Styrene polymer composition

Abstract: Disclosed is a styrene polymer composition comprising, in a specified proportion, (A) a styrene polymer having no functional group, and (B) either of polyphenylene ether having a polar group or a mixture of polyphenylene ether having a polar group and a styrene polymer having no functional group; or a styrene polymer composition comprising (C) polyamide, as well as above Components (A) and (B). These polymer compositions are excellent in impact resistance, water resistance, and mechanical properties, and are suitable for various purposes.

Description: 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a styrene polymer composition. More particularly, it is concerned with a styrene polymer composition which is suitable to be molded into industrial materials such as electric and electronic materials (e.g., connector, and printed substrates), construction materials for industrial use, parts of automobiles (e.g., connectors for the use on vehicles, wheel caps, cylinder head cover, etc.), parts of home electric appliances, and various machines. 2. Description of the Related Arts Heretofore, synthetic resins have been improved in their mechanical properties, particularly, rigidity and heat resistance, by compounding inorganic fillers including glass fiber with them. Styrene polymers, however, have not a sufficient adhesivity to inorganic filler so that additives to improve their adhesivity and surface-treating agents of inorganic fillers have been studied. As the result, various surface-treating agents which contain various kinds of aminosilane compounds with polyester type resins, urethane type resins, epoxy type resins, acrylic type resins, or vinyl acetate type resins, and also additives such as maleic anhydride/styrene copolymer and the like have been developed. Specifically, surface-treating agents such as silane-based coupling agents for glass fibers and the like, and a composition containing an additives such as a styrene/maleic anhydride-styrene/glass fiber composition (JP-A-55161836) have been known. However, they have not sufficiently improved effects yet. JP-A-62257948 and others proposed resin compositions which were excellent in heat resistance and mechanical properties, and which were obtained by adding an inorganic filler to a styrene polymer having a Syndiotactic configuration, or adding a thermoplastic resin and/or a rubber and an inorganic filler to a styrene polymer having a syndiotactic configuration. Also in these compositions, however, the adhesivity between the styrene polymer having a syndiotactic configuration and the inorganic filler was insufficient, and had room for improvement. More specifically, when the conventional inorganic fillers were surface-treated with various surface-treating agents, and additives were added to the styrene polymer, the adhesivity with styrene polymer, especially a polystyrene having a syndiotactic configuration was insufficient, and the resulting compositions were poor in impact resistance, and none of them had a Izod impact strength (notched) of more than 6.0 kg cm/cm. Accordingly, a styrene polymer composition having an improved impact resistance has been desired. In JP-A-01075561 glass fiber reinforced poly(phenylene ether) compositions are disclosed comprising poly(phenylene ethers) modified with > = 0.01 % vinyl monomers containing CO 2 H are acid anhydride groups, high-impact rubber-modified aromatic vinyl polymers, and glass fibers. Thus, 52 parts melt-blend of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene) (I), 0,55 % acrylic acid, and 0,05 % benzoyl peroxide was mixed with 48 parts rubber-modified polystyrene and 25 parts chopped glass fiber strands, pelletized, and injection-molded into a specimen which showed flexural strength of 1760 kg/cm 2 and Izod impact strenght of 10.0 kg.cm/cm. JP-A-63101452 discloses solvent- and impact-resistant polyoxyphenylene-polyamide compositions with good dimensional stability comprising a blend of poly(phenylene ether), polyamide, alkenyl aromatic compound-conjugated diene copolymer (20-60:25-65:3-35), a compound containing unsaturated groups and polar groups and fillers based on glass fibers and/or Ca silicate. EP-A-0 314 146 discloses thermoplastic compositions comprising from 5 to 50 % by weight of a polyphenylene ether and from 95 to 50 % by weight of a styrene polymer having a syndiotactic structure. Another kind of thermoplastic polyamide polyphenylene ether compositions are disclosed in EP-A 0 226 910. Such compositions comprise from 5 to 95 % by weight of a polyamide and from 95 to 5 % by weight of a carboxylated phenylene ether resin, said carboxylated resin being the product of melt-mixint a mixture consisting essentially of phenylene ether resin and an ethylenically unsatursated carboxylic compound. Under the circumstances, the present inventor has repeated earnest studies to develop a styrene polymer composition excellent in all of impact resistance, heat resistance, and mechanical strength. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a styrene polymer composition as defined in the independent claims 1 and 4. Preferred embodiments are comprised by claims 2 and 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In Composition I according to claim 1 and II according to claim 4 of the present invention, the styrene polymer having no functional group, used in Component (B), may be various styrene polymers provided that they have no functional group, and those which have at least 25% by weight of the repeating unit, derived from the vinyl aromatic compound represented by the general formula: (wherein R is a hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, Z is a hydrogen, a halogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and p is an integer of 1 to 5) can be used. Examples of such styrene polymers are homopolymer of styrene or its derivatives; styrene polymer modified by natural or synthetic elastomer material such as polybutadiene, polyisoprene, isobutylene-isoprene rubber, EPDM, ethylene-propylene copolymer, natural rubber, epichlorohydrin; further, styrene-containing copolymers including styrene-methylstyrene copolymer, styrene-butadiene copolymer and the like. Among them, particularly preferred are styrene polymers having a syndiotactic configuration, atactic polystyrene, isotactic polystyrene, poly(a-methyl styrene), polybutadiene-modified styrene polymer, butadienestyrene copolymer, isoprene-styrene copolymer, and high impact resistant polystyrene (HIPS). Here, in the styrene polymer having a syndiotactic configuration, the syndiotactic configuration means that the stereostructure is a syndiotactic configuration, i.e., the stereostructure in which phenyl groups or substituted phenyl groups are located as side chains alternately in opposite directions relative to the main chain consisting of carbon-carbon bonds. The tacticity is quantitatively determined by the nuclear magnetic resonance method using a carbon isotope ( 13 C-NMR) methods. The tacticity as determined by the 13 C-NMR method can be indicated in terms of proportions of structural units continuously connected to each other, i.e., a diad in which two structural units are connected to each other, a triad in which three structural units are connected to each other, or pentad in which five structural units are connected to each other. Styrene polymers having the syndiotactic configuration of the present invention include polystyrene, poly(alkylstyrene), poly(halogenated styrene), poly(halogenated alkylstyrene), poly(vinyl benzoate), the hydrogenated polymers thereof and the mixtures thereof, and copolymers containing the above polymers as main components, having such a syndiotacticity that the proportion of racemic diad is at least 75%, preferably at least 85%, or the proportion of racemic pentad is at least 30%, preferably at least 50%. The poly(alkylstyrene) can include poly(methylstyrene), poly(ethylstyrene), poly(isopropylstyrene), poly(tert-butylstyrene), poly(phenylstyrene), poly(vinylnaphthalene), and poly(vinylstyrene), etc; the poly(halogenated styrene) include poly(chlorostyrene) poly(bromostyrene), poly(fluorostyrene), etc. The most preferred styrene polymers are polystyrene, poly(p-methylstyrene), poly(m-methylstyrene), poly(p-tert-butylstyrene), poly(p-chlorostyrene), poly(m-chlorostyrene), poly(p-fluorostyrene), hydrogenated polystyrene, and a copolymer containing the structure units thereof. The molecular weight of the styrene polymer used in the present invention is not critical, but is preferably at least 10,000, and more preferably at least 50,000 of a weight average molecular weight. If the weight average molecular weight is less than 10,000, the thermal properties and mechanical properties of the resulting composition or the molding is undesirably lowered. The styrene polymers having a syndiotactic configuration can be produced by polymerizing styrene monomers (corresponding to the above styrene polymers) using a catalyst comprising a titanium compound and a condensate of water and a trialkylaluminum in, for example, an inert hydrocarbon solvent, or in the absence of a solvent (EP-A-0224097). As Component (B) in the Composition of the present invention, either of a polyphenylene ether having a polar group selected from acid halide, a carbonyl group, acid anhydride, acid amide, carboxylate, acid azide, a sulfone group, a nitrile group, a cyano group, an isocyanic acid ester group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group, an imide group, a thiol group, an oxazoline group, and an epoxy group or a mixture of said Poly phenylene ether and a styrene polymer having introduced at least one of the compounds including acrylonitrile, methylmethacrylate, and/or methacrylonitrile is used. The amount of the styrene polymer to be blended with polyphenylene ether is preferably not more than 80% by weight, and if it is in excess of said amount, the substantial amount of polyphenylene ether to the above-mentioned Component (A) is undesirably lowered. Polyphenylene ether is known in itself. It is described in the specifications of U.S. Patents No. 3,306,874, 3,306,875, 3,257,357, and 3,257,358. Polyphenylene ether can be prepared usually by oxidization coupling reaction in which homopolymer or copolymer is produced in the presence of a copper amine complex and one or more of phenols substituted at two or three positions. Therein copper amine complexes derived from primary, secondary or tertiary amines can be used. Examples of preferred polyphenylene ethers are poly(2,3-dimethyl-6-ethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-chloromethyl-1,4-phenylene)ether, poly(2-methyl-6-hydroxydiethyl-1,4-phenylene)ether, poly(2-methyl-6-n-butyl-1,4-phenylene)ether, poly(2-ethyl-6-isopropyl-1,4-phenylene)ether, poly(2-ethyl-6-n-propyl-1,4-phenylene)ether, poly(2,3,6-trimethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly[2-(4'-methylphenyl)phenylene-1,4-ether], poly(2-bromo-6-phenylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-phenylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-phenylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-chlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-chloro-6-ethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-chloro-6-bromophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-6-di-n-propylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-isopropylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-chloro-6-methylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2-methyl-6-ethylphenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-dibromophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-dichlorophenylene-1,4-ether), poly(2,6-diethylphenylene-1,4-ether), and poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene-1,4-ether). Also copolymers derived from two or more of phenyl compounds as used for the preparation of above-mentioned homopolymer are suitable. Further examples are graft copolymers and block copolymers of vinyl aromatic compounds including polystyrene and the above-mentioned polyphenylene ether. Particularly preferable polar group is acid anhydrides, among which maleic anhydride is more preferable. The content of said polar group is preferably not less than 0.01% by weight of above polyphenylene ether, and if it is under 0.01% by weight, mechanical strength of resulting polymer cannot be expected to be improved. In order to obtain said Component (B), a method to polymerize one or plural kinds of phenol compounds having these polar groups, a method to copolymerize one or plural kinds of phenol compounds having a polar group with phenol compounds having no polar group, and a method to react a compound containing both a polar group and an unsaturated group with polyphenylene ether can be used. Above-mentioned compounds containing both a polar group and an unsaturated group are those which contain, in a moleculae, both of an unsaturated group having carbon-carbon double bond or carbon-carbon triple bond; and a polar group such as carboxylic acid group, a group derived from carboxylic acid (for example, various salts, esters, acid amides, acid anhydrides, imides, acid azides, and acid halides which result from substitution of hydrogen atoms or a hydroxyl group of carboxyl group), or oxazoline, nitrile, epoxy group, amino group, hydroxylic acid or isocyanate. As the compound containing both of an unsaturated group and a polar group, unsaturated carboxylic acid, unsaturated carboxylic acid derivative, unsaturated epoxy compound, unsaturated alcohol, unsaturated amine, unsaturated isocyanate and the like are mainly used. Specific examples of these compounds are maleic anhydride, maleic acid, fumaric acid, maleimide, maleic hydrazide, reaction products of maleic anhydride and diamine such as the compounds having the structure represented by: (wherein R is an aliphatic group, or an aromatic group); anhydrous methyl, methyl nadic anhydride, dichloromaleic anhydride, maleic acid amide, itaconic acid, itaconic anhydride, acids of natural fats and oils such as soybean oil, tung oil, castor oil, linseed oil, hempseed oil, cotton seed oil, sesame oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, camellia oil, olive oil, coconut oil, and sardine oil; unsaturated carboxylic acids such as acrylic acid, butenoic acid, crotonic acid, vinyl acetic acid, methacrylic acid, pentenoic acid, angelic acid, 2-pentenoic acid, 3-pentenoic acid, α-ethylacrylic acid, β-methylcrotonic acid, 4-pentenoic acid, 2-hexenoic acid, 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid, 3-methyl-2-pentenoic acid, α-ethylcrotonic acid, 2-2-dimethyl-3-butenoic acid, 2-heptenoic acid, 2-octenoic acid, 4-decenoic acid, 9-undecenoic acid, 10-undecenoic acid, 4-dodecenoic acid, 5-dodecenoic acid, 4-tetradecenoic acid, 9-tetradecenoic acid, 9-hexadecenoic acid, 2-octadecenoic acid, 9-octadecenoic acid, eicosenoic acid, dococenoic acid, erucic acid, tetracosenoic acid, 2,4-pentadienoic acid, 2,4-hexadienoic acid, diallyl acetate, geraniumic acid, 2,4-decadienoic acid, 2,4-dodecadienoic acid, 9,12-hexadecadienoic acid, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, hexadecatrienoic acid, linolic acid, linolenic acid, octadecatrienoic acid, eicosadienoic acid, eicosatrienoic acid, eicosatetraenoic acid, ricinolic acid, eleostearic acid, oleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosadienoic acid, docosatrienoic acid, docosatetraenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, tetracosenoic acid, hexacosenoic acid, hexacodienoic acid, octacosenoic acid, and esters, acid amides and anhydrides of these unsaturated carboxylic acids; unsaturated alcohols such as allyl alcohol, methylvinyl carbinol, allyl carbinol, methylpropenyl carbinol, 4-pentene-1-ol, 10-undecane-1-ol, propargyl alcohol, 1,4-pentadiene-3-ol, 1,4-hexadiene-3-ol, 3,5-hexadiene-2-ol, 2,4-hexadiene-1-ol, alcohols represented by the general formulas: C n H 2n-5 OH, C n H 2n-7 OH, C n H 2n-9 OH (n is a positive integer), 3-butene-1,2-diol, 2,5-dimethyl-3-hexene-2,5-diol, 1,5-hexadiene-3,4-diol, and 2,6-octadiene-4,5-diol, and unsaturated amines which result from substitution of NH 2 for OH group of these unsaturated alcohols; those result from addition of maleic anhydride or phenols to low polymers (e.g., polymers having an average molecular weight of 500 to 10000) or high-molecular polymers (e.g., those having an average molecular weight of 10000 or more) of butadiene or isoprene; those compounds to which amino group, carboxyl group, hydroxyl group, or expoxy group is introduced; and allyl isocyanate. Examples of the vinyl compounds having epoxy group are glycidyl methacrylate, glycidyl acrylate, vinyl glycidyl ether, glycidyl ether of hydroxyalkyl(meth)acrylate, glycidyl ether of polyalkyleneglycol(meth)acrylate, and glycidylitaconate, among which glycidyl methacrylate is particularly preferred. The compound having both of an unsaturated group and a polar group in the present invention also include, needless to say, compounds having two or more of unsaturated groups and two or more of polar groups (the same or different), and two or more of compounds having such groups. Specified methods for preparing Component (B) include a method to melt and knead a polyphenylene ether and a compound having both a polar group and an unsaturated group at a temperature of 150°C to 350°C by the use of a roller mill, Banbury mixer, an extruder or the like, to react them, and a method to heat and react a polyphenylene ether and a compound having both a polar group and an unsaturated group in the solvent such as benzene; toluene, xylene and the like. Further, in order to proceed with these reactions, it is effective to use a radical initiator, in the reaction system, such as organic peroxides including benzoyl peroxide, di-t-butyl-peroxide, dicumylperoxide, and t-butylperoxibenzoate, or azo compounds including azobisisobutylonitrile, azobisisovaleronitrile and the like. A method to melt and knead a polyphenylene ether and a compound having both a polar group and an unsaturated group in the presence of radical initiator is more effective. Component (B) can be produced also by melting and kneading the above-mentioned styrene polymer as a part of Component (B), a polyphenylene ether and a compound having both a polar group and an unsaturated group, in the presence of a radical initiator. In the Compositions of the present invention, the amount of Component (B) is 0.1 to 50% by weight, particularly preferably 1 to 25% by weight, of the total amount of Component (A) and Component (B). Particularly the amount of Component (B) is 0.1 to 50% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 30% by weight, and most preferably 1 to 25% by weight. Polyphenylene ether as Component (B) or as a part of Component (B) has a high compatibility with styrene polymer as Component (A), but if the amount of it is under 0.1% by weight, the resulting composition cannot be improved in mechanical strength. On the other hand, if it is added in excess of 80% by weight, the final composition becomes very near to Component (B) itself, which is poor in moldability. When a styrene polymer having a syndiotactic configuration is used, a very high compatibility with polyphenylene ether is obtained, but if it is added in excess of 50% by weight, heat resistance and moldability of the resulting composition are sometimes lowered. To produce the Composition of the present invention, it is not necessary to prepare in advance said Component (B), but these compositions can be produced by mixing styrene polymer as Component (A) and a part of Component (B), a polyphenylene ether to be Component (B), a compound having both a polar group and an unsaturated group, and additives such as fillers, and subsequently by melting and kneading the mixture thereof at 150 to 350°C with the use of a roller mill, a Banbury mixer, an extruder and the like. Composition of the present invention basically comprises above Component (A) and Component (B). In the Composition of the present invention, if necessary, a filler which is surface-treated with a coupling agent can be blended as Component (D). The filler used in the present invention may be in fibrous form, or in the form of granule or powder. Fillers in fibrous forms include glass fiber, carbon fiber, organic synthetic fiber, whisker, ceramic fiber, metal fiber, natural vegetable fiber and the like. Examples of specified organic synthetic fibers are those including all aromatic polyamide fibers, and polyimide fibers; whiskers of boron, alumina, silica, and silicon carbide; ceramic fibers of gypsum, potassium titanate, magnesium sulfate, and magnesium oxide; metal fibers of copper, aluminum, and steel; and particularly preferred are glass fibers and carbon fibers. The shape of fillers vary in cloth, mat, bundling cut form, short fiber, filament-form, and whisker. In bundling cut form, the length is preferably 0.05 to 50 mm, and the fiber diameter is preferably 5 to 20 µm. As carbon fiber, fibers of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) are preferred. On the other hand, the particle or powder fillers include talc, carbon black, graphite, titanium dioxide, silica, mica, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, barium sulfate, oxysulfate, tin oxide, alumina, kaolin, silicon carbide, metal powder, glass powder, glass flake, glass beads and the like. Talc, calcium carbonate, and mica are particularly preferred. A preferred average particle diameter of talc is 0.3 to 20 µm, more preferably 0.6 to 10 µm. A preferred average particle diameter of calcium carbonate is 0.1 to 20 µm, and preferred average particle diameter of mica is 40 to 250 µm, and more preferably 50 to 150 µm. In the various fillers as above, particularly preferred are glass fillers such as glass powder, glass flake, glass beads, glass filament, glass fiber, glass roving, and glass mat. The coupling agent used for the surface treatment of above fillers is used for improving the adhesiveness between the filler and polyphenylene ether having a polar group, as Component (B). Therein any one of silane coupling agents and titanium coupling agents, which are conventionally known as coupling agents can be used. Preferred examples of the silane coupling agents are specifically, triethoxysilane, vinyltris(β-methoxyethoxy)-silane, γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, β-(1,1-epoxycyclohexyl)-ethyltrimethoxysilane, N-β-(aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-β-(aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, N-phenyl-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyl-tris(2-methoxy-ethoxy)silane, N-methyl-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-vinylbenzyl-γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, triaminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-ureidopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-(4,5-dihydroimidazole)propyltriethoxysilane, hexamethyldisilazane, N,O-(bistrimethylsilyl)amide, N,N-bis(trimethylsilyl )urea and the like. Among them, preferred are aminosilanes and epoxysilanes such as γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, N-β-(aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, β-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane. Particularly preferred are aminosilanes as described above. Preferred examples of titanium coupling agents are specifically, isopropyltriisostearoyl titanate, isopropyltridodecylbenzenesulfonyl titanate, isopropyltris(dioctylpyrophosphate)titanate, tetraisopropylbis(dioctylphosphate) titanate, tetraoctylbis(ditridecylphosphite) titanate, tetra(1,1-diallyloxymethyl-1-butyl)bis(ditridecyl)phosphite titanate, bis(dioctylpyrophosphate)oxyacetate titanate, bis(dioctylpyrophosphate)ethylene titanate, isopropyltrioctanoyl titanate, isopropyldimethacrylisostearoyl titanate, isopropylisostearoyldiacryl titanate, isopropyltri(dioctylphosphate)titanate, isopropyltricumylphenyl titanate, isopropyltri(N-amideethyl, aminoethyl) titanate, dicumylphenyloxyacetate titanate, and diisostearoylethylene titanate. Among them, preferred is isopropyltri(N-amideethyl, aminoethyl)titanate. Surface treatment using these coupling agents can be carried out according to the conventional methods, without a particular limitation. More specifically, a sizing treatment in which the organic solvent solution or suspending solution of a coupling agent is applied as a sizing agent on the filler, drying and mixing with the use of Henschel mixer, a super mixer, or V-shape blender; the spray method, the integral blend method, or the dry concentrate method can be used appropriately depending on the form of fillers. Preferred are the sizing treatment, the dry mixing and the spray method. With the above coupling agent, film-forming materials for glass can be used in combination. Said film-forming materials are not critical but include polyesters, urethane polymers, epoxy polymers, acryl polymers, isocyanate polymers, and vinyl acetate polymers. In the present invention, the above surface-treated filler component can be blended. The proportion to be blended varies depending on the purposes and objects. In the composition, the surface-treated filler is blended in the proportion of 1 to 350 parts by weight, preferably 5 to 200 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the above components (A) and (B). If the proportion of the surface-treated filler to be blended is less than 1 part by weight, the sufficient effect of the blended filler cannot be obtained. On the other hand, if it exceeds 350 parts by weight, there occur defects that the dispersibility is poor and molding becomes difficult. Further, in the present invention, by blending (A') a styrene polymer having a syndiotactic configuration as the above component (A), (B') either polyphenylene ether or a mixture of polyphenylene ether and a styrene polymer without any functional groups, having a maleic anhydride group, that is polyphenylene ether modified by maleic anhydride, as the component (B), and (D') a filler surface-treated by an amino silane coupling agent as the component (D) respectively, as described above, the adhesiveness between a styrene polymer and a filler can be improved and a resin composition having more excellent properties can be obtained. The resin composition of the present invention comprises each component described above, but if necessary, various additives, other thermoplastic resins or rubber-like elastomers can be blended, so long as the object of the present invention is not hindered. Examples of the above additives are an antioxidant such as phosphite and phosphate described in EP-A-0291915, an UV absorbent, an aliphatic carboxylate- or paraffin-based external lubricant as described in EP-A-0312976 and EP-A-0382064, a nuclear agent such as an organic acid metal salt and an organic phosphorus compound, a releasing agent, an antistatic agent, a colorant, a flame retardant and a flame retardant aid. The above thermoplastic resins include polyphenylene ether without any polar groups, polyolefin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene and polypentene, polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terepthalate and polyethylene naphthalate, polythioether such as polyamide and polyphenylene sulfide, polycarbonate, polyarylate, polysulfone, polyether ether ketone, polyether sulfone, polyimide, polyamide imide, polymethyl methacrylate, an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, an acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, an acrylonitrile-chlorinated polyethylene-styrene copolymer, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, a vinyl chloride resin, chlorinated polyethylene, fluorinated polyethylene, polyacetal, a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, 1,2-polybutadiene and styrene-maleic anhydride. The preferable thermoplastic resin is the one having affinity or reactivity with a polar group of polyphenylene ether having a polar group as Component (B). Examples are polyolefin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene and polypentene; polyphenylene sulfide; polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate; polycarbonate, polyarylate, polysulfone, polyether ether ketone, polyether sulfone, polyimide, polymethyl methacrylate, an ethyleneacrylate copolymer, an acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, an acrylonitrile-chlorinated polyethylene-styrene copolymer, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyacetal and a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, to which the compound having both a polar group and an unsaturated group, which is used for introduction of a polar group to polyphenylene ether having a polar group as Component (B), is introduced by melting reaction, solution reaction or polymerization. The most preferable thermoplastic resins include maleic anhydride-modified polyethylene, polypropylene, a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, polyarylate, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide containing an epoxyl group and polyphenylene sulfide containing an amino group. Various rubber-like elastomers can be used, and the most preferable one is a rubber-like copolymer containing a styrene-based compound as one component. Examples are styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber (SBR), a styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SB, SBS, BSB, etc.), a styrene-hydrogenated butadiene block copolymer (SEBS, SEB, etc.), a styreneisoprene block copolymer (SI, SIS, ISI, etc.), a styrene-hydrogenated isoprene block copolymer (SEP, SEPS, etc.), or as described in EP-A-0318793, a granular elastomer obtained by polymerizing a vinyl monomer in the presence of the polymer obtained by polymerizing one or at least two monomers selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylate, alkyl methacrylate and a multi-functional monomer having a conjugated diene type double bond. Examples of the granular elastomer acrylonitrile-styrene grafted butadiene rubber (ABS), acrylonitrile-styrene grafted butadiene-butyl acrylate copolymer rubber (AABS), methyl methacrylate-styrene grafted butylacrylate rubber (MAS), styrene grafted butadiene rubber (SB), methyl methacrylate-styrene grafted butadiene rubber (MBS) and methyl methacrylate-styrene grafted butadiene-butyl acrylate copolymer rubber (MABS). Further, examples are one or at least two block or graft copolymers selected from an A-B type block copolymer, an A-grafted B copolymer and a B-grafted A copolymer, wherein A is at least one styrene polymers or styrene copolymers selected from atactic polystyrene, acrylonitrile-styrene random copolymer, styrene-maleic anhydride random copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile-anhydrous maleimide random copolymer, styrene-methyl methacrylate random copolymer and styrene-methacrylic acid random copolymer, and B is at least one polymers selected from polybutadiene, polyisoprene, hydrogenated polybutadiene, hydrogenated polyisoprene and polycarbonate, and at least one polymers selected from polyamide, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate. Further, the rubber-like elastomers include, in addition to the above, natural rubber, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, polyisobutyrene, neoprene, ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber, polysulfide rubber, thiokol rubber, acrylic rubber, urethane rubber, silicone rubber and epichlorohydrin rubber. The rubber-like elastomer modified by reacting with the compound having a polar group and an unsaturated group used for introduction of the polar group to polyphenylene ether having a polar group, may be used. Among various flame retardants, particularly halogen-based flame retardants and phosphorus-based flame retardants are preferable. The halogen-based flame retardants include, for example, tetrabromobisphenol A, tetrabromophthalic anhydride, hexabromobenzene, tribromophenylallyl ether, pentabromotoluene, pentabromophenol, tribromophenyl-2,3-dibromo propyl ether, tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate, tris(2-chloro-3-bromopropyl)phosphate, octabromodiphenyl ether, decabromodiphenyl ether, octabromobiphenyl, pentachloropentacyclodecane, hexabromocyclododecane, hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorotoluene, hexabromobiphenyl, decabromobiphenyl, decabromobiphenyl oxide, tetrabromobutane, decabromodiphenyl ether, hexabromodiphenyl ether, ethylene-bis-(tetrabromophthalimide), tetrachlorobisphenol A, tetrabromobisphenol A, an oligomer of tetrachlorobisphenol A or tetrabromobisphenol A, a halogenated polycarbonate oligomer such as a brominated polycarbonate oligomer, a halogenated epoxy compound, polychlorostyrene, halogenated polystyrene such as polytribromostyrene, poly(dibromophenylene oxide) and bis(tribromophenoxy)ethane. The phosphorus-based flame retardants include ammonium phosphate, tricresyl phosphate, triethyl phosphate, acidic phosphate and triphenylphosphene oxide. Among them, the preferable flame retardants are particularly polytribromostyrene, poly(dibromophenylene oxide), decabromodiphenyl ether, bis(tribromophenoxy)ethane, ethylene-bis-(tetrabromophthalimide), tetrabromobisphenol A and a brominated polycarbonate oligomer. The above flame retardant is blended in the proportion of 3 to 40 parts by weight, preferably 5 to 35 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the above components (A) and (B) in Composition of the present invention. If the proportion of the flame retarder to be blended is less than 3 parts by weight, less effect is obtained. On the other hand, if it exceeds 40 parts by weight, flame retardance is not improved according to the amount added, but rather other mechanical properties are undesirably impaired. And further, in the present invention, it is preferable to use a flame retardant aid with the above flame retardant. Various flame retardant aids can be used, for example, antimony flame retardant aids such as antimony trioxide, antimony pentaoxide, sodium antimonate, metal antimony, antimony trichloride, antimony pentachloride, antimony trisulfide and antimony pentasulfide. Also, in addition to the above, zinc borate, barium metaborate and zirconium oxide can be used. Among them, particularly antimony trioxide is preferable. Said flame retardant aid is blended in the proportion of 1 to 15 parts by weilght, preferably 2 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the above components (A) and (B) in the Composition of the present invention. If the proportion of the flame retardant aid to be blended is less than 1 part by weight, the effect as a flame retardant aid is insufficient. On the other hand, if it exceeds 15 parts by weight, the effect as a flame retardant aid is not improved according to the amount added, but rather there exists possibility of impairing other properties undesirably. Further, in the present invention, to prevent melt dropping, a tetrafluoroethylene polymer can be used. Specific examples of the tetrafluoroethylene polymer are, in addition to the tetrafluoroethylene homopolymer (polytetrafluoroethylene), a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene, and further a tetrafluoroethylene copolymer containing a few copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomers. The tetrafluoroethylene polymer containing 65 to 76% by weight, preferably 70 to 76% by weight of fluorine is used. The above tetrafluoroethylene polymer is blended in the proportion of 0.003 to 10 parts by weight, preferably 0.02 to 2 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the above components (A) and (B) in the Composition of the present invention. As described above, the styrene polymer composition has excellent impact resistance, water resistance and mechanical property, and is expected to be utilized effectively for various purposes such as industrial materials including electric and electronic materials, industrial structural materials, automobile parts, domestic electric appliances and various machine parts. The present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the following examples and comparative examples. Reference Example 1 In a 500-milliliter glass reactor in which air had been replaced with argon, 17.8 g (71 mmol) of copper sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO 4 ·5H 2 O), 200 ml of toluene and 24 ml (250 mmol) of trimethylaluminum were placed and reacted at 40°C for 8 hours. And then, from the solution obtained by removing the solid, the toluene was further distilled away under reduced pressure at room temperature to obtain 6.7 g of a contact product. The molecular weight of said product as determined by the freezing point depression method was 610. Production Example 1 In a 2-liter reactor, 1 L (L=liter) of purified styrene, 7.5 mmol of the contact product obtained in the above Reference Example 1 based on the aluminum atom, 7.5 mmol of triisobutyl alminum and 0.038 mmol of pentamethylcyclopentadienyl titanium trimethoxide were placed and polymerized at 90°C for 5 hours. After completion of the reaction, the resulting product was decomposed in a methanol solution of sodium hydroxide to remove the catalyst component, and then the residue was washed with methanol repeatedly and dried to obtain 466 g of a polymer. The weight average molecular weight of said polymer as determined using 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene as a solvent at 130°C by the gel permeation chromatography was 290,000. Weight average molecular weight/number average molecular weight was 2.72. The melting point and 13 C-NMR measurements confirmed that said polymer was polystyrene having a syndiotactic configuration (SPS). Production Example 2 In a 2-liter reactor, 1 L of purified styrene, 5 mmol as alminum atom of the contact product obtained in the above Reference Example 1, 5 mmol of triisobutyl aluminum and 0.025 mmol of pentamethylcyclopentadienyl titanium trimethoxide were placed and polymerized at 90°C for 5 hours. After completion of the reaction, the resulting product was decomposed in a methanol solution of sodium hydroxide to remove the catalyst component, and then the residue was washed with methanol repeatedly and dried to obtain 308 g of a polymer. The weight average molecular weight of said polymer as determined using 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene as a solvent at 130°C by the gel permeation chromatography was 389,000. Weight average molecular weight/number average molecular weight was 2.64. The melting point and 13 C-NMR measurements confirmed that said polymer was polystyrene having a syndiotactic configuration. Production Example 3 In a 2-liter reactor, 1 L of purified styrene, 7.5 mmol as aluminum atom of the contact product obtained in the above Reference Example 1, 7.5 mmol of triisobutyl alminum and 0.038 mmol of pentamethylcyclopentadienyl titanium trimethoxide were placed and polymerized at 70°C for 3 hours. After completion of the reaction, the resulting product was decomposed in a methanol solution of sodium hydroxide to remove the catalyst component, and then the residue was washed with methanol repeatedly and dried to obtain 580 g of a polymer. The weight average molecular weight of said polymer as determined using 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene as a solvent at 130°C by the gel permeation chromatography was 592,000. Weight average melecular weight/number average molecular weight was 2.81. The melting point and 13 C-NMR measurements confirmed that said polymer was polystyrene having a syndiotactic configuration. Production Example 4 With 100 parts by weight of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene) ether (PPO)(catalogue No. 18178-1, produced by Aldorich Co.), 5 parts by weight of maleic anhydride (S Grade, produced by Wako Junyaku Co.) and 0.2 parts by weight of t-butylhydroxy peroxide (trade name: Perbutyl H, produced by Nippon Oil & Fats Co., Ltd.) as a peroxide were mixed by a Henschel mixer, and then the resulting mixture was kneaded by the twin-screw extruder at 300 to 320°C under heat melting to obtain maleic anhydride-modified PPO. The resulting modified PPO was dissolved in toluene, and then the resulting mixture was reprecipitated dropwise with methanol to be purified. The purified modified PPO was molded by compression. The peak due to a carbonyl group was observed by an infrared ray measurement to confirm that the PPO was modified by maleic anhydride. Production Example 5 With 100 parts by weight of styrene grafted polyphenylene ether (PPE)(trade name: Iupiace CPX 100, produced by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc.) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.45 at 25°C in chloroform, 0.5 parts by weight of maleic anhydride (S Grade, produced by Wako Junyaku Co.) and 0.4 parts by weight of cumenehydro peroxide (trade name; Percumyl produced by Nippon Oil & Fats Co., Ltd.) as a peroxide were mixed by a Henschel mixer, and then the resulting mixture was kneaded by the twin-screw extruder at 300°C under heat melting to obtain maleic anhydride-modified PPE. It was confirmed that the resulting modified PPE was modified by maleic anhydride in the same manner as in Production Example 4. Production Example 6 With 85 parts by weight of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4 phenylene) ether (PPO)(catalogue No. 18178-1, produced by Aldrich Co.), 15 parts by weight of SPS obtained in Production Example 1, 0.5 parts by weight of maleic anhydride (S Grade, produced by Wako Junyaku Co.) and 0.2 parts by weight of t-butylhydroxy peroxide (trade name: Perbutyl H, produced by Nippon Oil & Fats Co., Ltd.) as a peroxide were mixed by a Henschel mixer, and then the resulting mixture was kneaded by the twin-screw extruder at 300 to 320°C under heat melting to obtain maleic anhydride-modified PPO. It was confirmed that the resulting modified PPO was modified by maleic anhydride in the same manner as in Production Example 4. Production Example 7 With 85 parts by weight of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4 phenylene) ether (PPO)(catlogue No. 18178-1, produced by Aldrich Co.), 15 parts by weight of Idemitsu Polystyrene HT-54 (HIPS), 5 parts by weight of maleic anhydride (S Grade, produced by Wako Junyaku Co.) and 0.2 parts by weight of t-butylhydroxy peroxide (trade name: Perbutyl H, produced by Nippon Oil & Fats Co., Ltd.) as a peroxide were mixed by a Henschel mixer, and then the resulting mixture was kneaded by the twin-screw extruder at 260 to 270°C under heat melting to obtain maleic anhydride-modified PPO. It was confirmed that the resulting modified PPO was modified by maleic anhydride in the same manner as in Production Example 4. Example 1 To 100 parts by weight of the total amount of 75% by weight of polystyrene having a syndiotactic configuration (SPS) obtained in Production Example 1 and 25% by weight of maleic anhydride-modified PPO obtained in Production Example 4, 0.7 parts by weight of (2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenyl) pentaerythritol diphosphite (trade name: PEP-36, produced by Adeka Argus Co., Ltd.), 0.1 parts by weight of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-phenol (trade name: Sumilizer BHT, produced by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) and 1 part by weight of p-(t-butyl)benzoic acid as an antioxidant were added. The resulting mixture was dry blended by a Henschel mixer, and then kneaded under melting by a twin-screw extruder having a cylinder temperature of 300°C to be pelletized. The resulting pellet was molded by injection to obtain test pieces for a bending test. The bending test was carried out. The results are shown in Table 1. Comparative Example 1 To 100 parts by weight of polystyrene having a syndiotactic configuration (SPS) obtained in Production Example 1, 0.7 parts by weight of (2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenyl) pentaerythritol diphosphite (trade name: PEP-36, produced by Adeka Argus Co., ltd.), 0.1 parts by weight of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-phenol (trade name: Sumilizer BHT, produced by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) and 1 part by weight of p-(t-butyl)benzoic acid as an antioxidant were added. The resulting mixture was dry blended by a Henschel mixer, and then kneaded under melting by a twin-screw extruder cylindar temperature of 300°C to be pelletized. The resulting pellet was molded by injection to obtain test pieces for a bending test. The bending test was carried out. The results are shown in Table 1. No. Bending Strength (kg/cm 2 ) Modulus of Bending Eleasticity (kg/cm 2 ) Example 1 1300 49000 Comparative Example 1 1000 39000 Example 2 To 100 parts by weight of the total amount of 95% by weight of polystyrene having a syndiotactic configuration (SPS) obtained in Production Example 1 and 5% by weight of modified PPO obtained in Production Example 4, 0.7 parts by weight of (2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenyl) pentaerythritol diphosphite (trade name: PEP-36, produced by Adeka Arugus Co., Ltd.), 0.1 parts by weight of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-phenol (trade name: Sumilizer BHT, produced by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) and 1 part by weight of p-(t-butyl)aluminum benzoate (trade name: PTBBA-A1, produced by Dainippon Ink Industry Co.) as an antioxidant were added. The resulting mixture was dry blended by a Henschel mixer, and then pelletized by a twin-screw extruder while side-feeding 43 parts by weight of glass fiber treated with amino silane (03T-488, 13 µm/3 mm, produced by Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.) as a filler. The resulting pellet was molded by injection to obtain a bending test piece and an Izod impact test piece. Using the resulting test pieces, the bending test and Izod impact test were carried out. The heat distortion temperature was determined. The results are shown in Table 3. Examples 3 to 10, 12, 15, 22 and 23; Comparative Examples 2 to 5 and 11 to 13 The procedure of Example 2 was repeated except that SPS obtained in the above Production Examples 1 to 3, atactic polystyrene (trade name: Idemitsu Polystyrene HH30E, produced by Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.) or high impact polystyrene (trade name: Idemitsu Polystyrene HT-54, produced by Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.) was used as a styrene polymer, and the product obtained in the above Production Examples 4 to 7 or poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)ether (catalogue No. 18178-1, produced by Aldrich Co.) was used as polyphenylene ether, and further a filler and an additive were added according to the prescription shown in Table 2. These results are shown in Table 3. However, in Example 12, with 100 parts by weight of the total amount of 95% by weight of syndiotactic polystyrene (SPS) obtained in the above Production Example 1 and 5% by weight of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)ether (catalogue No. 18178-1, produced by Aldorich Co.), 0.5 parts by weight of maleic anhydride (S Grade, produced by Hiroshima Wako Junyaku Co.) and 0.2 parts by weilght of t-butyl-hydroxy peroxide (trade name: Perbutyl H, produced by Nippon Oil & Fats Co., Ltd.) as a peroxide were dry blended by a Henschel mixer, and then the resulting mixture was pelletized by a twin-screw extruder while side-feeding 43 parts by weight of glass fiber treated with amino silane (03T-488, 13 µm/3 mm, produced by Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. ) as a filler. No. Bending Strength (kg/cm 2 ) Izod Impact Strength (notched) (kg·cm/cm) Heat Distortion Temperature (18.6 kg/cm 2 ) (°C) Example 2 1750 8.2 251 Example 3 1650 7.6 252 Example 4 1830 8.5 250 Example 5 1860 8.7 220 Comparative Example 2 1200 4.6 250 Comparative Example 3 1480 5.0 215 Example 6 1760 8.1 250 Example 7 1780 8.3 251 Example 8 1980 7.5 254 Example 9 2150 8.0 260 Example 10 2000 7.6 265 Comparative Example 11 1850 8.8 190 Example 12 1760 8.4 250 Comparative Example 12 1740 8.0 - Comparative Example 13 1650 8.1 - Example 15 1790 8.3 252 Comparative Example 4 1750 8.2 163 Comparative Example 5 1450 5.0 248 Example 22 1750 10.2 257 Example 23 2070 9.5 260

Claims: A styrene polymer composition comprising (A) 99.9 to 50 % by weight of a styrene polymer having a syndiotactic configuration, and (B) 0.1 to 50 % by weight, based on the total amount of component (A) and component (B), of either of polyphenylene ether having a group selected from acid halide, a carbonyl group, acid anhydride, acid amide, carboxylate, acid azide, a sulfone group, a nitrile group, a cyano group, an isocyanic acid ester group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group, an imide group, a thiol group, an oxazoline group, and an epoxy group, or a mixture of said polyphenylene ether and not more than 80 % by weight of the total of component (B) of a styrene polymer having introduced at least one of the compounds including acrylonitrile, methylmethacrylate, methacrylonitrile, or a mixture of said polyphenylene ether and not more than 80 % of the total of component (B) of a styrene polymer. A styrene polymer composition comprising 100 parts by weight of styrene polymer composition according to claim 1 and (D) 1 to 350 parts by weight of a filler surface-treated with a coupling agent. A styrene polymer composition according to claim 2, wherein the coupling agent used for the surface treatment of the filler as component (D) is a silane coupling agent. A styrene polymer composition comprising (A') 99.9 to 50 % by weight of a styrene polymer having a syndiotactic configuration, (B') 0.1 to 50 % by weight of the total amount of component (A) and component (B) of polyphenylene ether containing maleic acid anhydride group, or a mixture of polyphenylene ether containing maleic acid anhydride group and not more than 80 % by weight of the total of component (B) of a styrene polymer having introduced at least one of the compounds including acrylonitrile, methylmethacrylate, methacrylonitrile or a mixture of said polyphenylene ether and not more than 80 % by weight of the total of component (B) of a styrene polymer, (D') a filler surface-treated with aminosilane coupling agent, in the proportion of 1 to 350 parts by weight based on the total of above-mentioned component (A') and component (B') as 100 parts by weight.

Inventors: NAKANO AKIKAZU, NAKANO, AKIKAZU
Applicants: IDEMITSU KOSAN CO, IDEMITSU KOSAN COMPANY LIMITED
Application year: 1990
Main classification: C08L71
IPC codes: C08G65, H05K1, C08L77, C08L25, C08L71