Thermoplastic resin composition, method of preparing the same, and molded article including the same

1 . A thermoplastic resin composition, comprising:

25 to 75% by weight of an alkyl acrylate-aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound graft copolymer (A) containing alkyl acrylate rubber having an average particle diameter of 60 to 120 nm; and

25 to 75% by weight of a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester compound-aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound non-graft copolymer (B),

wherein the thermoplastic resin composition has an alkyl acrylate coverage value (X) of 67% or more as calculated by Equation 1 below:

X ={( G−Y )/ Y}× 100,  [Equation 1]

wherein G represents a content (wt %) of a gel based on a total weight of the thermoplastic resin composition, and Y represents a content (wt %) of the alkyl acrylate in the gel based on the total weight of the thermoplastic resin composition,

wherein the content of the alkyl acrylate in the gel is measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis or Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis,

wherein the graft copolymer (A) comprises 20 to 60% by weight of the alkyl acrylate rubber and 40 to 60% by weight of an aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound copolymer (a-2),

wherein based on 100% by weight in total of the acrylate rubber, the alkyl acrylate rubber includes the aromatic vinyl compound in an amount of 5 to 20% by weight, and

wherein, when a 1 kg weight is vertically dropped onto an extruded film having dimensions of 0.15 mm×10 cm×10 cm in thickness, width, and length from a height of 25 cm using a Gardner impact tester, the thermoplastic resin composition is in a form of the extruded film, and haze values before and after impact are measured for a portion of the extruded film hit by the weight according to ASTM D1003, a difference in the haze values before and after the impact is calculated, and a haze difference (ΔHaze) is 6.7 or less.

2 . The thermoplastic resin composition according to claim 1 , wherein the non-graft copolymer (B) comprises:

60 to 85% by weight of a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester compound,

5 to 30% by weight of an aromatic vinyl compound, and

1 to 25% by weight of a vinyl cyanide compound.

3 . The thermoplastic resin composition according to claim 1 , wherein the non-graft copolymer (B) has a weight average molecular weight of 30,000 to 150,000 g/mol.

4 . The thermoplastic resin composition according to claim 1 , wherein the graft copolymer (A) has a grafting degree of 55% or more as calculated by Equation 3 below:

Grafting degree (%)=[Weight( g ) of grafted monomers/Rubber weight( g )]×100,  [Equation 3]

wherein the weight (g) of the grafted monomers is obtained by subtracting the rubber weight (g) from a weight of the gel, which is obtained by dissolving the graft copolymer (A) in acetone and performing centrifugation, and the rubber weight (g) is a weight (g) of rubber components added during polymerization.

5 . The thermoplastic resin composition according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic resin composition has a total light transmittance (Tt) of 74% or more as measured using an injection specimen having a thickness of 3 T according to ASTM D-1003.

6 . The thermoplastic resin composition according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic resin composition has a haze of 10% or less as measured using an injection specimen having a thickness of 3 T according to ASTM D-1003.

7 . The thermoplastic resin composition according to claim 1 , wherein, the thermoplastic resin composition is in a form of a T-die extruded sheet having a thickness of 0.15 mm and a length of 100 cm, and when thickness is measured at 10 or more locations in an area except for an area within 2 to 3 cm from both ends of the T-die extruded sheet, thickness deviation is calculated based on a difference between maximum and minimum thicknesses, and a thickness deviation is 0.07 mm or less.

8 . The thermoplastic resin composition according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of a heat stabilizer, a light stabilizer, a dye, a pigment, a colorant, a lubricant, a release agent, an antistatic agent, an antibacterial agent, a processing aid, a metal deactivator, a flame retardant, a smoke suppressant, an anti-drip agent, an anti-friction agent, and an anti-wear agent.

9 . A method of preparing a thermoplastic resin composition, comprising kneading and extruding, at 200 to 300° C. and 100 to 500 rpm, 25 to 75% by weight of an alkyl acrylate-aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound graft copolymer (A) containing alkyl acrylate rubber having an average particle diameter of 60 to 120 nm and 25 to 75% by weight of a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester compound-aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound non-graft copolymer (B),

wherein the thermoplastic resin composition has an alkyl acrylate coverage value (X) of 67% or more as calculated by Equation 1 below:

X ={( G−Y )/ Y}× 100,  [Equation 1]

wherein G represents a content (wt %) of a gel based on a total weight of the thermoplastic resin composition, and Y represents a content (wt %) of the alkyl acrylate in the gel based on the total weight of the thermoplastic resin composition,

wherein the content of the alkyl acrylate in the gel is measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis or Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis,

wherein the graft copolymer (A) comprises 20 to 60% by weight of the alkyl acrylate rubber and 40 to 60% by weight of an aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound copolymer (a-2),

wherein based on 100% by weight in total of the acrylate rubber, the alkyl acrylate rubber includes the aromatic vinyl compound in an amount of 5 to 20% by weight, and

wherein, the thermoplastic resin composition is in a form of an extruded film having dimensions of 0.15 mm×10 cm×10 cm in thickness, width, and length, and when a 1 kg weight is vertically dropped onto the extruded film from a height of 25 cm using a Gardner impact tester, haze values before and after impact are measured for a portion of the extruded film hit by the weight according to ASTM D1003, a difference in the haze values before and after the impact is calculated, and a haze difference (ΔHaze) is 6.7 or less.

10 . A molded article comprising the thermoplastic resin composition according to claim 1 .

11 . The molded article according to claim 10 , wherein the molded article is an injection-molded article, a calendering-molded article, or an extrusion-molded article.

12 . A thermoplastic resin composition, comprising:

25 to 75% by weight of an alkyl acrylate-aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound graft copolymer (A) containing alkyl acrylate rubber having an average particle diameter of 60 to 120 nm; and

25 to 75% by weight of a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester compound-aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound non-graft copolymer (B),

wherein the thermoplastic resin composition has an alkyl acrylate coverage value (X) of 67% or more as calculated by Equation 1 below:

X ={( G−Y )/ Y}× 100,  [Equation 1]

wherein G represents a content (wt %) of a gel based on a total weight of the thermoplastic resin composition, and Y represents a content (wt %) of the alkyl acrylate in the gel based on the total weight of the thermoplastic resin composition,

wherein the content of the alkyl acrylate in the gel is measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis or Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis,

wherein the graft copolymer (A) comprises 20 to 60% by weight of the alkyl acrylate rubber and 40 to 60% by weight of an aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound copolymer (a-2), and

wherein based on 100% by weight in total of the acrylate rubber, the alkyl acrylate rubber includes the aromatic vinyl compound in an amount of 5.0 to 19.6% by weight.