Weatherable, thermostable polymers having improved flow composition

1. A copolymer composition comprising:

a polysiloxane block comprising siloxane units, wherein

the polysiloxane block is of the formula:

wherein x is 4 to 50, each R 3 is the same or different, and is C 1-8 alkyl or C 6-13 aryl; and D 1 is the reaction residue of a dihydroxy aromatic compound; or

the polysiloxane block is of the formula:

wherein q is 4 to 50; each R 3 is the same or different, and R 4 is a C 6-30 hydrocarbylene; and

a polyarylate-polycarbonate block consisting essentially of arylate polyester units and aromatic carbonate units present in an amount of

50 to 99 mole percent of arylate polyester units, and

1 to 50 mole percent aromatic carbonate units, wherein

1 to 30 mole percent of the aromatic carbonate units are resorcinol carbonate units, and

0 to 35 mole percent of the aromatic carbonate units are bisphenol carbonate units,

wherein the sum of the mole percentages of arylate polyester units and aromatic carbonate units in the arylate block is 100 mole percent,

wherein the polysiloxane blocks are connected to an arylate ester unit, a aromatic carbonate unit, or both an arylate ester unit and a aromatic carbonate unit, and

wherein the siloxane units of the polysiloxane block are present in an amount of 0.2 to 10 wt % based on the weight of the copolymer composition, and

wherein a molded article having a thickness of 3.2±0.12 millimeters, and consisting of the copolymer composition, has a percent transmittance of greater than or equal to 70%, according to ASTM D1003-00.

2. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein a molded article having a thickness of 3.2±0.12 millimeters, and consisting of the copolymer composition, has a haze of less than or equal to 10%, according to ASTM D1003-00.

3. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polysiloxane block is substantially randomly dispersed with the arylate polyester units, the aromatic carbonate units, or both the arylate polyester units and aromatic carbonate units of the copolymer composition.

4. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein D 1 is the reaction residue of resorcinol, bisphenol A, or a combination of resorcinol and bisphenol A, and wherein the arylate polyester units are isophthalate-terephthalate-resorcinol ester units.

5. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the siloxane units of the polysiloxane block are present in an amount of 0.2 to 6 wt % based on the weight of the copolymer composition.

6. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein x is 5 to 45.

7. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein q is 4 to 15.

8. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein q is 16 to 50.

9. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polysiloxane block is of the formula:

or of the formula:

or a combination comprising these polysiloxane blocks, wherein each R 3 is the same or different and is C 1-8 alkyl or C 6-13 aryl, x is 4 to 50, T is a C 6-30 arylene group; and R 1 in is a C 6-30 arylene group.

10. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polysiloxane block is of the formula:

or of the formula:

or a combination comprising these polysiloxane blocks, wherein each R 3 is the same or different and is C 1-8 alkyl or C 6-13 aryl, x is 4 to 50, T is a C 6-30 arylene group; and R 1 in is a C 6-30 arylene group.

11. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polysiloxane block is of the formula:

or of the formula

a combination comprising these polysiloxane blocks, wherein each R 3 is the same or different, and is C 1-8 alkyl or C 6-13 aryl; a is 0 or 1; each R 5 is a C 1-3 alkoxy; q is 4 to 50, T is a C 6-30 arylene group; and R 1 is a C 6-30 arylene group.

12. An article comprising the copolymer composition of claim 1 .

13. The article of claim 12 where the article is a component for the interior of an aircraft.

14. A copolymer composition consisting essentially of:

a polysiloxane block comprising siloxane units, wherein

the polysiloxane block is of the formula:

wherein x is 4 to 50, each R 3 is the same or different, and is C 1-8 alkyl or C 6-13 aryl; and D 1 is the reaction residue of a dihydroxy aromatic compound; or

the polysiloxane block is of the formula:

wherein q is 4 to 50; each R 3 is the same or different, and R 4 is a C 6-30 hydrocarbylene; and

a polyarylate-polycarbonate block consisting essentially of arylate polyester units and aromatic carbonate units present in an amount of

50 to 99 mole percent of arylate polyester units, and

1 to 50 mole percent aromatic carbonate units, wherein

1 to 30 mole percent of the aromatic carbonate units are resorcinol carbonate units, and

0 to 35 mole percent of the aromatic carbonate units are bisphenol carbonate units,

wherein the sum of the mole percentages of arylate polyester units and aromatic carbonate units in the arylate block is 100 mole percent,

wherein the polysiloxane blocks are connected to an arylate ester unit, a aromatic carbonate unit, or both an arylate ester unit and a aromatic carbonate unit, and

wherein the siloxane units of the polysiloxane block are present in an amount of 0.2 to 10 wt % based on the weight of the copolymer composition, and

wherein a molded article having a thickness of 3.2±0.12 millimeters, and consisting of the copolymer composition, has a percent transmittance of greater than or equal to 70%, according to ASTM D1003-00.

15. A thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of:

a first polymer comprising a copolymer composition comprising:

a polysiloxane block comprising siloxane units, wherein

the polysiloxane block is of the formula:

wherein x is 4 to 50, each R 3 is the same or different, and is C 1-8 alkyl or C 6-13 aryl; and D 1 is the reaction residue of a dihydroxy aromatic compound; or

the polysiloxane block is of the formula:

wherein q is 4 to 50; each R 3 is the same or different, and R 4 is C 6-30 hydrocarbylene; and

a plyarylate-polycarbonate block consisting essentially of arylate polyester units and aromatic carbonate units present in an amount of

50 to 99 mole percent of arylate polyester units, and

1 to 50 mole percent aromatic carbonate units, wherein

1 to 30 mole percent of the aromatic carbonate unit are resorcinol carbonate units, and

0 to 35 mole percent of the aromatic carbonate units are bisphenol carbonate units,

wherein the sum of the mole percentages of arylate polyester units and aromatic carbonate units in the arylate block is 100 mole percent,

wherein the polysiloxane blocks are connected to an arylate ester unit, a aromatic carbonate unit, or both an arylate ester unit and a aromatic carbonate unit, and

wherein the siloxane units of the polysiloxane block are present in and amount of 0.2 to 10 wt % based on the weight of the copolymer composition; and

a second polymer,

wherein the first and second polymers are not identical, and

wherein a molded article having a thickness of 3.2±0.12 millimeters, and consisting of the thermoplastic composition, has a percent transmittance of greater than or equal to 70%, according to ASTM D1003-00.

16. The thermoplastic composition of claim 15 , wherein the second polymer has a composition identical to the polyarylate-polycarbonate portion of the first polymer.

17. The thermoplastic composition of claim 16 , further comprising an additive including colorants, pigments, dyes, impact modifiers, stabilizers, color stabilizers, heat stabilizers, UV screeners, UV absorbers, flame retardants, fillers, flow aids, ester interchange inhibitors, and mold release agents.

18. An article comprising the thermoplastic composition of claim 15 .

19. The article of claim 18 , wherein the article is an interior component for an aircraft.