Polymer compositions comprising crystalline polymers and a stabilizer composition

1. A polymer composition comprising:

(A) at least one semicrystalline polymer, and

(B) a stabilizer composition comprising:

(1) at least one primary antioxidant comprising at least one phenolic antioxidant; and

(2) at least one secondary antioxidant comprising at least one phosphite, and

(3) at least one chain extending agent;

wherein the initial b* value for said polymer composition is less than 5 and the Δb* value for said polymer composition is less than 3 according to the L*, a* and b* color system of the CIE (International Commission on Illumination) after being heated for at least three hours at 200° C. or after being heated for at least twenty-four hours at 175° C., wherein the at least one primary antioxidant is pentaerythritol tetrakis[3-(3,5-di-t-butyl -4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate,

wherein the at least one secondary antioxidant is tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphite,

wherein the at least one chain extending agent is a copolymer of glycidyl methacrylate and styrene having an average of 5 to 20 pendant epoxy groups per molecule, and

wherein the polymer composition comprises: (a) the at least one chain extending agent in an amount from 0.25 to 2 wt %, based on the total weight of the polymer composition equaling 100 weight %, and the weight ratio of the at least one phenolic antioxidant to the at least one phosphite is from 1:1 to 1:4, or (b) the at least one chain extending agent in an amount from 0.5 to 2 wt %, based on the total weight of the polymer composition equaling 100 weight %, and the weight ratio of the at least one chain extending agent to the at least one phosphite is from 1:1 to 3:1.

2. The polymer composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one semicrystalline polymer has a final crystallinity of from 1% to 40% after being heated either for at least three hours at 200° C. or, alternatively, after being heated for at least twenty-four hours at 175° C., as measured by ASTM Method D3418.

3. The polymer composition according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one semicrystalline polymer has an initial crystalline melting point of equal to or greater than 250° C. measured by differential scanning calorimetry at 20° C/minute.

4. The polymer composition according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one semicrystalline polymer comprises at least one polyester comprising:

(a) diacid residues comprising from about 90 to about 100 mole percent of terephthalic acid (TPA) residues and 0 to about 10 mole percent isophthalic acid (IPA) residues; and

(b) diol residues comprising from about 90 to about 100 mole percent of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) residues;

wherein the total of diacid residues is 100 mole % and wherein the total of diol residues is 100 mole %.

5. The polymer composition according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one semicrystalline polymer is selected from liquid crystalline-polyesters, polyamides, polyesteramides, polyimides, polyetherimides, polybenzimidazole, polybenzoxazoles, polyimines, polyhexamethylene adipamide, polycaprolactam, poly(ethylene terephthalate), and poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene) terephthalate), Nylon 6,6, or Nylon 6.

6. The polymer composition according to claim 1 having an inherent viscosity in the range from 0.50 to 1.0 dL/g, as determined in 60/40 (wt/wt) phenol/ tetrachloroethane at a concentration of 0.5 g/100 ml at 25° C.

7. The polymer composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one phenolic antioxidant is present in an amount in the range from 0.01 to 1.0 weight %, based on the total weight of the polymer composition equaling 100 weight %.

8. The polymer composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one phosphite is present in an amount from 0.10 weight % to 1 weight %, based on the total weight of the polymer composition equaling 100 weight %.

9. The polymer composition according to claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the at least one phenolic antioxidant to the at least one phosphite is from 1:1.1 to 1:4, based on the total weight of the polymer composition.

10. The polymer composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one chain extending agent is present in an amount in the range from 0.5 weight % to 2.0 weight %, based on the total weight percentages of the polymer composition equaling 100 weight %.

11. The polymer composition according to claim 10 , wherein the weight ratio of the at least one chain extending agent to the at least one phosphite is in the range from 1:1 to 3:1.

12. The polymer composition according to claim 11 , wherein: (1) the at least one phenolic antioxidant is present in the amount of from 0.15 weight % to 1.0 weight %, (2) the at least one phosphite is present in the amount of from 0.25 weight % to 0.75 weight %, and (3) the at least one chain extending agent is present in the amount of from 0.5 weight % to 0.90 weight %, based on the total weight of the polymer composition.