Abstract: A process for the manufacture of thermoplastic polymer particles include combining a first solution having a polyetherimide, a polycarbonate, or a combination thereof and an organic solvent with an aqueous solution including a surfactant, and agitating the resulting mixture using a shear force generating device operating at a preselected peripheral rotational speed to provide an emulsion. The emulsion is heated to remove the organic solvent and provide an aqueous polymer dispersion including the thermoplastic polymer particles.

Abstract: Provided are improved steam-drying systems, the systems being configured so as to multiple resin streams into steam streams.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of polycarbonate particles is disclosed herein. The process includes combining a first solution including a polycarbonate and a phosphorus-containing flame retardant or a flame retardant polycarbonate, and an organic solvent with a second solution including a surfactant and an aqueous solvent substantially immiscible with the organic solvent, under conditions of shear and temperature effective to provide an emulsion. At least a portion of the organic solvent is removed from the emulsion to provide an aqueous slurry having a plurality of particles, wherein the particles include the polycarbonate and the phosphorus-containing flame retardant or the flame retardant polycarbonate.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of polycarbonate particles is disclosed herein. The process includes combining a first solution including a polycarbonate and a phosphorus-containing flame retardant or a flame retardant polycarbonate, and an organic solvent with a second solution including a surfactant and an aqueous solvent substantially immiscible with the organic solvent, under conditions of shear and temperature effective to provide an emulsion. At least a portion of the organic solvent is removed from the emulsion to provide an aqueous slurry having a plurality of particles, wherein the particles include the polycarbonate and the phosphorus-containing flame retardant or the flame retardant polycarbonate.

Abstract: Methods for producing transparent polycarbonate articles include melting a composition at a temperature of 300 to 390° C., extruding the melted composition to form a strand, cooling the strand of extruded composition, cutting the cooled strand into pellets, drying the pellets at a temperature of 50 to 140° C. and injecting molding or extruding the pellets at a temperature of 300 to 380° C. to form an article. The composition can comprise a moisture content of 0.1 to 5 wt. % and a crystalline additive having a melting point of at least 280° C., a heat of fusion greater than or equal to 1.0 Joule/gram (J/g). The composition can be cooled to at least 20° C. below the glass transition temperature of the polycarbonate.

Abstract: Process for manufacturing a densified polymer powder comprising compressing a polymer feed that has a bulk density of less than or equal to 240 kg/m in a roll compactor comprising at least two compaction rolls to obtain a densified polymer material, wherein a gap between the two rolls is 0.5 to 10 mm, wherein the compaction rolls operate at a speed of 3 to 30 rpm, wherein an applied pressure of the roll compactor is 0.5 to 5 MPa, and milling the densified polymer material to obtain a densified polymer powder, wherein a bulk density of the densified polymer powder is greater than or equal to 250 kg/m3.

Abstract: A process for drying resinous materials, comprising: delivering, by way of a plurality of resin channels, resin fluid comprising polymer and solvent into at least first and second steam channels (101) having within a flow of steam, the first and second steam channels (101) each receiving resin fluid from a plurality of resin channels, the first and second steam channels each (101) being received by a stage 1 manifold (121), the steam and resin being delivered under conditions so as to separate at least some of the solvent from the resin fluid; and collecting at least some of the polymer from the resin fluid.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of producing phosgene in a tube reactor comprises introducing a feed comprising carbon monoxide and chlorine to a tube of the reactor, the tube having a particulate catalyst disposed therein, wherein a thermally conductive material separate from the tube contacts at least a portion of the particulate catalyst; to produce a product composition comprising phosgene, and carbon tetrachloride in an amount of 0 to 10 ppm by volume based on the volume of the phosgene.

Abstract: Methods for producing transparent polycarbonate articles include melting a composition at a temperature of 300 to 390° C., extruding the melted composition to form a strand, cooling the strand of extruded composition, cutting the cooled strand into pellets, drying the pellets at a temperature of 50 to 140° C. and injecting molding or extruding the pellets at a temperature of 300 to 380° C. to form an article. The composition can comprise a moisture content of 0.1 to 5 wt. % and a crystalline additive having a melting point of at least 280° C., a heat of fusion greater than or equal to 1.0 Joule/gram (J/g). The composition can be cooled to at least 20° C. below the glass transition temperature of the polycarbonate.

Abstract: Provided are improved steam-drying systems, the systems being configured so as to multiple resin streams into steam streams.

Abstract: A process for drying resinous materials, comprising: delivering, by way of a plurality of resin channels, resin fluid comprising polymer and solvent into at least first and second steam channels (101) having within a flow of steam, the first and second steam channels (101) each receiving resin fluid from a plurality of resin channels, the first and second steam channels each (101) being received by a stage 1 manifold (121), the steam and resin being delivered under conditions so as to separate at least some of the solvent from the resin fluid; and collecting at least some of the polymer from the resin fluid.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a polycarbonate polymerization process comprises interfacially polymerizing a carbonate compound and dihydroxy compound in the presence of an interfacial catalyst to form a polycarbonate and adding a viscosity reducing agent and a transesterification catalyst to polycarbonate upstream of a first filter to form an adjusted polycarbonate. The first filter can be replaced with a replacement filter and the adjusted polycarbonate can be introduced to the replacement filter. The flow can be diverted to a replacement filter. The process further comprises reducing the addition rate of the viscosity reducing agent and the transesterification catalyst until the addition rate is 0 mol/hr.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a polycarbonate polymerization process comprises interfacially polymerizing a carbonate compound and dihydroxy compound in the presence of an interfacial catalyst to form a polycarbonate and adding a viscosity reducing agent and a transesterification catalyst to polycarbonate upstream of a first filter to form an adjusted polycarbonate. The first filter can be replaced with a replacement filter and the adjusted polycarbonate can be introduced to the replacement filter. The flow can be diverted to a replacement filter. The process further comprises reducing the addition rate of the viscosity reducing agent and the transesterification catalyst until the addition rate is 0 mol/hr.

Abstract: Process for manufacturing a densified polymer powder comprising compressing a polymer feed that has a bulk density of less than or equal to 240 kg/m in a roll compactor comprising at least two compaction rolls to obtain a densified polymer material, wherein a gap between the two rolls is 0.5 to 10 mm, wherein the compaction rolls operate at a speed of 3 to 30 rpm, wherein an applied pressure of the roll compactor is 0.5 to 5 MPa, and milling the densified polymer material to obtain a densified polymer powder, wherein a bulk density of the densified polymer powder is greater than or equal to 250 kg/m3.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of producing a carbonate comprises reacting carbon monoxide and chlorine in a phosgene reactor in the presence of a catalyst to produce a first product comprising phosgene; wherein carbon tetrachloride is present in the first product in an amount of 0 to 10 ppm by volume based on the total volume of phosgene; and reacting a monohydroxy compound with the phosgene to produce the carbonate; wherein the phosgene reactor comprises a tube, a shell, and a space located between the tube and the shell; wherein the tube comprises one or more of a mini-tube section and a second tube section; a first concentric tube concentrically located in the shell; a twisted tube; an internal scaffold; and an external scaffold.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of producing carbonate can comprise: reacting a feed comprising carbon monoxide and chlorine in a tube of a reactor to produce a product composition comprising phosgene, wherein the tube has a particulate catalyst contained therein, wherein a thermally conductive material separate from the tube contacts at least a portion of the particulate catalyst, and wherein carbon tetrachloride is present in the product composition in an amount of 0 to 10 ppm by volume based on the volume of the phosgene; and reacting a monohydroxy compound with the phosgene to produce the carbonate.

Abstract: A reactor for producing phosgene, the reactor comprising: tube located in a shell and a space located between the tube and the shell; a cooling medium located in the space and a catalyst located in the tube or cooling medium located in the tube and a catalyst located in the space; a feed inlet; and a product mixture outlet; wherein the tube comprises one or more of: a mini-tube and a second tube section; a first concentric tube concentrically located in the shell; a twisted tube; an internal scaffold; and an external scaffold.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a process of purifying a polycarbonate from an interfacial polymerization product mixture comprising an aqueous phase and an organic phase comprising a first organic solvent, the polycarbonate, a catalyst, and ions, the process comprises: separating the aqueous phase and the organic phase to form a separated aqueous feed stream and a separated organic stream; extracting the catalyst and the ions from the separated organic stream to form a purified polycarbonate stream and an extracted aqueous feed stream, wherein at least one of the separated aqueous feed stream and the extracted aqueous feed stream comprise an organic portion and an aqueous portion; purifying an aqueous stream comprising one or both of the separated aqueous feed stream and the extracted aqueous feed stream by adjusting a viscosity of the organic portion to be less than or equal to 40 centipoise by adding a second organic solvent to the aqueous stream to form a combined stream; optionally, adjusting a ratio of the aqueous po

Abstract: In another embodiment, a process of purifying an interfacially polymerized polycarbonate from a feed comprising an aqueous phase and an organic phase comprising an organic solvent, the interfacially polymerized polycarbonate, a catalyst, and ions, can comprise: separating the aqueous phase and the organic phase from the feed, wherein during the separating the feed is subjected to at least one of: energy of less than or equal to 0.5 kJ/kg of feed, a shear rate of less than 150,000 S?1, and centrifugal forces of 100 to 2,000 g-force; to form a purified aqueous phase and a purified organic phase comprising a purified polycarbonate.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a process of purifying a polycarbonate comprises: polymerizing a dihydroxy compound and a carbonate source via an interfacial reaction in the presence of a catalyst to form a product mixture comprising an aqueous phase and an organic phase, wherein the organic phase comprises the polycarbonate, the catalyst, ions, and a solvent having a boiling point Tb; heating the product mixture to greater than or equal to Tb; separating the aqueous phase and the organic phase at a temperature greater than or equal to Tb to form a separated organic phase and a separated aqueous phase; extracting the catalyst from the separated organic phase; and extracting the ions from the separated organic phase; wherein if a centrifuge is used in the extracting of the catalyst, the extracting of the ions, or both, the process further comprises cooling a stream entering the centrifuge to less than Tb.