WO2000050509A1

WO2000050509A1 - Lubricants for melt processable multipolymers of acrylonitrile and olefinically unsaturated monomers

Info

Publication number: WO2000050509A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/002618
Authority: WO
Inventors: Elena Simona Percec; Lawrence E. Ball; Richard J. Jorkasky
Original assignee: The Standard Oil Company
Priority date: 1999-02-22
Filing date: 2000-02-02
Publication date: 2000-08-31
Also published as: AU3695900A

Abstract

The use of a lubricant with a high nitrile multipolymer in melt processing improves the metal release, melt stability and runability; decreases resin retention, degradation and color formation; and produces a consistently uniform product.

Description

LUBRICANTS FOR MELT PROCESSABLE MULTIPOLYMERS OF ACRYLONITRILE AND OLEFINICALLY UNSATURATED MONOMERS

The present invention relates to lubricants that improve thermal melt processability of multipolymers of acrylonitrile and olefinically unsaturated monomers.

It is understood that the term "acrylic" herein means multipolymers comprising at least 85% by weight acrylonitrile units. It is understood that the terms

"multipolymer", "multipolymers" and "multipolymers of acrylonitrile monomer and olefinically unsaturated monomers" herein include co-polymers, terpolymers and multipolymers throughout the specification. It is understood that the term "runability" herein means the time between necessitated equipment shutdown of any melt process.

Background of the Invention The known processes for the manufacture of articles produced from acrylic polymers are based on solvent technology. Acrylic polymers in general cannot be processed in the melt, for example by melt spinning or melt extruding, since the decomposition temperature of the acrylic polymer lies below the temperature at which it melts. Acrylic polymers containing plasticizers and/or solvents have a melting point sufficiently low as to allow processing without excessive decomposition. Acrylic articles produced by these various processing methods contain some residual solvent or plasticizer. The acrylic article is generally freed of such substances by washing and drying processes.

It is advantageous to produce high nitrile materials, including acrylics, by a waterless, solventless process employing a melt processable high nitrile multipolymer which can be obtained according to USPN 5,618,901 , 5,602,227 and 5,596,058.

High nitrile multipolymers are not easily melt processed. Poor metal release allows some of the multipolymer to remain in the system where it will eventually degrade causing equipment shut-down, decreased runability, decreased product uniformity, and increased product color. During high nitrile multipolymer melt spinning, gear pump amperage increases, and can lead to equipment failure. The melt flow properties of these high nitrile multipolymers are critically important to achieve proper thermal melt processing.

It has been discovered that the inclusion of lubricants improves the thermal melt processing of the high nitrile multipolymer on conventional melt processing equipment. This discovery allows the high nitrile multipolymer to be thermally melt processed at faster rates, with improved metal release, melt stability, and runability; and decreased resin retention, degradation, and color formation.

Summary of the Invention It is has been discovered that a lubricant can greatly improve the thermal melt processing of high nitrile multipolymers of acrylonitrile monomer and olefinically unsaturated monomers. In the instant invention, the use of a lubricant in the thermal melt processing of the high nitrile multipolymer improves metal release, melt stability, and runability: and decreases resin retention, degradation and color formation; and produces a consistently uniform product.

The present invention is a mixture comprising a high nitrile multipolymer of acrylonitrile and olefinically unsaturated monomers, and a lubricant wherein the lubricant is essentially immiscible in the multipolymer and has a lower viscosity than the viscosity of the multipolymer at melt processing temperatures. In the instant invention, there is also a process to produce high nitrile polymeric articles comprising:

(a) preparing a melt processable multipolymer of acrylonitrile and oiefinicially unsaturated monomers;

(b) adding a lubricant to said multipolymer; and (c) thermal melt processing of the multipolymer with the lubricant in the absence of solvent and water at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the multipolymer to about 300°C, wherein such thermal melt processing is selected from the group consisting of: (i) fiber spinning; (ii) compression molding; (iii) continuous extrusion; (iv) injection/extrusion molding; (v) blow molding; (vi) calendering; (vii) thermoforming; (viii) fusion coating, and the like. Detailed Description of the Invention In accordance with the present invention, the use of a lubricant significantly improves the melt processability of the high nitrile multipolymer. The lubricant employed with the high nitrile multipolymer has the following characteristics: (i) is substantially immiscible in the high nitrile multipolymer; (ii) has a lower viscosity than the viscosity of the multipolymer at the processing temperature; (iii) is essentially inert to the high nitrile multipolymer; and (iv) does not link or bond to the high nitrile multipolymer. The lubricant interdisperses with the high nitrile multipolymer and does not become part of the high nitrile multipolymer chain. The lubricant for the high nitrile multipolymer comprises polymers, phenolics, salts and esters of alkyl and aryl acids, glycols, alkanes, polyalkanes, and combinations thereof.

The lubricant includes but is not limited to polymers selected from the group consisting of Loxiol VEP 8544, a trademark of Henkel K GaA; Dynamar, a trademark of 3M Inc.; poly(butylene terephthalate); polystyrene and the like. The preferred polymer lubricant is Dynamar FX 9613.

The phenolic lubricants include but are not limited to Weston 618F, a trademark of Borg-Wamer Inc.; Irganox 1010, a trademark of Ciba-Geigy Corp.;

Alkanox 240; and the like. The preferred phenolic lubricant is Irganox 1010.

The salts and esters of alkyl and aryl acids lubricants include but are not limited to phthalates, such as dioctyl phthalate; dibutyl phthalate; diundecyl phthalate;

Dehydate 8312, a trademark of Henkel K GaA; dioctyl adipate; stearic acid; calcium stearate; aluminum stearate; maleates; dilauryl dithiodipropionate; carnauba wax; synthetic wax; montan wax; and the like. The preferred salt and ester of alkyl and aryl acids is carnauba wax. The glycol lubricants include but are not limited to polyethylene glycol, such as

PEG 10000, PEG-400-distearate, PEG 1000, and the like. The preferred lubricant is

PEG 10000.

The alkane lubricants include but are not limited to polypropylene, polyethylene, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), isotactic polypropylene, atactic polypropylene, ethylene/propylene copolymers, poly(4 methylpentene-1), polybutene-1 , polyisobutene, paraffin, mineral oil, and the like. The preferred alkane lubricant is linear low density polyethylene.

The lubricant can be used alone or in combination. The lubricant can also be used with other additives such as stabilizing acids, dyes, leaching agents, pigments, delustering agents, fillers, lustering agents, static control agents, antioxidants, reinforcing agents and the like so long as they do not have a deleterious effect on the melt and the thermal characteristics of the high nitrile multipolymer or the products thereof.

The lubricant is present in the mixture at low concentrations. The lubricant is added to the multipolymer either prior to thermal melt processing or during thermal melt processing. The lubricant is added in the range of greater than 0% to about 10% by weight, preferably about 0.2% to about 5% by weight, and most preferably about 0.1% to about 2% by weight of the multipolymer. The lubricant may be added to the multipolymer as a solid, liquid or the like. The unique melt processable multipolymer used in this invention comprises acrylonitrile monomer and olefinically unsaturated monomers, wherein the high nitrile multipolymer is homogeneous with a substantially uniform microstructure and can be obtained according to USPN 5,618,901 entitled "A Process For Making A High Nitrile Multi-Polymer Prepared From Acrylonitrile and Olefinically Unsaturated Monomers"; USPN 5,602,222 entitled "A Process For Making An Acrylonitrile Methacrylonitrile Unsaturated Monomers"; and USPN 5,596,058 entitled "Process for Making Acrylonitrile Methacrylonitrile Co-polymers," all incorporated herein.

The high nitrile multipolymer comprises about 50% to about 99%, preferably about 76% to about 98%, more preferably about 80% to about 95% and most preferably about 85% to about 92% of polymerized acrylonitrile monomer and at least one of about 1% to about 50%, preferably about 2% to about 24%, more preferably about 5% to 20% and most preferably 8% to about 15% polymerized olefinically unsaturated monomer.

It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that the high nitrile multipolymer may be further modified by the addition of dyes, leaching agents, pigments, delustering agents, stabilizers, static control agents, antioxidants, reinforcing agents, fillers and the like. It is understood that any additive possessing the ability to function in such a manner can be used as long as it does not have a deleterious effect on the melt and thermal characteristics of the high nitrile multipolymer or products thereof.

The olefinically unsaturated monomer(s) employed in the high nitrile multipolymer is one or more of an olefinically unsaturated monomer with a C=C double bond poiymerizable with acrylonitrile. The olefinically unsaturated monomer employed in the multimonomer mixture can be a single poiymerizable monomer or a combination of poiymerizable monomers. The choice of olefinically unsaturated monomer or combination of monomers depends on the properties desired to impart to the high nitrile multipolymer product.

The olefinically unsaturated monomer(s) includes but is not limited to acrylates, methacrylates, acrylamide and its derivatives, methylacrylamide and its derivatives, maleic acid and its derivatives, vinyl esters, vinyl ethers, vinyl amides, vinyl ketones, styrenes, halogen containing monomers, ionic monomers, acid containing monomers, base containing monomers, olefins and the like.

The acrylates include but are not limited to C, to C₁₂ alkyl, aryl and cyclic acrylates; such as methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate and functional derivatives of the acrylates such as 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-chloroethyl acrylate and the like. The preferred acrylates are methyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate. The methacrylates include but are not limited to C₁ to C₁₂ alkyl, aryl and cyclic methacrylates; such as methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, phenyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate and functional derivatives of the methacrylates such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-chloroethyl methacrylate and the like. The preferred methacrylate is methyl methacrylate.

The acrylamides and methacrylamides and each of their N-substituted alkyl and aryl derivatives include but are not limited to acrylamide, methacrylamide, N- methyl acrylamide, N, N-dimethyl acrylamide and the like.

The maleic acid monomers and its derivatives include but are not limited to maleic acid monododecyl maleate, didodecyl maleate, maleimide, N-phenyl maleimide and the like. The vinyl ethers include but are not limited to C₁ to C₈ vinyl ethers such as ethyl vinyl ether, butyl vinyl ether and the like.

The vinyl esters include but are not limited to vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate and the like. The preferred vinyl ester is vinyl acetate. The vinyl amides include but are not limited to vinyl pyrrolidone and the like.

The vinyl ketones include but are not limited to C₁ to C₈ vinyl ketones such as ethyl vinyl ketone, butyl vinyl ketone and the like.

The styrenes include but are not limited to substituted styrenes, multiple-substituted styrenes, methylstyrenes, styrene, indene and the like. Styrene is of the formula:

wherein each of A, B, D and E is independently selected from hydrogen (H), C, to C₄ alkyl groups and halogen.

The halogen containing monomers include but are not limited to vinyl chloride, vinyl bromide, vinyl fluoride, vinylidene chloride, vinylidene bromide, vinylidene fluoride, halogen substituted propylene monomers and the like. The preferred halogen containing monomers are vinyl chloride, vinyl bromide and vinylidene chloride.

The ionic monomers include but are not limited to sodium vinyl sulfonate, sodium styrene sulfonate, sodium methallyl sulfonate, sodium acrylate, sodium methacrylate and the like. The preferred ionic monomers are sodium vinyl sulfonate, sodium styrene sulfonate and sodium methallyl sulfonate. The acid containing monomers include but are not limited to acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, itaconic acid, styrene sulfonic acid and the like.

The preferred acid containing monomers are itaconic acid; styrene sulfonic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid. The base containing monomers include but are not limited to vinyl pyridine, 2- aminoethyl-N-acrylamide, 3-aminopropyl-N-acrylamide, 2-aminoethyl acrylate, 2- aminoethyl methacrylate and the like.

The olefins include but are not limited to isoprene, butadiene, C₂ to C₈ straight chain and branched alpha-olefins such as propylene, ethylene, isobutylene, 1-butene and the like.

The preferred multipolymer includes but is not limited to an acrylonitrile monomer polymerized with at least one monomer of methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, vinyl acetate, methyl methacrylate, vinyl chloride, vinyl bromide, vinylidene chloride, sodium vinyl sulfonate, sodium styrene sulfonate, sodium methallyl sulfonate, itaconic acid, styrene, sulfonic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, isobutylene, ethylene, propylene and the like.

The lubricant is added to the multipolymer either prior to or during thermal melt processing. The multipolymer and lubricant mixture is thermally melt processed in the absence of solvent and water. The thermal melt processing temperature is higher than the glass transition temperature of the multipolymer to about 300°C, preferably about 130°C to about 280°C. The thermal melt processes to convert the high nitrile multipolymer to a product consisting of fiber spinning, compression molding, continuous extrusion, injection/extrusion molding, blow molding, calendering, thermoforming, fusion coating and the like. A portion of the lubricant remains in the processing equipment and any remaining portion thereof can be interdispersed within the final product.

The different thermal melt processes for the nitrile multipolymer are described more fully in USSN , entitled "Thermally Melt Processable Multipolymers of Acrylonitrile and Olefinically Unsaturated Monomers" and USSN 08,574,312 "Process for Making Acrylonitrile Olefinically Unsaturated Fiber," both incorporated herein.

The use of the lubricant with the high nitrile multipolymer improves metal release, runability and melt stability; decreases resin retention, degradation and color formation; and produces a consistently uniform product. The use of the lubricant further increases the throughput of the multipolymer during melt processing, and thus, more multipolymer can be processed at the same operating conditions. This improves the melt stability because of the reduced residence time of the multipolymer. The use of the lubricants improves the thermal melt processability of the high nitrile multipolymers.

Examples

The following examples are presented to illustrate the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific details set forth in the examples.

Example I

Preparation of the High Nitrile Multipolymer: A multipolymer containing 85/15 acrylonitrile/methyl acrylate was prepared. A 50-gallon, stainless steel, circulating hot water jacketed reactor was equipped with a reflux condenser, a thermocouple/controller, a turbin for agitation, which was set at about 150 to about

250 rpm, a nitrogen purge, and a feed pump.

Multipolymer composition: The overall polymerization components for the example were as follows:

Components lbs.

Water 225

Dowfax 8390 (35% active) 8.57

Acrylonitrile (AN) 85 Methyl Acrylate (MA) 15 n-Dodecyl Mercaptan 1.8

Ammonium Persulfate 0.07

Dowfax is available from Dow Chemical Co.

Procedure: The reactor was pre-charged with water, 10% of the comonomers, 10% of the mercaptan, and the surfactant with stirring at about 150-250 rpm. The reactor was heated to about 60°C under nitrogen purging. Ammonium persulfate was added to the reactor to initiate the polymerization reaction. The remaining multimonomers and mercaptan mixture were continuously pumped into the reactor at a constant rate over about four hours. After the polymerization reaction was complete, the resulting multipolymer latex was filtered through a cloth filter bag to collect and separate any coagulum from the latex. The latex was coagulated in water in a countercurrent train of three overflowing stirred tanks. These tanks were set at about 70-98°C and contained about 1% to about 3% aluminum sulfate based on the polymer in the latex. The washed multipolymer crumb was filtered and dried in a Fitzpatrick fluidized bed dryer at about 70°C for about 3 hours. The multipolymer was then analyzed and determined to be 85/15 acrylonitrile/methyl acrylate by NMR spectroscopy.

Example 2

The high nitrile multipolymer was converted from powder to pellets using an extruder and pelletizer. When the powder was converted, the throughput rate was about 225 pounds of pellets/hours. When about 1 % of linear low density polyethylene, a lubricant, was mixed into the high nitrile resin powder in the extruder hopper, the throughput rate was increased to 300 pounds of pellets per hour. The throughput rate was increased 33% via the incorporation of the lubricant.

Lubricant Rate Lbs/Hr Rate Increase

None 225 1% LLDPE 300 33%

The 99/1 high nitrile multipolymer/LLDPE mixture prepared as described above was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC analyses showed the presence of LLDPE as a distinct phase in the high nitrile multipolymer. From the first heating of the DSC analysis, the high nitrile multipolymer exhibited a Tg at 87.4°C, a melting range between 171-245°C, with a peak at 226.4°C, and the melting peak of LLDPE was observed at 122.5°C. During cooling, the high nitrile multipolymer showed a sharp crystallization with a peak at 180.6°C, while crystallization of LLDPE was observed at 60°C. The second heat of the DSC analysis indicated the presence of LLDPE at 120°C. The Tg of the high nitrile multipolymer was around 88°C, while the melting range was narrower (196-246.6) with a peak at 225°C. This analysis demonstrates that the lubricant was immiscible in the high nitrile multipolymer.

Example 3 High nitrile multipolymer pellets without lubricant (from Example 2) were melt spun into fiber using a spinning unit that comprises an extruder, a gear pump and spinnerette(s). During the melt process of spinning the high nitrile multipolymer into fiber, the extruder screw and walls became fouled with a heavy coating of the multipolymer, and the gear pump displayed increased amperage. The coating subsequently degraded, fell off, was captured on the spinnerette filter screens, and thus reduced the spinnerette life and spinning time.

The high nitrile resin powder was mixed with LLDPE at about 1% prior to pelletization of the mixture. The resulting multipolymer/LLDPE pellets were then melt spun into fiber as above. The gear pump did not show an increase in amperage, and the extruder screw and walls were clean, resulting in increased spinning time and spinnerette life.

Lubricant Spinning Time (hrs) Screw/Wall condition

None 4 Heavy reddish/ brown/black coating

1% LLDPE >32 Clean; no bulid-up

Example 4 Lubricants in Brabender Plasticorder with the High Nitrile Multipolymer

A Brabender Plasticorder (C. W. Brabender Instruments Inc., South Hackensack, NJ) is a high temperature mixing device especially designed to mix the polymer melt and record the energy as torque in meter-grams (m-gms) needed to stir the sample at constant temperature. The device is a heated chamber which contains counter rotating paddles which have shear clearances and rotational speeds in the typical range of extruders. Procedure: The Plasticorder was heated to the processing temperature, the rotating paddles were set to a fixed revolutions per minute (rpm) and the sample was added. The torque was measured and recorded vs. time. The sample consisted of powdered resin into which the additive has been dry blended on a rotating roll mill.

Lubricant salts and esters of organic acids: 4(a) About 52 g sample of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 54,000 was tested at 200°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

4(b) About 52 g sample of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 54,000 was tested at 240°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

Lubricant phenolics:

4(c) About 52 g sample of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 54,000 was tested at 200°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

Lubricant glvcols and polyglvcols:

4(d) About 52 g sample of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 54,000 was tested at 200°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

Lubricant polvalkanes:

4(e) About 52 g sample of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 54,000 was tested at 225°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

4(f) About 52 g sample of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 68,000 was tested at 225°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

4(g) About 52 g sample of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 59,000 was tested at 200°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

4(h) About 52 g sample of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 54,000 was tested at 200°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

Lubricant Polymers

4(i) About 52 g samples of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 54,000 was tested at 225°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

4(j) About 52 g sample of AN/MA, 85/15 by wt. with a molecular weight of 54,000 was tested at 240°C, 35 rpm with and without the following additives:

Example 4 demonstrates that in all cases less energy is needed to process the multipolymer resin when a lubricant is employed. It further demonstrates that when a lubricant is employed, the resin is readily released from the machinery metal surfaces.

Claims

That which is claimed is:

I. A mixture comprising (a) a multipolymer of acrylonitrile and olefinically unsaturated monomer(s) wherein said multipolymer is thermally melt processable in the absence of solvent and water, and (b) a lubricant.

2. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant is essentially immiscible in the multipolymer.

3. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant has a lower viscosity than the viscosity of the multipolymer at melt processing temperatures.

4. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant is essentially inert to the multipolymer.

5. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant does not link or bond to the multipolymer.

6. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant interdisperses with the multipolymer and does not become part of the multipolymer.

7. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant comprises polymers, phenolics, salts and esters of alkyl and aryl acids, glycols, alkanes, polyalkanes, and combinations thereof.

8. The mixture of claim 7 wherein the polymer selected from the group consisting of Loxiol VEP 8544, Dynamar and combinations thereof.

9. The mixture of claim 7 wherein the phenolics are selected from the group consisting of Weston 618F, Irganox 1010, Alkanox 240, and combinations thereof.

10. The mixture of claim 7 wherein the salts and esters of alkyl and aryl acids are selected from the group consisting of phthalates; dioctyl phthalate; dibutyl phthalate; diundecyl phthalate; Dehydate 8312; dioctyl adipate; stearic acid; calcium stearate; aluminum stearate; maleates; dilauryl dithiodipropionate; carnauba wax; synthetic wax; montan wax and combinations thereof.

I I . The mixture of claim 7 wherein the glycols are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, PEG 10000, PEG-400-di-stearate, PEG 1000 and combinations thereof.

12. The mixture of claim 7 wherein the alkanes are selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, isotactic polypropylene, atactic polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymers, poly(4 methylpentene-1), polybutene-1 , polyisobutene, paraffin, mineral oil, and combinations thereof.

13. The mixture of claim 7 wherein the alkanes are selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene.

14. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant is used alone or in combinations thereof.

15. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant comprises greater than 0% to about 10% lubricant and less 100% to about 90% multipolymer.

16. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant comprises about 0.2% to about 5% lubricant and less than 99.8% to about 95% multipolymer.

17. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the lubricant comprises about 0.1% to about 2% lubricant and about 99.9% to about 98% multipolymer.

18. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the multipolymer comprises about 50% to about 99% acrylonitrile and at least one of about 1% to about 50% olefinically unsaturated monomer.

19. -The mixture of claim 1 wherein the multipolymer comprises about 76% to about 98% acrylonitrile and at least one of about 2% to about 24% olefinically unsaturated monomer.

20. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the multipolymer comprises about 80% to about 95% acrylonitrile and at least one of about 5% to about 20% olefinically unsaturated monomer.

21. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the multipolymer comprises about 85% to about 92% acrylonitrile and at least one of about 8% to about 15% olefinically unsaturated monomer.

22. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the olefinically unsaturated monomer is selected from the group consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, acrylamide and its derivatives, methacrylamide and its derivatives, maleic acid and its derivatives, vinyl esters, vinyl ethers, vinyl amides, vinyl ketones, styrenes, halogen containing monomers, ionic monomers, acid containing monomers, base containing monomers, olefins and combinations thereof.

23. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the acrylonitrile monomer is polymerized with at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, vinyl acetate, methyl methacrylate, vinyl chloride, vinyl bromide, vinylidene chloride, sodium vinyl sulfonate, sodium styrene sulfonate, sodium methallyl sulfonate, itaconic acid, styrene, sulfonic acid, vinvl sulfonic acid, isobutylene, ethylene, propylene and combinations thereof.

24. The process for the production of high nitrile polymeric articles comprising:

(a) preparing a melt processable multipolymer of acrylonitrile and olefinically unsaturated monomers;

(b) adding a lubricant to said multipolymer; and

(c) thermal melt processing the multipolymer of acrylonitrile and olefinically unsaturated monomers in the absence of solvent and water at a temperature higher than a glass transition temperature of the multipolymer to about 300°C wherein the thermal melt processing step is selected from the group consisting of (i) compression molding; (ii) continuous extrusion; (iii) injection/extrusion molding; (iv) blow molding; (v) calendering; (vi) thermoforming; (vii) fusion coating; (viii) fiber spinning; and combinations thereof.

25. The process of claim 24 wherein the thermal melt processing temperature is in the range of about 130°C to about 280°'C.

26. The process of claim 24 wherein the lubricant is added to the multipolymer prior to the thermal melt processing.

27. The process of claim 24 wherein the lubricant is added to the multipolymer during the thermal melt processing.