Patent ID: 6355737
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: C08G,C08L

Abstract:
A process for producing polymer blends by reacting at least one aminonitrile with water in the presence of thermoplastic polymers selected from polyarylene ethers, polyetherimides, polyamideimides, styrene homo- and copolymers, rubber-elastic graft copolymers, ethylene copolymers, polyamides prepared from dicarboxylic acids or diamines or mixtures thereof or optionally further polyamide-forming monomer, which comprises the following steps:(1) reacting at least one aminonitrile with water at a temperature from 90 to 400Â° C. and a pressure from 0.1 to 35Ã—106 Pa to obtain reaction mixture, (2) further reacting the reaction mixture at a temperature from 150 to 400Â° C. and a pressure which is lower than the pressure in step 1, the temperature and pressure being selected so as to obtain a first gas phase and a first liquid or a first solid phase or a mixture of first solid and first liquid phase and the first gas phase is separated from the first liquid or the first solid phase or the mixture of first liquid and first solid phase, and (3) admixing the first liquid or the first solid phase or the mixture of first liquid and first solid phase with a gaseous or liquid phase comprising water at a temperature from 150 to 370Â° C. and a pressure from 0.1 to 30Ã—106 Pa to obtain the polymer blend, wherein in one or more of the steps the thermoplastic polymers and optionally further polyamide-forming monomers are added, wherein the reaction in steps 1,2 and/or 3 is performed in the presence of a Bronsted acid catalyst selected from a beta-zeolite catalyst, a sheet-silicate catalyst or a titanium dioxide catalyst comprising from 70 to 100% by weight of anatase and from 0 to 30% by weight of rutile and in which up to 40% by weight of titanium dioxide may be replaced by tungsten oxide.