Patent ID: 7615588

Claim:
A thermoplastic composition comprising: (a) a continuous phase of at least one thermoplastic polymer; and (b) a non-polymeric precursor polymerizable to provide a polymerized reinforcing phase dispersed as domains of polymer within the continuous phase of the thermoplastic polymer, wherein the polymer domains are spherical and have an average domain size of less than about 100 microns in diameter and wherein the polymer domains of the polymerized reinforcing phase have at least one of a melting temperature greater than about 100° C. or a glass transition temperature greater than about 100° C. and comprises at least one of: an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature at least about 50° C. higher than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic polymer, a crystalline polymer having a melting temperature at least about 50° C. higher than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic polymer when the thermoplastic polymer is amorphous, or a crystalline polymer having a melting temperature at least about 50° C. higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer when the thermoplastic polymer is crystalline.