POLY(ARYLENE SULFIDE) COMPOSITION

1 . A polymer composition [composition (C)] comprising:

at least one poly(arylene sulfide) polymer [polymer (PAS)], and

at least one polyorganosiloxane polymer having at least one functional group selected from epoxy groups and amine groups [polymer (POS)]; and

at least one antioxidant compound [compound (O)], in an amount of 0.03 to 0.4% wt, with respect to the weight of polymer (PAS).

2 . The composition (C) according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer (PAS) comprises recurring units (R PAS1 ) represented by the following formula:

[-Ar 1 -S—]  (R PAS1 )

wherein

-Ar 1 - is selected from the group of formulae consisting of:

wherein:

R, at each instance, is independently selected from the group consisting of a C 1 -C 12 alkyl group, a C 7 -C 24 alkylaryl group, a C 7 -C 24 aralkyl group, a C 6 -C 24 arylene group, and a C 6 -C 18 aryloxy group;

T is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —CO—, —SO 2 —, —O—, —C(CH 3 ) 2 —, —C(CF 3 ) 2 —, phenyl and —CH 2 —;

i, at each instance, is an independently selected integer from 0 to 4;

j, at each instance, is an independently selected integer from 0 to 3.

3 . The composition (C) according to claim 2 , wherein in formula (R PAS1 ), -Ar 1 - is represented by any of the following formulae:

wherein:

R, at each instance, is independently selected from the group consisting of a C 1 -C 12 alkyl group, a C 7 -C 24 alkylaryl group, a C 7 -C 24 aralkyl group, a C 6 -C 24 arylene group, and a C 6 -C 18 aryloxy group;

i, at each instance, is an independently selected integer from 0 to 4; preferably i is zero.

4 . The composition (C) according to claim 2 , wherein polymer (PAS) essentially consists of recurring units (R PAS1 ).

5 . The composition (C) according to claim 4 , wherein polymer (PAS) is a poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) polymer having units (R PAS1 ) of formula (a1) where i is zero, i.e. having units (R PAS1 ) of formula:

and optionally additionally comprising units of any of formulae:

being understood that when polymer (PPS) further comprises units (RPPS-m) and/or (R PPS-o ), the total concentration of recurring units (R PPS-m ) and/or (R PPS-o ) in the polymer (PPS) is at most 10 mol %, at most 5 mol %, at most 3 mol %, at most 1 mol %, based on total amount of units (R PPS ), (R PPS-m ) and (R PPS-o ).

6 . The composition (C) according to claim 5 , wherein polymer (PAS) has a melt flow rate (at 315.6° C. under a weight of 1.27 kg according to ASTM D1238, procedure B) of at most 700 g/10 min, more preferably of at most 500 g/10 min, even more preferably of at most 200 g/10 min, still more preferably of at most 50 g/10 min, yet more preferably of at most 35 g/10 min; and/or has a melt flow rate (at 315.6° C. under a weight of 1.27 kg according to ASTM D1238, procedure B) of at least 1 g/10 min, more preferably of at least 5 g/10 min, even more preferably of at least 10 g/10 min, still more preferably of at least 15 g/10 min.

7 . The composition (C) according to claim 1 , wherein compound (O) is selected from the group consisting of hindered amine compounds, hindered phenol compounds, and phosphorous compounds selected from the group consisting of phosphite esters, phosphonites and mixtures thereof; and wherein the compound (O) is preferably selected from the group consisting of hindered phenol compounds, and phosphite esters represented by the formula P(OR) 3 , wherein each of R, can be the same or different and is independently selected from the group consisting of a C 1-20 alkyl, C 3-22 alkenyl, C 6-40 cycloalkyl, C 7-40 cycloalkylene, aryl, alkaryl or arylalkyl moiety.

8 . The composition (C) according to claim 7 , wherein the compound (O) is selected from the group consisting of:

hindered phenol compounds selected from the group consisting of (d1) tetrakis(3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate (aka e.g. Irganox® 1010), (d2) Thiodiethylene bis[3-(3,5-di-tert.-butyl-4-hydroxy-phenyl)propionate] (aka e.g. Irganox® 1035), (d3) Octadecyl-3-(3,5-di-tert.butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionate (aka e.g. Irganox® 1076), and (d4) N,N′-hexane-1,6-diylbis(3-(3,5-di-tert.-butyl-4-hydroxyphenylpropionamide)) (aka e.g. Irganox® 1098); and

phosphite esters selected from the group consisting of (e3) Tris(2,4-di-tert.-butylphenyl)phosphite (aka e.g. IRGAFOS® 168); (e5) Bis(2,4-di-tert-butylphenol)pentaerythritol diphosphate (aka e.g. IRGAFOS® 126); (e6) Bis(2,6-di-terbutyl-4-methylphenyl)pentaerythritol-diphosphite (aka e.g. ADK STAB PEP-36); (e8) bis(2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-methyl phenyl) ethyl phosphite (aka e.g. IRGAFOS® 38); and

wherein the compound (O) is preferably selected from the group consisting of:

(d4) N,N′-hexane-1,6-diylbis(3-(3,5-di-tert.-butyl-4-hydroxyphenylpropionamide)) (aka e.g. Irganox® 1098); and

(e3) Tris(2,4-di-tert.-butylphenyl)phosphite (aka e.g. IRGAFOS® 168).

9 . The composition (C) according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer (POS) may comprise only one of said epoxy or amine functional groups, or it may comprise a plurality thereof; and wherein said at least one epoxy or amine functional group may be comprised in polymer (POS) as a pendant group in a recurring unit, or may be comprised as chain ends.

10 . The composition (C) according to claim 9 , wherein the polymer (POS) complies with formula (II):

wherein:

each of Q, equal to or different from each other, is one group selected from the group consisting of epoxy groups and amine groups, preferably an epoxy group, or a group selected from C 1 -C 10 alkyl groups and C 6 -C 10 aromatic groups, with the provisio that at least one Q is one group selected from the group consisting of epoxy groups and amine groups, preferably is an epoxy group;

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 , equal to or different from each other, are selected from C 1 -C 10 alkyl groups and C 6 -C 10 aromatic groups,

n varies between 2 and 70, preferably between 2 and 60, and

p is zero or 1.

11 . The composition (C) according to claim 10 , wherein the polymer (POS) complies with formula (III):

wherein:

each of Q, equal to or different from each other, is a group selected from the group consisting of epoxy groups and amine groups, preferably an epoxy group, or a group selected from C 1 -C 10 alkyl groups and C 6 -C 10 aromatic groups, with the provisio that at least one Q is group selected from the group consisting of epoxy groups and amine groups, preferably an epoxy group, preferably is an epoxy group; and

n varies between 2 and 70, preferably between 2 and 60.

12 . A process comprising blending in the molten state:

at least one poly(arylene sulfide) polymer [polymer (PAS)], and

at least one polyorganosiloxane polymer having at least one epoxy functional group [polymer (POS)]; and

at least one antioxidant compound [compound (O)], in an amount of 0.03 to 0.4% wt, with respect to the weight of polymer (PAS).

13 . The process of claim 12 , wherein said blending in the molten state is performed by melt compounding, in continuous or batch devices.

14 . The process of claim 12 , wherein during the said blending in the molten state, polymer (POS) at least partially reacts with polymer (PAS), creating block copolymer structures, including blocks derived from polymer (POS) and blocks derived from polymer (PAS).

15 . An article, part or composite material comprising a composition (C), the composition (C) comprising:

at least one poly(arylene sulfide) polymer [polymer (PAS)], and

at least one polyorganosiloxane polymer having at least one functional group selected from epoxy groups and amine groups [polymer (POS)]; and

at least one antioxidant compound [compound (O)], in an amount of 0.03 to 0.4% wt, with respect to the weight of polymer (PAS),

said article, part or composite material being selected from the group consisting of a cable coating, a cable tie, a metal pipe coating, a molded article, an extruded article or a three-dimensional (3D) object.

16 . The process of claim 12 , further comprising manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) object comprising the blend of the polymer (PAS), the polymer (POS), and the compound (O) using additive manufacturing.

17 . The process of claim 12 , wherein said blending is performed in a twin-screw extruder.

18 . The process of claim 16 , wherein the additive manufacturing is a method selected from the group consisting of fused deposition modelling (FDM), selective laser sintering (SLS), and multi-jet fusion (MJF).

19 . The process of claim 12 , further comprising manufacturing an article, part or composite material comprising the blend of the polymer (PAS), the polymer (POS), and the compound (O), the article, part or composite material being selected from the group consisting of a cable coating, a cable tie, a metal pipe coating, a molded article, an extruded article, or a three-dimensional (3D) object.

20 . The process of claim 12 , wherein the polymer (PAS) comprises recurring units (R PAS1 ) represented by the following formula:

[-Ar 1 -S—]  (R PAS1 )

wherein

-Ar 1 - is selected from the group of formulae consisting of:

wherein:

R, at each instance, is independently selected from the group consisting of a C 1 -C 12 alkyl group, a C 7 -C 24 alkylaryl group, a C 7 -C 24 aralkyl group, a C 6 -C 24 arylene group, and a C 6 -C 18 aryloxy group;

T is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —CO—, —SO 2 —, —O—, —C(CH 3 ) 2 —, —C(CF 3 ) 2 —, phenyl and —CH 2 —;

i, at each instance, is an independently selected integer from 0 to 4;

j, at each instance, is an independently selected integer from 0 to 3.