Multicomponent polyolefin - block copolymer - polymer blends

Claim 2

A composition comprising the admixture obtained by intimately mixing about 4 to about 40 parts by weight of a block copolymer, about 5 to about 48 parts by weight of at least one dissimilar engineering thermoplastic, and a polyolefin in a weight ratio of polyolefin to dissimilar engineering thermoplastic of at least 1:1, so as to form a polyblend wherein at least two of the polymers have at least partial continuous interlocked networks with each other and wherein: (a) said block copolymer comprises at least two monoalkenyl arene polymer end blocks A and at least one substantially completely hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer mid block B, said block copolymer having an 8 to 55 percent by weight monoalkenyl arene polymer block content, each polymer block A having an average molecular weight of between about 5,000 and about 125,000, and each polymer block B having an average molecular weight of between about 10,000 and about 300,000; (b) said polyolefin has a molecular weight in excess of about 10,000 and an apparent crystalline melting point of between about 100° C and about 250° C; and (c) said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic resin is capable of forming a continuous structure and is selected from the group consisting of poly(aryl ethers), poly(aryl sulfones) and acetal resins.

Claim 3

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said block copolymer monoalkenyl arene is styrene and said block copolymer conjugated diene is selected from isoprene and butadiene.

Claim 4

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said block copolymer has an ABA linear structure.

Claim 5

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said block copolymer has a branched structure.

Claim 6

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said block copolymer has a radial structure.

Claim 7

A composition according to claim 3 wherein said block copolymer is a selectively hydrogenated block copolymer of styrene and butadiene, said butadiene having a 1,2 content of between about 35% and 55%.

Claim 8

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, isotactic polypropylene, poly(1-butene), poly(4-methyl-1-pentene), copolymers of 4-methyl-1-pentene with linear or branched alpha-olefins, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 9

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said polyolefin is isotactic polypropylene.

Claim 10

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said polyolefin is high density polyethylene.

Claim 11

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic is a poly(aryl ether) or poly(aryl sulfone).

Claim 12

A composition according to claim 8 wherein said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic is a poly(aryl sulfone).

Claim 13

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic is an acetal resin.

Claim 14

A composition according to claim 8 wherein said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic is an acetal resin.

Claim 15

A composition according to claim 1 which contains about 2 to about 80 percent by weight glass fibers.

Claim 16

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the block copolymer, polyolefin, and dissimilar engineering thermoplastic are melt blended under essentially isoviscous blending conditions.

Claim 17

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the block copolymer, polyolefin, and dissimilar engineering thermoplastic are solution blended.

Claim 18

A composition comprising the mixture obtained by intimately mixing about 4 to about 40 parts by weight of a block copolymer, about 5 to about 48 parts by weight of at least one dissimilar engineering thermoplastic, and a polyolefin in a weight ratio of polyolefin to dissimilar engineering thermoplastic of at least 1:1 under essentially isoviscous melt blending conditions so as to form a polyblend wherein at least two of the polymers have at least partial continuous interlocked networks with each other and wherein: (a) said block copolymer comprises at least two monoalkenyl arene polymer end blocks A and at least one substantially completely hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer mid block B, said block copolymer hving an 8 to 55 percent by weight monoalkenyl arene polymer block content, each polymer block A having an average molecular weight of between about 5,000 and about 125,000, and each polymer block B having an average molecular weight of between about 10,000 and about 300,000; (b) said polyolefin has a molecular weight in excess of about 10,000 and an apparent crystalline melting point of between about 100° C and about 250° C; and (c) said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic resin is capable of forming a continuous structure and is selected from the group consisting of poly(aryl ethers), poly(aryl sulfones) and acetal resins.

Claim 19

A composition comprising the mixture obtained by intimately mixing about 4 to about 40 parts by weight of a block copolymer, about 5 to about 48 parts by weight of at least one dissimilar engineering thermoplastic, and a polyolefin in a weight ratio of polyolefin to dissimilar engineering thermoplastic of at least 1:1 under essentially isoviscous melt blending conditions so as to form a polyblend wherein at least two of the polymers have at least partial continuous interlocked networks with each other and wherein: (a) said block copolymer comprises at least two monoalkenyl arene polymer end blocks A and at least one substantially completely hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer mid block B, said block copolymer hving an 8 to 55 percent by weight monoalkenyl arene polymer block content, each polymer block A having an average molecular weight of between about 5,000 and about 125,000, and each polymer block B having an average molecular weight of between about 10,000 and about 300,000; (b) said polyolefin has a molecular weight in excess of about 10,000 and an apparent crystalline melting point of between about 100° C and about 250° C; and (c) said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic resin is capable of forming a continuous structure and is selected from the group consisting of poly(aryl ethers), poly(aryl sulfones) and acetal resins.

Claim 20

A composition according to claim 17 wherein the viscosity ratio of the viscosity of the block copolymer divided by the viscosity of the polyolefin, dissimilar engineering thermoplastic, or mixture of polyolefin and dissimilar engineering thermoplastic is between about 0.2 and about 4.0 at the processing temperature Tp.

Claim 21

A composition according to claim 18 wherein said viscosity ratio is between about 0.8 and about 1.2.

Claim 22

A composition according to claim 8 wherein said processing temperature Tp is between about 150° C and about 400° C.

Claim 23

A composition according to claim 1 which contains between about 10 and about 100 parts by weight of a viscosity modifier per 100 parts by weight of said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic.

Claim 24

A composition according to claim 21 wherein the viscosity modifier is selected from the group consisting of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)oxide and blends of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)oxide with polystyrene.

Claim 25

A composition according to claim 1 which contains about 2 to about 80 percent by weight of a filler.

Claim 26

A composition according to claim 1 which contains about 2 to about 80 percent by weight of a reinforcement.

Claim 27

A process for stabilizing a blend of a polyolefin and a dissimilar engineering thermoplastic which process comprises intimately mixing the polyolefin and dissimilar engineering thermoplastic with a block copolymer under essentially isoviscous mixing conditions wherein: (a) said block copolymer comprises at least two monoalkenyl arene polymer end blocks A and at least one substantially completely hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer mid block B, said block copolymer having an 8 to 55 percent by weight monoalkenyl arene polymer block content, each polymer block A having an average molecular weight of between about 5,000 and about 125,000, and each polymer block B having an average molecular weight of between about 10,000 and about 300,000; (b) said polyolefin has a molecular weight in excess of about 10,000 and an apparent crystalline melting point of between about 100° C and about 250° C and (c) said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic resin is capable of forming a continuous sructure and is selected from the group consisting of poly(aryl ethers), poly(aryl sulfones) and acetal resins.

Claim 28

A process for stabilizing a blend of a polyolefin and a dissimilar engineering thermoplastic which process comprises intimately mixing the polyolefin and dissimilar engineering thermoplastic with a block copolymer under essentially isoviscous mixing conditions wherein: (a) said block copolymer comprises at least two monoalkenyl arene polymer end blocks A and at least one substantially completely hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer mid block B, said block copolymer having an 8 to 55 percent by weight monoalkenyl arene polymer block content, each polymer block A having an average molecular weight of between about 5,000 and about 125,000, and each polymer block B having an average molecular weight of between about 10,000 and about 300,000; (b) said polyolefin has a molecular weight in excess of about 10,000 and an apparent crystalline melting point of between about 100° C and about 250° C and (c) said dissimilar engineering thermoplastic resin is capable of forming a continuous sructure and is selected from the group consisting of poly(aryl ethers), poly(aryl sulfones) and acetal resins.

Claim 29

A process according to claim 25 wherein the viscosity ratio of the viscosity of the block copolymer divided by the viscosity of the polyolefin, dissimilar engineering thermoplastic, or mixture of polyolefin and dissimilar engineering thermoplastic is between about 0.2 and about 4.0 at processing temperature Tp.

Claim 30

A process according to claim 26 wherein said processing temperature is between about 150° C and about 400° C.