MICROPOROUS ARTICLES AND CORRESPONDING FORMATION METHODS

1 . A microporous article comprising at least one polyaryl ether ketone copolymer [copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK)] comprising:

recurring units (R PEEK ) of formula (I):

 and

recurring units (R PEDEK ) of formula (II):

wherein in above formulae (I) and (II), each of R′ and R″, equal to or different from each other, is independently selected at each occurrence from a C 1 -C 12 group optionally comprising one or more than one heteroatoms; sulfonic acid and sulfonate groups; phosphonic acid and phosphonate groups; amine and quaternary ammonium groups;

each of j′ and k″, equal to or different from each other, is independently selected at each occurrence from 0 and an integer of 1 to 4;

wherein the said recurring units are comprised in a molar ratio (R PEDEK ):(R PEEK ) of 55:45 to 99:1,

said microporous article having a mean flow pore diameter (MFD), as determined according to ASTM F316-03, of at least 0.005 to at most 0.500 μm.

2 . The microporous article of claim 3 , said article possessing a gravimetric porosity (ε m ) of 20 to 95% v/v.

3 . The microporous article of claim 1 , said microporous article having a mean flow pore diameter (MFD), as determined according to ASTM F316-03, of at least 0.008 μm; and/or of at most 0.250 μm.

4 . The microporous article according claim 1 , said article possessing a water flux permeability, at a pressure of 1 bar and at a temperature of 23° C., of at least 5 l/(h×m 2 ).

5 . The microporous article according to claim 1 , said article possessing a tensile modulus exceeding 250 MPa when determined at room temperature (23° C.), according to ASTM D638.

6 . The microporous article of claim 1 , which is a membrane selected from the group consisting of symmetric membranes and asymmetric membranes.

7 . The microporous article of claim 6 , whereas the membrane is in the form of a flat sheet or in the form of a tubular membrane selected from the group consisting of:

tubular membranes having a diameter greater than 3 mm;

capillary membranes, having a diameter comprised between 0.5 mm and 3 mm; and

hollow fibres having a diameter of less than 0.5 mm.

8 . The microporous article according to claim 1 , wherein:

the copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK) comprises recurring units (R PEDEK ) and (R PEEK ) in molar ratio (R PEDEK ):(R PEEK ) of 60:40 to 95:5; and/or

in copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK), the sum of the amount of recurring units (R PEDEK ) and (R PEEK ) is of at least 70% moles, with respect to the total number of moles of recurring units; and/or

the copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK) may additionally comprise recurring units (R PAEK ) different from recurring units (R PEEK ) and (R PEDEK ), which are selected from the group consisting of recurring units (R PAEK ) complying with any of the following formulae (K-A) to (K-M) herein below:

wherein in each of formulae (K-A) to (K-M) above, each of R′, equal to or different from each other, is independently selected at each occurrence from a C 1 -C 12 group optionally comprising one or more than one heteroatoms; sulfonic acid and sulfonate groups; phosphonic acid and phosphonate groups; amine and quaternary ammonium groups; and

each of j′, equal to or different from each other, is independently selected at each occurrence from 0 and an integer of 1 to 4, preferably j′ being equal to zero.

9 . The microporous article according to claim 1 , wherein copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK) is comprised essentially of recurring units (R PEEK ) and (R PEDEK ), and/or wherein in recurring units (R PEEK ) of formula (I), the connections among phenyl groups are in the para positions of each of the phenyl rings; and/or wherein each of j′ is zero; and/or wherein recurring units (R PEEK ) comply with formula (Ia):

 and/or

in recurring units (R PEDEK ) of formula (II), the connections among phenyl groups are in the para positions of each of the phenyl rings; and/or each of k″ is zero; and/or wherein recurring units (R PEDEK ) comply with formula (IIb):

10 . A method for making a microporous article according to claim 1 , said method comprising:

Step 1.—a step of processing a polymer composition [composition (C)] comprising copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK), and at least one additional polymer [polymer (P)] into a solid article;

Step 2.—a step of thermal treating said solid article, under conditions to cause at least partial crystallization of the copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK), and

Step 3.—a step consisting in removing at least partially said polymer (P) by contacting the thermally treated article obtained from Step 2. with a solvent for said polymer (P), so as to obtain the microporous article of claim 1 .

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein melt forming is used in Step 1 to process said composition (C) into an article by film extrusion.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein polymer (P) is selected from amorphous polymers, i.e. from polymers having a heat of fusion of less than 5 J/g; and/or wherein polymer (P) is selected from the group consisting of polymers which can form compatible blends with copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK), or polymer (P) is selected from polymers which can form miscible blends, i.e. polymers (P) which, when combined with copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK), provides for blends having a single amorphous phase that exhibits a single glass transition temperature.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymer (P) is a poly(ether imide) polymer [polymer (PEI)] comprising at least 50 mol. %, based on the total number of moles in the polymer, of recurring units (R PEI ) comprising at least one aromatic ring, at least one imide group, as such and/or in its amic acid form, and at least one ether group; wherein the recurring units (R PEI ) are preferably selected from the group consisting of following formulas (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V) and mixtures thereof:

where

Ar is a tetravalent aromatic moiety and is selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted, saturated, unsaturated or aromatic monocyclic and polycyclic group having 5 to 50 carbon atoms;

Ar′ is a trivalent aromatic moiety and is selected from the group consisting of a substituted, unsubstituted, saturated, unsaturated, aromatic monocyclic and aromatic polycyclic group having from 5 to 50 C atoms; and

R is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted divalent organic radicals selected from the group consisting of

(a) aromatic hydrocarbon radicals having 6 to 20 carbon atoms and halogenated derivatives thereof;

(b) straight or branched chain alkylene radicals having 2 to 20 carbon atoms;

(c) cycloalkylene radicals having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, and

(d) divalent radicals of formula (VI):

where

Y is selected from the group consisting of alkylenes of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; perfluoroalkylenes of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; cycloalkylenes of 4 to 8 carbon atoms; alkylidenes of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; cycloalkylidenes of 4 to 8 carbon atoms; —O—; —S—; —C(O)—; —SO 2 —; —SO—, and

R″ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, ether, thioether, carboxylic acid, ester, amide, imide, alkali earth metal sulfonate, alkaline earth metal sulfonate, alkyl sulfonate, alkali earth metal phosphonate, alkaline earth metal phosphonate, alkyl phosphonate, amine and quaternary ammonium and

i, for each R″, is independently zero or an integer ranging from 1 to 4,

with the proviso that at least one of Ar, Ar′ and R comprise at least one ether group and that the ether group is present in the polymer chain backbone.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein polymer (PEI) is a polymer comprising at least 50 mol. %, based on the total number of moles in the polymer, of recurring units (R PEI ) of formula (VII):

where

R is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted divalent organic radicals selected from the group consisting of

(a) aromatic hydrocarbon radicals having 6 to 20 carbon atoms and halogenated derivatives thereof;

(b) straight or branched chain alkylene radicals having 2 to 20 carbon atoms;

(c) cycloalkylene radicals having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, and

(d) divalent radicals of formula (VI):

where

Y is selected from the group consisting of alkylenes of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; perfluoroalkylenes of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; cycloalkylenes of 4 to 8 carbon atoms; alkylidenes of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; cycloalkylidenes of 4 to 8 carbon atoms; —O—; —S—; —C(O)—; —SO 2 —; —SO—, and

R″ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, ether, thioether, carboxylic acid, ester, amide, imide, alkali earth metal sulfonate, alkaline earth metal sulfonate, alkyl sulfonate, alkali earth metal phosphonate, alkaline earth metal phosphonate, alkyl phosphonate, amine and quaternary ammonium and

i, for each R″, is independently zero or an integer ranging from 1 to 4,

T can either be —O— or —O—Ar″—O—

wherein the divalent bonds of the —O— or the —O— Ar″—O— group can be in the 3,3′, 3,4′, 4,3′, or the 4,4′ positions, wherein Ar″ is an aromatic moiety selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted, saturated, unsaturated or aromatic monocyclic and polycyclic group having 5 to 50 carbon atoms; and

wherein Ar″ is preferably of formula (XIX):

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein polymer (PEI) is a polymer comprising at least 50 mol. %, based on the total number of moles in the polymer, of recurring units (R PEI ) of formulas (XXIII) or (XXIV), in imide forms, or their corresponding amic acid forms and mixtures thereof:

16 . The microporous article of claim 1 , said article possessing a gravimetric porosity (ε m ) of 40 to 90% v/v.

17 . The microporous article of claim 12 , said microporous article having a mean flow pore diameter (MFD), as determined according to ASTM F316-03, of at least 0.010 μm; and/or of at most 0.150 μm.

18 . The microporous article according to claim 1 , said article possessing a water flux permeability, at a pressure of 1 bar and at a temperature of 23° C., of at least 10 l/(h×m 2 ).

19 . The microporous article according to claim 1 , said article possessing a tensile modulus exceeding 300 MPa when determined at room temperature (23° C.), according to ASTM D638.

20 . The microporous article according to claim 1 , wherein:

the copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK) comprises recurring units (R PEDEK ) and (R PEEK ) in molar ratio (R PEDEK ):(R PEEK ) of 65:35 to 90:10; and/or

in copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK), the sum of the amount of recurring units (R PEDEK ) and (R PEEK ) is of at least 80% moles, with respect to the total number of moles of recurring units; and/or

the copolymer (PEDEK-PEEK) may additionally comprise recurring units (R PAEK ) different from recurring units (R PEEK ) and (R PEDEK ), which are selected from the group consisting of recurring units (R PAEK ) complying with any of the following formulae (K-A) to (K-M) herein below:

wherein in each of formulae (K-A) to (K-M) above, each of R′, equal to or different from each other, is independently selected at each occurrence from a C 1 -C 12 group optionally comprising one or more than one heteroatoms; sulfonic acid and sulfonate groups; phosphonic acid and phosphonate groups; amine and quaternary ammonium groups; and

each of j′, equal to or different from each other, is independently selected at each occurrence from 0 and an integer of 1 to 4, preferably j′ being equal to zero.