Abstract: Disclosed is a method for removing impurities from products derived from oxidation of an ortho-dialkylaromatic compound which comprises at least one step selected from the group consisting of extraction of an aqueous solution comprising aromatic dicarboxylic acid product with an organic solvent and extraction of an organic solution comprising aromatic anhydride product with an aqueous bicarbonate solution for a time period insufficient to allow hydrolysis of anhydride to acid.

Abstract: Thermally stable polymers comprising chain members derived from at least one 1,3-dihydroxybenzene moiety and at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid moiety, said polymer being substantially free of anhydride linkages linking at least two mers of the polymer chain, are prepared using an interfacial method comprising the steps of: (a) combining at least one 1,3-dihydroxybenzene moiety and at least one catalyst in a mixture of water and at least one organic solvent substantially immiscible with water; (b) adding to the mixture from (a) a controlled stoichiometric ratio of at least one acid chloride and at least one base while maintaining the pH between about 4 and about 8.5, and (c) adjusting the pH of the reaction mixture to a value in the range of about 7 and about 9 following complete addition of acid chloride, and stirring the reaction mixture for a time sufficient to destroy any anhydride linkages in the polymer chain.

Abstract: A melt polymerization method is presented which permits the efficient preparation of copolycarbonates in which one or more of the constituent dihydroxy. aromatic compounds employed is relatively volatile, having a boiling point of less than about 340° C. Relatively volatile dihydroxy aromatic compounds are illustrated by dihydroxybenzenes such as hydroquinone, methyl hydroquinone and resorcinol. Known methods for the preparation of members of this class of copolycarbonates, such as the melt reaction of bisphenol A and resorcinol diphenyl carbonate in the presence of sodium hydroxide and tetraalkylammonium salt catalyst systems, suffer losses in efficiency due to the resorcinol being entrained out of the polymerization mixture with by-product phenol. Catalyst systems including quaternary phosphonium salts are shown to have improved performance with respect to the amount of volatile dihydroxy aromatic compound actually incorporated into the product copolycarbonate.

Abstract: Solid blends of rubbery polymers and amorphous or crystalline polymers, said blends being free-flowing at temperatures lower than the glass transition temperature or crystalline melting temperature of the amorphous or crystalline polymer, are prepared by intimate mixing procedures. In general, said mixing conditions include high shear conditions sufficient to convert polymer A to dispersed particles coated with polymer B and produce a free-flowing powder blend.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a synthetic method comprising contacting at least one diaryl carbonate with one or more dihydroxy aromatic compounds in the presence of a transesterification catalyst under melt polymerization conditions to afford a product polycarbonate. The transesterifcation catalysts used according to the method of the present invention are azonaphthalene sulfonates in combination with tetraalkylammonium or tetraalkylphosphonium compounds which serve as co-catalysts. The transesterification catalysts employed according to the method of the present invention provide polycarbonates having reduced levels of Fries rearrangement product relative to conventionally employed catalysts such as sodium hydroxide in combination with tetramethylammonium hydroxide co-catalyst.

Abstract: Epoxy resin compositions are disclosed which comprise (A) at least one silicone epoxy resin, (B) at least one hydroxyl-containing compound, (C) at least one anhydride curing agent, (D) at least one ancillary curing catalyst, and optionally at least one of thermal stabilizers, UV stabilizers, cure modifiers, coupling agents, or refractive index modifiers. Also disclosed are packaged solid state devices comprising a package, a chip (4), and an encapsulant (11) comprising an epoxy resin composition of the invention. A method of encapsulating a solid state device is also provided.

Abstract: Aromatic polyethers are prepared by displacement polymerization reaction in the presence of a water-immiscible solvent with density ratio to water in a range of between about 0.9:1 and about 1.1:1 measured at a temperature in a range of between about 20° C. and about 25° C. The polyethers are purified by processes comprising aqueous extraction, or filtration, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A device and method for the high throughput screening of the abrasion resistance of coatings. The device includes a plurality of transducers, each of the plurality of transducers having at least one external surface, and a plurality of coatings, each of the plurality of coatings deposited onto the external surface(s) of one of the plurality of transducers. The device also includes a plurality of oscillation sources, coupled to the plurality of transducers, for generating and applying an oscillation potential to each of the plurality of transducers. Further, the device includes a plurality of oscillation detectors, coupled to the plurality of transducers, for measuring the oscillation frequency and a variation in oscillation frequency associated with abrasion resistance in each of the plurality of transducers. The method includes exposing each of the plurality of coatings to an abrasive material, the abrasive material causing a change in mass and/or viscoelastic property in each of the plurality of coatings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a synthetic method in which one or more diaryl carbonates is reacted with one or more dihydroxy aromatic compounds in the presence of a transesterification catalyst under melt polymerization conditions to afford a product polycarbonate. The transesterifcation catalysts used according to the method of the present invention are alkali metal salts and alkaline earth metal salts of antimony oxides or germanium oxides in combination with tetraalkyl ammonium or tetraalkyl phosphonium compounds which serve as co-catalysts. The antimony oxide derivative “tartar emetic”, structure IV, was shown to possess excellent activity as a transesterifcation catalyst for the preparation of polycarbonate under melt polymerization conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a synthetic method in which one or more diaryl carbonates is reacted with one or more dihydroxy aromatic compounds in the presence of a transesterification catalyst under melt polymerization conditions to afford a product polycarbonate. The transesterifcation catalysts used according to the method of the present invention are alkali metal salts and alkaline earth metal salts of heterocyclic diols in combination with tetraalkylammonium or tetraalkylphosphonium compounds which serve as co-catalysts. The furan diol derivative dimethyl 3,4-dihydroxy-2,5-furandiacarboxylate disodium salt, structure IV, was shown to possess excellent activity as a transesterifcation catalyst for the preparation of polycarbonate under melt polymerization conditions.

Abstract: A method of preparing polyestercarbonates is presented in which a mixture of at least one activated diaryl carbonate is reacted under melt polymerization conditions with at least one aromatic dihydroxy compound together with at least one dicarboxylic acid. Polyestercarbonates possessing up to about percent 10 mole dicarboxylic acid residues based on the total amount of structural units derived from aromatic dihydroxy compounds are obtained. The method provides both for high levels of incorporation of the dicarboxylic acid into the polyestercarbonate backbone and a high level of polymer endcapping.

Abstract: Inclusion of relatively small amounts of organic ionic species, such as calcium stearate, in the preparation of an electrically conductive polymer composite composition provides a composition having enhanced electrical properties relative to the composite composition lacking the added organic ionic species. As a result of this enhancement, normally insulating materials which rely upon a conductive filler to render them electrically conductive, can be made to achieve a given level of conductivity using less of the conductive filler than would otherwise be required. As a result, the adverse effects of the conductive filler on the polymer's physical properties can be minimized while maintaining a high level of electrical conductivity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a synthetic method in which one or more diaryl carbonates is reacted with one or more dihydroxy aromatic compounds in the presence of a transesterification catalyst under melt polymerization conditions to afford a product polycarbonate. The transesterifcation catalysts used according to the method of the present invention are alkali metal salts and alkaline earth metal salts of organic phosphates in combination with tetraalkylammonium or tetraalkylphosphonium compounds which serve as co-catalysts. The organic phosphate derivative adenosine 5′-monophosphate disodium salt was shown to possess excellent activity as a transesterifcation catalyst for the preparation of polycarbonate under melt polymerization conditions.

Abstract: High molecular weight polycarbonates are prepared from hindered bisphenols in a reaction sequence involving conversion of the hindered bisphenol to the corresponding bischloroformate and subsequent treatment with an amine catalyst and aqueous base to effect polymerization by hydrolysis and condensation of the bischloroformate groups. Tertiary aliphatic and cycloaliphatic amine catalysts bearing at least one methyl group are found to be especially effective in promoting this polymerization reaction. Reaction rates and selectivities are shown to be superior to known methods employing tertiary amines lacking methyl groups attached to nitrogen, such as triethylamine. The inclusion of chain stoppers allows the preparation of well defined mixtures of polycarbonate oligomers from hindered bisphenols. Additionally, the methodology may be used to prepare symmetrical diaryl carbonates from hindered phenols.

Abstract: A method and system are provided that efficiently compound high levels of inorganic filler, processing fluid and silicone polymer at a commercial rate into homogeneous filled and devolatilized silicone compositions. In the method, filled silicone compositions are compounded by compounding a filler, processing fluid and silicone polymer in a first compounding apparatus to produce a first dispersed composition and simultaneously compounding a filler, processing fluid and silicone polymer in a second compounding apparatus that shares a common extruder shaft with the first compounding apparatus to produce a second dispersed composition. The system comprises a first compounding apparatus and a sequential second compounding apparatus that shares a common shaft with the first compounding apparatus.

Abstract: A catalyst system for economically producing aromatic carbonates from aromatic hydroxy compounds. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a carbonylation catalyst system that includes a catalytic amount of an inorganic co-catalyst containing ytterbium. In various alternative embodiments, the carbonylation catalyst system can include an effective amount of a palladium source and an effective amount of a halide composition. Further alternative embodiments can include catalytic amounts of various inorganic co-catalyst combinations.

Abstract: In a continuous flow reactor one or more bisphenols is converted by the action of phosgene and aqueous base into a mixture of mono- and bisphenol chloroformates which are then treated with a catalyst, additional aqueous caustic and a monophenol to afford endcapped polycarbonates. At relatively high levels of added monophenol endcapped polycarbonate oligomers are obtained. The method is especially suited for the continuous preparation of endcapped oligomers of tetrabromobisphenol A polycarbonate. The method is characterized by efficient use of phosgene, and conversion of chloroformate groups to carbonate linkages aided by trialkylamine catalysts bearing at least one methyl group on nitrogen, such as N,N-dimethylbutylamine (DMBA).

Abstract: A compound comprises a blocked halogenated hydroxydiphenyl ether of the formula: where X1 is a halogen, X2 is chlorine or bromine, X3 is hydrogen, chlorine or bromine, X4 is chlorine, bromine, alkyl having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, —CHO, —CN or —NH2, X5 is chlorine, bromine, methyl, trichloromethyl, —CHO, —CN or —NH2, n is 1 or 2, and R is an ether linkage inhibiting group.

Abstract: Polycarbonates containing low or undetectable levels of Fries rearrangement product may be prepared by the melt reaction of a dihydroxy aromatic compound such as bisphenol A with an ester-substituted diaryl carbonate such as the diaryl carbonate of methyl salicylate, bis-methyl salicyl carbonate. Low levels of Fries product are obtained as the combined result of a highly effective catalyst system which suppresses the Fries reaction and the use of lower melt polymerization temperatures relative to temperatures required for the analogous polymerization reaction using diphenyl carbonate.

Abstract: In a rapid and non-invasive method for characterizing aromatic polycarbonates, fluorescence intensities are determined at least two wavelength ranges and used to calculate a compositional or physical property of the sample. The method is suitable for determining the relative amounts of linear and branched polycarbonates, and it is fast enough to monitor the progress of polymerization reactions.