Polycarbonate copolymer compositions for forming molded medical articles with thin walls

1. A medical article molded from a thermoplastic composition, comprising:

at least one poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer;

a mold release agent; and

a radiation stabilizer,

wherein the thermoplastic composition has a melt flow rate of about 25 g/10 minutes or higher measured at 300° C., 1.2 kg load according to ASTM D1238; and a light transmittance of 80% or higher, and a haze of 1% or less, measured at 2.54 mm thickness according to ASTM D1003.

2. The article as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer is derived from bisphenol-A and sebacic acid.

3. The article of claim 1 , wherein the at least one poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer has a biocontent of from about 4 wt % to about 10 wt %, measured according to ASTM D6866.

4. The article of claim 1 , wherein the radiation stabilizer is hexylene glycol.

5. The article of claim 1 , wherein the mold release agent is a polyalphaolefin.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition further includes an epoxy resin.

7. The article of claim 1 , wherein the medical article is non-implantable.

8. The article of claim 1 , wherein the medical article is a housing for a medical device.

9. The article of claim 1 , wherein the medical article is a blood bowl, disposable hypodermic syringe, needle shield, tubing/line, connector, needle wing, cannula, safety barrel, filter medium, sharps container, tray, injectable drug vial, prescription pill vial, inhaler part, IV drug or saline bag, blood bag, transfusion/retransfusion bag, irrigation solution bottle, fluid replacement bottle, nose spray bottle, packaging blister, surgical gown, isolation gown, isolation drape, sterilization wrap, or face mask.

10. The article of claim 1 , having a wall with a thinnest thickness of 2 mm or less.

11. The article of claim 10 , wherein the wall has a thinnest thickness of 0.3 mm or less.

12. The article of claim 1 , wherein the composition includes two poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymers, a first poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer having a weight average molecular weight of from about 15,000 to about 25,000, and a second poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer having a weight average molecular weight of 30,000 to about 40,000.

13. The article of claim 12 , wherein the weight ratio of the first poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer to the second poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer is from about 3:2 to about 20:1.

14. The article of claim 12 , wherein the first poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer contains about 6.0 mole % sebacic acid, and the second poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer contains about 8.25 mole % sebacic acid.

15. The article of claim 12 , further comprising an epoxy resin; and

wherein the weight ratio of the first poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer to the second poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer is about 19:1; and

wherein the thermoplastic composition has a melt flow rate of about 40 g/10 minutes or higher when measured at 300° C., 1.2 kg load according to ASTM D1238; a light transmittance of 80% or higher, and a haze of 1% or less, measured at 2.54 mm thickness according to ASTM D1003; a heat distortion temperature of 120° C. or less when measured at 1.82 MPa, 3.2 mm thickness according to ASTM D648; a notched Izod impact strength (INI) of 680 J/m or higher when measured at 23° C., and a notched Izod impact strength (INI) of 450 J/m or higher when measured at 0° C., according to ASTM D256.

16. A medical article molded from a thermoplastic composition comprising:

a first poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer having a weight average molecular weight of from about 15,000 to about 25,000;

a second poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer having a weight average molecular weight of 30,000 to about 40,000;

a mold release agent;

a radiation stabilizer; and

an epoxy resin;

wherein the weight ratio of the first poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer to the second poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer is about 3:1; and

wherein the thermoplastic composition has a melt flow rate of about 25 g/10 minutes or higher when measured at 300° C., 1.2 kg load according to ASTM D1238; a light transmittance of 80% or higher, and a haze of 1% or less, measured at 2.54 mm thickness according to ASTM D1003; a heat distortion temperature of 120° C. or less when measured at 1.82 MPa, 3.2 mm thickness according to ASTM D648; a notched Izod impact strength (INI) of 750 J/m or higher when measured at 23° C., and a notched Izod impact strength (INI) of 750 J/m or higher when measured at 0° C., according to ASTM D256.

17. The article of claim 16 , wherein the first and second poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymers are each derived from bisphenol-A and sebacic acid.

18. The article of claim 16 , wherein the first poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer contains about 6.0 mole % sebacic acid, and the second poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer contains about 8.25 mole % sebacic acid.

19. The article of claim 16 , wherein the radiation stabilizer is hexylene glycol and the mold release agent is a polyalphaolefin.

20. A process for preventing the reuse of a medical article molded from a thermoplastic composition, comprising:

forming the medical article from a thermoplastic composition comprising:

at least one poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer;

a mold release agent; and

a radiation stabilizer;

wherein the thermoplastic composition has a melt flow rate of about 25 g/10 minutes or higher measured at 300° C., 1.2 kg load according to ASTM D1238; and a light transmittance of 80% or higher, and a haze of 1% or less, measured at 2.54 mm thickness according to ASTM D1003; and wherein the article has a heat distortion temperature of 120° C. or less when measured at 1.82 MPa, 3.2 mm thickness according to ASTM D648.