Treatment of polyarylene sulfide/sulfone polymers
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorsRex L. Bobsein, Michael C. Yu, Roy F. Wright, David A. Soules
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Abstract
Poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymers are treated in order to increase melt stability and decrease impurities by contacting the poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymer with a soluble zinc compound and an acidic solution. In one embodiment, the polymer is treated first with the soluble zinc compound, followed by treatment with the acidic solution. In another embodiment, the polymer is treated in one step with a solution comprising a water soluble zinc compound in an acidic solution.
Claims16
A method of treating a poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymer in order to increase said polymer's thermal stability and purity, which method comprises
- a) contacting a poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymer at a temperature in the range of 0.degree. C. to 300.degree. C., for a time period of about 1/2 minute to 30 hours with a water soluble zinc compound in an acidic solution;
- b) then recovering said polymer.
A method for treating a poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymer which comprises
- a) contacting a poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymer with an aqueous acidic solution consisting essentially of zinc acetate in an aqueous acetic acid at a temperature in the range of 40.degree. to 200.degree. C. for a period of 1 minute to 3 hours wherein the concentration of zinc in said acidic solution is in the range of 0.25 to 2 weight percent, based on the weight of said polymer and the acetic acid component is present in an amount of about 0.025 to 5 weight percent of the acidic solution;
- and then
- b) recovering the thus treated poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymer.
A method for treating a poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymer which comprises
- a) contacting a poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymer with an aqueous acidic solution consisting essentially of zinc acetate in an aqueous phosphoric acid at a temperature in the range of 40.degree. to 200.degree. C. for a period of 1 minute to 3 hours wherein the concentration of zinc in said solution is in the range of 0.25 to 2 weight percent, based on the weight of said polymer and the phosphoric acid component is present in an amount of about 0.025 to 5 weight percent of the acidic solution;
- and then
- b) recovering the thus treated poly(arylene sulfide/sulfone) polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.