Patent ID: 6437080
Filing Date: 2002-08-20
Classification: C08G,C08L

Abstract:
Process for the preparation of a polymer composition comprising at least one polyarylether or a mixture thereof, the process, conducted in substantial absence of an effective amount of an azeotrope, comprising:i) obtaining a reaction mixture comprising polymer precursors in a first fluid boiling in excess of 100Â° C.; ii) subjecting the reaction mixture to a first elevated temperature in excess of 100Â° C. to generate the alkali metal salts of polymer precursors and the polymer reaction products thereof; and iii) subjecting the reaction product mixture to at least a second temperature and isolating the reaction product in the form of a polymer composition which is substantially insoluble in a second fluid, from the first fluid which is substantially soluble in the second fluid, by contacting with an amount of second fluid; wherein the polymer precursors comprise one or more dihalides and one or more bisphenols of the formula wherein A is a direct link, oxygen, sulphur, â€”COâ€”, SO2 or a divalent hydrocarbon radical, substituents R are respectively OH or halo, and optionally further substituted by any one or more substituents R of the aromatic rings, each independently selected from hydrogen, C1-8 branched or straight chain aliphatic saturated or unsaturated aliphatic groups optionally comprising one or more heteroatoms selected from O, S, N and halo; and groups providing active hydrogen selected from OH, NH2, NHRâ€” and â€”SH, where Râ€” is a hydrocarbon group containing up to eight carbon atoms, or providing other cross-linking activity selected from epoxy, (meth)acrylate, cyanate, isocyanate, acetylene and ethylene, as in vinyl, allyl or maleimide, anhydride, oxazoline and monomers containing saturation; and together with a substituted monophenol end-capping component in which the substituent is a reactive group Y which is a group reactive with epoxide groups or with curing agent or with like groups on other polymer molecules, and an alkali metal salt which serves to ensure formation of bisphenates by elimination of water from bisphenols.