Elastic substantialy linear olefin polymers

• US 5,278,272 A
• Filed: 09/02/1992
• Issued: 01/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lai, Shih-Yaw, Wilson, John R., Stevens, James C., Knight, George W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schofer, Joseph L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WU, DAVID WEI HSIUNG
• Application Number:
  US07/939,281
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 526/170, 526/348, 526/348.2, 526/348.3, 526/348.4, 526/348.5, 526/348.6, 526/348.7, 526/348.1
• US Class Current: 526/348.5
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/00 Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor extrusion blow-moulding B29C49/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/022 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/03 characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/15 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. extrusion moulding around inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0022 Bright, glossy or shiny surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/322 comprising halogenated polyolefins, e.g. PTFE
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 10/00 Homopolymers and copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 10/02 Ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 110/00 Homopolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 110/02 Ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/14 Monomers containing five or more carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/16 Copolymers of ethene with alpha-alkenes, e.g. EP rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/03 Narrow molecular weight distribution, i.e. Mw/Mn < 3
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/05 Bimodal or multimodal molecular weight distribution
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/07 High density, i.e. > 0.95 g/cm3
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/08 Low density, i.e. < 0.91 g/cm3
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/09 Long chain branches
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/11 Melt tension or melt strength
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/12 Melt flow index or melt flow ratio
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/17 : Viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/19 : Shear ratio or shear ratio index
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/26 : Use as polymer for film forming
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/65908 : in combination with an ionising compound other than alumoxane, e.g. (C6F5)4B-X+
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/65912 : in combination with an organoaluminium compound
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/6592 : containing at least one cyclopentadienyl ring, condensed or not, e.g. an indenyl or a fluorenyl ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 83/003 : Dendrimers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2303/08 : Ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2323/08 : Copolymers of ethene C08J2323/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/18 : Manufacture of films or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/02 : containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/02 : not modified by chemical after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/04 : Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/06 : Polyethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0815 : Copolymers of ethene with aliphatic 1-olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/16 : Elastomeric ethene-propene or ethene-propene-diene copolymers, e.g. EPR and EPDM rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2314/06 : Metallocene or single site catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 : Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 526/943 : Polymerization with metallocene catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 : Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 : Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/60 : Nonwoven fabric [i.e., nonwoven strand or fiber material]

Abstract

Elastic substantially linear olefin polymers are disclosed which have very good processability, including processing indices (PI'"'"'s) less than or equal to 70 percent of those of a comparative linear olefin polymer and a critical shear rate at onset of surface melt fracture of at least 50 percent greater than the critical shear rate at the onset of surface melt fracture of a traditional linear olefin polymer at about the same I₂ and M_w /M_n. The novel polymers have higher low/zero shear viscosity and lower high shear viscosity than comparative linear olefin polymers.

Claims

1. A substantially linear olefin polymer characterized as having:

a) a melt flow ratio, I₁₀ /I₂,≧

5.63,

b) a molecular weight distribution, M_w /M_n, defined by the equation;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">M.sub.w /M.sub.n ≦

(I.sub.10 /I.sub.2)-4.63, and

c) a critical shear rate at onset of surface melt fracture of at least 50 percent greater than the critical shear rate at the onset of surface melt fracture of a linear olefin polymer having about the same I₂ and M_w /M_n, and wherein the olefin polymer is further characterized as a copolymer of ethylene with a C₃ -C₂₀ alpha-olefin.

2. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1 wherein the M_w /M_n is less than about 3.5.

3. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1 wherein the M_w /M_n is from about 1.5 to about 2.5.

4. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 3 wherein the I₁₀ /I₂ is at least about 8.

5. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 3 wherein the I₁₀ /I₂ is at least about 9.

6. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1 wherein the polymer is a substantially linear ethylene polymer having from about 0.01 to about 3 long chain branches/1000 carbons along the polymer backbone.

7. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 4 having at least about 0.05 long chain branches/1000 carbons along the polymer backbone.

8. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 4 having at least about 0.3 long chain branches/1000 carbons along the polymer backbone.

9. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-octene.

10. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-hexene.

11. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-butene.

12. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 4-methyl-1-pentene.

13. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-octene.

14. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-hexene.

15. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-butene.

16. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 4-methyl-1-pentene.

27. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is in pelletized form.

28. The pelletized substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 27, wherein the density of the polymer is from about 0.85 g/cm³ to about 0.9 g/cm³.

29. The pelletized substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 27, wherein the density of the polymer is from about 0.85 g/cm³ to about 0.88 g/cm³.

30. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is in pelletized form.

31. The pelletized substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 30, wherein the density of the polymer is from about 0.85 g/cm³ to about 0.9 g/cm³.

32. The pelletized substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 30, wherein the density of the polymer is from about 0.85 g/cm³ to about 0.88 g/cm³.

17. A composition comprising a substantially linear olefin polymer, wherein the polymer is characterized as having:

a) a melt flow ratio, I₁₀ /I₂,≧

5.63,

b) a molecular weight distribution, M_w /M_n, defined by the equation;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">M.sub.w /M.sub.n ≦

(I.sub.10 /I.sub.2)-4.63, and

c) a critical shear rate at onset of surface melt fracture of at least 50 percent greater than the critical shear rate at the onset of surface melt fracture of a linear olefin polymer having about the same I₂ and M_w /M_n, and wherein the olefin polymer is further characterized as a copolymer of ethylene with a C₃ -C₂₀ alpha-olefin and (b) at least one other natural or synthetic polymer.

18. The composition of claim 17 wherein the substantially linear olefin polymer has a I₁₀ /I₂ up to about 20.

19. The composition of claim 17 wherein the substantially linear olefin polymer has a M_w /M_n less than about 3.5.

20. The composition of claim 17 wherein the substantially linear olefin polymer has a M_w /M_n from about 1.5 to about 2.5.

21. The composition of claim 17 wherein the synthetic polymer is a conventional olefin polymer.

22. The composition of claim 17, wherein the substantially linear olefin polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-octene.

23. The composition of claim 17, wherein the substantially linear olefin polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-hexene.

24. The composition of claim 17, wherein the substantially linear olefin polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-butene.

25. The composition of claim 17, wherein the substantially linear olefin polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and 4-methyl-1-pentene.

26. A substantially linear olefin polymer characterized as a copolymer of ethylene with a C₃ -C₂₀ alpha-olefin and having:

a) a melt flow ratio, I₁₀ /I₂,≧

5.63,

b) a molecular weight distribution, M_w /M_n, defined by the equation;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">M.sub.w /M.sub.n ≦

(I.sub.10 /I.sub.2)-4.63, and

c) a processing index (PI) less than or equal to about 70% of the PI of a comparative linear olefin polymer at about the same I₂ and M_w /M_n.

33. The substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 26, wherein the polymer is in pelletized form.

34. The pelletized substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 33, wherein the density of the polymer is from about 0.85 g/cm³ to about 0.9 g/cm³.

35. The pelletized substantially linear olefin polymer of claim 33, wherein the density of the polymer is from about 0.85 g/cm³ to about 0.88 g/cm³.

36. A film layer comprising a substantially linear olefin polymer, wherein the substantially linear olefin polymer is characterized as having:

a) a melt flow ratio, I₁₀ /I₂,≧

5.63,

b) a molecular weight distribution, M_w /M_n, defined by the equation;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">M.sub.w /M.sub.n ≦

(I.sub.10 /I.sub.2)-4.63, and

c) a critical shear rate at onset of surface melt fracture at least 50 percent greater than the critical shear rate at the onset of surface melt fracture of a linear olefin polymer having about the same I₂ and M_w /M_n, and wherein the olefin polymer is further characterized as a copolymer of ethylene with a C₃ -C₂₀ alpha-olefin.

37. A film layer composition comprising a substantially linear olefin polymer, wherein the substantially linear olefin polymer is characterized as having:

a) a melt flow ratio, I₁₀ /I₂,≧

5.63,

b) a molecular weight distribution, M_w /M_n, of from 1.5 to 2.5, and

c) a critical shear rate at onset of surface melt fracture of at least 50 percent greater than the critical shear rate at the onset of surface melt fracture of a linear olefin polymer at about the same I₂ and M_w /M_n, and wherein the olefin polymer is further characterized as a copolymer of ethylene with a C₃ -C₂₀ alpha-olefin.