General Electric Company

Robert A Florence

Sterling B Brown

John Robert Campbell

Robert E Williams, Jr

Paul Dean Sybert

John A Tyrell

Choong Y Han

Dennis J McFay

William Lee Gately

Paul M Conroy

Compositions containing polyphenylene ether-poly(alkylene dicarboxylate) copolymers are prepared by a reaction between the two polymers and, optionally, at least one functionalizing agent therefor. The functionalizing agent may first be reacted with the polyphenylene ether and the resulting functionalized polyphenylene ether in turn reacted with a functionalized or unfunctionalized poly(alkylene dicarboxylate). Alternatively, an unfunctionalized or hydroxyalkyl-functionalized polyphenylene ether may be incorporated in a conventional polyester-forming reaction. The copolymer-containing compositions are characterized by a number of desirable properties including high impact strength and solvent resistance.

Polyphenylene ether-polyester copolymers, precursors therefor,

Polymer blends having improved impact resistance and structural integrity comprise at least one aromatic polymer such as polyphenylene oxide, optionally in combination with a styrene homopolymer; at least one elastomer containing highly polar ionic (e.g., sulfonate or carboxylate) substituents, such as a sulfonated EPDM rubber or a zwitterionic polysiloxane sulfonate; and at least one substituted aromatic polymer in which the substituents are highly polar ionic substituents, such as a sulfonated polyphenylene oxide or styrene-sodium acrylate copolymer. The compositions preferably also contain at least one plasticizer.

Polymer blends containing ionomeric elastomers

Ionomers such as sulfonated polystyrenes are isolated from solutions in organic solvents (e.g., methylene chloride) in the salt form (usually the ammonium or amine salt form) by blending the ionomer solution with a solution of a salt in an organic liquid which is substantially a non-solvent for said ionomer. The salt is one in which the counterion is identical to that of the ionomer or below it in the ion affinity sequence, and is preferably an ammonium salt, especially ammonium chloride. The preferred organic liquid is methanol. The method enables recovery of the precipitated ionomer in finely divided, granular form rather than in colloidal condition.

Method for isolating ionomers in the salt form

A method is provided for producing aminoalkyl-siloxane polymers of a high molecular weight by hydrolyzing a difunctional aminoalkyl-silane prior to incorporation into the siloxane polymer. The high molecular weight siloxane polymers obtained may be converted to zwitterionic siloxane rubbers with excellent engineering properties and integrity.

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Pittsfield, MA, United States of America

Robert A Florence