Thermoplastic compositions of crystalline polyolefin and ethylene-containing copolymer

Claim 2

A melt processible multi-phase thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of: (A) 5-95 parts of weight of a crystalline thermoplastic polyolefin resin of a substantially saturated homopolymer or copolymer of polymerized monomer units of C 2 -C 8 alpha monoolefin forming one phase of the composition, and (B) 5-95 parts by weight of a dynamically crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer forming a second phase of the composition comprising units derived from: (1) ethylene, (2) alkyl acrylates or alkyl methacrylates wherein the alkyl group contains 1-6 carbon atoms, or vinyl esters of monocarboxylic acids having 2-6 carbon atoms, and (3) glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate, the cross-linking being carried out using one or more epoxy resin cross linking agents.

Claim 3

A melt processible composition of claim 1 where the crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprises units derived from: (1) ethylene, (2) alkyl acrylates or alkyl methacrylates having 1-6 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, and (3) glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate.

Claim 4

A melt processible composition of claim 2 wherein the crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprises units derived from (1) 30-90 weight percent ethylene, (2) 8-70 weight percent butyl acrylate and (3) 0.5-20 weight percent glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate.

Claim 5

A melt processible composition of claim 2 wherein the crystalline polyolefin resin comprises polymerized monomer units of ethylene or propylene.

Claim 6

A melt processible composition of claim 4 containing 20-75 parts by weight of the crystalline polyolefin and 25-80 parts by weight crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer.

Claim 7

A melt processible composition of claim 1 wherein the crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprises units derived from: (1) ethylene, (2) vinyl esters of a monocarboxylic acids having 2-6 carbon atoms, and (3) glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate.

Claim 8

A melt processible composition of claim 6 wherein the crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprises units derived from (1) 30-90 weight percent ethylene, (2) 8-70 weight percent vinyl acetate, and (3) 0.5-20 weight percent glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate.

Claim 9

A melt processible composition of claim 6 wherein the crystalline polyolefin resin comprises polymerized monomer units of ethylene or propylene.

Claim 10

A melt processible composition of claim 8 containing 20-75 parts by weight of the crystalline polyolefin resin and 25-80 parts by weight of the crosslinked ethylene-containing polymer.

Claim 11

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the crystalline polyolefin resin comprises polymerized monomer units of ethylene.

Claim 12

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the crystalline polyolefin resin comprises polymerized monomer units of propylene.

Claim 13

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 containing a hydrocarbon oil.

Claim 14

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 containing plasticizer, oils and fillers.

Claim 15

A melt processible multi-phase thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline thermoplastic polyolefin resin and an ethylene-containing copolymer which comprises: (a) 25-70 parts by weight of a crystalline thermoplastic polyolefin resin comprising polymerized monomer units of ethylene or propylene forming one phase of the composition, and (b) 30-75 parts by weight of a dynamically crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer forming a second phase of the composition comprising units derived from (1) ethylene, (2) butyl acrylate or vinyl acetate and (3) glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate, the cross-linking being carried out using one or more epoxy resin cross linking agents.

Claim 16

A melt processible multi-phase thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline thermoplastic polyolefin resin and an ethylene-containing copolymer which comprises: (a) 25-70 parts by weight of a crystalline thermoplastic polyolefin resin comprising polymerized monomer units of ethylene or propylene forming one phase of the composition, and (b) 30-75 parts by weight of a dynamically crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer forming a second phase of the composition comprising units derived from (1) ethylene, (2) butyl acrylate or vinyl acetate and (3) glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate, the cross-linking being carried out using one or more epoxy resin cross linking agents.

Claim 17

A process for making a melt processible multi-phase thermoplastic composition of a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer which comprises: (1) adding to a mixer (A) 5-95 parts by weight of a crystalline polyolefin resin of a substantially saturated homopolymer or copolymer of polymerized monomer units of a C 2 -C 8 alpha monoolefin, and (B) 5-95 parts by weight of an uncrosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprising units derived from (1) ethylene; (2) an alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate wherein the alkyl group contains 1-6 carbon atoms, or vinyl esters of monocarboxylic acids having 2-6 carbon atoms, and (3) glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate, (C) a crosslinking agent for the ethylene-containing copolymer, and (2) mixing and shearing the composition at a temperature sufficient to soften the polyolefin resin and to crosslink and comminute said ethylene-containing copolymer resulting in the crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer being dispersed as a phase throughout the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 18

A process for making a melt processible multi-phase thermoplastic composition of a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer which comprises: (1) adding to a mixer (A) 5-95 parts by weight of a crystalline polyolefin resin of a substantially saturated homopolymer or copolymer of polymerized monomer units of a C 2 -C 8 alpha monoolefin, and (B) 5-95 parts by weight of an uncrosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprising units derived from (1) ethylene; (2) an alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate wherein the alkyl group contains 1-6 carbon atoms, or vinyl esters of monocarboxylic acids having 2-6 carbon atoms, and (3) glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate, (C) a crosslinking agent for the ethylene-containing copolymer, and (2) mixing and shearing the composition at a temperature sufficient to soften the polyolefin resin and to crosslink and comminute said ethylene-containing copolymer resulting in the crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer being dispersed as a phase throughout the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 19

A process for making a melt processible multi-phase composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer the uncrosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprising units derived from ethylene/alkyl acrylates or alkyl methacrylates having 1-6 carbon atoms/glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate.

Claim 20

A process for making a melt processible multi-phase composition of claim 16 which comprises adding to the mixer the uncrosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprising units derived from ethylene/butyl acrylate/glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate.

Claim 21

A process for making a melt processible multi-phase composition of claim 17 wherein the crystalline polyolefin resin is polyethylene or polypropylene.

Claim 22

A process for making a melt processible multi-phase composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer the uncrosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprising units derived from ethylene/vinyl esters of a monocarboxylic acid having 2-6 carbon atoms/glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate.

Claim 23

A process for making a melt processible composition of claim 19 which comprises adding to the mixer the uncrosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer comprising units derived from ethylene/vinyl acetate/glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate.

Claim 24

A process for making a melt processible composition of claim 20 wherein the crystalline polyolefin resin is polyethylene or polypropylene.

Claim 25

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer the crystalline polyolefin resin polyethylene.

Claim 26

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 wherein the crosslinking agent is an aromatic or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid.

Claim 27

A process of claim 23 wherein the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid is adipic acid.

Claim 28

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 wherein the crosslinking agent is a diacetate of a cyclic diamine.

Claim 29

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer the crystalline polyolefin resin polypropylene.

Claim 30

A process for making a thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding plasticizers, oils and fillers to the composition in the mixer.

Claim 31

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer a hydrocarbon oil.

Claim 32

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer which comprises: (1) adding to a mixer (A) 25-70 parts by weight of the crystalline polyolefin resin polyethylene, polypropylene or copolymers thereof, and (B) 30-75 parts by weight of an uncured elastomer of an ethylene copolymer that consists essentially of units derived from ethylene/butyl acrylate/glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate, and (C) a crosslinking agent for the ethylene-containing copolymer, and (2) mixing and shearing the composition at a temperature sufficient to soften the polyolefin resin and ethylene-containing copolymer and to crosslink and comminute said ethylene-containing copolymer resulting in the crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer forming a separate phase in the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 33

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer which comprises: (1) adding to a mixer (A) 25-70 parts by weight of the crystalline polyolefin resin polyethylene, polypropylene or copolymers thereof, and (B) 30-75 parts by weight of an uncured elastomer of an ethylene copolymer that consists essentially of units derived from ethylene/butyl acrylate/glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate, and (C) a crosslinking agent for the ethylene-containing copolymer, and (2) mixing and shearing the composition at a temperature sufficient to soften the polyolefin resin and ethylene-containing copolymer and to crosslink and comminute said ethylene-containing copolymer resulting in the crosslinked ethylene-containing copolymer forming a separate phase in the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 34

A process of claim 29 wherein the polyolefin is polypropylene.

Claim 35

A process of claim 29 wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene.

Claim 36

A process of claim 29 wherein the crosslinking agent is adipic acid.

Claim 37

A process of claim 29 wherein the crosslinking agent is piperazinium diacetate.

Claim 38

A process of claim 25 wherein the cyclic diamine is piperazinuim diacetate.