Polyolefin composition with poly(phenylene ether) filler and article thereof

1. A composition comprising:

65 to 97.5 weight percent of a polyolefin;

2.5 to 25 weight percent of an oligomeric poly(phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.01 to 0.12 deciliters per gram, as measured in chloroform at 25° C., and a weight average molecular weight of 1,200 to 8,000 atomic mass units, as measured by gel permeation chromatography; and

0 to 10 weight percent of a compatibilizer;

wherein all weight percents are based on the combined weight of the polyolefin, the poly(phenylene ether), and the compatibilizer.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the oligomeric poly(phenylene ether) comprises poly(2,6-dimethyl-4-phenylene ether).

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the oligomeric poly(phenylene ether) comprises a bifunctional poly(phenylene ether) having the structure

wherein each occurrence of Q 1 and Q 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 12 primary or secondary 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 primary or secondary 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, provided that the sum of x and y is at least 2; and

L has the structure

wherein each occurrence of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl provided 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.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly(phenylene ether) comprises a bifunctional poly(phenylene ether) having 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, with the proviso that the sum of a and b is at least 2.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises a polyethylene homopolymer, an ethylene-containing copolymer, a polypropylene homopolymer, a polypropylene-containing copolymer, or a combination thereof.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises a polyethylene homopolymer, an ethylene-containing copolymer, or a combination thereof.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises low density polyethylene, very low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, or a combination thereof.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises a polyethylene homopolymer.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, or a combination thereof.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the oligomeric poly(phenylene ether) comprises a bifunctional poly(phenylene ether) having 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, with the proviso that the sum of a and b is at least 2; and

the polyolefin comprises polyethylene homopolymer.

11. The composition of claim 1 , comprising a continuous phase comprising the polyolefin, and a disperse phase comprising the oligomeric poly(phenylene ether).

12. The composition of claim 1 , comprising 0 to less than 0.5 weight percent of the compatibilizer, wherein the compatibilizer comprises a hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic compound and a conjugated diene, a non-hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic compound and a conjugated diene, or a combination thereof.

13. The composition of claim 1 , comprising 0.5 to 10 weight percent of the compatibilizer, wherein the compatibilizer comprises a hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or non-hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic compound and a conjugated diene, or a combination thereof.

14. The composition of claim 1 , comprising 0.5 to 10 weight percent of the compatibilizer, wherein the compatibilizer comprises a polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer (SEBS), a polystyrene-poly(ethylene-propylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer (SEPS), a polystyrene-poly(ethylene-ethylene/propylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer, a polystyrene-poly(butadiene-styrene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer, a polystyrene-polyisoprene-polystyrene triblock copolymer, a polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene triblock copolymer (SBS), a polystyrene-polyisoprene-polystyrene triblock copolymer (SIS), a polystyrene-polybutadiene diblock copolymer (SB), a polystyrene-polyisoprene diblock copolymer (SI), or a combination thereof.

15. The composition of claim 1 , comprising 0.5 to 10 weight percent of the compatibilizer, based on the total weight of the composition, wherein the compatibilizer comprises a polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer comprising 20 to 60 weight percent polystyrene, based on the weight of the triblock copolymer, and having a weight average molecular weight of 50,000 to 100,000 atomic mass units, as measured by gel permeation chromatography.

16. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising 0.02 to 1 weight percent, based on the total weight of the composition, of a polytetrafluoroethylene.

17. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising 1 to 60 weight percent, based on the total weight of the composition, of a flame retardant.

18. The composition of claim 17 , wherein the flame retardant comprises a metal hydroxide, a phosphoric acid salt, an organophosphate ester, a brominated organic compound, antimony trioxide, or a combination thereof.

19. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising 5 to 50 weight percent, based on the total weight of the composition, of magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, or a combination thereof.

20. A composition comprising:

65 to 97.5 weight percent of a polyolefin selected from low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, and a combination thereof;

2.5 to 25 weight percent of an oligomeric poly(phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.01 to 0.12 deciliters per gram, as measured in chloroform at 25° C., selected from a monofunctional poly(2,6-dimethyl-4-phenylene ether), a bifunctional poly(2,6-dimethyl-4-phenylene ether), and a combination thereof; and

0 to 10 weight percent of a polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer comprising 20 to 60 weight percent polystyrene content, based on the weight of the triblock copolymer, and having a weight average molecular weight of 50,000 to 100,000 atomic mass units, as measured by gel permeation chromatography;

wherein all weight percents are based on the combined weight of the polyolefin, the poly(phenylene ether), and the polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer.

21. The composition of claim 20 , comprising 0.5 to 10 weight percent of the polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer.

22. An article comprising the composition of claim 1 .