Impact resistant blends of high heat polycarbonate and aromatic polyester

Claim 2

A composition of matter comprising, in admixture, by weight of the total composition, (a) about 40 to about 90 parts of an aromatic polycarbonate which has a glass transition temperature in excess of at least 165° C. and a weight average molecular weight of less than 40,000, (b) about 5 to about 69 parts aromatic polyester, (c) about 1 to about 40 parts polyphenylene ether, and (d) about 1 to about 25 parts elastomeric impact modifier.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1 wherein the content of the aromatic polycarbonate is about 45 to about 85 parts, by weight of the total composition, and the aromatic polycarbonate has a weight average molecular weight of less than 35,000.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 1 wherein the polycarbonate is prepared from one or more dihydroxy compounds selected from (a) Tetrahalo Bisphenol-A, (b) Bisphenol-AP, (c) Bis(hydroxyphenyl)Fluorene, and (d) a mixture of one or more of the foregoing with one or more other bisphenols.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 1 wherein the polyester is a poly(alkylene dicarboxylate).

Claim 6

The composition of claim 1 wherein the polyphenylene ether is blended with up to about 50 percent, by weight of the polyphenylene ether, of a styrenic polymer or copolymer which contains at least 25 percent by weight of structural units derived from a monomer of the formula ##STR5## wherein R is hydrogen, lower alkyl or halogen, D is vinyl, halogen or lower alkyl, and p is from 0 to 5.

Claim 7

The composition of claim 1 wherein the elastomeric impact modifier is one or more of the members of the group consisting of a thermoplastic elastomer and a core-shell grafted copolymer.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 6 wherein the thermoplastic elastomer ia an A-B-A or A-B block copolymer which has a rigid block "A" having a glass transition temperature above the range of about 23°-25° C., and a rubbery block "B" having a glass transition temperature below the range of about 23°-25° C.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 7 wherein the block "A" is polymerized from a vinyl aromatic compound and the block "B" is polymerized from an olefin or diene.

Claim 10

The composition of claim 7 wherein the block copolymer is selectively hydrogenated, and the block "A" is polymerized from styrene and the block "B" is polymerized from butadiene.

Claim 11

The composition of claim 6 wherein the core-shell grafted copolymer is characterized in that (a) it comprises greater than 40 percent rubber by weight, (b) its core comprises a conjugated diene or of a C 1 -C 15 acrylate, said core having a glass transition temperature below about 0° C., and (c) its grafted phase comprises a carboxylic acid ester of a saturated aliphatic alcohol, acrylic or methacrylic acid, a vinyl nitrile compound, a vinyl aromatic compound, or a mixture thereof.

Claim 12

The composition of claim 10 wherein the grafted phase of said core-shell graft polymer comprises an acrylic or methacrylic acid ester of a C 1 -C 6 aliphatic alcohol, styrene, acrylonitrile, or a mixture thereof.

Claim 13

The composition of claim 1 wherein the elastomeric impact modifier is one or more of the members of the group consisting of (I) a polymer which has a glass transition temperature less than 0° C., and which comprises (a) (i) an olefin monomer, or (ii) a copolymer containing a sufficient amount of an olefin monomer to impart a glass transition temperature of less than 0° C. to the polymer; and (b) at least one vinyl monomer carrying at least one epoxide group; (II) butyl rubber; (III) chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber; (IV) ethylene/propylene copolymer; (V) ethylene/propylene/diene copolymer; (VI) fluorinated rubber; (VII) neoprene; (VIII) nitrile rubber; (IX) polybutadiene; (X) and polyisoprene.

Claim 14

The composition of claim 12 wherein component (I), a polymer which has a glass transition temperature less than 0° C., further comprises at least one vinyl monomer not carrying an epoxide group.

Claim 15

The composition of claim 12 wherein in component (I), a polymer which has a glass transition temperature less than 0° C., the vinyl monomer carrying at least one epoxide group is a glycidyl ester of an unsaturated carboxylic acid.

Claim 16

A composition of matter comprising, in admixture, by weight of the total composition, (a) about 40 to about 90 parts of an aromatic polycarbonate which has a glass transition temperature in excess of at least 165° C. and a weight average molecular weight of less than 40,000, prepared from one or more dihydroxy compounds selected from (i) Tetrahalo Bisphenol-A, (ii) Bisphenol-AP, (iii) Bis(hydroxyphenyl)Fluorene, and (iv) a mixture of one or more of the foregoing with one or more other bisphenols; (b) about 5 to about 69 parts poly(alkylene dicarboxylate); (c) about 1 to about 40 parts polyphenylene ether blended with up to about 50 percent, by weight of the polyphenylene ether, of a styrenic polymer or copolymer which contains at least 25 percent by weight of structural units derived from a monomer of the formula ##STR6## wherein R is hydrogen, lower alkyl or halogen, D is vinyl, halogen or lower alkyl, and p is from 0 to 5; and (d) about 1 to about 25 parts of one or more elastomeric impact modifiers selected from the group consisting of (i) an A-B-A or A-B block copolymer which has a rigid block "A" having a glass transition temperature above the range of about 23°-25° C., and a rubbery block "B" having a glass transition temperature below the range of about 23°-25° C.; (ii) a core-shell grated copolymer characterized in that (A) it comprises greater than 40 percent rubber by weight, (B) its core comprises a conjugated diene or of a C 1 -C 15 acrylate, said core having a glass transition temperature below about 0° C., and (C) its grafted phase comprises a carboxylic acid ester of a saturated aliphatic alcohol, acrylic or methacrylic acid, a vinyl nitrile compound, a vinyl aromatic compound, or a mixture thereof; (iii) a polymeric olefinic elastomer which has a glass transition temperature less than 0° C., comprising (A) (I) an olefin monomer, or (II) a copolymer containing a sufficient amount of an olefin monomer to impart a glass transition temperature of less than 0° C. to the polymer; and (B) at least one vinyl monomer carrying at least one epoxide group; (iv) an ethylene/propylene/diene copolymer; and (v) a nitrile rubber.

Claim 17

A composition of matter comprising, in admixture, by weight of the total composition, (a) about 40 to about 90 parts of an aromatic polycarbonate which has a glass transition temperature in excess of at least 165° C. and a weight average molecular weight of less than 40,000, prepared from one or more dihydroxy compounds selected from (i) Tetrahalo Bisphenol-A, (ii) Bisphenol-AP, (iii) Bis(hydroxyphenyl)Fluorene, and (iv) a mixture of one or more of the foregoing with one or more other bisphenols; (b) about 5 to about 69 parts poly(alkylene dicarboxylate); (c) about 1 to about 40 parts polyphenylene ether blended with up to about 50 percent, by weight of the polyphenylene ether, of a styrenic polymer or copolymer which contains at least 25 percent by weight of structural units derived from a monomer of the formula ##STR6## wherein R is hydrogen, lower alkyl or halogen, D is vinyl, halogen or lower alkyl, and p is from 0 to 5; and (d) about 1 to about 25 parts of one or more elastomeric impact modifiers selected from the group consisting of (i) an A-B-A or A-B block copolymer which has a rigid block "A" having a glass transition temperature above the range of about 23°-25° C., and a rubbery block "B" having a glass transition temperature below the range of about 23°-25° C.; (ii) a core-shell grated copolymer characterized in that (A) it comprises greater than 40 percent rubber by weight, (B) its core comprises a conjugated diene or of a C 1 -C 15 acrylate, said core having a glass transition temperature below about 0° C., and (C) its grafted phase comprises a carboxylic acid ester of a saturated aliphatic alcohol, acrylic or methacrylic acid, a vinyl nitrile compound, a vinyl aromatic compound, or a mixture thereof; (iii) a polymeric olefinic elastomer which has a glass transition temperature less than 0° C., comprising (A) (I) an olefin monomer, or (II) a copolymer containing a sufficient amount of an olefin monomer to impart a glass transition temperature of less than 0° C. to the polymer; and (B) at least one vinyl monomer carrying at least one epoxide group; (iv) an ethylene/propylene/diene copolymer; and (v) a nitrile rubber.

Claim 18

The composition of claim 15 wherein component d(i), the block copolymer, is selectively hydrogenated; component d(iv), the ethylene/propylene/diene copolymer, is grafted with a vinyl monomer; and component d(v), the nitrile rubber, is grafted with a vinyl monomer.

Claim 19

The composition of claim 16 wherein the content of component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is about 45 to about 85 parts, by weight of the total composition, and the aromatic polycarbonate has a weight average molecular weight of less than 35,000.

Claim 20

The composition of claim 16 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is prepared from Bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene; a mixture of Bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene and one or more other bisphenols; or a mixture of Bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene and one or more dicarboxylic acids, or ester-forming derivatives thereof.

Claim 21

The composition of claim 16 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is a blend of a polycarbonate prepared from Bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene, and a polycarbonate prepared from a mixture of Bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene and one or more other bisphenols.

Claim 22

The composition of claim 16 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is prepared from Bisphenol-AP; a mixture of Bisphenol-AP and one or more other bisphenols; or a mixture of Bisphenol-AP and one or more dicarboxylic acids, or ester-forming derivatives thereof.

Claim 23

The composition of claim 16 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is a blend of a polycarbonate prepared from Bisphenol-AP, and a polycarbonate prepared from a mixture of Bisphenol-AP and one or more other bisphenols.

Claim 24

The composition of claim 16 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is prepared from Tetrahalobisphenol-A; a mixture of Tetrahalobisphenol-A and one or more other bisphenols; or a mixture of Tetrahalobisphenol-A and one or more dicarboxylic acids, or ester-forming derivatives thereof.

Claim 25

The composition of claim 16 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is a blend of a polycarbonate prepared from Tetrahalobisphenol-A, and a polycarbonate prepared from a mixture of Tetrahalobisphenol-A and one or more other bisphenols.

Claim 26

The composition of claim 16 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is prepared from a mixture of one or more dicarboxylic acids, or ester-forming derivatives thereof, and one or more bisphenols.

Claim 27

The composition of claim 16 wherein component (d)(iii), the polymeric olefinic elastomer, further comprises at least one vinyl monomer not carrying an epoxide group.

Claim 28

The composition of claim 1, 15 or 16 in the form of a molded article.

Claim 31

The method of claim 27 wherein said step (b) comprises a step of melting said high heat polycarbonate blend.

Claim 32

The method of claim 27 wherein said step (c) comprises a step of forming said heat-softened high heat polycarbonate blend by performing on said heat-softened polycarbonate blend one or more of the operations of extruding, molding, rolling, drawing or spinning.

Claim 35

The composition of claim 2 wherein the polycarbonate is prepared from one or more dihydroxy compounds selected from (a) Tetrahalo Bisphenol-A, (b) Bisphenol-AP, (c) Bis(hydroxyphenyl)Fluorene, and (d) a mixture of one or more of the foregoing with one or more other bisphenols.

Claim 36

The composition of claim 2 wherein the polyphenylene ether is blended with up to about 50 percent, by weight of the polyphenylene ether, of a styrenic polymer or copolymer which contains at least 25 percent by weight of structural units derived from a monomer of the formula ##STR7## wherein R is hydrogen, lower alkyl or halogen, D is vinyl, halogen or lower alkyl, and p is from 0 to 5.

Claim 37

The composition of claim 2 wherein the elastomeric impact modifier is a thermoplastic elastomer which is an A-B-A or A-B block copolymer which has a rigid block "A" having a glass transition temperature above the range of about 23°-25° C., and a rubbery block "B" having a glass transition temperature below the range of about 23°-25° C.

Claim 38

The composition of claim 2 wherein the elastomeric impact modifier is a core-shell grafted copolymer which is characterized in that (a) it comprises greater than 40 percent rubber by weight, (b) its core comprises a conjugated diene or of a C 1 -C 15 acrylate, said core having a glass transition temperature below about 0° C., and (c) its grafted phase comprises a carboxylic acid ester of a saturated aliphatic alcohol, acrylic or methacrylic acid, a vinyl nitrile compound, a vinyl aromatic compound, or a mixture thereof.

Claim 39

The composition of claim 2 wherein the elastomeric impact modifier is an olefinic elastomer which is a polymer having a glass transition temperature less than 0° C., and which comprises (a) (i) an olefin monomer, or (ii) a copolymer containing a sufficient amount of an olefin monomer to impart a glass transition temperature of less than 0° C. to the polymer; and (b) at least one vinyl monomer carrying at least one epoxide group.

Claim 40

The composition of claim 17 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is prepared from Bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene; a mixture of Bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene and one or more other bisphenols; or a mixture of Bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene and one or more dicarboxylic acids, or ester-forming derivatives thereof.

Claim 41

The composition of claim 17 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is a blend of a polycarbonate prepared from Bis(hydryoxyphenyl)fluorene, and a polycarbonate prepared from a mixture of Bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene and one or more other bisphenols.

Claim 42

The composition of claim 17 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is prepared from Bisphenol-AP; a mixture of Bisphenol-AP and one or more other bisphenols; or a mixture of Bisphenol-AP and one or more dicarboxylic acids, or ester-forming derivatives thereof.

Claim 43

The composition of claim 17 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is a blend of a polycarbonate prepared from Bisphenol-AP, and a polycarbonate prepared from a mixture of Bisphenol-AP and one or more other bisphenols.

Claim 44

The composition of claim 17 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is prepared from Tetrahalobisphenol-A; a mixture of Tetrahalobisphenol-A and one or more other bisphenols; or a mixture of Tetrahalobisphenol-A and one or more dicarboxylic acids, or ester-forming derivatives thereof.

Claim 45

The composition of claim 17 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is a blend of a polycarbonate prepared from Tetrahalobisphenol-A, and a polycarbonate prepared from a mixture of Tetrahalobisphenol-A and one or more other bisphenols.

Claim 46

The composition of claim 17 wherein component (a), the aromatic polycarbonate, is prepared from a mixture of one or more dicarboxylic acids, or ester-forming derivatives thereof, and one or more bisphenols.

Claim 47

The molded article of claim 26 which is an automotive component.