Low gloss thermoplastic composition, method of making, and articles formed therefrom

1. A thermoplastic composition comprising a resin composition comprising:

60 to 94 weight percent of a polycarbonate,

5 to 20 weight percent of a polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and

1 to 20 weight percent of a gel-type low gloss additive that comprises the reaction product of a polyepoxide and an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile containing copolymer, each based on the combined weights of the polycarbonate, polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and gel-type low gloss additive,

wherein the amount of polysiloxane as provided by the polysiloxane-polycarbonate comprises 1 to 4 weight percent of the total weight of the resin composition, and wherein the 60° gloss of the thermoplastic composition is measured to be less than or equal to 90 GU on 3 millimeter color chips according to ASTM D2457.

2. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the polycarbonate is present in the resin composition in an amount of 65 to 93 weight percent of the combined weights of the polycarbonate, polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and gel-type low gloss additive.

3. The thermoplastic composition of claim 2 wherein the polycarbonate comprises bisphenol A polycarbonate having a weight averaged molecular weight of 10,000 to 50,000, as measured by gel permeation chromatography.

4. An article comprising the thermoplastic composition of claim 1 .

5. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the polysiloxane-polycarbonate comprises 1 to 50 weight percent polysiloxane.

6. The thermoplastic composition of claim 5 wherein the polysiloxane-polycarbonate comprises polydimethylsiloxane units and bisphenol-A carbonate units.

7. The thermoplastic composition of claim 5 , wherein the amount of polysiloxane as provided by the polysiloxane-polycarbonate comprises 1 to 3 weight percent of the total weight of the resin composition.

8. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the color capability of the thermoplastic composition determined spectrophotometrically by the method of CIELAB, has a deviation value ΔE* ab of less than or equal to 0.5.

9. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the polyepoxide is an alicyclic polyepoxide.

10. The thermoplastic composition of claim 9 wherein the alicyclic polyepoxide is 3,4-epoxycyclohexyl 3,4-epoxycyclohexylcarboxylate.

11. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the ethylenically unsaturated nitrile containing copolymer comprises styrene and acrylonitrile.

12. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the gel-type low gloss additive further comprises a polycarbonate.

13. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 additionally comprising an impact modifier, filler, antioxidant, heat stabilizer, light stabilizer, ultraviolet light absorber, plasticizer, mold release agent, lubricant, antistatic agent, colorant, flame retardant, anti-drip agent, or a combination comprising one or more of these.

14. The thermoplastic composition of claim 13 wherein the colorant is present in an amount of 0.01 to 10 weight percent of the combined weights of the polycarbonate, polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and gel-type low gloss additive.

15. A method of preparing a thermoplastic composition comprising melt-combining:

60 to 94 weight percent of a first polycarbonate,

5 to 20 weight percent of a polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and

1 to 20 weight percent a gel-type low gloss additive that comprises the reaction product of a polyepoxide and an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile containing copolymer, each based on the combined weights of the polycarbonate, polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and gel-type low gloss additive,

wherein the amount of polysiloxane as provided by the polysiloxane-polycarbonate comprises 1 to 4 weight percent of the total weight of the resin composition,

wherein the melt combining is done at a temperature of 220 to 300° C., and wherein the thermoplastic composition so prepared has a 60° gloss measured to be less than or equal to 90 GU on 3 millimeter color chips according to ASTM D2457.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the gel-type low gloss additive is prepared by melt combining

a polyepoxide,

an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile containing copolymer, and

an epoxide ring-opening catalyst

at a temperature of 220 to 300° C. to form a reaction product, and melt combining the reaction product with a second polycarbonate at a temperature of up to 350° C., wherein the melt combining is done by extrusion.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises 65 to 93 weight percent of the first polycarbonate, 5 to 15 weight percent of the polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and 1 to 20 weight percent of the gel-type low gloss additive, and wherein the sum of the weight percentages of polycarbonate, polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and gel-type low gloss additive is 100 weight percent.

18. A thermoplastic composition prepared by the method of claim 15 .

19. A thermoplastic composition comprising a resin composition consisting of:

60 to 94 weight percent of a polycarbonate,

5 to 20 weight percent of a polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and

1 to 20 weight percent of a gel-type low gloss additive, each based on the combined weights of the polycarbonate, polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and gel-type low gloss additive, wherein the gel-type low gloss additive comprises the reaction product of

a polyepoxide and

an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile containing copolymer,

wherein the amount of polysiloxane as provided by the polysiloxane-polycarbonate comprises 1 to 4 weight percent of the total weight of the resin composition, and wherein the 60° gloss of the thermoplastic composition is measured to be less than or equal to 90 GU on 3 millimeter color chips according to ASTM D2457.

20. A method of preparing a thermoplastic composition comprising melt combining

a polyepoxide,

an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile containing copolymer, and

an epoxide ring-opening catalyst to form a reaction product;

melt combining the reaction product with a first polycarbonate to form a gel-type low gloss additive; and melt combining

60 to 94 weight percent of a second polycarbonate,

5 to 20 weight percent of a polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and

1 to 20 weight percent of the gel-type low gloss additive, each based on the combined weights of the second polycarbonate, polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and gel-type low gloss additive,

wherein the amount of polysiloxane as provided by the polysiloxane-polycarbonate comprises 1 to 4 weight percent of the total weight of the resin composition, wherein the melt combining is done by extrusion, and wherein the thermoplastic composition has a 60° gloss measured to be less than or equal to 90 GU on 3 millimeter color chips according to ASTM D2457.

21. A thermoplastic composition comprising a resin composition consisting of:

83 to 93 weight percent of a polycarbonate,

5 to 10 weight percent of a polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and

2 to 7 weight percent of a gel-type low gloss additive that comprises the reaction product of a polyepoxide and an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile containing copolymer, each based on the combined weights of the polycarbonate, polysiloxane-polycarbonate, and gel-type low gloss additive,

wherein the polysiloxane content of the resin composition as provided by the polysiloxane-polycarbonate is 1 to 4 weight percent of the total weight of the resin composition, and wherein the 60° gloss of the thermoplastic composition is measured to be less than or equal to 90 GU on 3 millimeter color chips according to ASTM D2457.