Ultrafine poly(phenylene ether) particles and compositions derived therefrom
View Patent ↗Disclosed are compositions comprising: (a) 10 to 40 percent by weight of the ultrafine particulate poly(phenylene ether), wherein the mean particle size of the poly(phenylene ether) is 9 microns or less; (b) 60 to 90 percent by weight of an epoxy resin; wherein the weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition. Also disclosed are processes for preparing such compositions as well as articles derived therefrom.
1. A composition comprising:
(a) 10 to 40 percent by weight of ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.4 deciliters per gram, measured in chloroform at 25° C., wherein the mean particle size of the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is 6 to 16 microns;
(b) 60 to 90 percent by weight of an epoxy resin, which is the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBPA):
(c) 5 to 25 percent by weight of a hardener; wherein:
the weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition;
the impact strength of the composition is greater than or equal to 500 J/m as measured by ASTM D4812;
the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is dispersed in the composition and remains dispersed in the composition post-cure and the composition exhibits discrete phases and exhibits two glass transition temperatures (Tg) measured by differential scanning calorimetry at 30 to 250° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere with a heating rate of 20° C./min; and
the composition has increased toughness as measured by ASTMD4812 as compared to a composition comprising poly(phenylene ether) (PPE) particles having a size that is larger than 16 microns, epoxy resin, and a hardener, wherein the poly(phenylene ether) particles are not dissolved in the epoxy resin.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the hardener is 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) has a mean particle size of 6 to 10 microns.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) has a mean particle size of 11 to 16 microns.
5. A composition, comprising:
(a) 15 to 35 percent by weight of ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of between 0.4 deciliters per gram, measured in chloroform at 25° C., wherein the mean particle size of the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is 6 to 16 microns;
(b) 60 to 90 percent by weight of an epoxy resin, wherein the epoxy resin is the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBPA); and
(c) 5 to 25 percent by weight of a hardener, wherein the hardener is 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane;
wherein the impact strength of the composition is greater than or equal to 500 J/m as measured by ASTM D4812; and
wherein the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is dispersed in the composition and remains dispersed in the composition post-cure and the composition exhibits discrete phases and exhibits two glass transition temperatures (Tg) measured by differential scanning calorimetry at 30 to 250° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere with a heating rate of 20° C./min.
6. An article, comprising:
(a) 15 to 35 percent by weight of ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of between 0.30 deciliters to 1.5 deciliters per gram, measured in chloroform at 25° C., wherein the particle size of the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is 6 to 16 microns;
(b) 40 to 70 percent by weight of an epoxy resin, wherein the epoxy resin is the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBPA); and
(c) 5 to 25 percent by weight of a hardener, wherein the hardener is 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane;
wherein the article has a density distribution of less than or equal to 0.1 percent and an impact strength that is greater than or equal to 500 J/m as measured by ASTM D4812.
7. A composition comprising:
(a) 10 to 40 percent by weight of ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of between 0.30 deciliters to 0.6 deciliters per gram measured in chloroform at 25° C. and having a number average molecular weight of about 16,000 to about 25,000 atomic mass units, wherein the mean particle size of the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is 6 to 16 microns;
(b) 60 to 90 percent by weight of an epoxy resin, which is the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBPA):
(c) 5 to 25 percent by weight of a hardener which is 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane; wherein:
the weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition;
the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is dispersed in the composition and remains dispersed in the composition post-cure and the composition exhibits discrete phases and exhibits two glass transition temperatures (Tg) measured by differential scanning calorimetry at 30 to 250° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere with a heating rate of 20° C./min;
the impact strength of the composition is greater than or equal to 500 J/m as measured by ASTM D4812; and
the composition has improved toughness as measured by ASTMD4812 as compared to compositions having a size that is larger than 16 microns, epoxy resin, and a hardener, wherein the poly(phenylene ether) particles are not dissolved in the epoxy resin.