Polycarbonate compositions for reduced splay in combination with sustained or improved impact resistance

1. A blended polycarbonate composition with improved surface characteristics comprising:

(a) from about 55 wt % to about 94 wt % of a polycarbonate component comprising a polycarbonate polymer, a poly(carbonate-siloxane) copolymer, or a combination thereof;

(b) from greater than 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of a splay-reducing component; and

(c) from about 5 wt % to about 25 wt % of a filler component;

wherein all weight percent values are based on the total weight of the composition;

wherein the splay-reducing component is not fully miscible with the polycarbonate component; and

wherein the composition exhibits a splay at least about 30% less than a splay of a reference composition consisting essentially of from about 55 wt % to about 94 wt % of a polycarbonate component comprising a polycarbonate polymer, a poly(carbonate-siloxane) copolymer, or a combination thereof and from about 5 wt % to about 25 wt % of a filler component.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein splay is determined by scanning a molded article using a flat-bed high definition scanner and each pixel is assigned a black/white value (or L-value); and wherein the splay value for the article is the standard deviation for the L-values calculated for the ensemble data set of L-values.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition further exhibits an Izod notched impact strength of at least about 6.0 kJ/m 2 determined in accordance with ISO 180.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate polymer comprises a linear polycarbonate homopolymer comprising repeating units of the formula:

wherein each occurrence of R a and R b is independently a C1-12 alkyl group, C1-12 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, or C1-12 alkoxy;

wherein p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4; and

wherein X a is a single bond, —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, —C(O)—, a C1-11 alkylidene of formula C(R c )(R d )—;

wherein R c and R d are each independently hydrogen or C1-10 alkyl, or a group of the formula —C(═R e )—;

wherein R e is a divalent C1-10 hydrocarbon group.

5. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the linear polycarbonate homopolymer comprises bisphenol A carbonate units.

6. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the linear polycarbonate homopolymer is made via an interfacial polymerization process.

7. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the linear polycarbonate homopolymer is made via a melt polymerization process.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly(carbonate-siloxane) copolymer comprises first repeating units and second repeating units;

wherein the first repeating units are bisphenol carbonate units of the formula:

wherein each occurrence of R a and R b is independently a C1-12 alkyl group, C1-12 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, or C1-12 alkoxy;

wherein p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4; and

wherein X a is a single bond, —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, —C(O)—, a C1-11 alkylidene of formula —C(R c )(R d )—;

wherein R c and R d are each independently hydrogen or C1-10 alkyl, or a group of the formula —C(═R e )—;

wherein R e is a divalent C1-10 hydrocarbon group; and

wherein the second repeating units are siloxane units of the formula:

wherein each occurrence of R is independently a C1-13 monovalent hydrocarbon group; and

wherein E has an average value of 2 to 200.

9. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the siloxane units are a combination of one or more units of the formula:

wherein each occurrence of R is independently a C1-C13 monovalent hydrocarbon group;

wherein each occurrence of Ar is independently a C6-C30 aromatic group;

wherein each occurrence of R 2 is independently a C2-C8 alkylene group; and

wherein E has an average value of 2 to 200.

10. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the siloxane units are a combination of one or more units of the formula:

wherein E has an average value of 2 to 200.

11. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the siloxane units are the formula:

wherein each occurrence of R is independently a C1-C13 monovalent hydrocarbon group;

wherein each occurrence of R 3 is independently a divalent C1-C8 aliphatic group;

wherein each occurrence of M is independently a halogen, cyano, nitro, C1-8 alkylthio, C1-8 alkyl, C1-8 alkoxy, C2-8 alkenyl, C2-8 alkenyloxy group, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C3-8 cycloalkoxy, C6-10 aryl, C6-10 aryloxy, C7-12 arylalkyl, C7-12 arylalkoxy, C7-12 alkylaryl, or C7-12 alkylaryloxy, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing;

wherein each occurrence of n is independently 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; and

wherein E has an average value of 2 to 200.

12. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the siloxane units are a combination of one or more units of the formula:

wherein E has an average value of 2 to 200.

13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein E has an average value of 5 to 120.

14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the splay-reducing component is present in an amount from about 2 wt % to about 8 wt %.

15. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the splay-reducing component comprises a polyester polymer, an (isophthalic acid-terephthalic acid-resorcinol)-bisphenol A copolyestercarbonate copolymer, or combinations thereof.

16. The composition of claim 15 , wherein the splay-reducing component is an (isophthalic acid-terephthalic acid-resorcinol)-bisphenol A copolyestercarbonate copolymer.

17. The composition of claim 15 , wherein the splay-reducing component is a polyester.

18. The composition of claim 17 , wherein the polyester is a poly(alkylene terephthalate).

19. The composition of claim 18 , wherein the poly(alkylene terephthalate) comprises PET or PBT, or a combination thereof.

20. The composition of claim 19 , wherein the poly(alkylene terephthalate) comprises PET.

21. The composition of claim 18 , wherein the poly(alkylene terephthalate) component is present in an amount from about 2 wt % to about 8 wt %.

22. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising an impact modifier component.

23. The composition of claim 22 , wherein the impact modifier component comprises one more of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (“ABS”) copolymer, a methacrylate butadiene styrene (“MBS”) copolymer, a bulk polymerized ABS (“BABS”) copolymer, or a silicone graft copolymer.

24. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the impact modifier component is an ABS copolymer.

25. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the ABS copolymer is a bulk polymerized ABS copolymer.

26. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the impact modifier component is a MBS copolymer.

27. The composition of claim 22 , wherein the impact modifier component is present in an amount from about 10 wt % to about 25 wt %.

28. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the impact modifier component is a silicon graft copolymer.

29. The composition of claim 28 , wherein the silicon graft copolymer is present in an amount from about 2 wt % to about 10 wt %.

30. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the filler component is talc.

31. The composition of claim 30 , wherein the talc has an average particle size of about 0.2 to about 2 μm.

32. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising at least one polymer additive comprising a flame retardant, a colorant, a primary anti-oxidant, or a secondary anti-oxidant.

33. A blended polycarbonate composition with improved surface characteristics comprising:

(a) from about 30 wt % to about 85 wt % of a polycarbonate component;

(b) from greater than 1 wt % to about 20 wt % of an (isophthalic acid-terephthalic acid-resorcinol)-bisphenol A copolyestercarbonate copolymer;

(c) from about 10 wt % to about 30 wt % of an impact modifier component; and

(d) from about 5 wt % to about 25 wt % of a filler component;

wherein all weight percent values are based on the total weight of the composition; and

wherein the composition exhibits a splay at least about 30% less than a splay of a reference composition consisting essentially of from about 30 wt % to about 85 wt % of a polycarbonate component comprising a polycarbonate polymer, a poly(carbonate-siloxane) copolymer, or a combination thereof; from about 10 wt % to about 30 wt % of an impact modifier component; and from about 5 wt % to about 25 wt % of a filler component.

34. An article comprising the composition of claim 33 .

35. The article of claim 34 , wherein the article is used in aeronautical applications.

36. The article of claim 34 , wherein the article is used in automotive applications.

37. The article of claim 36 , wherein the article comprises instrument panels, overhead consoles, interior trim, center consoles, panels, quarter panels, rocker panels, trim, fenders, doors, deck lids, trunk lids, hoods, bonnets, roofs, bumpers, fascia, grilles, minor housings, pillar appliques, cladding, body side moldings, wheel covers, hubcaps, door handles, spoilers, window frames, headlamp bezels, headlamps, tail lamps, tail lamp housings, tail lamp bezels, license plate enclosures, roof racks, or running boards.

38. The article of claim 34 , wherein the article is used in public transportation applications.

39. The article of claim 38 , wherein the public transportation application comprises an airplane, train, subway, or bus.

40. The composition of claim 33 , wherein the impact modifier component comprises one more of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (“ABS”) copolymer, a methacrylate butadiene styrene (“MBS”) copolymer, a bulk polymerized ABS (“BABS”) copolymer, or a silicone graft copolymer.

41. An article comprising the composition of claim 1 .