"HIGH IMPACT POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE-POLYCARBONATE

BLEND COMPOSITIONS" BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field Of the Invention: The present invention relates to particular polyester molding compositions which are characterized by exceptional toughness subsequent to annealing. More particularly, the present invention is directed towards a composition which comprises a polyester and polycarbonate or a polyarylate which further includes a reactive impact modifier.

2. Description of the Prior Art;

Engineered plastics enjoy widespread popularity for the production of articles through the use of molding or casting processes. The materials typically comprise one or more polymeric materials which exhibit specific properties, i.e., toughness, rigidity, chemical resistance, long-term hygrothermal dimensional stability, dielectric strength, and the like. Frequently, materials which exhibit particular features such as those listed are utilized as constitutents in the formation of so called "blended polymers" which comprise two or more constituent materials, such as a two or more polymers, or a polymer with a non-polymeric material, which constitutents will ideally form a material which exhibits the beneficial features of the constituents, with few if any detrimental qualities. Unfortunately, as is well known to the art, the formation of blended polymeric materials are rarely attained which offer the desirable characteristics of the constituents, without simultaneously suffering frtrn some detrimental quality.

One polymer which is widely used in the formulation of engineered plastics is a polymer of an aromatic carbonate. Such carbonate polymers, also generically termed in the art as "PC's", may readily be

prepared by reacting a dihydric phenol, such as 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ropane with a carbonate precursor, such as a phosgene, in the presence of an acid binding agent. Generally, aromatic polycarbonate plastics may be easily -molded, have a high tensile and impact strength, and exhibit an excellent degree of dimensional stability in most articles formed therefrom. However, in particular applications, aromatic polycarbonates are unsuitable as they are also known to exhibit severe environmental stress crazing and cracking, i.e., a type of failure which is enhanced by the presence of organic solvents such as basic solvents such as many hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, etc which are the constituents of may common automobile fluids, gasoline, paints, and the like. Most significantly, the loss of impact strength and an increase in brittle type failures in standard testing procedures has been observed. Certain formulations of polycarbonates have been devised which increase the resistance of polycarbonates to environmental stress cracking including the addition of a minor amount of a polyalkylene terephthalate such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) and ρoly(butylene terephthalate). However, articles formed from a blend of a polycarbonate and a minor amount of a polyalkylene terephthalate have been observed to have a lower impact resistance to that of the polycarbonate itself. This has led to the suggestion of using additional constituents in a polycarbonate and polyalkylene terephthalate blend in order to improve the impact resistance of such materials.

Polyalkylene terephthalates including poly(ethylene terephthalate), also known to the art by its acronym "PET", and ρoly(butylene terephthalate), similarly referred to as "PBT" are aromatic polyesters which enjoy frequent use either as the sole materials or as constituents in plastic products where rigidity,

impact resistance, and abrasion resistance, are required. This is known to the art to be due to the relatively high degree of crystallinity which polyalkylene terephthalates, particularly PBT, exhibit subsequent to cooling fromthe melt, and thus encourages their use in many molding operations, particularly injection molding processes. However, these materials, most particularly PET, are known to exhibit poor impact resistance properties subsequent to annealing or heat aging. In contrast to PBT, injection molding of PET results in a slow rate of crystallization and non-uniform or low crystallinity in molded articles. Subsequent annealing or heat exposure of PET molded articles causes further crystallization resulting in larger, non-uniform crystalline structures. However, as is well known to the art, polymers which exhibit large, non-uniform crystalline structures also exhibit low impact resistance, a quality which is frequently undesirable in molded articles. Thus, unfilled PET is not normally preferred as injection molding resins due to its lower impact resistance as compared to PBT, after crystallization.

Further suggested improvements in the processing and the physical properties of plastic materials comprising a blend or mixture of a polycarbonate and an ρoly(alkylene terephthalate) have included the addition of further constituents to these two polymers, or the use of specific molding processes for the production of articles formed from polycarbonate and poly(alkylene terephthalate) blends. Some examples include U.S. Patent 4,522,979 to Chung et.al. for "Molding Compositions Having An Enhanced Resistance to Gasoline" which discloses PE and PC blended with rubbery impact modified and a blocked polyisocyanate prepolymer, U.S. Patent 4,764,556 to Lausberg et.al. for "Thermoplastic Molding Materials of Polyester and Polycarbonate" disclosing a thermoplastic molding material comprising

polyalkylene terephthalates, polycarbonates and a rubber toughener and rubbery ethylene copolymers; U.S. Patent 4,897,448 for "Polyester/Polycarbonate Blends" to Romance for PE/PC blends which include core shell rubbers as impact modifiers; U.S. Patent 4,737,545 to Liu et.al. for "Ternary Polycarbonate Blends" disclosing compositions having a major amount of an aromatic carbonate polymer, and a minor amount of an aromatic carbonate polymer impact modifying composition comprising a "teleblock" copolymer of a vinyl aromatic compound and an olefinic elastomer, and an olefin alkylacrylate. Further are U.S. Patent 4,629,760 to Liu et.al. for "Composition of Polycarbonate, Polyester, Acrylate Elastomeric Copolymer and a Phenoxy Resin" discusses a polymer composition which comprises a PC, polyalkylene terephthalate and an elastomeric acrylate copolymer, and of particular note is U.S. Patent 4,753,980 to Deyrup for "Toughened Thermoplastic Polyester Compositions" where Deyrup describes compositions which include a polyester resin, which may be a poly(alkylene terephthalate) polymer, such as PET or ρoly(butylene terephthalate), which is commonly known as "PBT" either as a homopolymer or a copolymer, or mixtures of PET and PBT, and an ethylene terpolymer such as ethylene/methacrylate/glycidyl methacrylate.

Further, European Application 0 180 648 to Toray Industries, Inc. for a "Polyester Composition and Moldings Thereof" discloses a polymer composition comprising an aromatic polyester, an aromatic polycarbonate having a number average molecular weight of 10,000 to 80,000 and a copolymer consisting essentially of an alpha-olefin and the glycidyl ester of an alpha,beta-ehylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid. While some of these techniques have provided compositions yielding articles having satisfactory properties, their diversity and number

indicate that the need for novel compositions which exhibit further improvements in properties, and processability exists. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the instant invention there is provided an impact modified polyester-polycarbonate composition comprising: a polyester, a polycarbonate represented by recurring structural units of che formula:

-[-A-O-C-O-]-

where A is a divalent aromatic radical derived from a dihydric aromatic compound, and a reactive terpolymer constituent (hereinafter interchangeably referred to as "graft terpolymer") which comprises a compound having the formula:

[Formula 1] E/A/X

where "E" is representative of an alpha-olefin, or in the alternative, an alkadiene, "A" is representative of a material having the formula.

[Formula 3] CH2 -

where "Y" is -H or an alkyl substituent, "Z" is -COOR, -CN, -OCOR, or -Ar, wherein "R" may be a methyl, ethyl, butyl or other alkyl group, and "Ar" may be a phenyl or

substitued phenyl, and "X" represents a comonomer exhibiting the structure

[Formula 4] CH- -

which contains a reactive functionality "P" which is selected from epoxide, isocyanate, 1,3-oxazoline, or acyllactam functionalities, where the terpolymer forms graft linked bonds with other polymeric materials in a composition, particularly with polycarbonates and the poly(ethylene terephthalates) .

Molded articles comprising the inventive composition are also provided.

It has also been unexpectedly discovered that a polymer composition having improved properties may be produced wherein the inventive polymer composition comprises a polycarbonate and a poly(ethylene terephthalate) and an active graft terpolymer according to the aforementioned formula "E/A/X" which graft terpolymer exhibits the reactive ability of forming graft-type bonds with polycarbonates and with the terminal groups of poly(ethylene terephthalate) exhibits improved properties, especially retention of high impact resistance properties subsequent to heat aging.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, the polycarbonates which may be used are the carbonate polymers of dihydric phenols. Such polycarbonates may be prepared by reacting a dihydric phenol with a carbonate precursor such as a phosgene, a halo formate, or a carbonate ester. In general, the resulting

polycarbonate may be represented by recurring structural units of the formula:

[Formula 2] 0

-[-A-O-C-O-]-

where A is a divalent aromatic radical derived from a dihydric aromatic compound, preferably bisphenol A. These dihydroxy aromatic compounds are defined as 4,4'- dihydroxydi(mononuclear aryl)A compounds where the mononuclear aryl may be phenyl, tolyl, xylyl, ethylphenyl, isopropylphenyl, etc., and the connecting A groups may be -CH--, -C-H--, -C..H-, -C ₄ Hg-, -S0 ₂ -, -S-, -0-, -C ₃ Fg, etc. Typical dihydric phenols are 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane; 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pentane; 2,4'-(dihydroxydiphenyl)methane; bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane; bis-(2-hydroxyphenyl)methane; hydroquinone;

Resorcinol; bis-(4-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)methane;

1 ,1-bis(4-hydroxypheny1)ethane;

3,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pentane;

2,2-dihydroxydiphenyl;

2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene; bis-(4-hydroxydiphenyl)sulfone; bis-(3,5-diethy1-4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfone;

2,2-bis-(3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propane;

2,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl sulfone;

5'-chloro-2,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl sulfone; bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)diphenyl sulfone;

4,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl ether;

4,4'-dihydroxy-3,3*-dichlorodiphenyl ether;

4,4 '-dihydroxy-2,5'-dihydroxydiphenyl ether; and the like.

Other suitable dihydric phenols are disclosed in U.S. Patents 4,126,602, 2,999,835, 3,028,365, 3,334,154, and 4,131,575. It is also possible to employ two or more different dihydric phenols for the preparation of the polycarbonate.

These aromatic polycarbonates can be manufacture by known processes, such as noted above, by reacting a dihydric phenol with a carbonate precursor, such as a phosgene with the methods set forth, and disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,018,750, or by transesterification processes disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,153,008, as well as other processes well known to the art. Further, as noted above, two or more different dihydric phenols may be utilized, as well as a copolymer of a dihydric phenol with a glycol or with a hydroxy or acid-terminated polyester or with a dibasic acid in the event a carbonate copolymer rather than a homopolymer is desire for use in the preparation of the polycarbonate. Branched polycarbonates are also useful, such as those described in U.S. Patent 4,001,184. Further, blends of a linear polycarbonate and a branched polycarbonate may also be used. Moreover, blends of any of the above materials may be employed in the practice of this invention to provide the aromatic polycarbonate. In any event, the preferred aromatic polycarbonates are those selected from the group consisting of: poly(2,2-bis(4-hydroxypehyl)alkane) carbonates. The most preferred of these polycarbonates is a polycarbonate derived from 2,2-bis( -hydroxyphenyl)propane.

Polycarbonates utilizable with the invention should have a number-average molecular weight of 10,000 to 80,000. Preferably, the range of the number-average molecular weight is in the range of 15,000 to 40,000.

While the specific number-average molecular weight of the polycarbonate is recognized not to be detrimental to the operation of the novel graft terpolymer which provides improved properties in polymer compositions within which it is utilized, it has been observed that when the number-average molecular weight of the polycarbonate is less than about 10,000 or more than about 80,000, the resultant product polymer composition has been observed to be inferior in molding and processability, or deficient in mechanical properties, particularly tensile strength subsequent to heat aging. The polycarbonates should preferably exhibit an intrinsic or inherent viscosity of about 0.2 to 1.2 dl/g, (deciliters/gram) more preferably of about 0.3 to 0.9 dl/g in dichloromethane by standard Ubbehlohde viscometry at room temperature. Although not essential, the polycarbonates should preferably contain hydroxyl end groups.

Suitable polyesters include polymers which exhibit an inherent viscosity of 0.3 dl/g or greater and which generally are the linear saturated condensation products of glycols and dicarboxylic acids, or reactive derivates thereof. Preferably, they will comprise condensation products of aromatic dicarboxylic acids having 8 to 14 carbon atoms and at least one glycol selected from the group consisting of cyclohexane dimethanol, neopentyl glycol, and aliphatic glycols of the formula HO(CH-) OH where the letter "n" may be any integer of 2 to 10. Up to 50 mole percent of the aromatic dicarboxylic acids can be replaced by at least one different aromatic dicarboxylic acid having from 8 to 14 carbon atoms, and/or up to 20 mole percent can be replaced by an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having from 2 to 12 carbon atoms.

In accordance with the present invention, suitable polyesters include:

-10- poly(ethylene terephthalate); poly(1,4-butylene)terephthalate;

1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate/isophthalate copolymer and other linear 5 homopolymer esters derived from aromatic dicarboxylic acids, including but not limited to isophthalic, bibenzoic, naphthalene-dicarboxylic including

1,5-naphthaleπedicarboxylic acid;

2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid; 10 2,7-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid;

4,4'-diphenylenedicarboxylic acid; bis(p-carboxyphenyl)methane;

1,4-tetramethylene bis(ρ-oxybenzoic) acid; ethylene bis(p-oxybenzoic) acid; 15 ethylene bis-p-benzoic acid;

1,3-trimethylene bis(p-oxybenzoid)acid; and

1,4-tetramethylene bis(p-oxybenzoic) acid; and glycols selected from but not limited to

2,2-dimethyl-l,3-propane diol; 20 neopentyl glycol; cyclohexane dimethanol and aliphatic glycols of the general formula HO(CH-) OH where "n" may be an integer from to 10, and thereby, for example and not by limitation, may be one of the 25 following: ethylene glycol;

1,3-trimethylene glycol;

1,4-tetramethylene glycol;

1,6-hexaraehtylene glycol; 30 1,8-octamethylene glycol;

1,10-decamethylene glycol;

1,3-proρylene glycol; and

1,4-butylene glycol. Up to 20 mole percent, as indicated above, or one or more aliphatic acid may be ³⁵ included. For example, suitable aliphatic acids include adipic, sebacic, azzelaic dodeandioic and

1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic.

Prefereably, the polyester is one or more of the poly(alkylene terephthalates) , either as a homopolymer or as a copolymer of two or more poly(alkylene terephthalates) . The acronym "PAT" will be interchangeably used as a designator for poly(alkylene terephthalates) as a labelling convention herein.

The preferred compositions include PET homopolymers, or PET copolymers containing minor amounts of comonomers, as distinct from PBT homopolymers as as is well known to the art, these two materials exhibit different morphologies due to the differences in their crystallization behavior. This difference, viz. the lower crystallization rate and the tendency to form large, non-uniform crystalline structures in the case of PET as compared to PBT, in finished articles is known to the art to account for the different impact strengths of these materials subsequent to an annealing operation, or subsequent to any extended exposure to heat. PET's relatively rigid non-uniform crystalline morphology is known to cause more brittleness, and is thus less desirable as a material for use in forming articles, particularly in the absence of fillers and reinforcing agents. The polyester should preferably have an intrinsic viscosity of about 0.2 dl/g to about 1.2 dl/g; more preferably the viscosity should be in the range of between about 0.4 to about 0.95 dl/g. These viscosity values are determined with the use of a standard Ubbehlohde viscometer in a phenol-tetrachloroethane (60/40 v/v) solution in a concentration of 0.5\ at room temperature. The polyesters should preferably have active chain end groups viz., carboxylic acid and/or hydroxyl end groups in a concentration of at least 0.01 meq/g. The end groups are determined by standard titrametric methods for carboxyl or hydroxyl determination.

The compositions in accordance with the present invention, based on the total weight percentage of the composition, includes relative weight ratios of the polycarbonate in the range of about 30 to about 60 percent; the polyester in the range of about 30 to about 60 percent; and the graft terpolymer more fully discussed below in a range of weight ratios of between about 2 and about 30 percent. More preferably the polyester should comprise about 40 percent of the composition, with the polycarbonate and the graft terpolymer comprising the remaining amount of the composition, as it has been observed that favorable impact properties subsequent to heat aging have has not been realized where the polyester is present in less than such a proportion.

According to the invention, the compositions will further include a terpolymer constituent, or as interchangeably referenced above, a "graft terpolymer" comprising a compound having the formula:

[Formula 1] E/A/X

where "E" is representative of an alpha-olefin, or in the alternative, an alkadiene, "A" is representative of a material having the formula,

[Formula 3] CH„ - C / ^'

where "Y" is -H or an alkyl substituent, "Z" is -COOR, -CN, -OCOR, or -Ar, of which "R" may be a methyl, ethyl, butyl or other alkyl group, and "Ar" may be a

phenyl or substitued phenyl, and "X" represents a comonomer exhibiting the structure

[Formula 4] CH ₂ -

which contains a reactive function "P" which is selected from epoxide, isocyanate, 1,3-oxazoline, or acyllactam functionalities. Typically, "X" has a moiety derived from acrylic and methacrylic acid or allyl alcohol, e.g., glycidyl acrylates, glycidyl methacrylates, or glycidyl allyl ether. The terpolymer forms graft type bonds with other polymeric materials in a composition, particularly with polycarbonates and the poly(ethylene terephthalates).

In accordance with the invention, the constituents of X are epoxide, isocyanate, acyllactam or oxazoline. Accordingly, X having epoxide functionalities may be derived from glycidyl acrylate, glycidyl methcrylate, glycidyl allyl ether, and other glycidyl containing compounds. Where X is to have an isocyanate functionality, X may be derived from 2-isocyanotoethylmethacrylate, p-isopropenyl alpha,alpha-dimethyl benzyl isocyanate, m-isopropenyl alpha,alpha-dimethyl benzyl isocyanate, and the like. Where oxazoline functionalities are desired, X may be derived from 2-isopropenyl-l,3-oxazoline, 2-(p-vinyl phenyl)-l,3-oxazoline, and the like. Where acyllactam functionality is desired, X may be derived from methacryloyl caprolactam, methacryloyllaurolactam, compounds of the general formula:

[Formula 5] CH 2, - C

where "x ^H may have a value of 3 to 10, and "y" may be -H or -CH ₃ .

The grafted terpolymer may be synthesized by copolymerization of E, A or X in bulk or solution phase, catalyzed by free radical initiators or other types of initiators. The relative weight ratios of the constituents comprising the graft terpolymer may be present in proportions which, relative to the total weight of the terpolymer of between about 98.9 and 45 weight percent E, between about 1 and 40 weight percent A, and between about 0.1 and about 15 weight percent X. It is to be noted that the relative proportions of the constituents relative to the total weight are subject to a great deal of variation and are dependent upon the weight of the individual constituents.

Further, their relative proportions may be adjusted to suit the reactivity of a particular composition.

All of these functional groups of the terpolymer disclosed in this invention are found to exhibit grafting with the PET and the PC due to their high reactivity; E/A/X compositions where X exhibits an epoxide or oxazoline functionality were found to be highly advantageous.

An advantageous feature of the terpolymer is that the "X" functionalities also act as "water scavengers" within the polymer, and during the production of the polymer may act to remove free water molecules from the polymer melt. Such a feature eliminates the necessity of drying the poly(ethylene terephthalate) before it is melted during processing, which is a feature especially advantageous when recycled PET is used as a feedstock. This is beneficial in forming polymer compositions which have lower water contents, and hence, require less or no drying.

It should be evident to those skilled in the art that minor amounts of organic modifiers, generally to

comprise no more than about 10% of a composition, may be added to the composition according to the invention. Examples of such typical modifiers include heat stabilizers, flame retardants, pigments and coloring agents, nucleators, lubricants and flow modifiers, especially ethylene copolymers which are frequently used additives for improving the melt flowcharacteristics of many polymer materials. Also, the use of in-organic materials as in-organic modifiers, such as fillers, and reinforcing agents

(including glass fibers, talc carbon fibers, and the like) may be included in any suitable amount, which is preferably in a range typically used in the art, between about 40 and 50%. The compositions in the Examples were generally prepared by one of two methods. In the first method, where there is no preblending of the components, the melt blend is prepared by first dry blending the constituents in their appropriate weight percentages by tumble blending or in a rotary drum, then feeding in the blended constituents into the hopper of a single screw extruder which was heated so to form a melt of the constituents and then extruding it through a die to form strands. The extrudate was rapidly passed through a water bath in order to quench and cool the strands. The strands were then passed through a pelletizing machine and the pellets were collected and dried.

In the second method where an additional preblending step is included in the formation process, the polycarbonate utilized and the terpolymer are first preblended before combining them with the PET of any desired composition. This second method is the preferred one as the preblending allows for a more homogeneous phase distribution of the terpolymer and the polycarbonate, which being preblended, improves the distribution of the terpolymer within the polycarbonate and PET, increasing the amount of grafting in the final

composition and thereby enhancing the improved properties of the final composition. According to this second method, the polycarbonate and the termpolymer are first preblended via a melt extrusion before blending with the PET by another melt extrusion operation, thus essentially constituting a 2-step single screw extrusion process. Alternatively, the melt blend may be prepared by use of a 2-stage, single pass extrusion process. In such a process, a dry blend of the polycarbonate and the terpolymer in their appropriate weight percentages is introduced into a first hopper of a single screw extruder. The appropriate amount of PET is introduce into a second hopper of the extruder at location downstream approximately midway between the first hopper and the die at the exit of the extruder. Similarly, the extrudate was rapidly passed through a water bath in order to quench and cool the strands which were then pelletized, and collected, and when necessary, dried. The pellets were utilized to mold test specimens which were 1/8 inch test bars which are a standardized sample size well known to the art by use of an injection molding machine. Both tensile bars and Izod impact bars were prepared utilizing this process. Subsequently, a quantity of the test bars were annealed in an annealing oven at a temperature of about 150 deg.C where they were retained for periods of either 16 hours or 72 hours in accordance with testing parameters well known to the art. Testing of the test bars was accomplished in accordance with the standardized testing procedures prevalent in the art; the tensile strength was tested in accordance with ASTM D-3029 standards using a falling weight impact tester, and the impact strength was determined under the testing conditions of D-256 using a notched Izod pendulum impact apparatus for measurement.

EXAMPT.KS OF THE INVFWTTON

The following examples show particular embodiments of the present invention, and illustrate the extraordinary toughness properties of specific compositions of PET and polycarbonates by the inclusion of a reactive terpolymer disclosed herein. It is to be understood that the following examples of the invention are for illustration only and the scope of the invention is bounded only by the accompanying claims. Unless otherwise indicated, the use of percentages within any Example are to be understood as the weight percentages of the individual constitutents relative to the total weight of the constituents. Example 1, Example 1 is a melt blend composition consisting essentially of 40% PET, 40% of a polycarbonate and 20% of an ethylene/ethyl acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer. The PET used was a bottle grade resin with 0.67 I.v. ( as determined in phenol/TCE) and typically containing between about 0.035-0.04 meg/g of carboxyl chain ends. The polycarbonate used was commercially available from the under the trade name "Lexan", a name used for a family of polycarbonate materials. The particular polycarbonate used was "Lexan 101". The ethylene/ethyl acrylate/glycidyl terpolymer was described as having a relative weight ratio of 75% ethylene, 17% ethyl acrylate and 8% glycidyl functionality.

The melt blend was prepared by first dry blending all of the constituents together and subsequently, the dry blended constituents were then fed into the hopper of a Killion 1 inch single screw extruder with a L/D ratio of 30/1 using a feed screw equipped with a Maddox mixing head. The extruder barrel temperatures for each zone were kept at the following approximate temperatures of: Zone 1, 205 deg.C; Zone 2, 250 deg.C; Zone 3, 270 deg.C; Zone 4,

250 deg.C. The temperature of the flange was kept at approximately 250 deg.C and the temperature of the dies was kept at approximately 210 deg.C. The extruder screw rotational speed was maintained at about 60 rpm. The extrudate was rapidly pas∑Jed through a water bath in order to quench and cool the strands. The cooled strands were then passed through a pelletizing machine and the pellets formed were collected and dried.

Thereafter, the pellets were molded into test specimens by injection molding using an injection molding machine. The barrel temperature of the machine during the injection process was maintained within a temperature range of about 280 - 287 deg.C and the mold was kept at a temperature of about 50 deg.C. During the molding operation, the cycle time was approximately 10 seconds during the injection step, and approximately 20 second during cooling. The pressure of the operation was approximately 300 psi, with a pressure hold of 500 psi. Standardized tensile bars and Izod impact bars were prepared. A quantity of the test bars were annealed, or heat aged in a circulating hot air oven at about 150 deg.C for periods of either 16 hours or 72 hours.

Testing of the samples included impact testing, tensile elongation, tensile modulus and yield stress according to known testing procedures. The physical properties measured indicate extraordinary toughness of the material subsequent to annealing. Results of the tests are summarized under the heading "Ex.l" on Tables 1 and 2 below.

Comparative Examples A. B. C. D. E

The comparative examples A, B, C, D and E are compositions comprising PET, PC and various impact modifiers. Each of these examples was prepared in the same manner as the composition of Example 1, and consisted essentially of 40% PET, 40% of a polycarbonate and 20% of one of the various impact modifiers.

Comparative Example A used an methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene, (which is frequently catergorized in the art as an "interpoly er") or "MBS" core shell rubber as its impact modifier. This rubber enjoys significant usage in the art as an impact modifier as this material exhibits good elasticity and provides good impact absorption.

The impact modifier used in the composition of Comparative Example B was an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, or "ABS" rubber which similarly to MBS exhibits good elasticity and good impact absorption. The formulation B was commercially obtained from Mobay Chemical Co. under the trade designation "Makroblend UT1018". The impact modifier used in comparative example

C is an all-acrylate core shell rubber, which is marketed under the trademark "Paraloid KM 330" by Rohm & Haas, and consists of a cross linked polybutylacrylate core and polymethylmethacrylate shell.

In the formulation of Comparative Example D, an ethyl/ethyl acetate copolymer was used as the impact modifier.

Comparative Example E utilizes an ethyl/glycidyl methacrylate copolymer as the impact modifier. The particular copolymer is commercially marketed under the tradename "Bondfast 2C" and is available from the Sumitomo Chemical Co. The relative weight ratios of the ethyl to the glycidyl methacrylate in the copolymer is 94/6.

The compositions of examples A, B, C, D and E were all produced, molded and subsequently tested in the manner utilized in the production of example 1, so to more clearly illustrate the distinct advantage of compositions made in accordance with the invention. Likewise, the testing of the samples included impact testing, tensile elongation, tensile modulus and yield

stress according to the same testing procedures utilized in testing the composition of Example 1. The physical properties measured for these Comparative Examples indicate the marked reduction in the toughness of the material subsequent to annealing, or heat aging at 150 deg.C. Results of the tests are also summarized under the appropriate headings and listed on Tables 1 and 2 below.

TABLE 1

Tensile Elongation, %: 115 128 113 95 97 -aged 16 hrs. : 85 40 30 18 33 -aged 72 hrs. : Tensile

TASLE 2

Example

14.5

13.2

3.7

Tensile

Elongation, %: 115 210

-aged 16 hrs. : 85 125 -aged 72 hrs. : 67 7

The resultant physical test data particularly illustrates that the compositions of the present invention, namely, the compositions which include a reactive graft-terpolymer show the unexpected advantages of improved toughness subsequent to annealing and superior impact strength retention. This is attributed to the functionality of the terpolymer in its ability to form a graft copolymer through reaction with the terminal end groups, carboxyl and hydroxyl, of PET and PC. Further, the excellent elasticity of the terpolymer imparts good impact energy absorption qualities to the molded composition, and which is further believed to act as a compatibilizing agent for the PET and PC used. Examples 2-6

Examples 2,3,4,5 and 6 are further embodiments of the invention which utilized the constituents as

used to formulate Example 1, but varies the relative proportions of the PET, PC and the reactive terpolymer used in Example 1. The range of variation for the respective components based on the total weight of the composition was: 30% to 80% PET, 0% to 50% PC, and a constant 20% of the terpolymer. The specific proportions are outlined in Table 3.

I&BLE-1

Examples: 2 3 4 5 <

Constituent, weight %

PET: 80 60 50 40 30

PC: 20 30 40 50

E/EA/GMA terpolymer: 20 20 20 20 20

The compositions of Examples 2-6 were produced in the same manner as that used for the production of Example 1.

The physical characteristics of the materials produced from the compositions outlined in Table 3 are summarized in Table 4.

TABLE 4

Example:

Notched Izod, ft. lb/in: 7.4 16.6 16.4 14.9 14.5

-aged 16 hrs . : 3.2 3.1 5.7 12.6 14.1 -aged 72 hrs. : 3.2 4.0 11.5

Tensile

Elongation, %: 284 165 127 115 72

-aged 16 hrs . : 23 29 41 85 100 -aged 72 hrs. : 21 25 67

Tensile

Modulus, psi.: 5,400 5,400 5,520 5,980 6,380 -aged 16 hrs. at 150 deg.C: 6,300 6,000 6,400 6,640 6,770 -aged 72 hrs. at 150 deg.C: 6,400 5,685 6,100

Tensile Modulus, ρsi.:185,000 183,000 195,000 200,000 205,000

-aged 16 hrs.:235,000 221,000 221,000 215,000 216,000

As may be determined from Tables 3 and 4, the composition of Example 5 exhibited particularly good retention of impact properties and elongation strength. Examples 7-12

Examples 7-12 exemplify the second, alternative method of preparing the compositions. According to this second method, an additional step, "preblending"

of the polycarbonate and the reactive terpolymer. This preblending may be accomplished by methods known to the art, including a two-step process, or a two-stage, single pass extrusion process. This latter process was used for the formation of the compositions of Examples 7-12.

Table 5 indicates the various ratios of constituents utilized in the compositions of Examples 7-12 which were produced using a preblending step. The percentages shown are percent by weight of the composition of each Example.

TABLE 5

Examples: 7 8 9 10 11 12

Constituent, weight %

PET: 40 40 45 50 50 60

PC: 40 45 35 30 33.3 24

E/EA/GMA terpolymer: 20 15 20 20 16.7 16

The corresponding physical properties observed during the testing of these materials is summarized on Table 6.

TABLE f

Example: 7 8 9 10 11 12

Notched Izod

-molded: 15.8 16.8 16.5 18.7 17.5 18.8

-annealed,

16 hrs. at

150 deg.C: 14.3 13.7 12.9 15.0 7.3 4.3 Ultimate

Elongation,

% : 110 105 119 158 140 165

-annealed,

16 hrs. at 150 deg.C: 80 80 78 85 85 30

Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi : 5600 6230 5650 6060 6125 5880 -annealed, 16 hrs. at 150 deg.C: 6410 7445 6135 6580 6715 6100

Tensile

Modulus,

(1000's) psi. : 200 257 190 230 210 250

-annealed, 16 hrs. at

150 deg.C: 220 280 210 260 260 267

As may be discerned from the results shown on Table 6, the compositions showed good retention of impact strength throughout, especially for Examples 7-10. It may further be observed that the second method of forming compositions, where there is

preblending may be advantageous to the first method without preblending of the constitutents by a comparison of the physical test data of Tables 2 and 3 with Tables 5 and 6 which contrasts similar compositions produced by processes including no preblending with processes including preblending. Particularly, the following paired compositions having the same ratio of constituents, and their resultant physical properties may be compared: Example 5 and Example 7, Example 4 and 10. Particularly, the impact test values (notched Izod) indicate improved toughness. Such results are believed to be attributable to improved grafting of the reactive graft terpolymer and the polycarbonate prior to the introduction of the ρoly(ethylene terephthalate.) Example 13. Comparative Example E

The composition of Example 13 was a composition consisting essentially of 40% PET, 40% PC and 20% ethylene/ethyl acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer was produced. Comparative Example E was a composition of PET, PC and an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, which is marked under the tradename "Makroblend" was tested with the composition of Example 13. Both compositions were subjected to drop weight impact testing at low temperatures (-40 deg.C) prior to, and subsequent to heat aging, and the results of these tests is listed on Table 7.

TABLE 7

Example: 13 E

Drop weight impact strength at -40 deg.C. (ft. lbs)

prior to heat aging: 98.75 123.75

after heat aging at 150 deg.C, for 72 hrs. 119.64 3.24

The composition of Example 13 was noted to be completely ductile before heat-aging, and the composition of Comparative Example E was noted to be completely brittle after heat aging, and showed poor strength retention.

Example 14. 15. 16

Three exemplary compositions comprising the terpolymer of the present invention by melt blending the constituents in accordance with the method described for Example 1, with the following particular compositions outlined on Table 8.

IΔS E-a

Examples; 14 15 16

Constituent, weight %

PET: 40 40 40

PC: 40 40 40

E/EA/GMA terpolymer 16 12 10

E/EA 10 copolymer

The following physical properties outlined on Table 8A were observed.

TABLE 8A

Example: 14 15 16

Notched Izod -molded: 16.2 16.2 15.8 -annealed, 16 hrs. at 150 deg.C: 16.6 15.9 14.3

Ultimate Elongation,

% 135 145 133

-annealed, 16 hrs. at 150 deg.C: 125 125 113

Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi : 6235 6585 6200

-annealed, 16 hrs. at 150 deg.C: 7900 7400 6980

Tensile Modulus, (1000's) psi. : 218 218 -annealed, 16 hrs. at 150 deg.C: 245 250

The resultant testing data reveals that the compositions containing an amount of an ethylene copolymer, such as E/EA noted above, but not to be limited solely to E/EA, may be included in

compositions, generally in amounts of up to about 10% so to replace up to about half of the reactive terpolymer may be used without detracting from the beneficial qualities of the present invention. While these exemplary embodiments have described various aspects of the invention, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.