Thermoplastic compositions having low smoke, methods of their manufacture, and uses thereof

Abstract

A low smoke density thermoplastic composition comprising, based on the total weight of the thermoplastic composition, 70 to 95 wt % of a polycarbonate copolymer comprising first repeating units and second repeating units, wherein the first repeating units are not the same as the second repeating units, and wherein the first repeating units are bisphenol carbonate units of the formula wherein R a and R b are each independently C 1-12 alkyl, C 1-12 alkenyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, or C 1-12 alkoxy, p and q are each independently 0 to 4, and X a is a single bond, —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, —C(O)—, a C 1-11 alkylidene of formula —C(R c )(R d )— wherein R c and R d are each independently hydrogen or C 1-10 alkyl, or a group of the formula —C(═R e )— wherein R e is a divalent C 1-10 hydrocarbon group; and the second repeating units comprise bisphenol carbonate units that are not the same as the first repeating bisphenol carbonate units, siloxane units, arylate ester units, or a combination of arylate ester units and siloxane units; and 5 to 30 wt % of a polyetherimide based on the weight of the composition, wherein an article molded from the composition has a smoke density (Ds-4) value of equal to or less than 300 as measured by ISO 5659-2 on a 3 mm thick plaque.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . comprising, based on the total weight of the thermoplastic composition,
 70 to 95 wt % of a polycarbonate copolymer comprising first repeating units and second repeating units, wherein the first repeating units are not the same as the second repeating units, and wherein
 the first repeating units are bisphenol carbonate units of the formula 
   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
             wherein 
             R a  and R b  are each independently C 1-12  alkyl, C 1-12  alkenyl, C 3-8  cycloalkyl, or C 1-12  alkoxy, 
             p and q are each independently 0 to 4, and 
           
         
         X a  is a single bond, —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, —C(O)—, a C 1-11  alkylidene of formula —C(R c )(R d )— wherein R c  and R d  are each independently hydrogen or C 1-10  alkyl, or a group of the formula —C(═R e )— wherein R e  is a divalent C 1-10  hydrocarbon group; and 
       
       the second repeating units are carbonate units 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, and 
         5 to 30 wt % of a polyetherimide based on the weight of the composition, 
         wherein an article molded from the composition has smoke density after 4 minutes (Ds-4) of less than or equal to 300 as measured by ISO 5659-2 on a 3 mm thick plaque. 
       
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , 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. 
       
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein R 5  is phenyl. 
     
     
         11 .- 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A thermoplastic composition comprising, based on the total weight of the thermoplastic composition,
 70 to 95 wt % of a polycarbonate copolymer comprising first repeating units and second repeating units, wherein the first repeating units are not the same as the second repeating units, and wherein
 the first repeating units are bisphenol carbonate units of the formula 
   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
             wherein 
             R a  and R b  are each independently C 1-12  alkyl, C 1-12  alkenyl, C 3-8  cycloalkyl, or C 1-12  alkoxy, 
             P and q are each independently 0 to 4, and 
           
         
         X a  is a single bond, —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, —C(O)—, a C 1-11  alkylidene of formula —C(R c )(R d )— wherein R c  and R d  are each independently hydrogen or C 1-10  alkyl, or a group of the formula —C(═R e )— wherein R e  is a divalent C 1-10  hydrocarbon group; and 
         the second repeating units comprise 
         arylate ester units of the formula 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         optionally, monoaryl carbonate units of the formula 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and
 optionally, bisphenol ester units of the formula 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein,
 in the foregoing formulas 
 R h  is each independently a C 1-10  hydrocarbon group, 
 n is 0 to 4, 
 R a  and R b  are each independently a C 1-12  alkyl, 
 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)—, or a C 1-13  alkylidene of formula —C(R c )(R d )— wherein R c  and R d  are each independently hydrogen or C 1-12  alkyl, or a group of the formula —C(═R e )— wherein R e  is a divalent C 1-12  hydrocarbon group, 
 5 to 30 wt % of a polyetherimide based on the weight of the composition, 
 wherein the composition further comprises an organophosphorus compound in an amount effective to provide 0.1-1 wt % phosphorus, based on the total weight of the composition, and wherein the aromatic organophosphorus compound is of the formula 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       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 1-5, 
         wherein an article molded from the composition has smoke density after 4 minutes (Ds-4) of less than or equal to 300 as measured by ISO 5659-2 on a 3 mm thick plaque. 
       
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the polycarbonate copolymer comprises
 2 to 20 mol % of bisphenol-A carbonate units, 60 to 98 mol % of isophthalic acid-terephthalic acid-resorcinol ester units, and optionally, 1 to 20 mol % resorcinol carbonate units, isophthalic acid-terephthalic acid-bisphenol-A ester units, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein an article molded from the composition has a smoke density (Ds-4) value of equal to or less than 150 as measured by ISO 5659-2 on a 3 mm thick plaque. 
     
     
         20 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the polyetherimide comprises units of the formula 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R is a C 2-20  hydrocarbon group, and 
 Z is an aromatic C 6-24  monocyclic or polycyclic group optionally substituted with 1 to 6 C 1-8  alkyl groups, 1 to 8 halogen atoms, or a combination thereof, wherein the divalent bonds of the —O—Z—O— group are in the 3,3′, 3,4′, 4,3′, or the 4,4′ positions. 
 
       
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 31 , wherein
 R is a divalent radical of the formula   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein Q is —O—, —S—, —C(O)—, —SO 2 —, —SO—, or —C y H 2y — or a halogenated derivative thereof. 
       wherein y is an integer from 1 to 5, and
 Z is a divalent group of the formula 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein Q 1  is —O—, —S—, —C(O)—, —SO 2 —, —SO—, or —C y H 2y — wherein y is an integer from 1 to 5. 
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein R is m-phenylene and Q 1  is isopropylidene. 
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 8 , further comprising an organophosphorus compound in an amount effective to provide 0.1-1 wt % phosphorus, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         35 . The composition  claim 34 , 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. 
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 35 , 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. 
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 36 , 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. 
 
       
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 37 , 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 1-5. 
       
     
     
         39 . The composition of  claim 35 , 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. 
     
     
         40 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein no halogenated compounds are present. 
     
     
         41 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein an increase in fractional concentration of polyetherimide in the composition reduces the smoke density (Ds-4) as measured in accordance with ISO 5659-2 on a 3 mm thick plaque in a non-linear manner, wherein an interaction parameter ‘k’ measured using the equation 
       
         
           
             
               
                 Ds 
                 Blend 
               
               = 
               
                 
                   
                     
                       w 
                       POL 
                     
                      
                     
                       Ds 
                       POL 
                       pure 
                     
                   
                   + 
                   
                     
                       kw 
                       PEI 
                     
                      
                     
                       Ds 
                       PEI 
                       pure 
                     
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     w 
                     POL 
                   
                   + 
                   
                     kw 
                     PEI 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
         where Ds Blend  is the smoke density of the composition; 
         w POL  is the fractional wt % of the non-polyetherimide polymer(s)/copolymer(s) or their blends based on the weight of the composition; 
         W PEI  is the fractional wt % of the polyetherimide based on the weight of the composition; 
         Ds POL   pure  is the smoke density of the composition with only the non-polyetherimide polymer(s)/copolymer(s); 
         Ds PEI   pure  is the smoke density of the composition with only polyetherimide; and 
         k is greater than 4.0. 
       
     
     
         42 . An article selected from a molded article, a thermoformed article, an extruded film, an extruded sheet, a foamed article, one or more layers of a multi-layer article, a substrate for a coated article, and a substrate for a metallized article comprising the composition of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         43 . The article of  claim 42 , having a thickness of 0.1 to 10 mm. 
     
     
         44 . The article of  claim 43 , having a thickness of 0.5 to 5 mm. 
     
     
         45 . The article of  claim 42 , wherein the article is a transportation component. 
     
     
         46 . The article of  claim 45 , 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. 
     
     
         47 . A method of manufacture of an article, comprising molding, extruding, or casting the thermoplastic composition of  claim 8  to form the article.