WATER PIPE FOR MINING OPERATIONS

1 . A water pipe for mining operations, wherein the water pipe comprises a composition comprising:

60 to 85 weight percent, or 70 to 80 weight percent of a poly(phenylene ether);

8 to 18 weight percent, or 10 to 14 weight percent of a hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic monomer and a conjugated diene;

5 to 15 weight percent, or 7 to 14 weight percent of an organophosphate ester, a phosphazene, or a combination thereof; and

2 to 10 weight percent, or 3 to 7 weight percent of a brominated polystyrene;

wherein weight percent of each component is based on the total weight of the composition.

2 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the water pipe has an outer diameter of 20 to 200 millimeters and a wall thickness of 2 to 20 millimeters.

3 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the water pipe consists of the composition.

4 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the poly(phenylene ether) comprises a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.4 to 0.5 deciliter per gram, determined by Ubbelohde viscometer at 25° C. in chloroform.

5 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogenated block copolymer is a polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer having a polystyrene content of 25 to 35 weight percent, based on the weight of the polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer.

6 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises the organophosphate ester, preferably wherein the organophosphate ester is bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate).

7 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises the phosphazene, preferably wherein the phosphazene comprises a bis(phenoxy)phosphazene.

8 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises 0.1 to 5 weight percent of an anti-drip agent, preferably poly(styrene-acrylonitrile)-encapsulated polytetrafluoroethylene.

9 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises 0.1 to 10 weight percent of an additive composition, wherein the additive composition comprises one of more of stabilizers, lubricants, processing aids, UV blockers, dyes, pigments, antioxidants, anti-static agents, mineral oil, and metal deactivators.

10 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the composition consists of:

70 to 80 weight percent of the poly(phenylene ether);

10 to 14 weight percent of the hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic monomer and a conjugated diene;

6 to 12 weight percent of the organophosphate ester;

3 to 7 weight percent of the brominated polystyrene;

0 to 1 weight percent of a poly(styrene-acrylonitrile)-encapsulated polytetrafluoroethylene; and

0 to 5 weight percent of a stabilizer, lubricant, processing aid, UV blocker, dye, pigment, antioxidant, anti-static agent, mineral oil, and metal deactivator.

11 . The water pipe of claim 10 , wherein

the poly(phenylene ether) comprises a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.4 to 0.5 deciliter per gram, determined by Ubbelohde viscometer at 25° C. in chloroform;

the hydrogenated block copolymer is a polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer having a polystyrene content of 25 to 35 weight percent, based on the weight of the polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer, and wherein the polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of 240,000 to 300,000 grams per mole, determined according to size exclusion chromatography using polystyrene standards; and

the organophosphate ester comprises bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate).

12 . The water pipe of claim 1 , wherein the composition consists of:

70 to 80 weight percent of the poly(phenylene ether);

10 to 14 weight percent of the hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic monomer and a conjugated diene;

6 to 10 weight percent of the phosphazene;

3 to 7 weight percent of the brominated polystyrene;

0 to 1 weight percent of a poly(styrene-acrylonitrile) encapsulated polytetrafluoroethylene; and

0 to 5 weight percent of a stabilizer, lubricant, processing aid, UV blocker, dye, pigment, antioxidant, anti-static agent, mineral oil, and metal deactivator.

13 . The water pipe of claim 12 , wherein

the poly(phenylene ether) comprises a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.4 to 0.5 deciliter per gram, determined by Ubbelohde viscometer at 25° C. in chloroform;

the hydrogenated block copolymer is a polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer having a polystyrene content of 25 to 35 weight percent, based on the weight of the polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer, and wherein the polystyrene-poly(ethylene-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of 240,000 to 300,000 grams per mole, determined according to size exclusion chromatography using polystyrene standards; and

the phosphazene comprises a bis(phenoxy)phosphazene.

14 . A method for the manufacture of the water pipe of claim 1 , the method comprising:

forming a composition by melt-mixing

60 to 85 weight percent of a poly(phenylene ether);

8 to 18 weight percent of a hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic monomer and a conjugated diene;

5 to 15 weight percent of an organophosphate ester, a phosphazene, or a combination thereof; and

2 to 10 weight percent of a brominated polystyrene;

wherein weight percent of each component is based on the total weight of the composition; and

extruding the composition through an annular die to provide the water pipe comprising the composition.