Aromatic sulfide/sulfone polymer production
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorRobert W. Campbell
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Abstract
Aromatic sulfide/sulfone polymers are prepared by initially contacting a dihaloaromatic sulfone, an alkali metal sulfide, an organic amide, and, optionally, an alkali metal carboxylate under polymerization conditions and subsequently at or near completion of the polymerization reaction, adding an end-capping agent comprising additional dihaloaromatic sulfone to the reaction mixture producing a polymer exhibiting improved physical properties including melt flow stability. The resulting polymers have utility as coatings, films, molded objects, filaments, fibers, and the like.
Claims15
In a process for the production of an aromatic sulfide/sulfone polymer comprising contacting a dihaloaromatic sulfone, an alkali metal sulfide, and an organic amide under polymerization conditions sufficient to cause the reactants to react and form said polymer, the improvement for increasing melt flow stability of the polymer produced by said contacting which comprises end-capping the polymer by introducing a small, but effective, amount sufficient to impart increased melt flow stability of additional dihaloaromatic sulfone into the crude reaction mixture at or near completion of the polymerization reaction.
A process for the production of a high molecular weight aromatic sulfide/sulfone polymer exhibiting improved physical properties which comprises:
- (a) initially contacting
- (1) at least one dihaloaromatic sulfone,
- (2) at least one alkali metal sulfide, and
- (3) at least one organic amide under polymerization conditions of temperature ranging from about 170.degree.-240.degree. C. for a period of time sufficient to form said polymer,
- (b) adding a small but effective amount sufficient to impart increased melt flow stability of an end-capping agent comprising a dihaloaromatic sulfone to the crude reaction mixture thus formed in step (a) about 21/2 to about 5 hours after reactants (1), (2), (3) and (4) have been subjected to said polymerization conditions, and
- (c) subjecting the reaction mixture containing said end-capping agent obtained in step (b) to said polymerization conditions for a period of time sufficient to form said high molecular weight aromatic sulfide/sulfone polymer having improved melt flow stability.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.