Low molecular weight polyphenylene ether prepared without solvents

摘要

Low molecular weight polyphenylene ether (PPE) is made from higher molecular weight PPE without using solvents by extruding the higher molecular weight PPE with a phenolic modifier and a redistribution catalyst. The low molecular weight PPE has a Mw/Mn polydispersity greater than about 2 and a Mn ranging from about 10,000 to about 20,000.

主权项

1. A method of reducing number average molecular weight of a high molecular weight polyphenylene ether polymer from a number average molecular weight of from about 34,000 to about 53,000 grams/mole to a number average molecular weight of from about 10,000 to about 20,000 grams/mole, comprising the steps of:
(a) introducing the high polymer weight polyphenylene ether polymer, a phenolic modifier, and a redistribution catalyst into the throat of a polymer melt-mixing extruder and (b) propelling the high molecular weight polyphenylene ether polymer, the phenolic modifier, and redistribution catalyst at a sufficient temperature to melt the high molecular weight polymer and for a sufficient duration in the extruder to permit the phenolic modifier to break the high molecular weight polyphenylene ether polymer into a low molecular weight polyphenylene ether having a number average molecular weight of from about 10,000 to about 20,000 grams/mole, wherein no solvent is present in step (a) or step (b), and wherein the low molecular weight polyphenylene ether has a polydispersity (Mw/Mn) of greater than about 2.