystyrene, polystyrene-poly(ethylene-propylene) or a combination of the foregoing.

21. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the electrically conductive additive comprises carbon black, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers or a combination of two or more electrically conductive additives.

22. The composition of claim 12 wherein the composition comprises a compatibilized poly(arylene ether)/polyamide blend.

23. A composition produced by melt mixing a mixture of

a poly(arylene ether);

a polyamide;

an electrically conductive additive;

a compatibilizing agent; and

a polymeric impact modifier,

wherein the polyamide comprises greater than or equal to 25 weight percent, based on the total weight of the polyamide, of a polyamide having a melt temperature within 20% of the glass transition temperature of the poly(arylene ether),

wherein the electrically conductive additive is added to the mixture prior to a last addition of polyamide or with a last addition of polyamide and

further wherein the composition demonstrates less than or equal to 0.0150 grams of composition buildup on the die face per minute of running time per meter of die opening perimeter after extruding the composition at a steady state for five minutes at 260° C. and 100 rotations per minute on a 19 millimeter diameter single screw extruder through a rectangular slit die having a width of 102 millimeters, an opening height of 2 millimeters and a depth of 29 millimeters with a die set temperature of 280° C. and further wherein no cooling means is applied to the extruded composition until the composition is greater than or equal to 100 millimeters from the die face and the composition has a flow rate through the die of 4.5 to 5.5 kilograms per hour as determined by weighing the extruded composition that has gone through downstream uptake reels over a known amount of time.

24. The composition of claim 23 wherein the compatibilizing agent comprises citric acid, maleic anhydride, and/or fumaric acid.

25. A composition comprising the reaction product of

a poly(arylene ether);

a polyamide;

an electrically conductive additive;

a compatibilizing agent; and

a polymeric impact modifier,

wherein the composition has a melt volume rate less than or equal to 15 cubic centimeters per 10 minutes as determined by ISO 1133 performed at 3000° C. with a load of 5 kilograms when the composition moisture content, at the time of testing, is less than or equal to 0.05 weight percent (wt %), based on the total weight of the composition, and

further wherein the polyamide comprises greater than or equal to 25 weight percent, based on the total weight of the polyamide, of a polyamide having a melt temperature within 20% of the glass transition temperature of the poly(arylene ether), and

further wherein the composition demonstrates less than or equal to 0.0150 grams of composition buildup on the die face per minute of running time per meter of die opening perimeter after extruding the composition at a steady state for five minutes at 260° C. and 100 rotations per minute (rpm) on a 19 millimeter diameter single screw extruder through a rectangular slit die having a width of 102 millimeters (mm), an opening height of 2 mm and a depth of 29 mm with a die set temperature of 2800° C. and further wherein no cooling means is applied to the extruded composition until the composition is greater than or equal to 100 millimeters from the die face and the composition has a flow rate through the die of 4.5 to 5.5 kilograms per hour as determined by weighing the extruded composition that has gone through downstream uptake reels over a known amount of time.