Process of making polyimide micronized particles, particles formed therefrom, and articles prepared therefrom

1. A method of manufacturing polyimide particles, comprising:

combining a polyimide solution comprising a polyimide and an organic solvent with an aqueous solution comprising water in the presence of an emulsifying surfactant using high shear agitation at a rotational speed from 1,500 to less than 2,500 revolutions per minute to form an emulsion;

removing the organic solvent from the emulsion to form an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising polyimide particles; and

recovering the polyimide particles from the aqueous polymer dispersion, wherein the polyimide particles have

a spherical morphology, and

a volume based D10 diameter from 3 to 50 micrometers, and

a volume based D90 diameter from 3 to 80 micrometers, and

a volume based D100 diameter from 3 to 100 micrometers.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous polymer dispersion further comprises an additive composition comprising a stabilizer, a colorant, a filler, a polymer latex, a coalescing agent, a cosolvent, a surfactant different from the emulsifying surfactant, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, each in an amount from 0.1 to 10 total weight percent.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the organic solvent comprises

heating the emulsion to a temperature effective to vaporize the organic solvent, preferably by heating the emulsion to a temperature of 70° C. to 100° C.; or

combining the emulsion with water under conditions effective to form the aqueous polymer dispersion, preferably including one or more of

contacting the emulsion with a receiving water, preferably wherein the receiving water is at a temperature of 65° C. to 100° C., or

comprising forming drops comprising the emulsion before contacting the emulsion with the receiving water.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein recovering comprises forming a wet cake comprising the polyimide particles and an aqueous phase;

wherein forming the wet cake comprises

(a) filtering the aqueous dispersion, preferably under pressure, to form the wet cake and the aqueous phase, or

(b) centrifuging the aqueous dispersion to form the wet cake and the aqueous phase.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the recovering further comprises washing the wet cake with an aqueous wash to provide a second aqueous phase.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein

washing comprises filtering the aqueous wash through the wet cake; or

washing comprises contacting the wet cake with the aqueous wash to form a slurry, and recovering the polyimide particles from the slurry.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyimide particles are recovered through a centrifuge device at a rate of 5 to 40 kg/hr/m 2 , or wherein the polyimide particles are recovered through a pressure filtration device at the rate of 215 to 1500 kg/hr/m 2 .

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising drying the recovered polyimide particles.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the following conditions apply:

the concentration of the polyimide in the polyimide solution is from 0.5 to 35 weight percent;

the ratio of aqueous solution to polyimide solution in the emulsion is from 3:1 to 0.5:1 (wt %:wt %);

the organic solvent methylene chloride or chloroform;

the aqueous polymer dispersion comprises from 0.01 to 5 weight percent of the emulsifying surfactant, wherein the weight percent is based on the total weight of the aqueous polymer dispersion;

the emulsifying surfactant is an anionic surfactant, preferably sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing;

wherein the polyimide is a polyetherimide, a polyetherimide copolymer, a poly(etherimide-siloxane), a poly(etherimide-sulfone), or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing;

the concentration of organic solvent in the aqueous polymer dispersion is less than 75 parts per million (ppm);

the polyimide particles comprise less than 100 ppm of surfactant.

10. A method of manufacturing polyimide particles, comprising:

contacting a polyimide solution comprising a polyimide and an organic solvent with an aqueous solution comprising water in the presence of a surfactant using high shear agitation at a rotational speed from 1,500 to less than 2,500 revolutions per minute to form an emulsion;

transferring the emulsion into a receiving water at a temperature of 65° C. to 100° C. to remove the organic solvent and form an aqueous polymer dispersion, wherein the concentration of organic solvent in the aqueous polymer dispersion is less than 75 ppm;

forming a wet cake and an aqueous phase from the aqueous polymer dispersion, wherein the conductivity of the aqueous phase is less than 100 microsiemens; and

optionally, drying the wet cake to recover polyimide particles;

wherein the polyimide particles are recovered through a centrifuge device at a rate of 5 to 40 kilograms/hour/meter squared (kg/hr/m 2 ), or wherein the polyimide particles are recovered through a pressure filtration device at the rate of 215 to 1500 kg/hr/m 2 ,

and wherein the polyimide particles have

a spherical morphology and

a volume based D10 diameter from 3 to 50 micrometers, and

a volume based D90 diameter from 3 to 80 micrometers, and

a volume based D100 diameter from 3 to 100 micrometers.

11. Polyimide particles made by the method of claim 1 .

12. Polyimide particles comprising

a spherical morphology,

a volume based D10 diameter from 3 to 50 micrometers,

a volume based D90 diameter from 3 to 80 micrometers,

a surfactant concentration of less than 100 ppm,

and wherein the particles comprise a volume based D100 diameter from 3 to 100 micrometers.

13. An article formed from the polyimide particles of claim 11 and having a surfactant concentration of less than 100 ppm.