Patent ID: 9611385
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: C08G,C08L

Claim:
1. A composition comprising: (a) 10 to 40 percent by weight of ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.4 deciliters per gram, measured in chloroform at 25° C., wherein the mean particle size of the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is 6 to 16 microns; (b) 60 to 90 percent by weight of an epoxy resin, which is the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBPA): (c) 5 to 25 percent by weight of a hardener; wherein: the weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition; the impact strength of the composition is greater than or equal to 500 J/m as measured by ASTM D4812; the ultrafine particulate poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is dispersed in the composition and remains dispersed in the composition post-cure and the composition exhibits discrete phases and exhibits two glass transition temperatures (Tg) measured by differential scanning calorimetry at 30 to 250° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere with a heating rate of 20° C./min; and the composition has increased toughness as measured by ASTMD4812 as compared to a composition comprising poly(phenylene ether) (PPE) particles having a size that is larger than 16 microns, epoxy resin, and a hardener, wherein the poly(phenylene ether) particles are not dissolved in the epoxy resin.