Copolymers of poly(aryl ether sulfones) and polydimethylsiloxane

A solvent-free process for preparing a copolymer (P1) of formula (L):

• wherein
• each R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of a halogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, ether, thioether, carboxylic acid, ester, amide, imide, alkali metal sulfonate, alkaline earth metal sulfonate, alkyl sulfonate, alkali metal phosphonate, alkaline earth metal phosphonate, alkyl phosphonate, amine and quaternary ammonium;
• each i is independently selected from 0 to 4;
• T is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —O—;
• —SO2—;
• —S—;
• —C(O)—;
• —C(CH3)2—;
• —C(CF3)2—;
• —C(═CCl2);
• —C(CH3 (CH2CH2COOH)—;
• —N═N—;
• —RaC═CRb—;
• —(CH2)m—;
• —(CF2)m—;
• an aliphatic divalent group, linear or branched, of up to 6 carbon atoms;
• and combinations thereof;
• in which each Ra and Rb, independently of one another, is hydrogen, a C1-C12-alkyl, a C1-C12-alkoxy, or a C6-C18-aryl group;
• and in which m is an integer from 1 to 6;
• np and nr are respectively the moles % of each recurring units p and r, the recurring units p being of formula (N) and the recurring units r being of following formula:
• the recurring units p and r are arranged in blocks, in alternation or randomly;
• 5≤np<100;
• 5≤nr<100;
• q1 and q2 independently vary between 2 and 14, inclusive,
• said process comprising reacting via melt hydrosilylation, in a reaction mixture, a poly(aryl ether sulfone) (PAES) polymer (P0) comprising:
• recurring units p of formula (N):
• and
• at least one terminal group of formula (M):
• wherein R1, i and T are as above-mentioned and s varies between 0 and 12, inclusive;
• with a compound of formula (I):
• wherein m varies between 1 and 200;
• wherein the molar ratio of compound of formula (I)/polymer (P0) is 0.5:1 and 1:0.5;
• optionally in the presence of a metal based catalyst;
• at a temperature ranging from 150 and 450° C.,
• in the absence of a solvent or in the presence of less than 5 wt. % of a solvent based on the total weight of the reaction mixture.