General Electric Company

Irwin Schraga

Glenn D Cooper

Daniel Edwin Floryan

There is provided a process for improving the color of resinous compositions consisting of, or including, polyphenylene ether resins by contacting such resins with an amine. The process is carried out generally at elevated temperatures and pressures with either a primary, secondary or tertiary amine.

Process for improving the color of resinous compositions

A complex of polyphenylene ether resin and methylene chloride obtained by polymerizing a phenol in methylene chloride and then cooling the mixture to cause the complex to precipitate, is mixed with a vinyl aromatic compound, e.g., styrene monomer, heated to decompose the complex and remove methylene chloride from the blend, and thereafter the vinyl aromatic compound is polymerized. The products are useful as molding resins and the like.

Process for the preparation of vinyl aromatic-modified polyphenylene

A novel process is disclosed for the polymerization of phenols, e.g., xylenols, and recovery of polyphenylene ethers from the polymerization mixture. The method is based on the use of hot methylene chloride as a reaction solvent, elevated oxygen pressure and separation of the polyphenylene ether as a solid complex with methylene chloride upon cooling. Also a feature is the recycle and recovery of methylene chloride.

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Guilderland, NY, United States of America

Irwin Schraga