Polycarbonate-poly(ether-ester) copolymer composition, method of manufacture, and articles therefrom

1. A composition comprising:

a polycarbonate comprising units derived from a bisphenol cyclohexylidene of the formula:

wherein R c1 and R d1 are each independently C 1-12 alkyl, R c2 and R d2 are each independently hydrogen or C 1-12 alkyl, R g is C 1-12 alkyl or halogen, and t is 0 to 10;

a poly(ether-ester) copolymer comprising

40 to 60 wt % of polyester hard block units derived from a C 6 -C 24 aromatic dicarboxylic acid or a C 6 -C 24 alicyclic dicarboxylic acid and at least one glycol component, wherein when the C 6 -C 24 aromatic dicarboxylic acid comprises terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid groups are present in an amount from 0 to 30 mole %, based on the total moles of isophthalic acid groups and terephthalic acid groups in the hard block units, and

40 to 60 wt % of polyether soft block units derived from poly(oxytetramethylene) glycol, wherein the molecular weight of the poly(oxytetramethylene) glycol groups is from 300 to 1800 Daltons; and

a photochromic dye:

wherein

the composition has at least 20% ductility as determined using molded 3.2 mm thick bars according to ASTM D256-02 and measured at 23° C.; and

the composition has less than or equal to 20% haze as determined using a molded sample having a thickness of 3.18±0.12 mm according to ASTM D1003-00.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate comprises from 45 to 55 mole % of units derived from 1,1-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl)cyclohexane.

3. The composition of claim 1 , comprising from more than 0 to 50 wt % of the polycarbonate of formula (1).

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the weight percent of the polycarbonate in the composition to the weight percent of the poly(ether-ester) copolymer in the composition is greater than 0.67 and less than 1.5.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly(ether-ester) copolymer comprises 40 to 50 wt %, based on the weight of the poly(ether-ester), of units derived from poly(oxytetramethylene)glycol.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises an aliphatic polyester having a intrinsic viscosity of more than 0.85 dL/g.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a polycarbonate that is different from the polycarbonate copolymer comprising the units derived from the bisphenol cyclohexylidene.

8. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the polycarbonate that is different from the polycarbonate copolymer comprising the units derived from the bisphenol cyclohexylidene is a homopolymer comprising units derived from bisphenol A.

9. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising an impact modifier present in an amount of 2 to 30 wt % of the total weight of the composition.

10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the impact modifier is an ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate-methacrylate copolymer.

11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the photochromic dye is present in an amount of 1 to 1000 ppm, based on the total parts of the composition by weight.

12. The composition of claim 1 , comprising:

50 to 90 wt % of the polycarbonate copolymer of formula (1), wherein the copolymer comprises 45 to 55 mole % of units derived from 1,1-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl) cyclohexane and 45 to 55 mol % of units derived from bisphenol A; and

10 to 40 wt % of the poly(ether-ester) copolymer comprising

40 to 60 wt % of polyester hard block units derived from butane diol and, based on the moles of hard block units, 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid and 0 to 30 mole % of isophthalic acid, and

40 to 60 wt % of polyether soft block units derived from poly(oxytetramethylene)glycol, wherein the molecular weight of the poly(oxytetramethylene)glycol-derived units is in the range of 900 to 1600 Daltons;

wherein

the composition has at least 20% ductility as determined on molded 3.2 mm thick bars according to ASTM D256-02 measured at 23° C.; and

the composition has less than or equal to 20% haze as determined using a molded sample having a thickness of 3.18±0.12 mm according to ASTM D1003-00.

13. The composition of claim 1 , comprising:

10 to 35 wt % of the polycarbonate copolymer of formula (1), wherein the polycarbonate copolymer comprises 45 to 55 mole % of units derived from 1,1-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl) cyclohexane and 45 to 55 mole % of units derived from bisphenol A; and

15 to 25 wt % of the poly(ether-ester) copolymer comprising

40 to 60 wt % of polyester hard block units derived from butane diol and, based on the moles of hard block units, 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid and 0 to 30 mole % of isophthalic acid, and

40 to 60 wt % of polyether soft block units derived from poly(oxytetramethylene)glycol, wherein the molecular weight of the poly(oxytetramethylene)glycol-derived units is in the range of 900 to 1600 Daltons; and

45 to 65 wt % of an aliphatic polyester having an intrinsic viscosity of greater than 0.85 dL/g;

wherein

the composition has at least 20% ductility as determined on 3.2 mm thick bars according to ASTM D256-02 measured at 23° C.; and

the composition has less than or equal to 20% haze as determined using a molded sample having a thickness of 3.18±0.12 mm according to ASTM D1003-00.

14. The composition of claim 1 comprising, based on the total weight of the composition:

20 to 40 wt % of the polycarbonate copolymer of formula (1), wherein the polycarbonate copolymer comprises comprising 45 to 55 mole % of units derived from 1,1-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl) cyclohexane and 45 to 55 mol % of units derived from bisphenol A; and

10 to 40 wt % of the poly(ether-ester) copolymer comprising

40 to 60 wt % of polyester hard block units derived from butane diol and, based on the moles of hard block units, 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid and 0 to 30 mole % of isophthalic acid, and

40 to 60 wt % of polyether soft block units derived from poly(oxytetramethylene)glycol, wherein the molecular weight of the poly(oxytetramethylene)glycol-derived units is in the range of 900 to 1600 Daltons; and

10 to 30 wt % of a polycarbonate that is not the same as the polycarbonate copolymer,

wherein

the composition has at least 20% ductility as determined on 3.2 mm thick bars according to ASTM D256-02, measured at 23° C.; and

the composition has less than or equal to 20% haze as determined using a molded sample having a thickness of 3.18±0.12 mm according to ASTM D1003-00.

15. An article comprising the composition of claim 1 .

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein article is in the form of a film, sheet, molded object, or fiber.

17. The article of claim 16 , wherein the article is in the form of a film or sheet.

18. The article of claim 17 , wherein the film or sheet is window glazing.

19. The article of claim 18 , wherein the article is a solvent cast film for an overmolded article.

20. The article of claim 15 , wherein the composition of claim 1 comprises 1 to 1000 ppm of the photochromic dye, based on the total parts of the composition by weight.

21. The article of claim 15 , wherein when the article is exposed to ultraviolet light for 30 seconds, the article exhibits a reversible decrease in visible light transmission of more than ΔY=17.

22. The article of claim 15 , wherein when the article is exposed to ultraviolet light for 5 minutes, the article exhibits a reversible decrease in visible light transmission of more than ΔY=25.

23. A method of forming an article, comprising injection molding the composition of claim 1 at a temperature that is more than 0° C. and less than 300° C.