Compatibilized composition, method for the formation thereof, and article comprising same

1. A composition comprising:

30 to 93 weight percent of a polar polymer selected from the group consisting of cellulose esters, poly(alkyl (meth)acrylate)s, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyetherimides, polysulfones, polyethersulfones, poly(ethylene-ethyl acrylate)s, poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate)s, polyurethanes, poly(vinyl acetate)s, poly(vinyl alcohol)s, poly(styrene-acrylonitrile)s, poly(styrene-maleic anhydride)s, poly(vinyl butyral)s, and combinations thereof;

5 to 68 weight percent of a non-polar polymer selected from the group consisting of unhydrogenated block copolymers of alkenyl aromatic compounds and conjugated dienes, hydrogenated block copolymers of alkenyl aromatic compounds and conjugated dienes, poly(alkenyl aromatic)s, poly(phenylene ether)s, and combinations thereof; and

2 to 20 weight percent of a poly(phenylene ether)-poly(hydroxy ether) block copolymer comprising at least one poly(hydroxy ether) block, and at least one poly(phenylene ether) block; wherein the mole ratio of poly(hydroxy ether) blocks to poly(phenylene ether) blocks is 0.95:1 to 1.00:1;

wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition, unless a different weight basis is specified.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly(phenylene ether)-poly(hydroxy ether) block copolymer has a number average molecular weight of 5,000 to 50,000 atomic mass units.

3. The composition of claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one poly(phenylene ether) block has the structure

wherein Q 1 and Q 2 are selected from the group consisting of halogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl with the proviso that the hydrocarbyl group is not tertiary hydrocarbyl, C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbylthio, C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyloxy, and C 2 -C 12 halohydrocarbyloxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms; each occurrence of Q 3 and Q 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl with the proviso that the hydrocarbyl group is not tertiary hydrocarbyl, C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbylthio, C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyloxy, and C 2 -C 12 halohydrocarbyloxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms; x and y are independently 0 to 30, with the proviso that the sum of x and y is at least 2; and L has the structure

wherein each occurrence of R 1 and R 2 and R 3 and R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl with the proviso that the hydrocarbyl group is not tertiary hydrocarbyl, C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbylthio, C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyloxy, and C 2 -C 12 halohydrocarbyloxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms; z is 0 or 1; and Y has a structure selected from the group consisting of

wherein each occurrence of R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl, and each occurrence of R 6 and R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl, and C 1 -C 6 hydrocarbylene wherein R 6 and R 7 collectively form a C 4 -C 12 alkylene group; and

wherein the at least one poly(hydroxy ether) block has the structure

-B-[A-B] n -

wherein A is a residue of structure

—O-[G 1 ] t -[E] s -[G 1 ] u —O—

wherein each G 1 is independently at each occurrence a C 6 -C 20 aromatic radical, and E is independently at each occurrence a direct bond, or a structure selected from the group consisting of

wherein each occurrence of R 11 -R 14 is independently hydrogen or C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl, s is 0 or 1, and t and u are each independently 1 to 10; and wherein B is a residue of structure

wherein R 8 to R 10 are each independently hydrogen, or C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl; and wherein n is 1 to 60.

4. The composition of claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one poly(phenylene ether) block has the structure

wherein each occurrence of Q 5 and Q 6 is independently methyl, di-n-butylaminomethyl, or morpholinomethyl; and each occurrence of a and b is independently 0 to 20, provided that the sum of a and b is at least 2; and

wherein the at least one poly(hydroxy ether) block has the structure

wherein n is 1 to 60.

5. The composition of any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the non-polar polymer comprises the poly(phenylene ether).

6. The composition of any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the non-polar polymer comprises the poly(phenylene ether) and the poly(alkenyl aromatic); and wherein the poly(alkenyl aromatic) is selected from the group consisting of polystyrenes, rubber-modified polystyrenes, and combinations thereof.

7. The composition of any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the non-polar polymer comprises the poly(phenylene ether) and the hydrogenated block copolymer.

8. The composition of any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the polar polymer comprises the polyester; and wherein the polyester is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene terephthalate)s, poly(trimethylene terephthalate)s, poly(butylene terephthalate)s, polycaprolactones, poly(lactic acid)s, poly(butylene adipate)s, poly(butylene succinate)s, poly(butylene sebacate)s, and combinations thereof.

9. The composition of any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the polar polymer comprises the polyester; wherein the polyester comprises a poly(butylene terephthalate); and wherein the non-polar polymer comprises the poly(phenylene ether) and the hydrogenated block copolymer.

10. The composition of any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the polar polymer comprises the polyester; wherein the polyester comprises a poly(lactic acid); and wherein the non-polar polymer comprises the poly(phenylene ether) and the hydrogenated block copolymer.

11. The composition of any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the polar polymer comprises the poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate); and wherein the non-polar polymer comprises

the poly(phenylene ether), and

the unhydrogenated block copolymer, the hydrogenated block copolymer, or the combination thereof.

12. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) comprises 8 to 60 weight percent vinyl acetate residue.

13. An injection molded article comprising the composition of any of claims 1 - 4 .

14. A method of forming a composition, comprising

melt blending

30 to 93 weight percent of a polar polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(alkyl (meth)acrylate)s, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyetherimides, polysulfones, polyethersulfones, poly(ethylene-ethyl acrylate)s, poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate)s, polyurethanes, poly(vinyl acetate)s, poly(vinyl alcohol)s, poly(styrene-acrylonitrile)s, poly(styrene-maleic anhydride)s, and combinations thereof;

5 to 68 weight percent of a non-polar polymer selected from the group consisting of unhydrogenated block copolymers of alkenyl aromatic compounds and conjugated dienes, hydrogenated block copolymers of alkenyl aromatic compounds and conjugated dienes, poly(alkenyl aromatic)s, poly(phenylene ether)s, and combinations thereof; and

2 to 20 weight percent of a poly(phenylene ether)-poly(hydroxy ether) block copolymer comprising at least one poly(hydroxy ether) block, and at least one poly(phenylene ether) block; wherein the mole ratio of poly(hydroxy ether) blocks to poly(phenylene ether) blocks is 0.95:1 to 1.00:1

to form the composition;

wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition, unless a different weight basis is specified.