Circuit materials with improved bond, method of manufacture thereof, and articles formed therefrom

1. A circuit subassembly, comprising

a conductive layer;

a dielectric layer formed from a thermosetting composition, wherein the thermosetting composition comprises, based on the total weight of the thermosetting composition:

a polybutadiene or polyisoprene resin,

about 30 to about 70 percent by weight of a magnesium hydroxide having less than about 1000 ppm of ionic contaminants, and

about 5 to about 15 percent by weight of a nitrogen-containing compound, wherein the nitrogen-containing compound comprises at least about 15 weight percent of nitrogen; and

an adhesive layer disposed between and in contact with the conductive layer and the dielectric layer, wherein the adhesive comprises a poly(arylene ether) and a polybutadiene polymer, a polyisoprene polymer, or a combination thereof;

wherein the circuit subassembly has a UL-94 rating of at least V-1; and

wherein the circuit subassembly has a combined bromine and chlorine content of less than about 900 ppm; a water absorption of less than 0.5 percent after submersion in water at 23° C. for 24 hours; a xylene absorption of less than 2% by weight, after a test sample having dimensions of 2 inches ×2 inches ×20 mils is submerged in xylene at 23° C. for 24 hours; and an acid weight loss less of not more than 0.81% after submersion in 10 wt.% sulfuric acid at 70° C. for 20 minutes.

2. The circuit subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen-containing compound is a melamine polyphosphate, a melamine cyanurate, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing compounds.

3. The circuit subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) is carboxy-functionalized.

4. The circuit subassembly of claim 3 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) is the reaction product of a poly(arylene ether) and maleic anhydride.

5. The circuit subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer further comprises a polybutadiene polymer, a polyisoprene polymer, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing polymers.

6. The circuit subassembly of claim 5 , wherein the polybutadiene polymer or polyisoprene polymer in the adhesive layer is carboxy-functionalized.

7. The circuit subassembly of claim 6 , wherein the polybutadiene polymer or polyisoprene polymer in the adhesive layer is a maleinized polybutadiene-styrene copolymer or a maleinized polyisoprene-styrene copolymer.

8. The circuit subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a syndiotactic polybutadiene polymer, optionally together with a different a polybutadiene polymer, a polyisoprene polymer, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing polymers.

9. The circuit subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer further comprises an elastomeric polymer.

10. The circuit subassembly of claim 9 , wherein the elastomeric polymer is a block copolymer comprising units derived from an alkenyl aromatic compound and a conjugated diene.

11. The circuit subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer further comprises a filler.

12. The circuit subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the circuit material has a UL-94 rating of at least V-0.

13. A circuit subassembly, comprising:

a conductive layer;

a dielectric layer formed from a thermosetting composition, wherein the thermosetting composition comprises, based on the total weight of the thermosetting composition

a polybutadiene or polyisoprene resin, and

about 50 to about 80 percent by weight, of a magnesium hydroxide having less than about 1000 ppm of an ionic contaminant; and

an adhesive layer disposed between and in intimate contact with the conductive layer and the dielectric layer, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a poly(arylene ether) and a polybutadiene polymer, a polyisoprene polymer, or a combination thereof;

wherein the circuit material has a UL-94 rating of at least V-1; and

wherein the circuit subassembly has a combined bromine and chlorine content of less than about 900 ppm; a water absorption of less than 0.5 percent after submersion in water at 23° C. for 24 hours; a xylene absorption of less than 2% by weight, after a test sample having dimensions of 2 inches ×2 inches ×20 mils is submerged in xylene at 23° C. for 24 hours; and an acid weight loss less of not more than 0.81% after submersion in 10 wt.% sulfuric acid at 70° C. for 20 minutes.

14. The circuit subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) is carboxy-functionalized.

15. The circuit subassembly of claim 14 , wherein the poly(arylene ether) is the reaction product of a poly(arylene ether) and maleic anhydride.

16. The circuit subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the polybutadiene polymer or polyisoprene polymer in the adhesive layer is carboxy-functionalized.

17. The circuit subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a syndiotactic polybutadiene polymer, optionally together with a different a polybutadiene polymer, a polyisoprene polymer, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing polymers.

18. The circuit subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the adhesive layer further comprises an elastomeric polymer.

19. The circuit subassembly of claim 18 , wherein the elastomeric polymer is a block copolymer comprising units derived from an alkenyl aromatic compound and a conjugated diene.

20. The circuit subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the adhesive layer further comprises a filler.

21. The circuit subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the conductive layer is patterned to form a circuit.

22. The circuit subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the circuit material has a UL-94 rating of at least V-0.