Low smoke density poly(arylene ether) compositions, methods, and articles

A thermoplastic composition, comprising the reaction products obtained on melt kneading:

• a poly(arylene ether);
• a poly(alkenyl aromatic);
• an organophosphate ester flame retardant;
• a functionalized polysiloxane comprising a functional substituent selected from the group consisting of alkoxy substituents, aryloxy substituents, and aminoalkyl substituents comprising at least one primary or secondary amine;
• and
• an organic acid;
• wherein the thermoplastic composition has at least one smoke density property selected from the group consisting of
• a smoke density at four minutes of 5 to 250 as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 1.5 to 3.2 millimeters, and
• a corrected maximum smoke density of 20 to 300 in the initial 20 minutes as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 1.5 to 3.2 millimeters.

A thermoplastic composition, comprising:

• 60 to 80 weight percent of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.35 to 0.45 deciliter per gram, measured at 25° C. in chloroform;
• 5 to 15 weight percent of a rubber-modified polystyrene;
• 2 to 10 weight percent of a polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene triblock copolymer;
• 5 to 15 weight percent of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate);
• 1.5 to 6 weight percent of a functionalized polysiloxane having the formula
• wherein each occurrence of R3 is independently methyl or a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group, provided that at least one occurrence of R3 is a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group;
• each occurrence of R4 is independently methyl or a bridging oxygen;
• x is 10 to 100;
• and y is 1 to 10;
• and
• 0.2 to 1 weight percent of citric acid;
• wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition;
• and
• wherein the thermoplastic composition has
• a smoke density at four minutes of 5 to 250 as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters,
• a corrected maximum smoke density of 20 to 300 in the initial 20 minutes as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters, and
• a UL 94 rating of V-0 at a sample thickness of 1.6 to 3.2 millimeters.

A thermoplastic composition, consisting of:

• 60 to 80 weight percent of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.35 to 0.45 deciliter per gram, measured at 25° C. in chloroform;
• 5 to 15 weight percent of a rubber-modified polystyrene;
• 2 to 10 weight percent of a polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene triblock copolymer;
• 5 to 15 weight percent of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate);
• 1.5 to 6 weight percent of a functionalized polysiloxane having the formula
• wherein each occurrence of R3 is independently methyl or a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group, provided that at least one occurrence of R3 is a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group;
• R4 is a bridging oxygen or methyl;
• x is 10 to 100;
• and y is 1 to 10;
• 0.2 to 1 weight percent of citric acid;
• and
• optionally, up to 5 weight percent of an additive selected from the group consisting of stabilizers, processing aids, drip retardants, nucleating agents, dyes, pigments, antioxidants, anti-static agents, blowing agents, metal deactivators, antiblocking agents, fragrances, and combinations thereof;
• wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition;
• and
• wherein the thermoplastic composition has
• a smoke density at four minutes of 5 to 250 as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters,
• a corrected maximum smoke density of 20 to 300 in the initial 20 minutes as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters, and
• a UL 94 rating of V-0 at a sample thickness of 1.6 to 3.2 millimeters.

A thermoplastic composition, comprising:

• 45 to 80 weight percent of a poly(arylene ether);
• 1 to 40 weight percent of a poly(alkenyl aromatic);
• 1 to 25 weight percent of an organophosphate ester flame retardant;
• and
• 4 to 10 weight percent of a functionalized polysiloxane comprising a functional substituent selected from the group consisting of alkoxy substituents, aryloxy substituents, and aminoalkyl substituents comprising at least one primary or secondary amine;
• wherein the thermoplastic composition has at least one smoke density property selected from the group consisting of
• a smoke density at four minutes of 5 to 250 as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 1.5 to 3.2 millimeters, and
• a corrected maximum smoke density of 20 to 300 in the initial 20 minutes as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 1.5 to 3.2 millimeters.

An article comprising a thermoplastic composition comprising:

• a poly(arylene ether);
• a poly(alkenyl aromatic);
• an organophosphate ester flame retardant;
• a functionalized polysiloxane comprising a functional substituent selected from the group consisting of alkoxy substituents, aryloxy substituents, and aminoalkyl substituents comprising at least one primary or secondary amine;
• and
• an organic acid;
• wherein the thermoplastic composition has at least one smoke density property selected from the group consisting of
• a smoke density at four minutes of 5 to 250 as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 1.5 to 3.2 millimeters, and
• a corrected maximum smoke density of 20 to 300 in the initial 20 minutes as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 1.5 to 3.2 millimeters.

An article comprising a thermoplastic composition comprising:

• 60 to 80 weight percent of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.35 to 0.45 deciliter per gram, measured at 25° C. in chloroform;
• 5 to 15 weight percent of a rubber-modified polystyrene;
• 2 to 10 weight percent of a polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene triblock copolymer;
• 5 to 15 weight percent of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate);
• 1.5 to 6 weight percent of a functionalized polysiloxane having the formula
• wherein each occurrence of R3 is independently methyl or a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group, provided that at least one occurrence of R3 is a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group;
• each occurrence of R4 is independently methyl or a bridging oxygen;
• x is 10 to 100;
• and y is 1 to 10;
• and
• 0.2 to 1 weight percent of citric acid;
• wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition;
• and
• wherein the thermoplastic composition has
• a smoke density at four minutes of 5 to 250 as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters,
• a corrected maximum smoke density of 20 to 300 in the initial 20 minutes as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters, and
• a UL 94 rating of V-0 at a sample thickness of 1.6 to 3.2 millimeters.

An article comprising a thermoplastic composition consisting of:

• 60 to 80 weight percent of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.35 to 0.45 deciliter per gram, measured at 25° C. in chloroform;
• 5 to 15 weight percent of a rubber-modified polystyrene;
• 2 to 10 weight percent of a polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene triblock copolymer;
• 5 to 15 weight percent of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate);
• 1.5 to 6 weight percent of a functionalized polysiloxane having the formula
• wherein each occurrence of R3 is independently methyl or a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group, provided that at least one occurrence of R3 is a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group;
• R4 is a bridging oxygen or methyl;
• x is 10 to 100;
• and y is 1 to 10;
• 0.2 to 1 weight percent of citric acid;
• and
• optionally, up to 5 weight percent of an additive selected from the group consisting of stabilizers, processing aids, drip retardants, nucleating agents, dyes, pigments, antioxidants, anti-static agents, blowing agents, metal deactivators, antiblocking agents, fragrances, and combinations thereof;
• wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition;
• and
• wherein the thermoplastic composition has
• a smoke density at four minutes of 5 to 250 as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters,
• a corrected maximum smoke density of 20 to 300 in the initial 20 minutes as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters, and
• a UL 94 rating of V-0 at a sample thickness of 1.6 to 3.2 millimeters.

A method of preparing a thermoplastic composition, comprising:

• melt kneading
• a poly(arylene ether),
• a poly(alkenyl aromatic),
• an organophosphate ester flame retardant,
• a functionalized polysiloxane comprising a functional substituent selected from the group consisting of alkoxy substituents, aryloxy substituents, and aminoalkyl substituents comprising at least one primary or secondary amine, and
• an organic acid
• to form a thermoplastic composition;
• wherein the thermoplastic composition has at least one smoke density property selected from the group consisting of
• a smoke density at four minutes of 5 to 250 as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 1.5 to 3.2 millimeters, and
• a corrected maximum smoke density of 20 to 300 in the initial 20 minutes as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 1.5 to 3.2 millimeters.

A method of preparing a thermoplastic composition, comprising:

• melt kneading
• 60 to 80 weight percent of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.35 to 0.45 deciliter per gram, measured at 25° C. in chloroform,
• 5 to 15 weight percent of a rubber-modified polystyrene,
• 2 to 10 weight percent of a polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene triblock copolymer,
• 5 to 15 weight percent of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate),
• 1.5 to 6 weight percent of a functionalized polysiloxane having the formula
• wherein each occurrence of R3 is independently methyl or a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group, provided that at least one occurrence of R3 is a 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl group, R4 is a bridging oxygen or methyl, x is 10 to 100, and y is 1 to 10, and
• 0.2 to 1 weight percent of citric acid
• to form a thermoplastic composition;
• wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition;
• and
• wherein the thermoplastic composition has
• a smoke density at four minutes of 5 to 250 as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters,
• a corrected maximum smoke density of 20 to 300 in the initial 20 minutes as determined by ASTM E662 at a sample thickness of 3.2 millimeters, and
• a UL 94 rating of V-0 at a sample thickness of 1.6 to 3.2 millimeters.