Low density ethylene-based polymers with broad molecular weight distributions and low extractables

• US 9,228,036 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Berbee, Otto J., den Doelder, Cornelis F., Hinrichs, Stefan, Karjala, Teresa P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Rip A
• Application Number:
  US14/354,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 526/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 10/02 Ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 110/02 Ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/00 Processes of polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/38 Polymerisation using regulators, e.g. chain terminating agents , e.g. telomerisation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/02 Ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 218/08 Vinyl acetate
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/06 Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/14 Methyl esters , e.g. methyl (meth)acrylate
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/04 Broad molecular weight distribution, i.e. Mw/Mn > 6
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/08 Low density, i.e. < 0.91 g/cm3
• 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 4/38 Mixtures of peroxy-compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/04 Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/06 Polyethene
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 123/06 Polyethene
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 123/0815 Copolymers of ethene with aliphatic 1-olefins

Abstract

The invention provides an ethylene-based polymer comprising the following properties: a) a melt index (12)>2.0 dg/min; b) a Mw(abs) versus 12 relationship: Mw(abs)<A+B(I2), where A=2.40×10⁵ g/mole, and B=−8.00×10³ (g/mole)/(dg/min); and c) a G′ versus 12 relationship: G′>C+D(I2), where C=127.5 Pa, and D=−1.25 Pa/(dg/min). The invention also provides an ethylene-based polymer comprising the following properties: a) a melt index (12)>2.0 dg/min; b) a G′ versus 12 relationship: G′>C+D(I2), where C=127.5 Pa, and D=−1.25 Pa/(dg/min) c) a chloroform extractable (Clext) versus G′ relationship: Clext.<E+FG′, where E=0.20 wt %, and F=0.060 wt %/Pa; and d) a “weight fraction (w) of molecular weight greater than 10⁶ g/mole, based on the total weight of polymer, and as determined by GPC(abs),” that meets the following relationship: w<I−J(I2), where I=0.080, and J=−4.00×10⁻³ min/dg.

Claims

1. An ethylene-based polymer comprising the following properties:

a) a melt index (I2)≧

2.0 dg/min;

b) a Mw(abs) versus I2 relationship;

Mw (abs)<

A+B(I2), where A=2.40×

10⁵ g/mole, and B=−

8.00×

10³ (g/mole)/(dg/min);

c) a G′

(at G″

=500 Pa, 170°

C.) versus I2 relationship;

G′

≧

C+D(I2), where C=127.5 Pa, and D=−

1.25 Pa/(dg/min).

3. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer further comprises:

d) a chloroform extractable (Clext) versus G′

relationship;

Clext≦

E+FG′

, where E=0.20 wt %, and F=0.060 wt %/Pa.

4. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1, wherein the ethylene-based polymer is selected from a polyethylene homopolymer or an ethylene-based interpolymer.

5. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1, wherein the ethylene-based polymer is selected from a polyethylene homopolymer or an ethylene-based copolymer;

and wherein the comonomer of the ethylene-based copolymer is selected from vinyl acetate, an alkyl acrylate, CO, acrylic acid, a carboxylic acid-containing comonomer, or a mono olefin.

6. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 5, wherein the comonomer is present in an amount from 0.5 to 10 wt % comonomer, based on weight of copolymer.

7. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises less than 30 mole ppm of a crosslinking agent and/or a comonomer with crosslinking capability, based on total moles of monomer units in the ethylene-based polymer.

8. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer has a hexane extractable level ≦

4.5 wt %, based on weight of polymer.

9. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a polyethylene homopolymer.

10. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer is an ethylene-based copolymer;

and wherein the comonomer of the ethylene-based copolymer is selected from vinyl acetate, an alkyl acrylate, CO, acrylic acid, a carboxylic acid-containing comonomer, or a mono olefin.

11. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer has a weight average molecular weight Mw(abs)≧

G+H(I2), where G=1.60×

10⁵ g/mole, and H=−

8.00×

10³ (g/mole)/(dg/min).

12. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1, wherein the polymer has an I2≦

20 g/10 min.

13. A composition comprising the ethylene-based polymer of claim 1.

14. The composition of claim 8, wherein the composition has a “

neck-in”

value ≦

150 mm, at a temperature=290°

C., a coating weight=25 g/m² and a line speed=300 m/min.

15. An article comprising at least one component formed from the composition of claim 13.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the article is an extrusion coating or a film.

2. An ethylene-based polymer comprising the following properties:

a) a melt index (I2)≧

2.0 dg/min;

b) a G′

versus I2 relationship;

G′

(at G″

=500 Pa, 170°

C.)>

C+D(I2), where C=127.5 Pa, and D=−

1.25 Pa/(dg/min)

c) a chloroform extractable (Clext) versus G′

relationship;

Clext≦

E+FG′

, where E=0.20 wt %, and F=0.060 wt %/Pa; and

d) a “

weight fraction (w) of molecular weight greater than 10⁶ g/mole, based on the total weight of polymer, and as determined by GPC(abs),”

that meets the following relationship;

w<

I+J(I2), where I=0.080, and J=−

4.00×

10<sup>−

3</sup> min/dg.