Poly(arylene ether) adhesive compositions

An adhesive formed from a composition comprising, based on 100 weight percent of the resin portion of the composition:

• about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a poly(arylene ether) resin having a number average molecular weight of about 8,000 to about 13,000;
• about 50 to about 90 weight percent of a thermosetting resin selected from the group consisting of cyanate esters, polyesters, epoxy, benzoxazines, benzocyclobutene resins, and mixtures thereof;
• about 0.5 to about 15 weight percent of a toughening agent, wherein the toughening agent is a poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl acetate) resin or a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl acetate) resin;
• and
• about 0.1 to about 7 weight percent of a cure agent.

An adhesive formed from a composition comprising, based on 100 weight percent of the resin portion of the composition:

• about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a poly(arylene ether) resin having a number average molecular weight of about 8,000 to about 13,000;
• about 50 to about 90 weight percent of a thermosetting resin selected from the group consisting of cyanate esters, polyesters, epoxy, benzoxazines, benzocyclobutene resins, and mixtures thereof;
• about 1 to 15 weight percent of a toughening agent, wherein the toughening agent is a poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl acetate) resin or a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl acetate) resin;
• and
• about 0.1 to about 7 weight percent of a cure agent.

An adhesive formed from a composition comprising, based on 100 weight percent of the resin portion of the composition:

• about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a poly(arylene ether) resin, wherein the poly(arylene ether) has a number average molecular weight of about 8,000 to about 13,000, and wherein the poly(arylene ether) is the reaction product of a higher molecular weight poly(arylene ether) with a peroxide and, optionally, a phenolic compound;
• about 50 to about 90 weight percent of a thermosetting resin selected from the group consisting of cyanate esters, polyesters, epoxy, benzoxazines, benzocyclobutene resins, and mixtures thereof;
• about 0.5 to about 15 weight percent of a toughening agent selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl acetate) resins, partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl acetate) resins, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-ethylene-styrene block copolymers, and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymers;
• and
• about 0.1 to about 7 weight percent of a cure agent.

An adhesive formed from a composition comprising, based on 100 weight percent of the resin portion of the composition;

• about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a poly(arylene ether) resin having a number average molecular weight of about 8,000 to about 13,000;
• about 50 to about 90 weight percent of a thermosetting resin selected from the group consisting of cyanate esters, polyesters, epoxy, benzoxazines, benzocyclobutene resins, and mixtures thereof;
• about 0.5 to about 15 weight percent of a toughening agent comprising poly(vinyl butyral-co-polyvinyl alcohol-co-polyvinyl acetate);
• and
• about 0.1 to about 7 weight percent of a cure agent.