Polyphenylene ether-polyamide compositions and methods for preparation

Claim 2

The product of a process for producing a compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition having improved impact strength and ductility comprising the steps of: (a) compounding in a first step (i) a polyphenylene ether resin, (ii) a first polyamide component comprised of 20 to 100 weight percent nylon 6,6 resin and 0 to 80 weight percent of another polyamide resin; and (iii) a compatibilizing amount of a compatibilizer compound; thereby providing an intermediate polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition; and (b) compounding in a second step, into said intermediate polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition, a second polyamide component containing at least one polyamide resin selected from the group consisting of nylon 6; nylon 6,9; nylon 10; nylon 11; nylon 12; nylon 4,6 and amorphous nylon; or a blend of said second polyamide with nylon 6,6, thereby providing a compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide product comprised of a plurality of polyamide resins.

Claim 3

A product of claim 1 wherein said compatibilizing agent is a polyfunctional compatibilizer compound which contains both a group (I) represented by the formula (--OR) wherein R is hydrogen or an alkyl, aryl, acyl or carbonyl dioxy group and (II) at least two groups each of which may be the same or different selected from carboxylic acid, acid halide, acid anhydride, acid halide anhydride, acid ester, acid amide, imido, amino and salts thereof.

Claim 4

A product of claim 2 wherein said polyphenylene ether resin is comprised primarily of units selected from the group consisting of 2,6-dimethylphenol and 2,3,6-trimethylphenol units and has an intrinsic viscosity of approximately 0.1 to 0.6 dl/g as measured in chloroform at 25° C.

Claim 5

A product of claim 3 wherein said polyphenylene ether is poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

Claim 6

A product of claim 2 wherein said compatibilizer is selected from the group consisting of polycarboxylic acids, acid asters and acid amides represented by the formula: (R.sup.I O).sub.m R(COOR.sup.II).sub.n (CONR.sup.III R.sup.IV).sub.s wherein R is a linear or branched chain, saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon of from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; R I is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or an alkyl, aryl, acyl or carbonyl dioxy group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R II is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or an alkyl or aryl group of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; R III and R IV are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or an alkyl or aryl group of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; m is equal to 1; (n+s) is greater than or equal to zero; and (OR I ) is alpha or beta to a carbonyl group and at least two carbonyl groups are separated by 2 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 7

A product of claim 5 wherein the compatibilizing compound is a polycarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of anhydrous citric acid, anhydrous malic acid, anhydrous agaricic acid, hydrated citric acid, hydrated malic acid, hydrated agaricic acid, salts of any of the foregoing and mixtures of more than one of the foregoing.

Claim 8

A product of claim 6 wherein said salts are selected from the group consisting of calcium malate, calcium citrate, potassium malate, potassium citrate and mixtures of more than one of the foregoing.

Claim 9

A product of claim 5 wherein said compatibilizing compound is an acid ester selected from the group consisting of acetyl citrate, monostearyl citrate, distearyl citrate and mixtures of more than one of the foregoing.

Claim 10

A product of claim 5 wherein said compatibilizing compound is an acid amide selected from the group consisting of N,N'-diethyl citric acid amide, N,N'-dipropyl citric acid amide, N-phenyl citric acid amide, N-dodecyl citric acid amide, N,N'-didodecyl citric acid amide, N-dodecyl malic acid amide, and mixtures of more than one of the foregoing.

Claim 11

A product of claim 9 wherein said compatibilizing agent is citric acid.

Claim 12

A product of claim 10 wherein said compatibilizing agent is 0.2 to 2.0 parts citric acid per hundred parts by weight of the compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide product.

Claim 13

A product of claim 2 wherein said first compound step is accomplished at a feed throat of a thermoplastic extruder.

Claim 14

A product of claim 12 wherein said second compounding step is accomplished by feeding said second polyamide component to said extruder at an additional port downstream from the feed throat of said extruder.

Claim 15

A product of claim 2 wherein said process comprises the further steps of drying and pelletizing a thermoplastic extrudate of the foregoing steps.

Claim 16

A product prepared by a process for producing a compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition comprising 10 to 55 parts by weight of polyphenylene ether resin and 35 to 90 parts of a plurality of polyamide resins, based on the weight of all such resins taken together and having improved impact strength and ductility, comprising the steps of: (a) compounding in a first step (i) polyphenylene ether resin; (ii) a first polyamide component comprising 10 to 50 weight percent of all polyamide resin utilized in the composition, said first polyamide component being comprised of 20 to 100 weight percent nylon 6,6 and 0 to 80 weight percent nylon 6; and (iii) 0.2 to 2.0 parts by weight polycarboxylic acid, thereby providing an intermediate product; and (b) compounding in a second step, into said intermediate product, 50 to 90 weight percent of all polyamide resin utilized, of nylon 6 or a blend of nylon 6 and nylon 6,6.

Claim 17

A product prepared by a process for producing a compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition comprising 10 to 55 parts by weight of polyphenylene ether resin and 35 to 90 parts of a plurality of polyamide resins, based on the weight of all such resins taken together and having improved impact strength and ductility, comprising the steps of: (a) compounding in a first step (i) polyphenylene ether resin; (ii) a first polyamide component comprising 10 to 50 weight percent of all polyamide resin utilized in the composition, said first polyamide component being comprised of 20 to 100 weight percent nylon 6,6 and 0 to 80 weight percent nylon 6; and (iii) 0.2 to 2.0 parts by weight polycarboxylic acid, thereby providing an intermediate product; and (b) compounding in a second step, into said intermediate product, 50 to 90 weight percent of all polyamide resin utilized, of nylon 6 or a blend of nylon 6 and nylon 6,6.

Claim 18

A product of claim 2 wherein said polycarboxylic acid is citric acid monohydrate.

Claim 19

A compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition having improved impact strength and ductility prepared by a process comprising the steps of: (a) compounding in a first step (i) polyphenylene ether resin, (ii) a first polyamide component comprised of nylon 6,6 resin; and (iii) a compatibilizing amount of a compatibilizer compound; thereby providing an intermediate polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition; and (b) compounding in a second step, into said intermediate polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition, a second polyamide component comprised of a polyamide resin other than nylon 6,6 resin thereby providing compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide product comprised of a plurality of polyamide resins.

Claim 20

A compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition having improved impact strength and ductility prepared by a process comprising the steps of: (a) compounding in a first step (i) polyphenylene ether resin, (ii) a first polyamide component comprised of nylon 6,6 resin; and (iii) a compatibilizing amount of a compatibilizer compound; thereby providing an intermediate polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition; and (b) compounding in a second step, into said intermediate polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition, a second polyamide component comprised of a polyamide resin other than nylon 6,6 resin thereby providing compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide product comprised of a plurality of polyamide resins.

Claim 21

A compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition having improved impact strength and ductility prepared by a process comprising the steps of: (a) compounding in a first step (i) 10 to 55 parts by weight of polyphenylene ether resin, (ii) a first polyamide component comprising 10 to 50 weight percent of all the polyamide resins utilized in the composition and comprised of 20 to 100 weight percent nylon 6,6 resin and 0 to 80 weight percent of a polyamide resin selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 6,9, nylon 10, nylon 11, nylon 12, nylon 4,6 and amorphous nylon; and (iii) 0.2 to 2.0 parts by weight of a compatibilizer compound characterized as having both (1.) a monovalent group represented by the formula (OR) wherein R is hydrogen or an alkyl, aryl, acyl, or carbonyldioxy group and (2.) at least two groups which may be the same or different selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid, acid halide, acid anhydride, acid ester, acid amide, imide, amine and salts thereof; thereby providing an intermediate polyphenylene etherpolyamide composition; and (b) compounding in a second step, into said intermediate polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition, a second polyamide component comprising 50 to 90 weight percent of all the polyamide resins utilized in the composition and containing at least one polyamide resin selected from the group consisting of nylon 6; nylon 6,9; nylon 10; nylon 11; nylon 12; nylon 4,6 and amorphous nylon; or a blend of said second polyamide with nylon 6,6, thereby providing a compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide product comprised of 35 to 90 parts by weight of a plurality of polyamide resins.

Claim 22

A compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition having improved impact strength and ductility prepared by a process comprising the steps of: (a) compounding in a first step (i) 10 to 55 parts by weight of polyphenylene ether resin, (ii) a first polyamide component comprising 10 to 50 weight percent of all the polyamide resins utilized in the composition and comprised of 20 to 100 weight percent nylon 6,6 resin and 0 to 80 weight percent of a polyamide resin selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 6,9, nylon 10, nylon 11, nylon 12, nylon 4,6 and amorphous nylon; and (iii) 0.2 to 2.0 parts by weight of a compatibilizer compound characterized as having both (1.) a monovalent group represented by the formula (OR) wherein R is hydrogen or an alkyl, aryl, acyl, or carbonyldioxy group and (2.) at least two groups which may be the same or different selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid, acid halide, acid anhydride, acid ester, acid amide, imide, amine and salts thereof; thereby providing an intermediate polyphenylene etherpolyamide composition; and (b) compounding in a second step, into said intermediate polyphenylene ether-polyamide composition, a second polyamide component comprising 50 to 90 weight percent of all the polyamide resins utilized in the composition and containing at least one polyamide resin selected from the group consisting of nylon 6; nylon 6,9; nylon 10; nylon 11; nylon 12; nylon 4,6 and amorphous nylon; or a blend of said second polyamide with nylon 6,6, thereby providing a compatibilized polyphenylene ether-polyamide product comprised of 35 to 90 parts by weight of a plurality of polyamide resins.

Claim 23

A product of claim 15 wherein said first polyamide component is present in an amount of at least about 1 percent by weight based upon 100 percent by weight of all polymeric components.