Thermoplastic polymer compositions comprising aromatic polyether and an inorganic filler

Claim 2

A thermoplastic polymer composition comprising: (a) an aromatic polyether resin, (b) a styrene polymer selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, poly-α-methylstyrene, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, styrene-methacrylonitrile copolymer, styrene-acrylic acid copolymer, styrene-methacrylic acid copolymer, and styrene-methacrylate ester copolymer; and/or a rubber-enforced styrene polymer containing a cross-linked conjugated diolefin polymer in a dispersed island state, (c) an inorganic filler having an average diameter not larger than about 5 microns, and (d) a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of styrene-conjugated diolefin block copolymer and styrenic grafted polyolefin, wherein the amount of said thermoplastic elastomer is in the range of from 10 to 50 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of said inorganic filler.

Claim 3

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the said aromatic polyether resin is a polyphenylene ether.

Claim 4

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the said aromatic polyether resin is a polyphenylene ether grafted with a styrene compound.

Claim 5

A composition according to claim 3, wherein the amount of the styrene compound to be grafted with the aromatic polyether is within the range of from 20 to 200 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyether.

Claim 6

A composition according to claim 3, wherein the amount of the styrene compound to be grafted with the aromatic polyether is within the range of from 25 to 170 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyether.

Claim 7

A composition according to claim 2, wherein the polyphenylene ether is a polymer having the recurring unit of the formula: ##STR5## wherein R 1 and R 2 represent individually an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a halogen atom, and n represents the degree of polymerization.

Claim 8

A composition according to claim 6, wherein the degree of polymerization, n, is in the range of from 50 to 300.

Claim 9

A composition according to claim 6, wherein the degree of polymerization, n, is in the range of from 70 to 250.

Claim 10

A composition according to claim 2, wherein the polyphenylene ether is a poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-diethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-ethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-chlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-dichlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-di-n-propylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-n-butylphenylene-1,4-ether) and poly(2-methyl-6-bromophenylene-1,4-ether).

Claim 11

A composition according to claim 2, wherein the polyphenylene ether is a poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene-1,4-ether).

Claim 12

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the said rubber-enforced styrene polymer comprises from 55 to 97 parts by weight of polystyrene and 3 to 45 parts by weight of a conjugated diolefin-styrene graft copolymer in dispersed island state.

Claim 13

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the said inorganic filler is selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, white lead, barium sulfate, magnesium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, alumina, kaolin, talc, gypsum, clay, zeolite, carbon black, diatomaceous earth, asbestos, calcium silicate, powdered mica and graphite.

Claim 14

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the said thermoplastic elastomer is a styrene-conjugated diolefin block copolymer.

Claim 15

A composition according to claim 13, wherein the styrene-conjugated diolefin block elastomer is a block elastomer represented by the formula: (A--B).sub.m+1 ( 1) and/or B--A--B).sub.m+1 ( 2) and/or A--B--A).sub.m, (3) wherein A is a polymer block consisting of a styrene compound, B is a conjugated diolefin polymer block, and m is an integer from 1 to 20.

Claim 16

A composition according to claim 14, wherein the said block elastomer is a styrene-butadiene block copolymer, in which A/B is in the range of 50/50 to 25/75, and the molecular weights of each blocks are in the range of 5,000 to 40,000 of A and 20,000 to 200,000 of B, with the total molecular weight of 50,000 to 300,000.

Claim 17

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the said polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, and ethylenepolymerizable vinyl compound copolymer.

Claim 18

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the styrene compound to be grafted with the polyolefin is within the range of from 5 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin.

Claim 19

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the styrene compound to be grafted with the polyolefin is within the range of from 7 to 50 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin.

Claim 20

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the said aromatic polyether resin is in the range of from 40 to 90% by weight, based on the total weight of the components (a) and (b).

Claim 21

A composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the said inorganic filler is in the range of from 1 to 30% by weight, based on the total weight of the components (a), (b), (c), and (d).

Claim 22

A composition according to claim 1 comprising additionally an additive, such as flame retardant, stabilizer, plasticizer and pigment.

Claim 23

A thermoplastic polymer composition consisting of: (a) a polyphenylene ether grafted with a styrene compound, (b) a styrene polymer and/or a rubber-enforced styrene polymer containing a cross-linked conjugated diolefin polymer in a dispersed island state, (c) an inorganic filler having an average diameter not larger than about 5 microns, (d) a thermoplastic elastomer selected from styrene-conjugated diolefin block copolymer and styrenic polymer grafted polyolefin, and (e) an additive, such as flame retardant, stabilizer, plasticizer and pigment, wherein the amount of the said thermoplastic elastomer is in the range of from 10 to 50 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the said inorganic filler; the amount of the said styrenic polymer grafted polyphenylene ether is in the range of from 40 to 90% by weight, based on the total weight of the components (a) and (b); the amount of the said inorganic filler is from 1 to 30% by weight, based on the total weight of the components (a), (b), (c), and (d); and the amount of the said additive is up to 20 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the components (a), (b), (c), and (d).

Claim 24

A thermoplastic polymer composition consisting of: (a) a polyphenylene ether grafted with a styrene compound, (b) a styrene polymer and/or a rubber-enforced styrene polymer containing a cross-linked conjugated diolefin polymer in a dispersed island state, (c) an inorganic filler having an average diameter not larger than about 5 microns, (d) a thermoplastic elastomer selected from styrene-conjugated diolefin block copolymer and styrenic polymer grafted polyolefin, and (e) an additive, such as flame retardant, stabilizer, plasticizer and pigment, wherein the amount of the said thermoplastic elastomer is in the range of from 10 to 50 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the said inorganic filler; the amount of the said styrenic polymer grafted polyphenylene ether is in the range of from 40 to 90% by weight, based on the total weight of the components (a) and (b); the amount of the said inorganic filler is from 1 to 30% by weight, based on the total weight of the components (a), (b), (c), and (d); and the amount of the said additive is up to 20 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the components (a), (b), (c), and (d).

Claim 25

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the amount of the styrene compound to be grafted with the polyphenylene ether is within the range of from 20 to 200 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyphenylene ether.

Claim 26

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the amount of the styrene compound to be grafted with the polyphenylene ether is within the range of from 25 to 170 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyphenylene ether.

Claim 27

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the polyphenylene ether is a polymer having the recurring unit of the formula: ##STR6## wherein R 1 and R 2 represent individually an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a halogen atom, and n represents the degree of polymerization.

Claim 28

A composition according to claim 25, wherein the degree of polymerization, n, is in the range of from 50 to 300.

Claim 29

A composition according to claim 25, wherein the degree of polymerization, n, is in the range of from 70 to 250.

Claim 30

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the polyphenylene ether is a poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-diethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-ethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-chlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-dichlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-di-n-propylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-n-butylphenylene-1,4-ether) and poly(2-methyl-6-bromophenylene-1,4-ether).

Claim 31

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the polyphenylene ether is a poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene-1,4-ether).

Claim 32

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the said rubber-enforced styrene polymer comprises from 55 to 97 parts by weight of polystyrene and 3 to 45 parts by weight of a conjugated diolefin-styrene graft copolymer in dispersed island state.

Claim 33

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the said styrene polymer is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, poly-α-methylstyrene, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, styrene-methacrylonitrile copolymer, styrene-acrylic acid copolymer, styrene-methacrylic acid copolymer, and styrene-methacrylate ester copolymer.

Claim 34

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the said inorganic filler is selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, white lead, barium sulfate, magnesium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, alumina, kaolin, talc, gypsum, clay, zeolite, carbon black, diatomaceous earth, asbestos, calcium silicate, powdered mica and graphite.

Claim 35

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the said thermoplastic elastomer is a styrene-conjugated diolefin block copolymer.

Claim 36

A composition according to claim 33, wherein the styrene-conjugated diolefin block elastomer is a block elastomer represented by the formula: (A--B).sub.m+1 ( 1) and/or B--A--B).sub.m+1 ( 2) and/or A--B--A).sub.m, (3) wherein A is a polymer block consisting of a styrene compound, B is a conjugated diolefin polymer block, and m is an integer from 1 to 20.

Claim 37

A composition according to claim 34, wherein the said block elastomer is a styrene-butadiene block copolymer, in which A/B is in the range of 50/50 to 25/75, and the molecular weights of each block are in the range of 5,000 to 40,000 of A and 20,000 to 200,000 of B, with the total molecular weight of 50,000 to 300,000.

Claim 38

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the said polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, and ethylenepolymerizable vinyl compound copolymer.

Claim 39

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the amount of the styrene compound to be grafted with the polyolefin is within the range of from 5 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin.

Claim 40

A composition according to claim 22, wherein the amount of the styrene compound to be grafted with the polyolefin is within the range of from 7 to 50 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin.

Claim 41

A composition according to claim 6 wherein the polyphenylene ether is a poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-diethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-ethylphenyl-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-chlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-dichlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-di-n-propylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-n-butylphenylene-1,4-ether) and poly(2-methyl-6-bromophenylene-1,4-ether).

Claim 42

A composition according to claim 6 wherein the polyphenylene ether is a poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene-1,4-ether).

Claim 43

A composition according to claim 25 wherein the polyphenylene ether is a poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-diethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-ethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-chlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-dichlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-di-n-propylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-n-butylphenylene-1,4 -ether) and poly(2-methyl-6-bromophenylene-1,4-ether).

Claim 44

A composition according to claim 25 wherein the polyphenylene ether is a poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene-1,4-ether).