Polysiloxane-polycarbonate compositions, method of manufacture, and articles formed therefrom

1. A composition, comprising, based on the total weight of the polymer components in the composition,

1 to 40 wt. % of an aromatic polycarbonate;

30 to 98.8 wt. % of a polysiloxane-polycarbonate block copolymer comprising

carbonate units of the formula

wherein at least 60 percent of the total number of R 1 groups are C 1-60 aromatic organic radicals and the balance thereof are aliphatic, alicyclic, or aromatic radicals, and

polysiloxane units of the formula

wherein R is independently the same or different C 1-13 monovalent organic group, and E has an average value of 10 to 100; and

0.1 to 10 wt. % of a polysiloxane-polyimide block copolymer comprising more than 20 wt. % polysiloxane units, based on the total weight of the polysiloxane-polyimide copolymer; wherein

a 3.2 mm thick molded sample comprising the composition has less than or equal to 8% haze and at least 80% luminous transmittance, measured in accordance with ASTM D1003-00, and

a 3.2 mm thick molded sample comprising the composition retains more than 50% of its initial notched Izod impact strength of 6 to 20 ft-lb/in at 23° C. after hydro-aging for 5 days at 100° C., measured in accordance with ASTM D256:2004.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein a molded sample comprising the composition and having a thickness of 3.2 mm has a notched Izod impact strength after hydro-aging for 3 days at 100° C. of greater than 7 ft-lb/in at 23° C., measured in accordance with ASTM D256:2004.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polysiloxane-polyimide block copolymer is a polysiloxane-polyetherimide block copolymer and a molded sample comprising the composition and having a thickness of 3.2 mm has a notched Izod impact strength at least 5% greater than the composition lacking the polysiloxane-polyetherimide, each measured in accordance with ASTM D256:2004.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein a molded sample comprising the composition and having a thickness of 3.2 mm has less than or equal to 6% haze, measured according to ASTM D1003-00.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein a molded article comprising the composition and having a thickness of 3.2 mm has at least 85% luminous transmittance, measured according to ASTM D1003-00.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein a molded sample comprising the composition and having a thickness of 2.3 mm has a UL94 flammability rating of V0.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate units are derived from bisphenol A.

8. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising 0.01 to 5 parts of an aromatic sulfonate salt based on 100 parts by weight of the total weight of the polymers in the composition, wherein a molded sample of the composition having a thickness of 2.0 mm has a UL94 flammability rating of V0.

9. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the aromatic sulfonate salt is potassium diphenyl sulfone sulfonate.

10. A method of manufacture of a composition, comprising melt blending the components of the composition of claim 1 .

11. A method of forming an article, comprising injection molding, extrusion, injection blow molding, gas assist blow molding, or vacuum forming the composition of claim 1 to form the article.

12. An article comprising the composition of claim 1 .

13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate is a bisphenol A polycarbonate, the polysiloxane-polycarbonate comprises bisphenol A carbonate units and polysiloxane carbonate units derived from a dihydroxy polysiloxane of the formula

wherein R is methyl, R 6 is propylene, E has an average value of 20 to 50, M is methoxy, and n is 1; the polysiloxane-polyimide block copolymer is a polysiloxane-polyetherimide block copolymer comprising polysiloxane units of the formula

wherein each R 11 and R 16 are the same C 1-12 alkylene groups, R 12 to R 15 are each methyl groups, d is 1 to 20, g is 2 to 20, and wherein V is of the formula

wherein W is a group of the formula —O—Z—O—, the divalent bonds of the —O— or the —O—Z—O— group are in the 3,3′, 3,4′, 4,3′, or the 4,4′ positions, and Z is of the formula

wherein Q is 2,2-propylene, the polyetherimide blocks of the polysiloxane-polyetherimide block copolymer comprise units of the formula

wherein R.sup.10 is propyl, and T is

14. The composition of claim 13 , further comprising an aromatic salt.

15. The composition of claim 14 , wherein the aromatic salt is potassium diphenyl sulfone sulfonate.