Thermoplastic polycarbonate copolymer compositions, methods of their manufacture, and uses thereof

1. A thermoplastic composition comprising

a polycarbonate copolymer comprising first repeating units and second repeating units, wherein the first repeating units are first carbonate units and the second repeating units are second carbonate units that are different from the first carbonate units; and

an organophosphorus compound in an amount effective to provide 0.1-1 wt % phosphorus, based on the total weight of the polycarbonates in the composition;

wherein an article molded from the composition has

a smoke density after 4 minutes (Ds-4) of equal to or less than 600 as determined according to ISO 5659-2 on a 3 mm thick plaque,

a maximum average rate of heat emission (MAHRE) of less than or equal to 160 kW/m 2 as determined according to ISO 5660-1 on a 3 mm thick plaque, and

a multiaxial impact energy equal to or higher than 100 J as determined according to ISO 6603 on a 3.2 mm thick disc,

wherein the first carbonate units are of the formula

wherein

R a and R b are each independently a C 1-12 alkyl group,

p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4, and

X a is a single bond, —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, —C(O)—, a C 1-12 alkylidene of formula —C(R c )(R d )— wherein R c and R d are each independently hydrogen or C 1-11 alkyl, or a group of the formula —C(═R e )— wherein R e is a divalent C 1-11 hydrocarbon group, and

wherein the second carbonate units are of the formula

wherein

R a and R b are each independently a C 1-3 alkyl group,

p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4,

R 3 is each independently a C 1-6 alkyl group,

j is 0 to 4, and

R 4 is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, or phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 5 C 1-6 alkyl groups.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first repeating units are bisphenol-A carbonate units.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein, the second repeating units are carbonate units of the formula

wherein R 5 is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, or phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 5 C 1-6 alkyl groups.

4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein R 5 is phenyl.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the organophosphorus compound is an aromatic organophosphorus compounds having at least one organic aromatic group and at least one phosphorus-containing group, or an organic compounds having at least one phosphorus-nitrogen bond.

6. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the aromatic organophosphorus compound comprises a C 3-30 aromatic group and a phosphate group, phosphite group, phosphonate group, phosphinate group, phosphine oxide group, phosphine group, phosphazene, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing phosphorus-containing groups.

7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the aromatic organophosphorus compound is of the formula

wherein

R 16 , R 17 , R 18 and R 19 are each independently C 1-8 alkyl, C 5-6 cycloalkyl, C 6-20 aryl, or C 7-12 arylalkylene, each optionally substituted by C 1-12 alkyl, and

X is a mono- or poly-nuclear aromatic C 6-30 moiety or a linear or branched C 2-30 aliphatic radical, which can be OH-substituted and can contain up to 8 ether bonds, provided that at least one of R 16 , R 17 , R 18 , R 19 , and X is aromatic,

n is each independently 0 or 1, and

q is from 0.5 to 30.

8. The composition of claim 7 , wherein

each of R 16 , R 17 , R 18 , and R 19 is phenyl,

X is of the formula

each n is 1, and

p is 1 to 5.

9. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the aromatic organophosphorus compound is bisphenol-A bis(diphenyl phosphate), triphenyl phosphate, resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate), tricresyl phosphate, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

10. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the organophosphorus compound containing a nitrogen-phosphorus bond is a phosphazene, phosphorus ester amide, phosphoric acid amide, phosphonic acid amide, phosphinic acid amide, tris(aziridinyl) phosphine oxide, a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

11. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the organophosphorus compound is present in an amount effective to provide 0.3% to 0.85% of phosphorus, based on the weight of the composition.

12. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a processing aid, a heat stabilizer, an antioxidant, an ultra violet light absorber, a colorant, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing in a total amount of 0.1 to 5 wt %, based on the weight of the composition.

13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein no or substantially no flame retarding brominated compounds, flame retardant salts, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing are present in the composition.

14. The composition of claim 13 , wherein the brominated compound is a brominated polycarbonate, and the flame retardant salt is potassium perfluorobutane sulfonate, potassium perfluorooctane sulfonate, tetraethylammonium perfluorohexane sulfonate, potassium diphenylsulfone sulfonate, Na 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , MgCO 3 , CaCO 3 , and BaCO 3 , an inorganic phosphate salt, Li 3 AlF 6 , BaSiF 6 , KBF 4 , K 3 AlF 6 , KAlF 4 , K 2 SiF 6 , Na 3 AlF 6 , or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

15. The composition of claim 13 , wherein no or substantially no brominated polycarbonate, boron phosphate, or C 1-6 alkyl sulfonate salt is present in the composition.

16. The composition of claim 1 , having a transparency of more than 85% and a haze of less than 3%, each measured according to ASTM D 1003 (2007) using illuminant C on plaques with 3 mm thickness.

17. The composition of claim 1 , having a melt volume flow rate greater than or equal to 10 cc/10 min, determined according to ISO 1133.

18. The composition of claim 1 , having an MAI of 100 J or higher, determined at 23° C., 4.4 m/second in accordance with ISO 6603 on discs with a thickness of 3.2 mm.

19. An article comprising the composition of claim 1 , wherein the article is a molded article, a thermoformed article, an extruded film, an extruded sheet, a foamed article, a layer of a multi-layer article, a substrate for a coated article, or a substrate for a metallized article.

20. The article of claim 19 , having a thickness of 0.1 to 10 mm.

21. The article of claim 19 , having a thickness of 0.5 to 5 mm.

22. The article of claim 19 , wherein the article is a transportation component.

23. The article of claim 22 , selected from a train or aircraft interior component, wherein the component is a partition, a room divider, a seat back, a food tray, a trim panel, an interior display panel, an interior wall, a side wall, an end wall, a ceiling panel, a door lining, a flap, a box, a hood, a louver, an insulation material, a handle, a body shell for a window, a window frame, an enclosure for an electronic device, a door a luggage rack, a luggage container, an interior side of a gangway membrane, an interior lining of a gangway, or a component of a luggage compartment, a display unit, a television, a refrigerator door, a tray table, a food cart, a magazine rack, an air flow regulator, a door, a table, or a seat.

24. A method of manufacture of an article, comprising molding, extruding, foaming, or casting the composition of claim 1 .

25. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 comprising a polycarbonate copolymer comprising bisphenol-A carbonate units and carbonate units of the formula

wherein R 5 is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, or phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 5 C 1-6 alkyl groups; and

an organophosphorus compound in an amount effective to provide 0.1-1 wt % phosphorus, based on the total weight of the polycarbonate in the composition;

wherein an article molded from the composition has

a smoke density after 4 minutes (Ds-4) of equal to or less than 600 as determined according to ISO 5659-2 on a 3 mm thick plaque,

a maximum average rate of heat emission (MAHRE) of less than or equal to 160 kW/m 2 as determined according to ISO 5660-1 on a 3 mm thick plaque, and

a multiaxial impact energy equal to or higher than 100 J as determined according to ISO 6603 on a 3.2 mm thick disc.