Stabilized polyester compositions suitable for outdoor applications

A polyester composition having an inherent viscosity of at least 0.4 and a 264 psi heat deflection temperature greater than 60.degree. C. comprising

• A. a dicarboxylic acid component wherein at least a major portion of which is 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid having a trans isomer content of at least 65%,
• B. a glycol component wherein at least a major portion of which is 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol, and
• C. a stabilizing effective amount of the combination of
• 1. at least one hindered amine light stabilizing compound having the formulae ##STR11## wherein m and n are each integers of from 1 to 20, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each independently selected from hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, alkylene having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkylene having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and esters of said hydroxyalkyl;
• and alkylenecarboxylic acid having 2 to 18 carbon atoms and esters, amides and metal salts of said alkylenecarboxylic acid;
• 2. at least one ultraviolet light stabilizing compound selected from the group consisting of a compound having the formula ##STR12## wherein R.sup.5, R.sup.6, and R.sup.7 are each independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxy radicals containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, aryl, and alkylenearyl containing from 7 to 22 carbon atoms;
• and R.sup.7 is also chlorine or fluorine;
• a compound having the formula ##STR13## wherein R.sup.8, R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 are each independently selected from hydrogen, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and alkylenecarbonyloxyalkyl having 3 to 18 carbon atoms;
• a compound having the formula ##STR14## wherein R.sup.11, R.sup.12 and R.sup.13 are each independently selected from hydrogen and substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched alkyl radicals containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms;
• a compound of the formula ##STR15## wherein R.sup.14 and R.sup.16 are each independently selected from substituted or unsubstituted alkyl containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, R.sup.15 is hydrogen, methyl, or substituted or unsubstituted aryl having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, and R.sup.16 is also substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy having 1 to 18 carbon atoms;
• a compound having the formula ##STR16## wherein R.sup.17 and R.sup.18 are each independently selected from substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms and R.sup.19 is hydrogen or methyl;
• a compound having the formula ##STR17## wherein R.sup.20 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted branched or unbranched alkyl or alkoxy having 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

A polyester composition having an inherent viscosity of at least 0.4 and a 264 psi heat deflection temperature greater than 60.degree. C. comprising

• A. a dicarboxylic acid component wherein at least a major portion of which is 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid having a trans isomer content of at least 65%,
• B. a glycol component wherein at least a major portion of which is 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol,
• C. the combination of
• about 0.25 to about 0.5 weight percent of a polyester of succinic acid and (N-.beta.-hydroxyethyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-hydroxypiperidine, and about 0.5 to about 1.0 weight percent of 2-ethoxy-2'-ethyloxanilide.