Poly(phenylene ether) composition, article, and method
View Patent ↗A composition includes specific amounts of poly(phenylene ether), polymerized styrene residue, and polymerized acrylonitrile residue. The composition can be prepared using a recycled homopolystyrene that includes an acrylonitrile copolymer as an impurity. The composition largely preserves the desirable properties of a corresponding composition prepared from virgin resins without requiring chemical compatibilization of the poly(phenylene ether) and the acrylonitrile copolymer.
1. A composition comprising:
greater than 40 to about 94.8 weight percent of a poly(phenylene ether) consisting of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether);
about 11 to 20 weight percent of polymerized styrene residue; and
about 0.2 to less than 1.5 weight percent of polymerized acrylonitrile residue;
wherein the polymerized acrylonitrile residue is present in the form of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer;
wherein the composition comprises less than or equal to 120 parts per million by weight of secondary aliphatic hydroxyl groups; and
wherein all amounts are based on the total weight of the composition, unless a different weight basis is specified.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the polymerized styrene residue is provided in the form of a post-consumer recycled material comprising homopolystyrene and styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer.
3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the homopolystyrene comprises an atactic homopolystyrene.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly(phenylene ether) comprises a virgin poly(phenylene ether).
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises less than or equal to 0.7 weight percent of polymerized butadiene residue.
6. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising about 0.5 to about 18 weight percent of a polymerized butadiene residue.
7. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of a polymerized 1-butene residue.
8. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising about 2 to about 25 weight percent of a flame retardant.
9. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the flame retardant comprises an organophosphate ester.
10. The composition of claim 1 , comprising less than or equal to 1 weight percent of a polyamide.
11. The composition of claim 1 , comprising less than or equal to 1 weight percent of a polyolefin.
12. A composition comprising:
about 60 to about 80 weight percent of a poly(phenylene ether) consisting of a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of about 0.35 to about 0.6 deciliter per gram measured at 25° C. in chloroform;
about 5 to about 15 weight percent of polymerized styrene residue;
about 0.4 to about 2 weight percent of a polymerized 1-butene residue;
about 10 to about 20 weight percent of a flame retardant comprising an organophosphate ester; and
about 0.2 to about 1.2 weight percent of polymerized acrylonitrile residue;
wherein the polymerized acrylonitrile residue is present in the form of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer;
wherein the composition comprises less than or equal to 120 parts per million by weight of secondary aliphatic hydroxyl groups; and
wherein all amounts are based on the total weight of the composition, unless a different weight basis is specified.
13. An article comprising the composition of claim 1 .