Chemically degradable polyolefin films

• US 5,416,133 A
• Filed: 08/10/1993
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EPI Environmental Technologies (Nevada) Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gaia Research Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Gho, Joseph G., Garcia, Rodrigo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michl, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asinovsky, Olga
• Application Number:
  US08/104,195
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 264/564, 264/566, 523/124, 523/125, 523/126, 523/128, 524/425
• US Class Current: 523/124
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2323/02 not modified by chemical after treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2323/04 Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2323/10 Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/18 Manufacture of films or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/013 Fillers, pigments or reinforcing additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/26 Carbonates; Bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/098 Metal salts of carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/02 not modified by chemical after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/04 with fuel-air mixture admission into cylinder

Abstract

The present invention is directed to melt blown polyolefin film which is produced cheaply by melt blowing polyolefin resins which contain 25 to 60 wt% fillers selected from the fillers including an inorganic carbonate, synthetic carbonates, nepheline syenite, talc, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum trihydrate, diatomaceous earth, mica, natural or synthetic silicas and calcined clays or mixtures thereof, having a particle size less than 150 mesh.

A further aspect of the present invention is directed to polyolefin resins, especially polyethylene, which are chemically degradable by the incorporation of the combination of the above group of fillers and a metal carboxylate. The metal carboxylates of the present invention are inclusive of a large number of metals, such as cerium, cobalt, iron, and magnesium.

Claims

1. A process for melt blowing a degradable polyolefin resin into a film comprising:

extruding a polyethylene composition comprising 55 to 98 wt% polyethylene resin;

30 to 1 wt% a filler selected from the group consisting of an inorganic carbonate, synthetic carbonate, talc, magnesium hydroxide, mica, natural or synthetic silicas and calcined clays, having a particle size less than 150 mesh; and

15 to 1 wt% metal carboxylate through a melt blowing die;

blowing a bubble of said composition; and

collapsing said bubble into a film.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein:

said polyethylene resin contains

25 to 1 wt% filler; and

10 to 1 wt% metal carboxylate.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the components are:

at least 55 wt % and up to 88 wt% polyethylene resin;

43 to 10 wt% filler; and

10 to 1 wt% metal carboxylate.