Optimized emulsion drying process for making micronized polyetherimide polymers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016145391-A1
Application number	US-201514924474-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A process for making ultra-fine particles of a high performance polymer in a yield greater than 90%, which includes dissolving the high performance polymer in an organic solvent capable of dissolving the polymer to form a solution; emulsifying the solution by combining the solution with water and a surfactant to form an emulsion; transferring the emulsion into a receiving water containing a surfactant to remove the organic solvent and form a slurry; and recovering particles of less than 75 microns in diameter in a yield greater than 90%.

First claim

1 .- 34 . (canceled)

35 . Ultra-fine particles of a high performance polymer in a yield greater than 90%, produced by the process comprising:
a. dissolving the high performance polymer in an organic solvent capable of dissolving the polymer to form a solution; b. emulsifying the solution by combining the solution with water and a surfactant to form an emulsion; c. transferring the emulsion into a receiving water containing a surfactant to remove the organic solvent and form a slurry; and, d. recovering particles of <75-micron diameter in a yield greater than 90%.

36 . The ultra-fine particles according to claim 35 , produced by the process further comprising filtering the slurry to form a wet cake.

37 . The ultra-fine particles according to claim 35 , produced by the process further comprising at least one of washing or re-slurrying the wet cake with de-ionized water.

38 . The ultra-fine particles of claim 35 , wherein the high performance polymer comprises polyetherimide and the polyetherimide particles have a particle size of less than 75 microns.

39 . The ultra-fine particles of claim 38 , wherein the polyetherimide comprises (a) a polyetherimide resin, and (b) a phosphorus-containing stabilizer, in an amount that is effective to increase the melt stability of the polyetherimide resin, wherein the phosphorus-containing stabilizer exhibits a low volatility such that, as measured by thermogravimetric analysis of an initial amount of a sample of the phosphorus-containing stabilizer, greater than or equal to 10 percent by weight of the initial, amount of the sample remains unevaporated upon heating of the sample from room temperature to 300° C. at a heating rate of a 20° C. per minute under an inert atmosphere.

40 . The ultra-fine particles of claim 39 , wherein the phosphorous-containing stabilizer has a formula P—R′ a where R′ is independently H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, or oxy substituent and a is 3 or 4.

41 . Ultra-fine particles of polyetherimide, wherein the polyetherimide comprises (a) a polyetherimide resin, and (b) a phosphorus-containing stabilizer, in an amount that is effective to increase the melt stability of the polyetherimide resin, wherein the phosphorus-containing stabilizer exhibits a low volatility such that, as measured by thermogravimetric analysis of an initial amount of a sample of the phosphorus-containing stabilizer, greater than or equal to 10 percent by weight of the initial amount of the sample remains unevaporated upon heating of the sample from room temperature to 300° C. at a heating rate of a 20° C. per minute under an inert atmosphere; and the polyetherimide particles have a particle size of less than 75 microns.

42 . The ultra-fine particles of claim 41 , wherein the phosphorous-containing stabilizer has a formula P—R′ a , where R′ is independently H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, or oxy substituent and a is 3 or 4.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Kalyanaraman Viswanathan
• Owens Donald
• Johnson Norman
• Stella Albert
• Woodruff David
• Howson Paul

Classifications

• C08K3/32

  Phosphorus-containing compounds · CPC title

• Y10T428/2982

  Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.] · CPC title

• C08J3/14

  by precipitation from solutions {(C08J3/122 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C08J2379/08

  Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors · CPC title

• C08G73/1046 Primary

  Polyimides containing oxygen in the form of ether bonds in the main chain · CPC title