Polyetherimide compositions, methods of manufacture, and articles prepared therefrom

1. A polyetherimide composition comprising

a polyetherimide; and

(a) two or more of the following compositional components

greater than 20 to 1,000 ppm of a sulfate anion,

greater than 20 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphate anion,

greater than 10 to 1,000 ppm of a chloride anion, and

greater than 25 to 5,000 ppm of an alkali metal halide, alkaline earth metal halide, alkali metal carbonate, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing; and

(b) wherein the polyetherimide composition exhibits:

a yellowness index of greater than 130, determined according to ASTM D6290;

a PDI* value of greater than 1.53, wherein PDI* is the ratio of z-average molecular weight to weight average molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography; and

optionally, one or more of the following physical properties:

a haze of greater than 10% at a thickness of 3.2 millimeters, determined according to ASTM D1003;

a melt viscosity ratio of greater than 4, as determined from a ratio of a melt viscosity at a shear rate of 100 1/second to a melt viscosity at a shear rate of 5,000 1/second, when measured by capillary rheometry at 380° C.;

a pH of less than 6.5 or greater than 7;

a tensile strength at yield greater than 84 MPa, as determined according to ASTM D638; and

a heat distortion temperature at 1.82 MPa of greater than or equal to 150° C. as determined according to ASTM D648 on a 3.2 millimeter thick sample;

wherein the polyetherimide composition is derived from polymerization of an aromatic bis(ether phthalic anhydride) of the formula

wherein each Z is independently an aromatic C 6-24 monocyclic or polycyclic moiety optionally substituted with 1 to 6 C 1-8 alkyl groups, 1 to 8 halogen atoms, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, provided that the valence of Z is not exceeded; and

an organic diamine of the formula

H 2 N—R—NH 2

wherein each R is independently a substituted or unsubstituted C 6-20 aromatic hydrocarbon group, a substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched chain C 4-20 alkylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 3-8 cycloalkylene group;

wherein the compositional components of the polyetherimide composition are residues arising from polymerizing the aromatic bis(ether phthalic anhydride) and the organic diamine.

2. The polyetherimide composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyetherimide composition further comprises one or more of:

greater than 40 to 1,000 ppm of a residual metal content; or

greater than 5 to 500 ppm of the nitrite anion, a nitrate anion, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing; or

greater than 500 to 10,000 ppm of a residual solvent content.

3. The polyetherimide composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyetherimide composition exhibits:

a yellowness index of greater than 130 to 300, determined according to ASTM D6290 at a thickness of 3.2 millimeters; and

and a PDI* of greater than 1.53 to 2; and

optionally, a haze level of greater than 10% to 100%, determined according to ASTM D1003 at a thickness of 3.2 millimeters.

4. The polyetherimide composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyetherimide composition further comprises one or both of a reinforcing filler and a colorant.

5. The polyetherimide composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyetherimide comprises units of the formula

wherein

each R is independently a substituted or unsubstituted C 6-20 aromatic hydrocarbon group, a substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched chain C 4-20 alkylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 3-8 cycloalkylene group; and

each Z is independently 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 comprising at least one of the foregoing.

6. The polyetherimide composition of claim wherein

each R is independently a divalent group of the formula

wherein Q 1 is —O—, —S—, —C(O)—, —SO 2 —, —SO—, —C y H 2y — or a halogenated derivative thereof

wherein y is an integer from 1 to 5, or —(C 6 H 10 ) z — wherein z is an integer from 1 to 4; and

Z is a group 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 integers of 0 to 4,

c is 0 to 4, and

X a is a single bond, —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —SO 2 —, —C(O)—, —P(R a )(═O)— wherein R a is a C 1-8 alkyl or C 6-12 aryl, or a C 1-18 organic bridging group.

7. The polyetherimide composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyetherimide composition further comprises, based on the total weight of the polyetherimide composition, greater than 5 weight percent of an impurity comprising a structural units derived from at least one monomer, at least one endcapping agent, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

8. A thermoplastic composition comprising

1 to 99 weight percent of the polyetherimide composition of claim 1 ; and

1 to 99 weight percent of a polymer different from the polyetherimide; and optionally

a particulate filler, antioxidant, heat stabilizer, light stabilizer, ultraviolet light stabilizer, UV absorbing additive, plasticizer, lubricant, release agent, antistatic agent, anti-fog agent, antimicrobial agent, colorant, surface effect additive, radiation stabilizer, flame retardant, anti-drip agent, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

9. An article comprising the polyetherimide composition of claim 1 , wherein the article is a fiber, a film, a sheet, a foam, a filament, a molded article, an extruded article, or a powder.