Abstract: This invention relates to organic salt compositions useful in the preparation of organoclay compositions, polymer-organoclay composite compositions, and methods for the preparation of polymer nanocomposites. In one embodiment, the present invention provides novel organophosphonium salts having structure I wherein Ar1, Ar2, and Ar3 are independently C2-C50 aromatic radicals; Ar4 is a bond or a C2-C50 aromatic radical; “a” is a number from 1 to about 200; “c” is a number from 0 to 3; R1 is independently at each occurrence a halogen atom, a C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a C5-C20 cycloaliphatic radical, or a C2-C20 aromatic radical; R2 is a halogen atom, a C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a C5-C20 cycloaliphatic radical, a C2-C50 aromatic radical, or a polymer chain; and X? is a charge balancing counterion. In another embodiment, the present invention provides methodologies for the preparation of organophosphonium salts having structure I.

Abstract: This invention relates to organic salt compositions useful in the preparation of organoclay compositions, polymer-organoclay composite compositions, and methods for the preparation of polymer nanocomposites. In one embodiment, the present invention provides an organoclay composition comprising alternating inorganic silicate layers and organic layers, said organic layers comprising a quaternary phosphonium cation having structure X wherein Ar1, Ar2, and Ar3 are independently C2-C50 aromatic radicals; Ar4 is a bond or a C2-C50 aromatic radical; “a” is a number from 1 to about 200; “c” is a number from 0 to 3; R1 is independently at each occurrence a halogen atom, a C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a C5-C20 cycloaliphatic radical, or a C2-C20 aromatic radical; and R2 is a halogen atom, a C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a C5-C20 cycloaliphatic radical, a C2-C50 aromatic radical, or a polymer chain.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a polyetherimide film and multilayer structure are provided. In one embodiment the polyetherimide film has a glass transition temperature that ranges from about 260° C. to about 350° C. and the polyetherimide has a melt viscosity range from about 200 to about 10,000 Pascal-seconds at 425° C. as measured by ASTM method D3835.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a polymer composition are provided. In one embodiment the polymer composition includes, by weight, from about 50% to about 95% polyetherimide resin and from about 5% to about 50% inorganic substance. The polymer composition when formed into a film has a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than about 50 ppm/° C.