Poly(phenylene ether) composition and article

1. A composition comprising, based on the total weight of the poly(phenylene ether), addition polymer, impact modifier, and flame retardant:

40 to 90 weight percent of a poly(phenylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer;

1 to 20 weight percent of an addition polymer comprising repeat units derived from a glycidyl ester of an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated acid;

1 to 20 weight percent of an impact modifier other than the addition polymer; and

5 to 20 weight percent of a flame retardant comprising an organophosphate ester.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises, based on the total weight of the poly(phenylene ether), addition polymer, impact modifier, flame retardant, and poly(alkenyl aromatic monomer), 1 to 20 weight percent of a poly(alkenyl aromatic monomer).

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly(phenylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer comprises:

a poly(phenylene ether) block and a polysiloxane block comprising 20 to 80 siloxane repeat units on average; and based on the total weight of the poly(phenylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer, 1 to 30 weight percent siloxane repeat units and 70 to 99 weight percent phenylene ether repeat units;

wherein the poly(phenylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.3 to 0.6 deciliter per gram, measured at 25° C. in chloroform.

4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the poly(phenylene ether) block comprises phenylene ether repeat units having the structure:

and

the polysiloxane block has the structure:

wherein n is 30 to 60.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the impact modifier is selected from one or more of a rubber-modified poly(alkenyl aromatic monomer) and a hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or non-hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic monomer and a conjugated diene.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the addition polymer comprises 60 to 99 weight percent α-olefin repeat units, 0.1 to 20 weight percent glycidyl ester of an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated acid repeat units, and 0 to 39 weight percent vinyl ester or C 1-12 alkyl (meth)acrylate repeat units.

7. The composition of claim 1 , where the addition polymer is selected from one or more of poly(ethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate) and poly(ethylene-co-methyl acrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate).

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the flame retardant is selected from one or more of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BPADP) and resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP).

9. The composition of claim 1 , comprising:

60 to 90 weight percent of a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether)-co-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymer comprising a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) block and a poly(dimethylsiloxane) block comprising, on average, 20 to 80 dimethylsiloxane repeat units, and based on the total weight of the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether)-co-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymer, 1 to 30 weight percent dimethylsiloxane repeat units and 70 to 99 weight percent 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether repeat units; wherein the poly(phenylene ether) has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.3 to 0.6 deciliter per gram, measured at 25° C. in chloroform;

1 to 10 weight percent of an addition polymer selected from one or more of poly(ethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate) and poly(ethylene-co-methyl acrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate);

1 to 20 weight percent of an impact modifier selected from one or more of rubber-modified polystyrene and polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer, having a weight average molecular weight of 200,000-400,000 daltons; and

0.1 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of the composition, of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of flame retardants other than the organophosphate ester, fillers, processing aids, mold release agents, pigments, dyes, acid quenchers, metal deactivators, antioxidants, light stabilizers, and drip retardants.

10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the composition exhibits one or more of:

an increase in notched Izod impact strength at 23° C. of 5 to 100 percent compared to the same composition without the addition polymer, when measured with a pendulum energy of 5 ft·lbf and an impact velocity of 3.5 meters per second (m/sec) in according to ASTM D 256-10; and

an increase in tensile elongation at break at 23° C. of 10 to 50 weight percent compared to the same composition without the addition polymer, when measured according to ASTM D638-10.

11. An article comprising the composition of claim 1 .

12. A composition comprising, based on the total weight of the poly(phenylene ether), addition polymer, impact modifier, and flame retardant:

60 to 90 weight percent of a poly(phenylene ether) selected from one or more of a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether)-co-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymer comprising a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) block and a poly(dimethylsiloxane) block comprising, on average, 20 to 80 dimethylsiloxane repeat units, and based on the total weight of the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether)-co-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymer, 1 to 30 weight percent dimethylsiloxane repeat units and 70 to 99 weight percent 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether repeat units; wherein the poly(phenylene ether) has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.3 to 0.6 deciliter per gram, measured at 25° C. in chloroform;

1 to 10 weight percent of an addition polymer selected from one or more of poly(ethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate) and poly(ethylene-co-methyl acrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate);

1 to 20 weight percent of an impact modifier selected from one or more of rubber-modified polystyrene and polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer, having a weight average molecular weight of 200,000-400,000 daltons;

5 to 15 weight percent of a flame retardant comprising an organophosphate ester; and

0.1 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of the composition, of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of flame retardants other than the organophosphate ester, fillers, processing aids, mold release agents, pigments, dyes, acid quenchers, metal deactivators, antioxidants, light stabilizers, and drip retardants.

13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the composition further comprises, based on the total weight of the poly(phenylene ether), addition polymer, impact modifier, flame retardant, and poly(alkenyl aromatic monomer), 1 to 20 weight percent of a poly(alkenyl aromatic monomer).

14. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the poly(phenylene ether) comprises the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

15. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the poly(phenylene ether) comprises the poly(phenylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer.

16. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the poly(phenylene ether) block comprises phenylene ether repeat units having the structure:

and

the polysiloxane block has the structure:

wherein n is 30 to 60.

17. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the addition polymer comprises 60 to 99 weight percent ethylene repeat units, 0.1 to 20 weight percent glycidyl methacrylate repeat units, and 0 to 39 weight percent methyl acrylate repeat units.

18. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the flame retardant is selected from one or more of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BPADP) and resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP).

19. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the composition exhibits one or more of:

an increase in notched Izod impact strength at 23° C. of 5 to 100 percent compared to the same composition without the addition polymer, when measured with a pendulum energy of 5 ft·lbf and an impact velocity of 3.5 meters per second (m/sec) in according to ASTM D 256-10; and

an increase in tensile elongation at break at 23° C. of 10 to 50 weight percent compared to the same composition without the addition polymer, when measured according to ASTM D638-10.

20. An article comprising the composition of claim 12 .