High notched impact toughness propylene polymer compositions

Claim 2

A composition having a melt flow between about 5 and about 50 dg/min (ASTM D1238-Condition L), and a high notched impact value, said composition being obtained by peroxide-contacting the blend of 50-95% by weight of an impact-improved propylene-ethylene copolymer, 2 to 45% by weight of a high density ethylene homopolymer, and 2-45% by weight of a linear low density ethylene copolymer and 1 to 30% by weight of a rubber selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene rubber and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber, wherein: (a) said impact-improved propylene-ethylene copolymer has a melt flow (ASTM D1238-Condition L) of about 0.5 to 15 dg/min and an elastomeric propylene-ethylene copolymer content of 5-50% by weight, the copolymer fraction having an ethylene content of 30-95% by weight, which propylene polymer is the product of sequential polymerization of propylene and a propylene-ethylene mixture over a titanium halide-containing coordination catalyst;

Claim 3

(b) said high density ethylene homopolymer has a density in the range from 0.941 to 0.965 g/cc and a melt index (ASTM D1238 Cond. E) in the range from 0 to 20 dg/min;

Claim 4

(b) said high density ethylene homopolymer has a density in the range from 0.941 to 0.965 g/cc and a melt index (ASTM D1238 Cond. E) in the range from 0 to 20 dg/min;

Claim 5

(c) said linear low density ethylene copolymer is the product of polymerization of ethylene with up to 15 mole percent of at least one C 3 -C 8 alpha olefin monomer over a transition metal-based coordination catalyst and which has a density in the range from 0.912 to 0.935 g/cc and a melt index (ASTM D 1238-Condition E) in the range from 1 to 16; and

Claim 6

(c) said linear low density ethylene copolymer is the product of polymerization of ethylene with up to 15 mole percent of at least one C 3 -C 8 alpha olefin monomer over a transition metal-based coordination catalyst and which has a density in the range from 0.912 to 0.935 g/cc and a melt index (ASTM D 1238-Condition E) in the range from 1 to 16; and

Claim 7

(d) the weight ratio of high density ethylene homopolymer to linear low density ethylene copolymer is between 80:20 and 20:80.

Claim 8

(d) the weight ratio of high density ethylene homopolymer to linear low density ethylene copolymer is between 80:20 and 20:80.

Claim 9

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said linear low density ethylene copolymer is an ethylene-1-butene copolymer.

Claim 10

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said sequential propylene-ethylene copolymer has a melt flow (ASTM D 1238 Cond. L) between about 4 and 12 dg/min.

Claim 11

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said linear low density ethylene copolymer has a melt index (ASTM D1238 Cond. E) between about 1 and 7 dg/min.

Claim 12

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said linear low density ethylene copolymer has a density between about 0.917 and 0.925 g/cc.

Claim 13

The composition according to claim 1 wherein a nucleating agent is added prior or after peroxide-contacting to improve stiffness and ease of melt processing.

Claim 14

The composition according to claim 1 wherein the peroxide-contacting is accomplished by extruding said propylene polymer, said high density ethylene homopolymer, said rubber and said linear low density ethylene copolymer in the presence of a peroxide.

Claim 15

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said rubber is an ethylene-propylene rubber or an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber comprising 30 to 85 weight percent ethylene.

Claim 16

The composition according to claim 7 wherein the amount of peroxide employed is between about 150 and 1000 parts by weight per million parts by weight total polymer in said composition.

Claim 17

The composition according to claim 7 wherein said peroxide is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(t-butylperoxy)hexane.

Claim 18

The composition according to claim 7 wherein said peroxide-contacting takes place at a temperature between about 190° C. and 260° C.

Claim 19

A composition having a melt flow between about 5 and about 50 dg/min (ASTM D1238-Condition L), and a high notched impact value, said composition being obtained by first peroxide-contacting an impact-improved propylene-ethylene copolymer and then melt mixing the resulting visbroken propylene polymer with a linear low density ethylene copolymer, rubber and a high density ethylene homopolymer, wherein: (a) said impact-improved propylene-ethylene polymer has a melt flow (ASTM D1238-Condition L) before visbreaking of about 0.5-15 dg/min and an elastomeric propylene-ethylene copolymer content of 5-50% by weight, the copolymer fraction having an ethylene content of 30-95% by weight, which copolymer fraction is the product of an essentially random polymerization of a propylene-ethylene mixture over a titanium halide-containing coordination catalyst, said impact improved propylene-ethylene polymer is the product of sequential polymerization of propylene and a propylene-ethylene mixture; (b) said high density ethylene homopolymer has a density in the range from 0.941 to 0.965 grams per cubic centimeter and a melt index (ASTM D1238-Condition E) in the range from 0 to 20 dg/min; (c) said linear low density ethylene copolymer is the product of random polymerization of ethylene with up to 15 mole percent of at least one C 3 -C 8 alpha olefin monomer over a transition metal-based coordination catalyst and which has a density in the range from 0.912 to 0.935 and a melt index (ASTM D1238-Condition E) not exceeding 16; (d) said rubber is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene rubber and ethylene-propylene diene monomer rubber; and (e) said composition comprises 50-95% by weight of said impact-modified propylene polymer, 2-45% by weight of said high density ethylene homopolymer, 2-45% by weight of said linear low density ethylene copolymer, and 1-30% by weight of said rubber wherein the weight ratio of said high density ethylene homopolymer to said linear low density ethylene copolymer is between 80:20 and 20:80.

Claim 20

A composition having a melt flow between about 5 and about 50 dg/min (ASTM D1238-Condition L), and a high notched impact value, said composition being obtained by first peroxide-contacting an impact-improved propylene-ethylene copolymer and then melt mixing the resulting visbroken propylene polymer with a linear low density ethylene copolymer, rubber and a high density ethylene homopolymer, wherein: (a) said impact-improved propylene-ethylene polymer has a melt flow (ASTM D1238-Condition L) before visbreaking of about 0.5-15 dg/min and an elastomeric propylene-ethylene copolymer content of 5-50% by weight, the copolymer fraction having an ethylene content of 30-95% by weight, which copolymer fraction is the product of an essentially random polymerization of a propylene-ethylene mixture over a titanium halide-containing coordination catalyst, said impact improved propylene-ethylene polymer is the product of sequential polymerization of propylene and a propylene-ethylene mixture; (b) said high density ethylene homopolymer has a density in the range from 0.941 to 0.965 grams per cubic centimeter and a melt index (ASTM D1238-Condition E) in the range from 0 to 20 dg/min; (c) said linear low density ethylene copolymer is the product of random polymerization of ethylene with up to 15 mole percent of at least one C 3 -C 8 alpha olefin monomer over a transition metal-based coordination catalyst and which has a density in the range from 0.912 to 0.935 and a melt index (ASTM D1238-Condition E) not exceeding 16; (d) said rubber is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene rubber and ethylene-propylene diene monomer rubber; and (e) said composition comprises 50-95% by weight of said impact-modified propylene polymer, 2-45% by weight of said high density ethylene homopolymer, 2-45% by weight of said linear low density ethylene copolymer, and 1-30% by weight of said rubber wherein the weight ratio of said high density ethylene homopolymer to said linear low density ethylene copolymer is between 80:20 and 20:80.

Claim 21

The composition according to claim 12 wherein said linear low density ethylene copolymer is an ethylene-1-butene copolymer.

Claim 22

The composition according to claim 12 wherein said sequential propylene-ethylene copolymer has a melt flow (ASTM D 1238 Cond. L) before visbreaking between about 4 and 12 dg/min.

Claim 23

The composition according to claim 12 wherein said linear low density ethylene copolymer has a melt index (ASTM D1238 Cond. E) between about 1 and 7 dg/min.

Claim 24

The composition according to claim 12 wherein said linear low density ethylene copolymer has a density between about 0.917 and 0.925 g/cc.

Claim 25

The composition according to claim 12 wherein said rubber is an ethylene-propylene rubber or an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber comprising 30 to 85 weight percent ethylene.

Claim 26

The composition according to claim 12 wherein a nucleating agent is added prior or after visbreaking to improve stiffness and ease of melt processing.

Claim 27

The composition according to claim 12 wherein the peroxide-contacting is accomplished by extruding said propylene polymer in the presence of a peroxide.

Claim 28

The composition according to claim 19 wherein the amount of peroxide employed is between about 150 and 1500 parts by weight per million parts by weight propylene polymer.

Claim 29

The composition according to claim 19 wherein said peroxide is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(t-butylperoxy)hexane.

Claim 30

The composition according to claim 19 wherein said peroxide-contacting takes place at a temperature between about 190° C. and 260° C.

Claim 31

The composition according to claim 12 wherein said high density polyethylene has a density between about 0.955 and 0.965.

Claim 32

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said high density polyethylene has a density between about 0.955 and 0.965.

Claim 33

A composition having a melt flow between about 5 and about 50 dg/min (ASTM D1238-Condition L), and a high notched impact value, said composition being obtained by first melt blending an impact-improved propylene-ethylene copolymer with a linear low density ethylene copolymer, a rubber selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene rubber and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber and a high density ethylene homopolymer, and then contacting said blend containing well dispersed polyethylene and rubber modifiers with a peroxide during further melt mixing; wherein (a) said impact-improved propylene-ethylene polymer has a melt flow of (ASTM D1238-Condition L) of about 0.5-15 dg/min and an elastomeric propylene-ethylene copolymer content of 5-50% by weight, the copolymer fraction having an ethylene content of 30-95% by weight which copolymer fraction is the product of an essentially random polymerization of a propylene-ethylene mixture over the titanium halide-containing coordination catalyst, said impact improved propylene-ethylene polymer is the product of sequential polymerization of propylene and propylene-ethylene mixture; (b) said high density ethylene homopolymer has a density in the range from 0.941 to 0.965 grams per cubic centimeter and a melt index (ASTM D1238-Condition E) in the range from 0 to 20 dg/min; (c) said linear low density ethylene copolymer is the product random polymerization of ethylene with up to 15 mole percent of at least one C 3 -C 8 alpha olefin monomer over a transition metal-base coordination catalyst and which has a density in the range from 0.912 to 0.935 and a melt index (ASTM D1238-Condition E) not exceeding 16; and (d) said composition comprises 50-95% by weight of said impact-modified propylene polymer, 2-45% by weight of said high density ethylene homopolymer, 2-45% by weight of said linear low density ethylene copolymer, and 1-30% by weight of said rubber wherein the weight ratio of said high density ethylene homopolymer to said linear low density ethylene copolymer is between 80:20 and 20:80.

Claim 34

A composition having a melt flow between about 5 and about 50 dg/min (ASTM D1238-Condition L), and a high notched impact value, said composition being obtained by first melt blending an impact-improved propylene-ethylene copolymer with a linear low density ethylene copolymer, a rubber selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene rubber and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber and a high density ethylene homopolymer, and then contacting said blend containing well dispersed polyethylene and rubber modifiers with a peroxide during further melt mixing; wherein (a) said impact-improved propylene-ethylene polymer has a melt flow of (ASTM D1238-Condition L) of about 0.5-15 dg/min and an elastomeric propylene-ethylene copolymer content of 5-50% by weight, the copolymer fraction having an ethylene content of 30-95% by weight which copolymer fraction is the product of an essentially random polymerization of a propylene-ethylene mixture over the titanium halide-containing coordination catalyst, said impact improved propylene-ethylene polymer is the product of sequential polymerization of propylene and propylene-ethylene mixture; (b) said high density ethylene homopolymer has a density in the range from 0.941 to 0.965 grams per cubic centimeter and a melt index (ASTM D1238-Condition E) in the range from 0 to 20 dg/min; (c) said linear low density ethylene copolymer is the product random polymerization of ethylene with up to 15 mole percent of at least one C 3 -C 8 alpha olefin monomer over a transition metal-base coordination catalyst and which has a density in the range from 0.912 to 0.935 and a melt index (ASTM D1238-Condition E) not exceeding 16; and (d) said composition comprises 50-95% by weight of said impact-modified propylene polymer, 2-45% by weight of said high density ethylene homopolymer, 2-45% by weight of said linear low density ethylene copolymer, and 1-30% by weight of said rubber wherein the weight ratio of said high density ethylene homopolymer to said linear low density ethylene copolymer is between 80:20 and 20:80.

Claim 35

The composition according to claim 25 wherein said linear low density ethylene copolymer is an ethylene-1-butene copolymer.

Claim 36

The composition according to claim 25 wherein said sequential propylene-ethylene copolymer has a melt flow (ASTM D 1238 Cond. L) between about 4 and 12 dg/min.

Claim 37

The composition according to claim 25 wherein said linear low density ethylene copolymer has a melt index (ASTM D1238 Cond. E) between about 1 and 7 dg/min.

Claim 38

The composition according to claim 25 wherein said linear low density ethylene copolymer has a density between about 0.917 and 0.925 g/cc.

Claim 39

The composition according to claim 25 wherein said rubber is an ethylene-propylene rubber or an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber comprising 30 to 85 weight percent ethylene.

Claim 40

The composition according to claim 25 wherein a nucleating agent is added prior or after visbreaking to improve stiffness and ease of melt processing.

Claim 41

The composition according to claim 25 wherein the peroxide-contacting is accomplished by extruding said propylene polymer melt blend with well dispersed polyethylenes and rubber in the presence of a peroxide.

Claim 42

The composition according to claim 32 wherein the amount of peroxide employed is between about 150 and 1000 parts by weight per million parts by weight propylene polymer blend with polyethylenes.

Claim 43

The composition according to claim 32 wherein said peroxide is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(t-butylperoxy)hexane.

Claim 44

The composition according to claim 32 wherein said peroxide-contacting takes place at a temperature between about 190° C. and 260° C.

Claim 45

The composition according to claim 25 wherein said high density polyethylene has a density between about 0.955 and 0.965.

Claim 46

The composition according to claim 25 wherein the peroxide is sufficiently thermally stable such that it can be added with the other components of the composition, and does not decompose to initiate visbreaking until the polyethylene modifiers are well dispersed during melt mixing.

Claim 47

The composition according to claim 37 wherein the peroxide has a one-hour half life for decomposition at a temperature greater than 148° C.

Claim 48

The composition according to claim 37 wherein the peroxide is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(t-butylperoxy)hexyne-3.