Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
258 words
A method for recovery of granular poly(arylene sulfide) from a slurry comprising granular poly(arylene sulfide), polar organic solvent, alkali metal halide, poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers, and unreacted reactants, said method comprising: (a) treating a polymeric reaction mixture comprising polar organic solvent and molten poly(arylene sulfide) in the presence of an amount of a liquid soluble in the polar organic solvent but said liquid not itself a solvent for poly(arylene sulfide) said amount sufficient to cause a phase separation of molten poly(arylene sulfide) from polar organic solvent upon reducing the temperature of said reaction mixture sufficiently to produce a slurry of granular poly(arylene sulfide) in polar organic solvent; (b) reducing the temperature of said reaction mixture sufficiently to produce a slurry of granular poly(arylene sulfide) in polar organic solvent said slurry also containing alkali metal halide, poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers, unreacted reactants and liquid soluble in the polar organic solvent; (c) heating said slurry of (b) under pressure conditions sufficient to evaporate polar organic solvent, liquid soluble in the polar organic solvent and volatile impurities at a temperature below the normal boiling point of said polar organic solvent, thereby producing a dried mixture comprising poly(arylene sulfide), poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers, and alkali metal halide, (d) reslurrying said dried mixture with water to extract alkali metal halide and disperse poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers in a reslurried mixture, and (e) classifying reslurried mixture through a classifying means thereby recovering granular poly(arylene sulfide) on said classifying means and passing a first filtrate comprising poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers and aqueous alkali metal halide solution through said classifying means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
258 words
A method for recovery of granular poly(arylene sulfide) from a slurry comprising granular poly(arylene sulfide), polar organic solvent, alkali metal halide, poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers, and unreacted reactants, said method comprising: (a) treating a polymeric reaction mixture comprising polar organic solvent and molten poly(arylene sulfide) in the presence of an amount of a liquid soluble in the polar organic solvent but said liquid not itself a solvent for poly(arylene sulfide) said amount sufficient to cause a phase separation of molten poly(arylene sulfide) from polar organic solvent upon reducing the temperature of said reaction mixture sufficiently to produce a slurry of granular poly(arylene sulfide) in polar organic solvent; (b) reducing the temperature of said reaction mixture sufficiently to produce a slurry of granular poly(arylene sulfide) in polar organic solvent said slurry also containing alkali metal halide, poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers, unreacted reactants and liquid soluble in the polar organic solvent; (c) heating said slurry of (b) under pressure conditions sufficient to evaporate polar organic solvent, liquid soluble in the polar organic solvent and volatile impurities at a temperature below the normal boiling point of said polar organic solvent, thereby producing a dried mixture comprising poly(arylene sulfide), poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers, and alkali metal halide, (d) reslurrying said dried mixture with water to extract alkali metal halide and disperse poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers in a reslurried mixture, and (e) classifying reslurried mixture through a classifying means thereby recovering granular poly(arylene sulfide) on said classifying means and passing a first filtrate comprising poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers and aqueous alkali metal halide solution through said classifying means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said pressure conditions of (c) comprise vacuum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said pressure conditions comprise at least atmospheric pressure and said pressure is controlled at a near constant level by addition of an inert gas so that said polar organic solvent, water and volatile impurities are evaporated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of claim 2 further comprising: (f) filtering first filtrate through a filter aid coated filter thereby recovering poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers thereon and passing a second filtrate comprising aqueous alkali metal therethrough.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of claim 1 wherein poly(arylene sulfide) is poly(phenylene sulfide), polar organic solvent is N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), and alkali metal halide is NaCl and said liquid soluble in polar organic solvent is water.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of claim 4 wherein poly(arylene sulfide) is poly(phenylene sulfide), polar organic solvent is N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, alkali metal halide is NaCl, and said liquid soluble in polar organic solvent is water.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of claim 1 wherein the reslurried mixture of (d) is treated by (1) allowing said granular poly(arylene sulfide) to settle, and (2) removing at least a portion of water containing extracted alkali metal halide and dispersed poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers before filtering.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 1 wherein during the evaporation step (c) a stream of gas is passed through said slurry.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method of claim 8 wherein the gas is chosen from among air and nitrogen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said recovered granular poly(arylene sulfide) is dried and subjected to further treatment suitable to prepare manufactured articles.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 10 wherein said articles are chosen from the group consisting of films, sheets, fibers, molded objects, and extruded articles.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of claim 3 further comprising: (f) filtering first filtrate through a filter aid coated filter thereby recovering poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers thereon and passing a second filtrate comprising aqueous alkali metal therethrough.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of claim 3 wherein the reslurried mixture of (d) is treated by (1) allowing said granular poly(arylene sulfide) to settle, and (2) removing at least a portion of water containing extracted alkali metal halide and dispersed poly(arylene sulfide) oligomers before filtering.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 4 wherein during the evaporation step (c) a stream of gas is passed through said slurry.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 12 wherein during the evaporation step (c) a stream of gas is passed through said slurry.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 2 wherein said recovered granular poly(arylene sulfide) is dried and subjected to further treatment suitable to prepare manufactured articles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 3 wherein said recovered granular poly(arylene sulfide) is dried and subjected to further treatment suitable to prepare manufactured articles.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 4 wherein said recovered granular poly(arylene sulfide) is dried and subjected to further treatment suitable to prepare manufactured articles.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 12 wherein said recovered granular poly(arylene sulfide) is dried and subjected to further treatment suitable to prepare manufactured articles.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 16 wherein said articles are chosen from the group consisting of films, sheets, fibers, molded objects, and extruded articles.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 17 wherein said articles are chosen from the group consisting of films, sheets, fibers, molded objects, and extruded articles.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 18 wherein said articles are chosen from the group consisting of films, sheets, fibers, molded objects, and extruded articles.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 19 wherein said articles are chosen from the group consisting of films, sheets, fibers, molded objects, and extruded articles.