General Electric Company

General Electric Corporation Gmbh

Ruud Trion

Adrianus J F M Braat

Hugh Ingelbrecht

Hugo G E Ingelbrecht

Peter Alexander Knops

Hugo Ingelbrecht

A process for removal of a catalyst from a polymerization reaction mixture, comprises adding at least one polar solution to the reaction mixture to form a first at least two phase mixture, wherein one phase of the first at least two phase mixture is a first polymer phase; liquid/liquid centrifuging the first at least two phase mixture to separate the phases; removing the first polymer phase from the first at least two phase mixture; adding water to the first polymer phase to form a second at least two phase mixture, where one phase of the second at least two phase mixture is a second polymer phase; and separating the second polymer phase from the second at least two phase mixture.

Poly (arylene ether) and process for making the same

Process for the manufacture of low molecular weight polyphenylene ether resins

The invention relates to a novel process for the manufacture of very low molecular weight polyphenylene ether resin, typically within the intrinsic viscosity range of about 0.08 dl/g to about 0.16 dl/g as measured in chloroform at 25&deg; C. The method preferably comprises 2,6-dimethylphenol as a monovalent phenol species. The invention also relates to the polyphenylene ether resin made by the process as well as blends and articles containing the polyphenylene ether resin made by the process.

The present invention relates to substantially pure poly(arylene ether), e.g. purities exceeding about 99%, and to a method for making the same. The method which eliminates multiple rinses with a complexing reagent includes removing the catalyst from the polymerization mixture by mixing the polymerization mixture with a complexing reagent and liquid/liquid centrifuging the multiphase mixture. Water is then added to the polymer phase prior to a subsequent liquid/liquid centrifuge process. Once the catalyst has been sufficiently removed, the polymer can be concentrated in a flash vessel (which is not heated) by introducing a heated polymer phase to the vessel at a high pressure and quickly reducing the pressure. The concentrated polymer can then be introduced to an extruder to produce the high purity polymer. Due to the introduction of low molecular weight poly(arylene ether) at the intake zone of the extruder, essentially pure poly(arylene ether) can be isolated by this process. By combining the extruder process with an underwater pelletizer, thus providing extremely rapid cooling of the polymer melt when it exits the extruder and contacts air, much better color and lower amount of black specs in the final product is obtained.

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Ruud Trion