Coated article

Abstract

The present invention relates to an article comprising a support at least partially provided with a coating, wherein i) the support comprises or consists of a thermoplastic composition comprising a polycarbonate, ii) the coating is directly applied on the support and comprises or consists of a polyurethane obtained by reacting at least one di- or tri-isocyanate and at least one polyol, iii) the polycarbonate comprises at least 50 wt% of a first polycarbonate based on the weight of the polycarbonate, the first polycarbonate having an end hydroxyl content of at least 500 ppm, wherein the polycarbonate has an endcapping level (EC%) of at most 85%.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a coated article. More specifically, this invention relates to an article comprising a carrier and a polyurethane coating applied directly to at least a portion of the carrier, wherein the carrier comprises or is composed of a thermoplastic composition containing polycarbonate.

[0002] Polycarbonate or polycarbonate-based compositions are widely known due to their use in automotive applications, both exterior and interior. Protective coatings are typically applied to protect these products from scratches, weathering, or chemicals. For example, headlight lenses made of polycarbonate often have a hard coating several micrometers thick. These are typically acrylic or siloxane-based coatings.

[0003] In the automotive industry, new requirements and standards are being developed regarding the impact resistance of front panels of automobiles, particularly electric vehicles. These requirements stipulate that, in the event of an accident (i.e., a collision with a person or animal), front components (such as front panels) should minimize harm to that person or animal. This can be achieved by avoiding the formation of sharp and / or brittle parts due to impact in the relevant components. Similarly, front components should not be broken or damaged by impact. To some extent, these requirements are addressed through the actual design of the panel or component, but at least in part, they are also influenced by the performance of the coated component or panel. Therefore, it is preferable that the component or panel exhibits, at most, ductile impact failure rather than brittle impact failure.

[0004] In addition to mechanical performance, there are also aesthetic requirements, namely, that the coating adheres fully to the substrate and does not peel off over time. This requirement is especially important for automotive interior applications, such as interior trim pieces, like those integrated into the console, dashboard, or door panels.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a coated article having sufficient or improved coating adhesion and / or wherein any negative impact of the coating on the mechanical properties of the carrier (i.e., the uncoated article) is minimized or even improved.

[0006] The interaction between polyurethane and polycarbonate has been disclosed in the prior art.

[0007] US2019 / 0232621 discloses a multilayer article comprising i) a dense substrate layer comprising a polymer composition, wherein the polymer composition is a blend comprising a polycarbonate polymer, a toughening component (including a rubber-modified monovinyl aromatic thermoplastic material comprising an impact modifier), and a filler (including wollastonite), and ii) a polyurethane overlay layer directly bonded to the dense substrate layer; wherein the amount of polyester in the polymer composition is about zero or less than about 5% by weight. According to this document, a substrate formed from a combination of ABS (especially bulk ABS) with a specified maximum amount of polycarbonate and wollastonite filler achieves improved adhesive properties (initial adhesion and adhesion after weathering) when secondary molding or painting with a polyurethane layer.

[0008] US2019 / 0153218 discloses a composite component comprising a) a carrier containing a thermoplastic composition, the thermoplastic composition comprising

[0009] A) 55 to 75 parts by weight of at least one polymer selected from aromatic polycarbonates and aromatic polyester carbonates;

[0010] B) 25 to 45 parts by weight of at least one mixture comprising at least one polybutadiene-based graft polymer prepared by emulsion polymerization, suspension polymerization or solution polymerization and at least one polybutadiene-free vinyl (co)polymer; and

[0011] C) 0.1 to 20.0 parts by weight (based on the sum of components A and B in each case) of at least one polymer additive, wherein the polybutadiene content is 10% to 20% by weight based on the sum of components A and B.

[0012] The total content of butadiene-free vinyl (co)polymer in component B, based on the sum of the weight parts of components A and B, is 12% to 23% by weight, and the sum of the weight parts of components A and B in the polycarbonate composition is normalized to 100; and b) at least one polyurethane layer selected from coatings, foams, and dense skins, the polyurethane layer comprising at least one polyisocyanate component; at least one polyfunctional H-active compound; and optionally at least one polyurethane additive and / or processing aid; having a molar ratio of NCO active groups to H active groups of 1:1 to 1.1:1.

[0013] US2002 / 01670177 discloses a polycarbonate composition comprising (A) an aromatic polycarbonate and / or a polyester-carbonate, (B) a graft polymer, and (C) a copolymer of styrene and at least one monomer containing at least one carboxyl group, the copolymer having a weight-average molecular weight M equal to or greater than 10,500 g / mol. According to this document, the addition of copolymer (C) has been found to significantly improve foam adhesion, particularly with polyurethane foam.

[0014] US5,688,837 discloses a method for adhering polyurethane foam to polycarbonate, comprising a) providing nucleophilic reactive radicals on a polycarbonate surface, b) generating a polyurethane mixture comprising at least one polyol and at least one diisocyanate, wherein the polyurethane mixture exhibits an isocyanate index greater than 82, and c) foaming the polyurethane mixture on the polycarbonate surface. According to this document, the polycarbonate must have at least one type of nucleophilic reactive radical on its surface. Nucleophilic reactive radicals can be provided during the manufacture of the polycarbonate. Nucleophilic reactive radicals can be formed on the polycarbonate during polymerization. For example, bisphenol A polycarbonate prepared by melt transesterification contains hydroxyl nucleophilic reactive radicals.

[0015] US2011 / 0027575 discloses a method for producing a composite material, comprising (i) preparing a foamed polycarbonate molding composition by injection molding using chemical and / or physical foaming techniques, and (ii) applying a polyurethane reaction system on top of the polycarbonate molding composition and allowing it to cure.

[0016] US2006 / 0151911 discloses a method for in-mold coating, comprising (i) obtaining a mold having at least two cavities, (ii) molding a thermoplastic substrate in a first cavity, (iii) introducing the substrate into a second cavity, and (iv) coating the substrate with a varnish under enhanced pressure and curing the varnish. The method disclosed in this document is claimed to be suitable for varnish layer thicknesses ranging from 0.01 mm to 3 mm.

[0017] WO2024 / 017706 describes a method for producing a composite component with improved interlayer adhesion, the composite component comprising a carrier containing polycarbonate and at least one polyurethane layer in direct contact with the carrier. The present invention also relates to composite components with improved interlayer adhesion, and the use of polycarbonate having a defined OH content as a carrier material in the production of composite components with improved interlayer adhesion.

[0018] EP4309865 describes a method for producing a composite component with improved interlayer adhesion, the composite component comprising a carrier containing polycarbonate and at least one polyurethane layer in direct contact with the carrier. The invention also relates to composite components with improved interlayer adhesion, and the use of a composition comprising polycarbonate and a specific hydroxyl component as a carrier material in the production of composite components with improved interlayer adhesion.

[0019] Although the prior art generally discloses articles based on materials containing polycarbonate, and that these can be combined with polyurethane coatings or foam layers, the prior art does not cover the use of such materials in certain automotive applications, particularly in the front panels of electric vehicles.

[0020] In this regard, the present invention relates to an article comprising a carrier at least partially coated, wherein

[0021] - The carrier comprises or is composed of a thermoplastic composition, wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises polycarbonate.

[0022] The coating is applied directly to the carrier and comprises or consists of a polyurethane obtained by reacting at least one diisocyanate or triisocyanate with at least one polyol.

[0023] - The polycarbonate comprises at least 50% by weight of a first polycarbonate based on the weight of the polycarbonate, the first polycarbonate having a terminal hydroxyl content of at least 500 ppm, preferably at least 700 ppm, as determined by the methods described herein.

[0024] More specifically, the present invention relates to an article comprising a carrier at least partially coated, wherein

[0025] - The carrier comprises or is composed of a thermoplastic composition, the thermoplastic composition comprising polycarbonate,

[0026] - The coating is applied directly to the carrier and comprises or consists of a polyurethane obtained by reacting at least one diisocyanate or triisocyanate with at least one polyol.

[0027] - The polycarbonate comprises at least 50% by weight of a first polycarbonate based on the weight of the polycarbonate, the first polycarbonate having a terminal hydroxyl content of at least 500 ppm, preferably at least 700 ppm, as determined by the method described herein, wherein the polycarbonate has an end-capping level (EC%) of up to 85%, calculated according to Formula I:

[0028]

[0029] Where %EC is the end-capping level, ppmOH is the content of terminal hydroxyl groups in parts per million by weight, and Mn is the number-average molecular weight of polycarbonate determined by gel permeation chromatography based on polycarbonate standards.

[0030] Unwilling to be limited by this, the inventors believe that the improved coating, i.e., the improved adhesion of the coating, is achieved because a portion of the isocyanate groups in the two-component polyurethane coating reacts with naturally occurring phenolic OH groups on the molten polycarbonate chains. Polyurethane chains can be grown from these bonded isocyanate groups to form a coating that is at least partially cross-linked and chemically bonded to the carrier.

[0031] In the context of this invention, a carrier comprises or is composed of a thermoplastic composition containing a polycarbonate, wherein the polycarbonate contains at least 50% by weight of a first polycarbonate based on the weight of the polycarbonate, the first polycarbonate having a terminal hydroxyl content of at least 500 ppm, preferably at least 700 ppm.

[0032] Carriers are typically obtained by molding a thermoplastic composition, such as by injection molding, extrusion, or compression molding, preferably by injection molding. Preferably, the carrier consists of a thermoplastic composition. However, the carrier may also contain other components, such as compositions other than the thermoplastic composition that come into contact with a portion of the carrier made from the thermoplastic composition. For example, the carrier may be molded from two compositions, wherein a first surface portion of the carrier consists of the thermoplastic composition, while another surface portion does not. In the context of such embodiments, the coating is applied at least partially to the surface of the carrier composed of the thermoplastic composition. Nevertheless, in a preferred embodiment, the carrier consists of a thermoplastic composition and is in the form of a molded part, particularly, for example, an injection-molded part. The coating may cover the entire surface of the carrier or only a portion thereof. To avoid ambiguity, it will be understood that in the context of the present invention, the coating is applied directly to the thermoplastic composition, and there is no other layer between the coating and the thermoplastic composition. This can be achieved by applying a coating directly to the carrier after it has been manufactured using molding equipment.

[0033] The thermoplastic composition preferably comprises at least 75% by weight, more preferably at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 95% by weight, and even more preferably at least 98% by weight of polycarbonate based on the weight of the thermoplastic composition.

[0034] The thermoplastic composition may also contain polymers selected from: polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, optionally functionalized polypropylene, optionally functionalized polyethylene, optionally functionalized polyolefin elastomer, (meth)acrylic acid-polybutadiene core-shell copolymer, and mixtures of at least two of the foregoing. However, it is preferred that the thermoplastic composition does not contain any polymer other than polycarbonate and polymers optionally used to impart flame-retardant properties (such as PTFE). The thermoplastic composition may contain known additives, such as colorants, fillers, reinforcing fillers or fibers, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, release agents, flame retardants, etc. However, it is preferred that the thermoplastic composition does not contain antistatic agents, as these antistatic agents can migrate to the surface of the molded article and, depending on the type of antistatic agent, may negatively affect the adhesion of the polyurethane.

[0035] Polycarbonate can be a single type of polycarbonate or a mixture of at least two different types of polycarbonate. Furthermore, polycarbonate can be a single grade of polycarbonate or a mixture of different grades of polycarbonate of the same type but with different molecular weights, and / or different manufacturing methods, and / or different hydroxyl content, and / or different end-capping levels, and / or different Fries content.

[0036] Preferably, the first polycarbonate is composed of one or more bisphenol A polycarbonate homopolymers. More preferably, the polycarbonate is composed of one or more bisphenol A polycarbonate homopolymers.

[0037] Commercially available polycarbonates, especially bisphenol A polycarbonate homopolymers, can be obtained through two different manufacturing methods.

[0038] In the so-called interfacial method, one or more bisphenols (typically bisphenol A) are reacted with a carbonate source (e.g., phosgene) in a two-phase liquid system. This two-phase system consists of an organic phase and an aqueous phase. The reaction typically takes place at the interface between the two phases, where the polymer chains grown remain dissolved in the organic phase. Interfacial polymerization is typically stopped by adding end-capping agents, particularly phenolic end-capping agents such as phenol, tert-butylphenol, and p-cumylphenol. As a result, interfacial polycarbonates typically contain little or no phenolic hydroxyl groups, i.e., terminal hydroxyl groups. However, methods described above to increase the amount of hydroxyl groups in interfacial polycarbonates have been disclosed in the prior art. Such methods are disclosed, for example, in US 5,567,802 and 5,886,073, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0039] In the so-called melt process (sometimes called melt transesterification or melt polycondensation), one or more bisphenols (typically bisphenol A) are reacted with a diaryl carbonate, such as, in particular, diphenyl carbonate. The reaction takes place in a molten phase consisting of the starting material and optionally one or more catalysts. No solvent is used, and the reaction medium is single-phase. In this method, bisphenol A reacts with diphenyl carbonate to release phenol, which is then removed from the reaction medium. Typically, no end-capping agents are added during the melting process, resulting in a much higher level of phenolic hydroxyl groups in molten polycarbonates compared to interfacial polycarbonates. Besides having a much higher phenolic hydroxyl content, molten polycarbonates also differ from interfacial polycarbonates in that they contain branched units, resulting from the Fries rearrangement reaction that occurs during transesterification at relatively higher temperatures. The difference between “molten polycarbonate” and “interfacial polycarbonate” is well known to those skilled in the art.

[0040] Preferably, the polycarbonate in the thermoplastic composition comprises at least 75% by weight, preferably at least 90% by weight, and more preferably at least 95% by weight of a first polycarbonate. More preferably, the polycarbonate consists of the first polycarbonate, meaning that no other polycarbonate is present in the polycarbonate except for the first polycarbonate.

[0041] Preferably, the polycarbonate in the thermoplastic composition has a terminal hydroxyl content of at least 500 ppm, preferably at least 700 ppm, as determined according to the methods described herein. For the avoidance of ambiguity, the term "polycarbonate" may include mixtures of polycarbonates.

[0042] The content of terminal hydroxyl groups in the first polycarbonate and / or polycarbonate may be up to 2,500 ppm, preferably up to 2,000 ppm, more preferably up to 1,500 ppm, or even more preferably up to 1,250 ppm.

[0043] Preferably, the first polycarbonate is molten polycarbonate. More preferably, the polycarbonate of the thermoplastic composition is composed of molten polycarbonate.

[0044] The polycarbonate of the thermoplastic composition preferably comprises, is substantially composed of, or is composed of bisphenol A polycarbonate homopolymer.

[0045] Polycarbonate preferably has a thickness of 5-40 cm. 3 / 10min, preferably 6-32cm 3 / 10min, for example, 10-26cm 3 The melt volume rate was measured per 10 min according to ISO 1133 (1.2 kg, 300 °C). The first polycarbonate preferably has a melt volume ratio of 5-40 cm⁻¹. 3 / 10min, preferably 10-32cm 3Melt volume rate per 10 min, determined according to ISO 1133 (1.2 kg, 300 °C).

[0046] According to the present invention, the polycarbonate has an end-capping level (EC%) of up to 85%, preferably 25-85%, more preferably 30-80%, 50-80%, or 65-75%, wherein the end-capping level is calculated by the following formula I:

[0047]

[0048] Where %EC represents the end-capping level, ppmOH represents the content of terminal hydroxyl groups in parts per million by weight, and Mn represents the number-average molecular weight of polycarbonate determined by gel permeation chromatography based on polycarbonate standards. The content of terminal hydroxyl groups can be determined using UV spectroscopy.

[0049] Therefore, the end-capping level is defined as the percentage of polycarbonate chains whose ends are not hydroxyl groups. For example, a polycarbonate with a 75 mol% end-capping level means that the polycarbonate has 25 mol% of its chains with hydroxyl end groups, which are typically derived from bisphenol A monomers. The remaining 75 mol% of the end groups do not contain OH end groups and can be phenolic or correspond to end-capping agent molecules.

[0050] In embodiments where the first polycarbonate is molten polycarbonate, the molten polycarbonate preferably has a Fries branching or Fries content of 100-1500 ppm, for example 400-1200 ppm.

[0051] Coating

[0052] The coating in the article of the present invention is obtained by coating a carrier with a liquid coating comprising at least one polyisocyanate and at least one polyol. The resulting coating is a polyurethane coating. The polyisocyanate is preferably a diisocyanate or a triisocyanate or a mixture of diisocyanate and triisocyanate. A single polyisocyanate or a mixture of different polyisocyanates can be applied. Similarly, a single polyol or a mixture of different polyols can be applied. Preferably, the polyol is a diol, i.e., a compound having two hydroxyl functional groups.

[0053] Two-component polyurethane coatings are known to those skilled in the art, and in principle any available such coating system can be applied in the context of this invention, because the inventors believe that the basic concept of this invention is the interaction between the terminal hydroxyl groups of polycarbonate and the isocyanate groups.

[0054] In the context of this invention, the coating is non-foamed, meaning the coating is essentially free of voids, provided that it is recognized that it may not always be possible to prevent (unintentionally) the formation of small voids or bubbles during a typical wet coating process.

[0055] In addition to the isocyanate index, the desired coating properties are obtained by selecting appropriate polyisocyanates and polyols. The isocyanate index corresponds to the ratio of free isocyanate groups to reactive isocyanate groups (e.g., hydroxyl groups, amines, and water in polyols) before the reaction. To avoid ambiguity, the content of terminal hydroxyl groups in the polycarbonate is not considered in the calculation of the isocyanate index. An isocyanate index of 1 indicates that the number of isocyanate equivalents is the same as the number of equivalents of hydroxyl groups, amine groups (if present), and water (if present). Amine groups and water are typically absent. Water has two equivalents per mole, primary amines have two equivalents, and secondary amines have one equivalent. Preferably, the isocyanate index is 0.90-1.2, more preferably 0.95-1.1. In particular, for polycarbonates with a high number of terminal hydroxyl groups, a slightly higher isocyanate index is preferred compared to polycarbonates with a lower number of terminal hydroxyl groups.

[0056] After curing, the coating is preferably at least 50 μm, more preferably at least 100 μm, more preferably at least 250 μm, and at most 5000 μm, more preferably at most 4000 μm, and more preferably at most 2500 μm.

[0057] panel

[0058] The article of the present invention is preferably an interior or exterior article of an automobile.

[0059] Interior components may be included in or constitute dashboards, instrument panels, consoles, displays, functional surface trims, door trims, etc.

[0060] External articles may be included in or constitute the front panel, side panel or rear panel of a vehicle.

[0061] Specifically, the article can be incorporated into or constitute the front panel of a vehicle, such as a car, truck, or bus. In such applications, the coating is exposed towards the direction of travel, i.e., outward. More preferably, the article is incorporated into or constitutes the front panel of an electric vehicle, such as an electric car, truck, or bus. For the avoidance of doubt, the present invention relates to the use of the article as part of a front panel or as a front panel as described above.

[0062] The present invention also relates to a vehicle, such as a fossil fuel-based car, truck, or bus, an electric car, truck, or bus, or a hybrid car, truck, or bus based on both electricity and fossil fuels, comprising articles of the invention disclosed herein.

[0063] method

[0064] The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the article disclosed herein, the method comprising the following steps:

[0065] i) A certain amount of thermoplastic composition is injected into a mold, thereby forming the carrier by injection molding.

[0066] ii) Cooling injection molded products,

[0067] iii) Applying a two-component polyurethane coating containing at least one polyisocyanate and at least one polyol directly to at least a portion of an injection-molded article.

[0068] iii) Curing coating,

[0069] The thermoplastic composition comprises polycarbonate, and the polycarbonate comprises at least 50% by weight of a first polycarbonate based on the weight of the polycarbonate, the first polycarbonate having a terminal hydroxyl content of at least 500 ppm, preferably at least 700 ppm.

[0070] Preferably, the cooled injection molded article from step ii) is transferred to the second cavity, and at least step iii) is performed in the second cavity.

[0071] Preferably, before applying the coating in step iii), at least a portion of the surface of the injection molded article to be coated is subjected to corona or flame treatment to further increase the number of hydroxyl groups on the surface of the injection molded part.

[0072] Typically, this method is carried out in a process known as flood coating or in-mold coating. In such a process, a carrier is manufactured by injection molding in an injection molding machine. After the thermoplastic composition is injected, the formed carrier is cooled until it is fully cured. Then, while the carrier is still in the mold, a coating is injected to coat at least one side or a portion thereof of the carrier. This can be done in the same mold, or preferably in a second cavity as described above. The coating is then typically cured under pressure until the carrier can be removed from the mold. After the carrier is removed from the mold, the coating may be fully cured or may not be fully cured.

[0073] The invention will now be further illustrated based on the following non-limiting examples.

[0074] Measurement methods

[0075]

[0076] polycarbonate materials

[0077] Table 1

[0078]

[0079] All polycarbonates PC1-PC5 are bisphenol A polycarbonate homopolymers.

[0080] Coating adhesion

[0081] Polycarbonate PC1-PC5 was molded into 3 mm thick sheets, and then a two-component polyurethane coating was applied. This polyurethane coating was Puroclear 3351iT, commercially available from Rühl. The coating was a two-component polyurethane coating containing a polyester polyol and an isocyanate, with a weight ratio of polyol to isocyanate of 100:230. The cured coating thickness was 0.6 mm.

[0082] Then, according to standard ISO 4624 Method B (3rd edition, 2016), the resulting coated article was subjected to a so-called Positest test using a 20 mm diameter dolly and an applied tensile stress rate of 0.7 MPa / s. The adhesive used was LORD 406E / 17 acrylic adhesive. The test was conducted at room temperature (23 ± 2 °C) and relative humidity (50 ± 5%). As is known to those skilled in the art, Positest is used to test the adhesion of the coating to the substrate.

[0083] After the coating has fully cured (typically meaning after about 24 hours, but before sample aging), the coated article is subjected to Positest. Another Positest is performed on samples obtained by subjecting the coated and fully cured article to aging cycles according to the BMW PR 303.5b climatic test. This climatic test involves cyclically exposing the article to temperature cycles ranging from -30°C to 80°C and different relative humidity conditions. The total duration of the cycles is 240 hours. The BMW PR 303.5b climatic test is well known to those skilled in the art.

[0084] The test results are shown in Table 2.

[0085] Table 2

[0086]

[0087] The results shown in Table 2 indicate that polycarbonate articles with a relatively high content of terminal hydroxyl groups exhibit improved adhesion to two-component polyurethane coatings based on isocyanates and polyol monomers. Positive effects were observed both before and after aging. The reason for the difference in Positest results after aging for PC4 and PC5 is not entirely clear to the inventors. A possible explanation may be related to the difference in the Fries content of these polycarbonates.

[0088] In a further embodiment, several polycarbonate flakes were provided using a two-component polyurethane coating based on isocyanate and polyol monomers. This coating, Puroclear 3098-4IT, is commercially available from Rühl and was applied such that the cured coating thickness was 0.6 mm. After curing, the peel strength of the coating was measured according to ASTM D3167. The results are shown in Table 3 below.

[0089] Table 3

[0090]

[0091] The inventors have discovered that when using interfacial polycarbonate, peel strength cannot be measured if there are no terminal hydroxyl groups or if there are negligible terminal hydroxyl groups.

[0092] The data in the table show that lower end-capping levels (EC%) and therefore higher hydroxyl-terminated content result in increased peel strength. The data also indicate that when the hydroxyl-terminated content is below approximately 700 ppm, the correlation between cooling time before coating and the final coating time is relatively small for the injection-molded samples. The reason for this effect is unclear. It is also recognized that coating adhesion is weaker when polycarbonate molded parts are cooled for longer periods.

[0093] The inventors also attempted to perform peel tests using polycarbonate manufactured via an interfacial method (i.e., fully end-capped polycarbonate). The coating peeled off very easily, making it impossible to measure peel strength.

[0094] In addition to improved adhesion, the inventors have also discovered that the articles according to the invention exhibit improved impact resistance compared to polycarbonate molding articles with hard coatings or UV-cured coatings (e.g., conventional acrylic or silicone coatings). This discovery is based on testing multiple samples using the so-called "drop tower test procedure" according to ISO 6603-A, where the coated side is the impact side. In particular, the inventors have found that articles with an MVR of 21 cm... 3 A 3.6 mm thick polycarbonate panel, prepared from molten polycarbonate with an end-capping level of 75% and a fries content of 1050 ppm and coated with the same coating as in Examples E1-E3, exhibited at most ductile fracture in impact testing. No brittle fracture was observed. In contrast, similar articles with hard or UV-cured coatings only exhibited brittle fracture. This aspect is important for applications where the coated article is used as a front panel of (electric) vehicles.

Claims

1. An article comprising a carrier at least partially coated, wherein - The carrier comprises or is composed of a thermoplastic composition, the thermoplastic composition comprising polycarbonate, - The coating is applied directly to the carrier and comprises or consists of a polyurethane obtained by reacting at least one polyisocyanate and at least one polyol. The polycarbonate comprises at least 50% by weight of a first polycarbonate based on the weight of the polycarbonate, the first polycarbonate having a terminal hydroxyl content of at least 500 ppm, preferably at least 700 ppm, as determined according to the method described in the specification. The polycarbonate has an end-capping level of up to 85% (EC%), calculated according to Formula I: Where %EC is the end-capping level, ppmOH is the content of terminal hydroxyl groups in parts per million by weight, and Mn is the number-average molecular weight of polycarbonate determined by gel permeation chromatography based on polycarbonate standards.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the polycarbonate comprises at least 75% by weight, preferably at least 90% by weight, more preferably at least 95% by weight of the first polycarbonate.

3. The article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first polycarbonate is molten polycarbonate.

4. The article according to any one or more of claims 1-3, wherein the polycarbonate has a thickness of 5-40 cm. 3 Melt volume rate per 10 min, determined according to ISO 1133 (1.2 kg, 300 °C).

5. The article according to any one or more of claims 1-5, wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises at least 95% by weight, preferably at least 98% by weight, of polycarbonate based on the weight of the thermoplastic composition.

6. The article according to any one or more of claims 1-6, wherein the polycarbonate composition is substantially composed of bisphenol A polycarbonate homopolymer.

7. The article according to any one or more of claims 1-7, wherein the thermoplastic composition does not contain an antistatic agent.

8. The article according to any one or more of claims 1-8, wherein the polyurethane has an isocyanate index of 0.90-1.2, preferably 0.95-1.1, as defined in the specification.

9. The article according to any one or more of claims 1-8, wherein the polyisocyanate is a diisocyanate or a triisocyanate.

10. The article according to any one or more of claims 1-9, wherein the coating thickness measured after curing is at least 50 μm, preferably at least 100 μm, more preferably at least 250 μm and at most 5000 μm, preferably at most 4000 μm, more preferably at most 2500 μm.

11. The article of manufacture according to any one or more of claims 1-10, wherein the article of manufacture is an interior article of a vehicle or an exterior article of a vehicle.

12. A front panel of an electric vehicle comprising or consisting of the article of any one or more of claims 1-11.

13. A vehicle, preferably an electric vehicle, comprising a front panel comprising or composed of the article of any one or more of claims 1-11, the front panel being a panel facing the direction of travel of the vehicle.

14. A method for manufacturing an article of any one or more of claims 1-11, the method comprising the following steps: i) A certain amount of thermoplastic composition is injected into a mold, thereby forming the carrier by injection molding. ii) Cooling injection molded products, iii) Applying a two-component polyurethane coating containing at least one polyisocyanate and at least one polyol directly to at least a portion of the injection-molded article. iii) Curing coating, in, The thermoplastic composition comprises polycarbonate, and the polycarbonate comprises at least 50% by weight of a first polycarbonate based on the weight of the polycarbonate, the first polycarbonate having a terminal hydroxyl content of at least 500 ppm, preferably at least 700 ppm.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of transferring the cooled injection molded article of step ii) to a second cavity prior to the application of coating in step iii).

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