THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITION, METHOD OF MAKING, AND ARTICLES FORMED THEREFROM
A thermoplastic composition is disclosed, comprising: a polymer component comprising a polyestercarbonate copolymer comprising ester units of the formula wherein each D and T is the same or different and is independently a divalent C 6-30 aromatic organic group; and carbonate units of the formula wherein at least about 60 percent of the total number of R 1 groups are a divalent C 6-36 aromatic organic group, and the balance thereof are C 1-36 aliphatic, C 5-36 alicyclic, or C 6-36 aromatic organic groups; and 0.01 to 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polymer component, of a polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups, wherein the polymeric compound has a weight average molecular weight of 1,500 to 18,000; wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition retains more ductility after aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 48 hours than an article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the same thermoplastic composition without the polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups, each measured in accordance with ASTM D3763-02.
1 . A thermoplastic composition comprising
a polymer component comprising
a polyestercarbonate copolymer comprising
ester units of the formula
wherein each D and T is independently the same or different divalent
C 6-30 aromatic organic group; and
carbonate units of the formula
wherein at least about 60 percent of the total number of R 1 groups are a divalent C 6-36 aromatic organic group, and the balance thereof are C 1-36 aliphatic, C 5-36 alicyclic, or C 6-36 aromatic organic groups; and
0.01 to 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polymer component, of a polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups, wherein the polymeric compound has a weight average molecular weight of 1,500 to 18,000;
wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition retains more ductility after aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 48 hours than an article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the same thermoplastic composition without the polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups, each measured in accordance with ASTM D3763-02.
2 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , having a weight average molecular weight loss of less than 2% after hydrolytic aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 6 hours, as measured by GPC.
3 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition shows fewer microcracks at a magnification of 8.1× after hydrolytic aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 72 hours than an article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the same thermoplastic composition without the polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups.
4 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition is more transparent after hydrolytic aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 72 hours than an article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the same thermoplastic composition without the polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups.
5 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition has a haze of less than 2.0, measured in accordance with ASTM-D1003-00.
6 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition has an increase in haze units of less than 5 after hydrolytic aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 48 hours, measured in accordance with ASTM-D1003-00.
7 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition has an increase in haze units of less than 30 after hydrolytic aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 72 hours, measured in accordance with ASTM-D1003-00.
8 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition warps less after aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 48 hours than an article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the same thermoplastic composition without the polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups.
9 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition warps less after aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 72 hours than an article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the same thermoplastic composition without the polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups.
10 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein a test article having a thickness of 3.2 mm and molded from the thermoplastic composition retains at least 40% of its ductility after aging at 134° C. and 100% humidity for 48 hours, measured in accordance with ASTM D3763-02.
11 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of ester units to carbonate units in the polyestercarbonate copolymer is 20:80 to 80:20.
12 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyestercarbonate copolymer comprises ester units derived from the reaction of a mixture of isophthalic and terephthalic acid or a chemical equivalent thereof and a dihydroxy aromatic compound of the formula
wherein each R a and R b is independently the same or different halogen or C 1-12 alkyl group; e is 0 or 1; and p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4, or a chemical equivalent thereof.
13 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 12 , wherein p and q are 0, e is one, and X a is isopropylidene.
14 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyestercarbonate copolymer comprises carbonate units derived from a dihydroxy aromatic compound of the formula
wherein each R a and R b is independently the same or different halogen or C 1-12 alkyl group; e is 0 or 1; and p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4.
15 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 14 , wherein p and q are 0, e is 1, and X a is isopropylidene.
16 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer component further comprises a polycarbonate comprising carbonate units of the formula
wherein at least about 60 percent of the total number of R 1 groups are a divalent C 6-36 aromatic organic group, and the balance thereof are C 1-36 aliphatic, C 5-36 alicyclic, or C 6-36 aromatic organic groups.
17 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 16 , wherein the carbonate units are derived from compounds of the formula
wherein each R a and R b is independently the same or different halogen or C 1-12 alkyl group; e is 0 or 1; and p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4.
18 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 17 , wherein p and q are 0; e is 1, and X a is isopropylidene.
19 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups is a copolymer comprising units derived from an epoxy-functional (meth)acrylate monomer and a non-epoxy functional styrenic and/or (C 1-8 hydrocarbyl)(meth)acrylate and/or olefin and/or vinyl acetate monomer.
20 . The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups is a copolymer comprising units derived from an epoxy-functional (meth)acrylate monomer, a non-epoxy functional styrenic monomer, and optionally a non-epoxy functional C 1-8 (hydrocarbyl)(meth)acrylate monomer.
21 . A thermoplastic composition comprising
a polymer component comprising
a polyestercarbonate copolymer comprising
ester units derived from the reaction of a mixture of isophthalic and terephthalic acid or a chemical equivalent thereof with a dihydroxy aromatic compound of the formula
wherein each R a and R b is independently the same or different halogen or C 1-12 alkyl group; e is 0 or 1; and p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4, or a chemical equivalent thereof; and
carbonate units derived from the reaction of a dihydroxy aromatic compound of the formula
wherein each R a and R b is independently the same or different halogen or C 1-12 alkyl group; e is 0 or 1; and p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4, wherein the molar ratio of ester units to carbonate units is 10:90 to 90:10; and
0.01 to 2 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polymer component, of a polymeric compound comprising at least two epoxy groups, wherein the copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of 3,000 to 13,000 Daltons.
22 . A thermoplastic composition comprising
a polymer component comprising
a polyestercarbonate copolymer comprising
ester units derived from the reaction of a mixture of isophthalic and terephthalic acid or a chemical equivalent thereof with bisphenol A or a chemical equivalent thereof, and
carbonate units derived from bisphenol A, wherein the molar ratio of ester units to carbonate units is 20:80 to 80:20; and
0.01 to 1 wt. %, based on the total weight of the polymer component, of a styrene-(meth)acrylate polymer with glycidyl side chains, wherein the copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of 4,000 to 8,500 Daltons.
23 . A method of manufacturing a thermoplastic composition, comprising
blending the components of the thermoplastic composition of claim 1 ; and
extruding the blended components.
24 . An article comprising the composition of claim 1 .
25 . The article of claim 24 wherein the article is a specimen container, pill bottle, syringe barrel, animal caging, medical tray, medical tool, blood housing, vial, cap, tubing, respiratory mask, or syringe plunger.
26 . A method of manufacturing an article comprising the thermoplastic composition of claim 1 , comprising
blending the components of the thermoplastic composition of claim 1 ;
extruding the blend; and
shaping, forming, or molding the extruded blend to form an article.