Polyetherimide resin compositions with improved ductility

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In a preferred embodiment, the thermoplastic resin composition of the present invention is comprises, based on 100 parts by weight ("pbw") of the thermoplastic resin composition, from 50 to 95 pbw, more preferably from 55 to 90 pbw and still more preferably from 60 to 85 pbw, of the polyetherimide, resin; from 0.
5 to 12 pbw, more preferably from 2 to 10 pbw and still more preferably from 2 to 8 pbw, of the siloxane-polyetherimide copolymer; and from 5 to 45 pbw, more preferably from 10 to 40 pbw and still more preferably from 15 to 35 pbw, of the branched polycarbonate resin.
Polyetherimide resins suitable for use as component (a) of the thermoplastic resin of the composition of the present invention are known compounds whose preparation and properties have been described, see generally, U.
S.
Pat.
Nos.
3,803,085 and 3,905,942, the respective disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In a preferred embodiment, the polyetherimide resin component of the present invention contains from greater than 1 to 1000 or more, preferably from 10 to 1000, structural units of the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein the divalent T moiety bridges the 3,3', 3,4', 4,3', or 4,4' positions of the aryl rings of the respective aryl imide moieties of formula (I); T is --O-- or a group of the formula --O--Z--O--; Z is a divalent radical selected from the group consisting of formulae (II): ##STR2## wherein X is a member selected from the group consisting of divalent radicals of the formulae (III): ##STR3## wherein y is an integer from 1 to about 5, and q is 0 or 1; R is a divalent organic radical selected from the group consisting of: (a) aromatic hydrocarbon radicals having from 6 to about 20 carbon atoms and halogenated derivatives thereof, (b) alkylene radicals having from 2 to about 20 carbon atoms, (c) cycloalkylene radicals having from 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, and (d) divalent radicals of the general formula (IV): ##STR4## where Q is a member selected from the group consisting of formulae (V): ##STR5## where y' is an integer from about 1 to about 5