Reinforced polycarbonate compositions with improved heat resistance
A reinforced polycarbonate composition includes 30-60 wt % of a homopolycarbonate; 5-30 wt % of a poly(carbonate-siloxane); 10-40 wt % of a high heat polycarbonate having a glass transition temperature of 170° C. or higher determined per ASTM D3418 with a 20° C./min heating rate; 1-10 wt % of a phosphorous-containing flame retardant present in amount effective to provide 0.1-1.5 wt % phosphorous; 0.01-0.5 wt % of an anti-drip agent; 5-30 wt % of a reinforcing fiber; and optionally, up to 10 wt % of an additive composition, wherein each amount is based on the total weight of the reinforced polycarbonate composition, which sums to 100 wt %. A molded sample of the polycarbonate composition has a heat deflection temperature greater than 115° C., preferably greater than 125° C., more preferably greater than 130° C., or a flame test rating of V1, preferably V0 as measured according to UL-94 at a thickness of 0.8 millimeter, or at a thickness of 0.6 mm, or at a thickness of 0.4 mm.
1. A reinforced polycarbonate composition comprising
30-60 weight percent of a bisphenol A homopolycarbonate; and
10-40 weight percent of a high heat polycarbonate having a glass transition temperature of 170° C. or higher determined per ASTM D3418 with a 20° C./min heating rate; and
8-16 weight percent of a poly(carbonate-siloxane) and 1-10 weight percent of a phosphorous-containing flame retardant comprising a phosphazene present in amount effective to provide 0.5 to 1.5 weight percent phosphorous,
wherein the phosphazene is a phenoxy cyclotriphosphazene, octaphenoxy cyclotetraphosphazene, decaphenoxy cyclopentaphosphazene, or a combination thereof, or the phosphazene is of formulas
or a combination thereof, wherein
w1 is 3-10,000,
w2 is 3-25, and
each R w is independently a C 1-12 alkyl, C 2-12 alkenyl, C 1-12 alkoxy, C 6-12 aryl, C 6-12 aryloxy, or polyoxy(C 1-6 alkylene) group; and
0.01-0.5 weight percent of an anti-drip agent; and
5-30 weight percent of glass fibers; and
optionally, up to 5 weight percent of an additive composition,
wherein each amount is based on the total weight of the reinforced polycarbonate composition, which sums to 100 weight percent; and
wherein a molded sample of the polycarbonate composition has
a heat deflection temperature of greater than 115° C., as measured according to ISO 75 at 0.45 megapascal,
a Vicat B120 softening temperature of at least 130° C. as measured according to ISO 306, and
a flame test rating of V0 as measured according to UL-94 at a thickness of 0.8 millimeter.
2. The reinforced polycarbonate composition of claim 1 , wherein the homopolycarbonate comprises
a bisphenol A homopolycarbonate having a weight average molecular weight from 18,000-35,000 grams/mole; or
a bisphenol A homopolycarbonate having a weight average molecular weight from 25,000-35,000 grams/mole;
or a combination thereof,
each as measured via gel permeation chromatography using bisphenol A homopolycarbonate standards.
3. The reinforced polycarbonate composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly(carbonate-siloxane) comprises 50-99 weight percent of bisphenol A carbonate units and 1-50 weight percent of dimethylsiloxane units, each based on the weight of the poly(carbonate-siloxane).
4. The reinforced polycarbonate composition of claim 1 ,
wherein the high heat polycarbonate comprises high heat aromatic carbonate units derived from 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,3,5-trimethyl-cyclohexane, N-phenyl phenolphthalein bisphenol, 4,4′-(1-phenylethylidene)bisphenol, 4,4′-(3,3-dimethyl-2,2-dihydro-1H-indene-1,1-diyl)diphenol, 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)cyclododecane, 3,8-dihydroxy-5a,10b-diphenyl-coumarano-2′,3′,2,3-coumarane, or a combination thereof; and
optionally, low heat aromatic carbonate units.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein a molded sample of the polycarbonate composition has
a notched Izod impact strength of greater than or equal to 8 kilojoule per square meter as measured at 23° C. according to ISO 180/1 A, or
a bromine or chlorine content of less than or equal to 100 parts per million by weight, or
a total bromine and chlorine content of less than or equal to 100 parts per million by weight, or
a combination thereof.
6. An article of claim 1 , wherein the article is an extruded article, a molded article, pultruded article, a thermoformed article, a foamed article, a layer of a multi-layer article, a substrate for a coated article, or a substrate for a metallized article.
7. The article of claim 6 , wherein the article is a molded housing for electrical components.
8. The article of claim 6 , wherein the article is an electrical circuit housing.
9. A method for forming the article of claim 6 , comprising molding, casting, or extruding the article.
10. The reinforced polycarbonate composition of claim 1 comprising up to 2 weight percent of the optional additive composition.
11. The reinforced polycarbonate composition of claim 1 comprising up to 1 weight percent of the optional additive composition.
12. The reinforced polycarbonate composition of claim 1 comprising 5-15 weight percent glass fibers.
13. The reinforced polycarbonate composition of claim 1 comprising 20-40 weight percent high heat copolycarbonate.
14. The reinforced polycarbonate composition of claim 13 comprising 20-30 wt % glass fibers.
15. A reinforced polycarbonate composition comprising
30-60 weight percent of a homopolycarbonate;
5-30 weight percent of a poly(carbonate-siloxane);
10-40 weight percent of a high heat polycarbonate having a glass transition temperature of 170° C. or higher determined per ASTM D3418 with a 20° C./min heating rate and comprising a poly(ester-carbonate) comprising bisphenol A carbonate units, and aromatic ester units derived from bisphenol A;
1-10 weight percent of a phosphorous-containing flame retardant present in amount effective to provide 0.1-1.5 weight percent phosphorous;
0.01-0.5 weight percent of an anti-drip agent;
5-30 weight percent of a reinforcing fiber; and
optionally, up to 10 weight percent of an additive composition,
wherein each amount is based on the total weight of the reinforced polycarbonate composition, which sums to 100 weight percent; and
wherein a molded sample of the polycarbonate composition has
a heat deflection temperature of greater than 115° C., as measured according to ISO 75 at 0.45 megapascal, or
a flame test rating of V1 as measured according to UL-94 at a thickness of 0.8 millimeter.
16. An article of claim 15 , wherein the article is an extruded article, a molded article, pultruded article, a thermoformed article, a foamed article, a layer of a multi-layer article, a substrate for a coated article, or a substrate for a metallized article.