Patent ID: 8541505

Claim:
A method of increasing the melt flow rate of a poly(arylene ether)-containing thermoplastic composition, comprising: melt blending a poly(arylene ether) characterized by a weight average molecular weight and a peak molecular weight, wherein a ratio of the weight average molecular weight to the peak molecular weight is about 1.3:1 to about 4:1; wherein the poly(arylene ether) is a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether); and wherein the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), after it is blended with the other resin, has a weight average molecular weight of about 75,000 to about 95,000 atomic mass units, a peak molecular weight of about 40,000 to about 60,000 atomic mass unit, a ratio of the weight average molecular weight to the peak molecular weight is about 1.6:1 to about 2.3:1, and a bimodal molecular weight distribution comprising a second local maximum having a second molecular weight of about 200,000 to about 400,000 atomic mass units; and an other polymer consisting of one or more members selected from the group consisting of styrenic polymers, polyesters, polyolefins, and poly(phenylene sulfide)s to form a thermoplastic composition.