Polyetherimide sulfone compositions, method of manufacture, and articles prepared therefrom

1. A thermoplastic composition comprising, based on the total weight of the thermoplastic composition,

10 to 90 wt. % of a first polyetherimide sulfone having a glass transition temperature of 250 to 290° C.; and

10 to 90 wt. % of a second polyetherimide sulfone having a glass transition temperature of 230 to 249° C.;

wherein the composition has the following properties:

a melt index of 0.7 to 2 grams per minute, determined according to ASTM D1238 at 367° C. under a 6.7 kilogram load;

a glass transition temperature of 231 to 289° C.;

a yellowness index of less than or equal to 200, determined according to ASTM D1925;

a transmission of greater than or equal to 4%, determined according to ASTM D1003; and

a haze of less than or equal to 12%, determined according to ASTM D1003.

2. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition resists deformation when subjected to a lead-free solder reflow process at a temperature of greater than or equal to 250° C.

3. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition has a near-infrared transmission of greater than or equal to 95%, determined using a solution of the thermoplastic composition in N-methyl pyrrolidone having a concentration of 86.8 to 87.2 milligrams per milliliter.

4. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the first polyetherimide sulfone is a recycled polyetherimide sulfone.

5. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the first and second polyetherimide sulfones each independently comprise units of the formula

wherein

R is a C 2-20 hydrocarbon group or a halogenated derivative thereof and at least 10 mole percent of the R groups comprise a sulfone group,

T is —O— or a group of the formula —O—Z—O— wherein the divalent bonds of the —O— or the —O—Z—O— group are in the 3,3′, 3,4′, 4,3′, or the 4,4′ positions, and

Z is an aromatic C 6-24 monocyclic or polycyclic group optionally substituted with 1 to 6 C 1-8 alkyl groups, 1-8 halogen atoms, or a combination thereof.

6. The thermoplastic composition of claim 5 , wherein R is a divalent group of the formula

wherein Q 1 is —O—, —S—, —C(O)—, —SO 2 —, —SO—, —C y H 2y —, and a halogenated derivative thereof, wherein y is an integer from 1 to 5, provided that at least 10 mole percent of the R groups comprise a sulfone group; and

wherein Z is a group derived from a dihydroxy compound of the formula

wherein

R a and R b are each independently a halogen atom or a monovalent C 1-6 alkyl group;

p and q are each independently 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4;

c is 0 to 4; and

X a is a single bond, —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —SO 2 —, —C(O)—, or a C 1-18 organic bridging group.

7. The thermoplastic composition of claim 5 , wherein R is 4,4′-diphenylene sulfone and Z is 4,4′-diphenylene isopropylidene.

8. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additives comprising a thermal stabilizer, a flame retardant, a hydrolysis stabilizer, an ultraviolet light stabilizer, a nucleating agent, a metal deactivator, a colorant, an antioxidant, or a combination thereof.

9. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises,

25 to 90 wt. % of the first polyetherimide sulfone; and

10 to 75 wt. % of the second polyetherimide sulfone.

10. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises,

10 to 90 wt. % of the first polyetherimide sulfone; and

10 to 90 wt. % of the second polyetherimide sulfone;

wherein the composition has,

a melt index of 0.95 to 1.8 grams per minute, determined according to ASTM D1238 at 367° C. under a 6.7 kilogram load;

a glass transition temperature of 240 to 266° C.;

a yellowness index of 140 to 200, determined according to ASTM D1925;

a transmission of 4.5 to 25%, determined according to ASTM D1003; and

a haze of 5 to 11%, determined according to ASTM D1003.

11. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises

25 to 90 wt. % of the first polyetherimide sulfone; and

10 to 75 wt. % of the second polyetherimide sulfone;

wherein the composition has,

a melt index of 0.95 to 1.2 grams per minute, determined according to ASTM D1238 at 367° C. under a 6.7 kilogram load;

a glass transition temperature of 245 to 262° C.;

a yellowness index of 150 to 195, determined according to ASTM D1925;

a transmission of 6 to 20%, determined according to ASTM D1003; and

a haze of 6 to 10%, determined according to ASTM D1003.

12. A method of manufacturing the thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , the method comprising

melt-mixing the components; and

extruding the components.

13. An article comprising the thermoplastic composition of claim 1 .

14. The article of claim 13 , wherein the article is an optical component.

15. A method for improving the optical properties of a thermoplastic composition, the method comprising

melt-mixing

10 to 90 wt. % of a first polyetherimide sulfone having a glass transition temperature of 250 to 290° C.; and

10 to 90 wt. % of a second polyetherimide sulfone having a glass transition temperature of 230 to 249° C.;

to provide a thermoplastic composition having:

a glass transition temperature of 231 to 289° C., and

a melt index of 0.7 to 2 grams per minute determined according to ASTM D1238 at 367° C. under a 6.7 kilogram load; and

one or more of the following optical properties:

a yellowness index of less than or equal to 200, determined according to ASTM D1925;

a transmission of greater than or equal to 4%, determined according to ASTM D1003; and

a haze of less than or equal to 12%, determined according to ASTM D1003.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein

the yellowness index is at least 1.5% less than the yellowness index of the first polyetherimide sulfone, determined according to ASTM D1925;

the transmission is at least 6% greater than the transmission of the first polyetherimide sulfone, determined according to ASTM D1003; and

the haze is at least 5% less than the haze of the first polyetherimide, determined according to ASTM D1003.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first polyetherimide sulfone is a recycled polyetherimide sulfone.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic composition has

a melt index of 0.7 to 2 grams per minute, determined according to ASTM D1238 at 367° C. under a 6.7 kilogram load;

a glass transition temperature of 231 to 289° C.;

a yellowness index of less than or equal to 200, determined according to ASTM D1925;

a transmission of greater than or equal to 4%, determined according to ASTM D1003; and

a haze of less than or equal to 12%, determined according to ASTM D1003.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic composition has

a melt index of 0.95 to 1.8 grams per minute, determined according to ASTM D1238 at 367° C.;

a glass transition temperature of 240 to 266° C.;

a yellowness index of 140 to 200, determined according to ASTM D1925;

a transmission of 4.5 to 25%, determined according to ASTM D1003; and

a haze of 5 to 11%, determined according to ASTM D1003.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic composition has

a melt index of 0.95 to 1.2 grams per minute, determined according to ASTM D1238 at 367° C. under a 6.7 kilogram load;

a glass transition temperature of 245 to 262° C.;

a yellowness index of 150 to 195, determined according to ASTM D1925;

a transmission of 6 to 20%, determined according to ASTM D1003; and

a haze of 6 to 10%, determined according to ASTM D1003.