Hydrolytically stable polymer compositions, articles, and methods

A composition comprising:

• a polymer comprising a polyether or a polyether block amide;
• a polymeric carbodiimide compound in an amount of at least 0.25 wt-% and up to 14.6 wt-%, based on the total weight of the composition;
• and
• a hindered amine in an amount of at least 0.25 wt-% and up to 14.6 wt-%, based on the total weight of the composition;
• wherein the polymeric carbodiimide compound comprises:
• a 2,6- or 2,4,6-isopropyl substituted aromatic polycarbodiimide having a number average molecular weight of 1,000 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol;
• or
• a sterically hindered polymeric carbodiimide represented by the formula:
• R1—N═C═N—[R2—N═C═N]n—R3
• wherein:
• n is up to 1000;
• R1 and R3 individually represent a monovalent aliphatic group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms, a cycloaliphatic group having 6 to 40 carbon atoms, an aromatic group having 6 to 40 carbon atoms, or combinations thereof;
• and
• R2 represents a divalent aliphatic group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms, a cycloaliphatic group having 6 to 40 carbon atoms, an aromatic group having 6 to 40 carbon atoms, or combinations thereof;
• wherein the hindered amine comprises a compound of formulas (III) or (IV):
• wherein:
• R′ represents hydrogen, oxy, hydroxy, alkyl of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, alkenyl of 3 to 18 carbon atoms, aralkyl of 7 to 9 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 5 to 12 carbon atoms, hydroxy alkyl of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxy alkyl of 2 to 20 carbon atoms, alkanoyl of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, cycloalkoxy of 5 to 12 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 10 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkoxy of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxyalkoxy of 2 to 20 carbon atoms, aralkoxy of 7 to 15 carbon atoms, or bicyclo or nicycloaliphatic oxy radical of 7 to 12 carbon atoms;
• G1, G2, G3, and G4 each independently represents an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or G1 and G2 and/or G3 and G4 together are pentamethylene;
• R represents a divalent organic group;
• and
• n represents a number of repeat units;
• or
• the hindered amine comprises:
• wherein n represents a number of repeat units in each polymer;
• wherein the composition does not include a mixture of a polymeric carbodiimide compound and a monomeric or oligomeric carbodiimide compound.