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EP-4314112-B1 - PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PARTICLES COMPRISING POLYARYLENE (ETHER) SULFONE

EP4314112B1EP 4314112 B1EP4314112 B1EP 4314112B1EP-4314112-B1

Inventors

  • GRAESSEL, GEORG
  • WITT, UWE
  • GREENING, GIORGIO
  • KAYIHAN, Filiz

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220325

Claims (13)

  1. A process for the production of particles comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone, comprising the agglomeration of fine-particle material comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone (educt), where (i) the moisture content of the educt, based on the total weight of the educt and determined on the basis of the moisture escaping from the starting material heated to 160°C, is not more than 2% by weight, (ii) the moisture content of the ambient air that is introduced from outside into the apparatus used for the agglomeration, determined with use of a hygrometer, is from 40 to 80%, and (iii) the temperature of the ambient air, determined at the point of introduction of the ambient air into the apparatus, is from 15 to 35°C.
  2. The process according to claim 1, where the moisture content of the educt, based on the total weight of the educt and determined on the basis of the moisture escaping from the educt heated to 160°C, is not more than 1% by weight.
  3. The process according to claim 1 or 2, where the temperature of that area of the agglomeration tool used for the agglomeration that comes into contact with the material during the agglomeration is in the range from 200 to 240°C.
  4. The process according to at least one of the preceding claims, where the educt is transported to the agglomeration tool used for the agglomeration by way of a conveying screw whose flight depth for a throughput of 250 kg/h is in the range from 5 to 15 mm.
  5. The process according to claim 4, where the agglomeration tool is a hollow cylinder with an element rotating therein.
  6. The process according to at least one of the preceding claims, where the polyarylene (ether) sulfone is amorphous.
  7. A particle obtainable from the process according to any one of claims 1-6, comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone whose C* value is below 15 determined according to CieLab spin measurement and where at least 60% by weight of the particles have a particles size (d 50 value) in the range from 2 mm to 3.5 mm determined from dynamic image analysis.
  8. The particle comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone according to claim 7, where the polyarylene (ether) sulfone is polyphenylene ether sulfone.
  9. The use of the particles comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone according to either of claims 7 and 8 or produced by the process according to any of claims 1 to 6 in the production of a coating, of a film, of foam, of a foil, a membrane, or of a molding.
  10. A coating, a film or foam, a foil or membrane, or a molding obtained using particles comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone according to either of claims 7 and 8 or produced by the process according to any of claims 1 to 6.
  11. The molding according to claim 10 which in respect of at least 50% of its surface, based on the total surface area of the molding, is composed of one or more walls whose wall thickness is below 2 mm, where the wall thickness may be determined according to DIN 16810 2014-7-1.
  12. A process for the recycling of a foam, of a foil or membrane, or of a molding, or of edge trim from the production of a coating, of a foam, of a foil or membrane, or of a molding according to claim 10 or 11 comprising the production of comminuted material therefrom and the agglomeration to give recyclate particles by the process according to at least one of claims 1 to 6.
  13. The process for recycling according to claim 12, where edge trim is agglomerated to give recyclate particles.

Description

The present application relates to a process for the production of particles comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone, to the particles comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone, to the use there of, to the products that can be produced from the particles comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone, and to a process for the recycling of the products produced from the particles comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone. Polyarylene (ether) sulfone polymers are high-performance thermoplastics in that they feature high heat resistance, good mechanical properties and inherent flame retardancy. They can therefore be used in a wide range of applications. Methods for their manufacture from aromatic bishalogen compounds and aromatic bisphenols or salts thereof in the presence or absence of a solvent are known. Polyarylene (ether) sulfones are biocompatible and thus are also used as material for shaped articles in the household and the food industry and in applications such as forming membranes for various uses in industrial and medical fields. Agglomeration of polyphenylene ether powder, in particular poly-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether, in tableting presses or a compactor consisting of two counterrotating rolls and of a screw-based machine under pressures corresponding to a linear force of 1 to 100 kN/cm and temperatures from 10 to 150°C is disclosed in EP 548 683 A1 and EP 548 684 A1. Agglomeration of polyphenylene ether flakes, in particular semicrystalline polyarylene ethers, preferably polyarylene ether ketones at temperatures between 250 and 320°C is described in EP 640 640 A1. Further agglomeration of expanded sulfone polymer is disclosed in EP 3 573 800 B1. WO 2020/053077 A1 discloses a sulfonated polyarylene ether sulfone based on diols which are derived from an anhydro sugar and one or more sulfonated dihalodiarylsulfones. CN 106 750 302 A discloses a preparation method of novel heat-resisting and corrosion-resisting polyarylene sulfide sulfone with high molecular weight and relates to the field of high molecular materials. US 2016/152776 A1 relates to a process for the production of a polyaryl ether sulfone polymer (P), comprising the following steps: (I) provision of a solution (PL) which comprises the polyaryl ether sulfone polymer (P) and comprises an aprotic polar solvent (L), (II) separation of the solution (PL) into droplets, (III) transfer of the droplets into a precipitation bath (F) which comprises water, with the result that the polyaryl ether sulfone polymer (P) is obtained in the form of particles, and (IV) isolation of the polyaryl ether sulfone polymer (P). WO 2018/137998 A1 discloses a process for the production of a polymeric agglomerate obtained from expanded sulfone polymer recovered from extrusion or injection moulding processes of sulfone polymer, the agglomeration of said expanded sulfone polymer being effected in said process. In many application sectors highly pure polyarylene (ether) sulfone is desirable. The problem addressed hereinunder is therefore to find a process for the manufacture of polyarylene (ether)sulfone with high or even very high purity. One aspect was to find a process of improved reliability at high throughput. In addition, highly pure polyarylene (ether) sulfone in a form that supports ease of manufacture of goods such as fibers, molded articles or membranes was sought. A particular motivation was to present polyarylene (ether) sulfone for the manufacture of thin-walled articles, inter alia feed bottles or filaments for use in membranes. In particular polyarylene (ether) sulfone with uniform processability was sought. A process was found which is intended for the production of particles comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone and which comprises the agglomeration of fine-particle material comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone, where (i) the moisture content of the educt (starting material), based on the total weight of the educt and determined on the basis of the moisture escaping from the educt heated to 160°C, is not more than 2% by weight,(ii) the moisture content of the ambient air that is introduced from outside into the apparatus used for the agglomeration, determined with use of a hygrometer, is from 40 to 80%, and(iii) the temperature of the ambient air, determined at the point of introduction of the ambient air into the apparatus, is from 15 to 35°C. We have moreover found particles obtainable from the process according to the present invention comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone where the C*-value, of said particles is below 15 and where the C*-value is determined by means of a CieLab Spin-measurement, and where at least 60% by weight of the particles has a grain size (d50 value) in the range from 2 mm to 3.5 mm, determined from dynamic image analysis. The term product particle is also used below for the particle obtainable from the process according to the present invention comprising polyarylene (ether) sulfone. The term educt is also used below for the fine