Tert-butylhydroquinone polycarbonates
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to polycarbonate having repeat units derived from tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ). It has herein been found that polycarbonate having repeat units derived from TBHQ has superior properties as compared to polycarbonate having repeat units derived from other dihydroxy (hydroquinone-type) compounds. In one embodiment the present invention provides a polycarbonate having repeat units derived from tert-butylhydroquinone. The polycarbonate has a Mw (PC) of at least 9,000 g/mol.
1. A polycarbonate comprising repeat units derived from a first dihydroxy compound having the structure:
wherein the polycarbonate is amorphous and has a Mw (PC) of at least 9,000 g/mol and wherein the polycarbonate comprises at least 20 mol % repeat units derived from the first dihydroxy compound.
2. The polycarbonate of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate has a Mw (PC) of at least 10,000 g/mol.
3. The polycarbonate of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate has a Mw (PC) of at least 15,000 g/mol.
4. The polycarbonate of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate further comprises repeat units derived from a second dihydroxy compound.
5. The polycarbonate of claim 4 , wherein the second dihydroxy is BPA.
6. The polycarbonate of claim 4 , wherein the mole ratio of the first Dihydroxy to the second dihydroxy is in an amount between 70:30 and 30:70.
7. The polycarbonate of claim 6 , wherein the mole ratio of the first dihydroxy to the second dihydroxy is in an amount between 60:40 and 40:60.
8. The polycarbonate of claim 1 , wherein at least 30% of the repeat units are derived from the first dihydroxy compound.
9. The polycarbonate of claim 8 , wherein at least 50% of the repeat units are derived from the first dihydroxy compound.
10. The polycarbonate of claim 9 , wherein at least 70% of the repeat units are derived from the first dihydroxy compound.
11. The polycarbonate of claim 1 , wherein all repeat units are derived from the first dihydroxy compound.
12. A molded article formed from the polycarbonate of claim 1 .
13. A method of forming polycarbonate comprising the steps of:
(A) forming a reaction mixture comprising a diaryl carbonate, a melt transesterification catalyst, and a dihydroxy component comprising a first dihydroxy compound having the structure:
(B) treating the reaction mixture under melt polymerization conditions, and
(C) allowing the reaction mixture to react thereby forming polycarbonate, wherein the polycarbonate has a Mw (PC) greater than 9,000,
thereby producing polycarbonate, wherein the polycarbonate comprises at least 20 mol % repeat units derived from the first dihydroxy compound and wherein the polycarbonate is amorphous.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the polycarbonate has a Mw (PC) of at least 15,000 g/mol.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dihydroxy component further comprises a second dihydroxy compound.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second dihydroxy is BPA.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mole ratio of the first dihydroxy compound to the total amount of dihydroxy compounds present in the dihydroxy component is between 70:30 and 30:70.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the mole ratio of the first dihydroxy compound to the total amount of dihydroxy compounds present in the dihydroxy component is between 60:40 and 40:60.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dihydroxy component consists of the first dihydroxy compound.