Method of preparing polymer particles and polymer particles prepared thereby
Fine polymer particles are prepared by dissolving a polycarbonate, a poly(arylene ether), or a poly(arylene ether sulfone), each in a specific solvent, to form a slurry, heating the slurry to a temperature greater than the solvent boiling point to form a homogeneous solution, cooling the solution to form a dispersion of fine particles, and isolating the fine particles. A volume-based distribution of the isolated fine particles has a median equivalent spherical diameter less than or equal to 125 micrometers.
1. A method of preparing polymer particles, the method comprising
combining a polymer and a solvent at a first temperature to provide a slurry, wherein the polymer is not soluble in the solvent at the first temperature, and wherein
the polymer is a poly(arylene ether) and the solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl n-butyl ketone, methyl iso-butyl ketone, di(iso-butyl) ketone, diacetone alcohol, cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, anisole, and combinations thereof;
heating the slurry to a second temperature and at a pressure effective to dissolve the polymer in the solvent to provide a homogeneous solution, wherein the pressure is 7 to 2068 kilopascals;
cooling the homogeneous solution to a third temperature to provide a dispersion comprising a plurality of polymer particles; and
isolating the polymer particles from the dispersion;
wherein the isolated polymer particles have a Dv50 particle size of less than or equal to 125 micrometers, determined by laser diffraction according to ISO 13320:2020.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is the poly(arylene ether) and the solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl n-butyl ketone, methyl iso-butyl ketone, di(iso-butyl) ketone, diacetone alcohol, cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, anisole, and combinations thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the first temperature is less than or equal to 100° C.;
the second temperature is at least 2° C. greater than the boiling point of the solvent;
the third temperature is less than or equal to 100° C.; or
a combination comprising at least two of the foregoing.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is the poly(arylene ether) and the solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl n-butyl ketone, methyl iso-butyl ketone, di(iso-butyl) ketone, diacetone alcohol, and combinations thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry has a solids content of 1 to 50 weight percent, based on a total weight of the slurry.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein isolating the polymer powder comprises filtration.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is amorphous when it is combined with the solvent, and the isolated polymer particles comprise semi-crystalline polymer.
8. A method of preparing polymer particles, the method comprising
combining a polymer and a solvent at a first temperature to provide a slurry, wherein the polymer is not soluble in the solvent at the first temperature, wherein
the polymer is a poly(arylene ether) and the solvent is selected from the group consisting of methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, and combinations thereof,
wherein the first temperature is 15 to 50° C.; and wherein the polymer is present in the slurry at a concentration of 5 to 30 weight percent, based on a total weight of the slurry;
heating the slurry to a second temperature and at a pressure effective to dissolve the polymer in the solvent to provide a homogeneous solution, wherein the pressure is 107 to 1750 kilopascals; wherein the second temperature is at least 2° C. greater than the boiling point of the solvent, or at least 5° C. greater than the boiling point of the solvent, or at least 10° C. greater than the boiling point of the solvent;
cooling the homogeneous solution to a third temperature to provide a dispersion comprising a plurality of polymer particles; wherein the third temperature is 15 to 50° C.; and
isolating the polymer particles from the dispersion; wherein the isolating the polymer particles comprises filtration of the polymer particles; and
wherein the isolated polymer particles have a Dv50 particle size of 5 to 125 micrometers, determined by laser diffraction according to ISO 13320:2020.
9. Polymer particles prepared by the method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer particles comprise semi-crystalline polymer.