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BR-112022004186-B1 - BIMODAL POLYETHYLENE HOMOPOLYMER COMPOSITION, METHOD FOR MAKING BIMODAL POLYETHYLENE HOMOPOLYMER COMPOSITION, FORMULATION, MANUFACTURED ARTICLE, METHOD FOR MAKING A MANUFACTURED ARTICLE, EXTRUDED FILM, METHOD FOR MAKING AN EXTRUDED FILM, METHOD FOR PROTECTING A MOISTURE-SENSITIVE OR OXYGEN-SENSITIVE MATERIAL THAT REQUIRES SUCH PROTECTION AND SEALED PACKAGING

BR112022004186B1BR 112022004186 B1BR112022004186 B1BR 112022004186B1BR-112022004186-B1

Abstract

COMPOSITION OF BIMODAL POLYETHYLENE HOMOPOLYMER, METHODS FOR MAKING THE BIMODAL POLYETHYLENE HOMOPOLYMER COMPOSITION, FOR MANUFACTURING A FABRICATED ARTICLE, FOR MAKING AN EXTRUDED FILM AND FOR PROTECTING A MOISTURE-SENSITIVE AND/OR OXYGEN-SENSITIVE MATERIAL, FORMULATION, FABRICATED ARTICLE, EXTRUDED FILM, AND SEALED PACKAGING. This is a nucleating agent-free and LLDPE-free polyolefin composition for making films with enhanced barrier properties against water vapor and oxygen gas. Related aspects include formulations, fabricated articles, films, and methods.

Inventors

  • Nitin Borse
  • SWAPNIL B. CHANDAK
  • AYUSH A. BAFNA
  • ROGER L. KUHLMAN
  • JOEL D. WIELICZKO
  • JOHN F. SZUL
  • CHUAN C. HE
  • CHARLES D. LESTER

Assignees

  • UNIVATION TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260310
Application Date
20200922
Priority Date
20190926

Claims (12)

  1. 1. A bimodal polyethylene homopolymer composition, characterized in that it essentially consists of a higher molecular weight polyethylene homopolymer component (HMW component) and a lower molecular weight polyethylene homopolymer component (LMW component); the composition having a density of 0.961 g/cm3 to 0.980 g/cm3, according to ASTM D792-13; a melt index (I2) of 0.2 g/10 min to 2.0 g/10 min, according to ASTM D1238-13; a bimodality resolved by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) of Log(M) 4.01 to Log(M) 4.99; and an amount of the HMW component of 30% by weight to 70% by weight based on the combined weight of the HMW and LMW components; and a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of 3,000 g/mol to 4,990 g/mol.
  2. 2. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a density of 0.961 g/cm3 to 0.974 g/cm3; a melting index (I2) of 0.25 g/10 min to 1.6 g/10 min; a GPC-resolved bimodality of Log(M) 4.21 to Log(M) 4.75; an amount of the HMW component of 30 to 60% by weight based on the combined weight of the HMW and LMW components; and a Mn of 3.060 to 4.790 g/mol.
  3. 3. Composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has any of the properties (i) to (iv): (i) a melt flow ratio (I21/I2) of 45 to 100; (ii) a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 101,000 to 180,000 g/mol; (iii) a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of 21 to 59; and (iv) a z-average molecular weight (Mz) of 501,000 to 999,000 g/mol.
  4. 4. Composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the HMW component has any of the properties (i) to (iii): (i) a Mn of 45,000 to 99,000 g/mol; (ii) a Mw of 160,000 to 390,000 g/mol; and (iii) both (i) and (ii); or the LMW component has any of the properties (iv) to (vi): (iv) a Mn of 1,500 g/mol to 2,400 g/mol; (v) a Mw of 5,000 g/mol to 10,000 g/mol; and (vi) both (iv) and (v).
  5. 5. Method for making a bimodal polyethylene homopolymer composition as defined in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it essentially consists of contacting ethylene with a bimodal catalyst system in the presence of molecular hydrogen (H2) at a hydrogen-to-ethylene molar ratio (H2/C2) of 0.005 to 0.025 in a single-phase gas polymerization reactor containing a floating bed of resin at a temperature of 90 °C to 105 °C; wherein the contact of the ethylene with the bimodal catalyst system is carried out in the absence of a (C3-C20)olefin comonomer; and wherein the bimodal catalyst system essentially consists of a single-site non-metallocene catalyst, optionally disposed on a support material, and a metallocene catalyst, optionally disposed on a support material; thus simultaneously making the HMW and LMW components so as to make the bimodal polyethylene homopolymer composition.
  6. 6. Formulation, characterized in that it consists essentially of a composition of bimodal polyethylene homopolymer as defined in any one of claims 1 to 4, and at least one additive.
  7. 7. Manufactured article, characterized in that it consists essentially of a shaped form of the formulation as defined in claim 6.
  8. 8. A method for making a manufactured article, characterized in that it essentially consists of molding a melt of the formulation as defined in claim 6, and then cooling the formed melt so as to make a manufactured article consisting essentially of a formed shape of the formulation.
  9. 9. Extruded film, characterized in that it is made by extruding a melt of the formulation as defined in claim 6, in a film extrusion process to generate a solid film consisting essentially of the formulation restricted to one dimension.
  10. 10. Method for making an extruded film, characterized in that it essentially consists of extruding a melt of the formulation as defined in claim 6, in a film extrusion process to generate a solid film consisting essentially of the formulation restricted to one dimension.
  11. 11. Method for protecting a moisture-sensitive or oxygen-sensitive material that requires such protection, characterized by comprising hermetically sealing the moisture-sensitive and/or oxygen-sensitive material within a package consisting essentially of the extruded film as defined in claim 9, to generate a sealed package, thereby protecting the moisture-sensitive and/or oxygen-sensitive material from water and/or oxygen gas that is/are located outside the sealed package.
  12. 12. Sealed packaging, characterized in that it consists essentially of the extruded film as defined in claim 9, and the moisture-sensitive and/or oxygen-sensitive material that is disposed inside the sealed packaging, which is hermetically sealed by the extruded film.

Description

Field [0001] Polyethylene polymers, formulations, films and methods. Introduction [0002] Patent application publications in the field include US 2016/0068623 A1; US 2016/0297907 A1; WO 2017/132092 A1; and US 2019/0048155 A1. Patents in the field include US 5,332,706; US 5,882,750; US 6,787,608 B2; US 6,989,344 B2; US 7,078,467 B1; US 7,090,927 B2; US 7,157,531 B2; US 7,223,825 B2; US 7,300,988 B2; US 7,632,907 B2; US 7,754,840 B2; US 7,951,883 B2; US 8,227,552 B2; US 8,476,394 B2; US 8,497,329 B2; US 9,284,391 B2; and US 10,066,093 B2. [0003] To make films, some prior polyolefin formulations comprise a polyolefin polymer and a nucleating agent, which is typically a small molecule metal carboxylate salt. The nucleating agent enhances the nucleation of a polyolefin polymer melt during a film-forming process. [0004] To make films, other prior polyolefin formulations comprise a linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). LLDPE can function to enhance a film's barrier property. Summary [0005] A nucleating agent-free and LLDPE-free polyethylene composition is described for making films with enhanced barrier properties against the transmission of water vapor and oxygen gas. Related aspects include formulations, manufactured articles, films, and methods for making and using them. [0006] A bimodal polyethylene homopolymer composition consisting essentially of a higher molecular weight polyethylene homopolymer component and a lower molecular weight polyethylene homopolymer component; wherein the composition has a density of 0.961 to 0.980 grams per cubic centimeter, a melting index of 0.2 to 2.0 grams per 10 minutes, a bimodality resolved by gel permeation chromatography of Log(M) 4.01 to Log(M) 4.99, an amount of the higher molecular weight component of 30 to 70 percent by weight based on the combined weight of the higher molecular weight component and the lower molecular weight component, and a number average molecular weight of 3.000 to 4.990 grams per mole. [0007] A method for making a bimodal polyethylene homopolymer composition. [0008] A formulation consisting essentially of a bimodal polyethylene homopolymer composition and at least one additive. [0009] A manufactured article consisting essentially of a bimodal polyethylene homopolymer composition or formulation. [0010] A method for making the manufactured article. [0011] An extruded film consisting essentially of a bimodal polyethylene homopolymer composition, or formulation, restricted in one dimension. [0012] A method for making extruded film. [0013] A method for protecting a moisture-sensitive and/or oxygen-sensitive material that requires such protection. [0014] A sealed package made by the protection method. [0015] Consisting essentially of and essentially consists of means that the composition, formulation and films of bimodal polyethylene homopolymer of the invention are free of a linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and a small molecule metal carboxylate salt, alternatively free of an LLDPE and a nucleating agent. Collectively, the LLDPE and the small metal carboxylate salt are the “omitted materials”. [0016] Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE). A substantially linear copolymer of ethylene and a (C4, C6, or C8) alpha-olefin that has no long-chain branching and has a significant number of short-chain branches. LLDPE is structurally and compositionally different from low-density polyethylene (LDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). LLDPE may be as described in paragraphs [0013] to [0022] of US document 2019/0048155 A1, the paragraphs of which are incorporated herein by reference. [0017] Nucleating agent. Any small molecular organic compound having a formula weight less than 1200 g/mol (“small molecule”) and a melting point that is higher than the melting point of polyethylene and increases the nucleation of a polyethylene melt. Typically, the nucleating agent is a small molecular metal carboxylate salt. [0018] Small molecule metal carboxylate salt. Overall neutral compound comprising a metal cation and a carboxylate anion. The metal of the metal cation is an element from any of Groups 1 to 12 of the Periodic Table of Elements. The carboxylate anion has at least one carboxylate group, that is, a monovalent monoanion of formula -CO2-. The carboxylate anion is typically a monocarboxylate anion (one -CO2-) or a dicarboxylate dianion (two -CO2-). Examples of the nucleating agent are small molecule metal carboxylate salts, calcium or magnesium cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate salt (1:1), calcium stearate (1:2), calcium palmitate (1:2), zinc palmitate (1:2), zinc stearate, and combinations of any two or more thereof. [0019] The properties of the composition and its HMW and LMW components and the film are measured according to the test methods described below. Detailed description [0020] The contents of the Summary are incorporated here by reference. [0021] Certain inventive embodiments are enumerated for easy cross-ref