Patent ID: 8779081

Claim:
A method for producing a poly(arylene ether) with improved particle size characteristics, the method comprising the step of: (a) combining a first mixture comprising a poly(arylene ether) and a solvent, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylenes, and mixtures thereof with an anti-solvent to form a second mixture comprising the solvent, the anti-solvent, and the poly(arylene ether), wherein the anti-solvent is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, methanol admixed with water, ethanol admixed with water, and isopropanol admixed with water; and wherein step (a) further comprises process parameters (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f): (b) agitating the second mixture with a shear force generating device at an impeller tip speed of 6 m/s or less; (c) providing the first mixture of step (a) with a solids content of approximately 10 to approximately 50 percent by weight of the poly(arylene ether) resin; (d) maintaining a temperature of the second mixture at least 5° C. lower than the boiling point of the anti-solvent; (e) providing a ratio of the anti-solvent to the first mixture by weight of approximately 0.5:1 to approximately 4:1; and (f) providing the anti-solvent comprising no more than 5 percent water by weight; and wherein the improved particle size characteristics includes one or both of: (i) up to about 50 weight percent of particles smaller than 38 micrometers; and a (ii) mean particle size greater than 100 or more micrometers.