Patent ID: 8138244

Claim:
A composition comprising, based on the total weight of the composition: from 20 to 90 wt. % of a polyester component comprising a modified poly(butylene terephthalate) copolymer, that (1) is derived from a poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymer and (2) that has at least one residue derived from the poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymer; from 5 to 35 wt. % of a flame retardant phosphinate of the formula (I) [(R 1 )(R 2 )(PO)—O] − m M m+ (I) a flame retardant diphosphinate of the formula (II) [(O—POR 1 )(R 3 )(POR 2 —O)] 2− n M m+ x (II), and/or a flame retardant polymer derived from the flame retardant phosphinate of the formula (I) or the flame retardant diphosphinate of the formula (II), wherein R 1 and R 2 are identical or different and are H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, linear or branched, or C 6 -C 10 aryl; M is an alkaline earth metal, alkali metal, Al, Ti, Zn, Fe, or boron; m is 1, 2, 3 or 4; n is 1, 2, or 3; and x is 1 or 2; from 1 to 25 wt. % of a melamine polyphosphate, melamine cyanurate, melamine pyrophosphate, and/or melamine phosphate; from greater than zero to 50 wt. % of a glass fiber having a non-circular cross-section; and from 0 to 5 wt. % of an additive selected from the group consisting of a mold release agent, an antioxidant, a thermal stabilizer, and a UV stabilizer; wherein the at least one residue derived from the poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymer comprises mixtures of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol groups; and wherein a molded article comprising the composition has an unnotched Izod impact strength at least 20% higher than for the same composition having the same amount of circular glass fibers, each measured at 23° C. in accordance with ASTM D256.