High modulus laser direct structuring polycarbonate composites with enhanced plating performance and broad laser window and methods for the manufacture and use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9944768-B2
Application number	US-201414227271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2014
Priority date	Apr 1, 2013
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a polymer composition. The disclosed composition comprises a polycarbonate polymer, a laser direct structuring additive capable of being activated by electromagnetic radiation and thereby forming elemental metal nuclei, reinforcing filler, and a laser direct structuring synergist. Also disclosed is a method for making the disclosed polymer composition and an article of manufacture comprising the disclosed polymer composition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A polymer composition comprising:
a. from about 20% by weight to about 84% by weight of a polycarbonate polymer;
b. from about 1% by weight to about 10% by weight of a laser direct structuring additive capable of being activated by electromagnetic radiation to form an elemental metal nuclei;
c. from about 10% by weight to about 50% by weight of a reinforcing filler; and
d. from about 5% by weight to about 20% by weight of a laser direct structuring synergist comprising a polycarbonate-polysiloxane copolymer, a branched polycarbonate, or a combination thereof, and
wherein
the polymer composition has an enhanced laser plating efficiency of at least 10% relative to a substantially identical reference composition in the absence of the laser direct structuring synergist,
a molded article formed from the polymer composition has a notched Izod impact energy at 23° C. of from about 100 J/m to about 165 J/m,
the polymer composition is capable of being plated after being activated using a laser, and
weight percentages are relative to total weight of the polymer composition.

2. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the laser direct structuring additive comprises a heavy metal mixture oxide spinel, a copper salt, or a combination thereof.

3. The polymer composition of claim 2 , wherein the heavy metal mixture oxide spinel comprises a copper chromium oxide spinel.

4. The polymer composition of claim 2 , wherein the copper salt comprises a copper hydroxide phosphate.

5. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing filler comprises a glass fiber, a mineral filler, a carbon fiber, or a combination thereof.

6. The polymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising talc in an amount from about 1% by weight to about 5% by weight relative to the total weight of the polymer composition.

7. The polymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional additives comprising an antioxidant, an impact modifier, a flame retardant, an inorganic filler, a stabilizer, or a combination thereof.

8. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition is capable of being molded into an article.

9. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition demonstrates a flexural modulus in an amount equal to or greater than about 3 GPa.

10. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition demonstrates a tensile modulus in an amount equal to or greater than about 3 GPa.

11. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition is capable of having a plating index value with a statistical variance of at least about 2 to about 75% lower than that measured for a substantially identical reference composition in the absence of the laser direct structuring synergist.

12. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition is capable of having a plating index value with a statistical variance of at least about 9 to about 30% lower than that measured for a substantially identical reference composition in the absence of the laser direct structuring synergist.

13. A method for making a molded article, comprising:
1. forming a blend composition comprising
a. from about 20% by weight to about 84% by weight of a polycarbonate polymer,
b. from about 1% by weight to about 10% by weight of a laser direct structuring additive capable of being activated by electromagnetic radiation to form an elemental metal nuclei,
c. from about 10% by weight to about 50% by weight of a reinforcing filler, and
d. from about 5% by weight to about 20% by weight of a laser direct structuring synergist comprising a polycarbonate-polysiloxane copolymer, a branched polycarbonate, or a combination thereof,

2. forming the molded article from the blend composition; and
3. subjecting the molded article to a laser direct structuring process,
wherein
the polymer composition has an enhanced laser plating efficiency of at least 10% relative to a substantially identical reference composition in the absence of the laser direct structuring synergist,

the molded article has a notched Izod impact energy at 23° C. of from about 100 J/m to about 165 J/m,
the polymer composition is capable of being plated after being activated using a laser, and
weight percentages are relative to total weight of the polymer composition.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the polycarbonate polymer comprises a bisphenol A polycarbonate polymer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the bisphenol A polycarbonate polymer comprises a blend of at least two different bisphenol A polycarbonates.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the laser direct structuring additive comprises a heavy metal mixture oxide spinel, a copper salt, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reinforcing filler comprises a glass fiber, a mineral filler, a carbon fiber, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the blend composition demonstrates a flexural modulus in an amount equal to or greater than about 3 GPa.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the blend composition demonstrates a tensile modulus in an amount equal to or greater than about 3 GPa.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the blend composition is capable of having a plating index value with a statistical variance of at least about 2 to about 75% lower than that measured for a substantially identical reference composition in the absence of the laser direct structuring synergist.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the blend composition is capable of having a plating index value with a statistical variance of at least about 9 to about 30% lower than that measured for a substantially identical reference composition in the absence of the laser direct structuring synergist.

22. An article molded from a polymer composition comprising:
a. from about 20% by weight to about 84% by weight of a polycarbonate polymer;
b. from about 1% by weight to about 10% by weight of a laser direct structuring additive capable of being activated by electromagnetic radiation to form an elemental metal nuclei;
c. from about 10% by weight to about 50% by weight of a reinforcing filler; and
d. from about 5% by weight to about 20% by weight of a laser direct structuring synergist comprising a polycarbonate-polysiloxane copolymer, a branched polycarbonate, or a combination thereof; and
wherein
the article has an enhanced laser plating efficiency of at least 10% relative to a substantially identical article in the absence of the laser direct structuring synergist,
the article has a notched Izod impact energy at 23° C. of from about 100 J/m to about 165 J/m,
the article is capable of being plated after being activated using a laser, and
weight percentages are relative to total weight of the polymer composition.

23. The article of claim 22 , wherein the article comprises a computer device, a household appliance, a decoration device, an electromagnetic interference device, a printed circuit, a Wi-Fi device, a Bluetooth device, a GPS device, a cellular antenna device, a smart phone device, an automotive device, a military device, an aerospace device, a medical device, a hearing aid, a sensor device, a security device, a shielding device, an RF antenna device, or an RFID device.

24. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition has an enhanced laser plating efficiency of at least 20% relative t

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Cheng Yunan
• Yu Xiaofeng
• An Yuxian

Classifications

• C08K3/04

  Carbon · CPC title

• C08K2003/2251

  of chromium · CPC title

• C08K3/22 Primary

  of metals · CPC title

• C08K3/24

  Acids; Salts thereof {(C08K3/16 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H05K2203/107

  Using laser light · CPC title