Olefin polymer films

Claim 2

A film or sheet material comprising an olefin polymer composition which is comprised of (a) from about 10 to 50 parts of a propylene homopolymer having an isotactic index greater than 80, or a copolymer selected from the group consisting of (i) propylene and ethylene, (ii) propylene, ethylene and a CH 2 ═CHR alpha-olefin, where R is a C 2-8 straight or branched alkyl, and (iii) propylene and an alpha-olefin as defined in (ii), said copolymer containing over 80% propylene and having an isotactic index greater than 80; (b) from about 5 to 20 parts of a semi-crystalline, essentially linear copolymer fraction having a crystallinity of about 20 to 60% wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of (i) ethylene and propylene containing over 55% ethylene, (ii) ethylene, propylene, and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) containing from 1 to 10% of the alpha-olefin and over 55% of both ethylene and alpha-olefin, and (iii) ethylene and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) containing over 55% of said alpha-olefin, which copolymer is insoluble in xylene at room or ambient temperature; and (c) from about 40 to 80 parts of a copolymer fraction wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of (i) ethylene and propylene containing from 20% to less than 40% ethylene, (ii) ethylene, propylene, and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) wherein the alpha-olefin is present in an amount of 1 to 10% and the amount of ethylene and alpha-olefin present is from 20% to less than 40%,, and (iii) ethylene and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) containing from 20% to less than 40% of said alpha-olefin, and optionally with 0.5 to 10 % of a diene, said copolymer fraction being soluble in xylene at ambient temperature, and having an intrinsic viscosity of from 1.5 to 4.0 dl/g; with the total of the (b) and (c) fractions, based on the total olefin polymer composition, being from about 50% to 90%, and the weight ratio of (b)/(c) being less than 0.4, wherein said composition is prepared by polymerization in at least two stages and has a flexural modulus of less than 150 MPa.

Claim 3

The material of claim 1 wherein (a) is a copolymer of propylene and ethylene.

Claim 4

The material of claim 1 wherein (c) is a copolymer of propylene and ethylene.

Claim 5

The material of claim 1 wherein (c) is a terpolymer of propylene, ethylene and butene-1.

Claim 6

The material of claim 1 wherein (a) is a copolymer of propylene and butene-1.

Claim 7

The material of claim 3 wherein (a) is a copolymer of propylene and butene-1.

Claim 8

The material of claim 4 wherein (a) is a copolymer of propylene and butene-1.

Claim 9

The material of claim 5 wherein the total content of copolymerized ethylene is from 15% to 35% by weight.

Claim 10

The material of claim 6 wherein the total content of copolymerized ethylene is from 15% to 35% by weight.

Claim 11

The material of claim 7 wherein the total content of copolymerized ethylene is from 15% to 35% by weight.

Claim 12

A film or sheet material comprising a blend of (1) from about 5 to 45% an olefin polymer composition which is comprised of (a) from about 10 to 50 parts of a propylene homopolymer having an isotactic index greater than 80, or a copolymer selected from the group consisting of (i) propylene and ethylene, (ii) propylene, ethylene and a CH 2 ═CHR alpha-olefin, where R is a C 2-8 straight or branched alkyl, and (iii) propylene and an alpha-olefin as defined in (ii), said copolymer containing over 80% propylene and having an isotactic index greater than 80; (b) from about 5 to 20 parts of a semi-crystalline, essentially linear copolymer fraction having a crystallinity of about 20 to 60% wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of (i) ethylene and propylene containing over 55% ethylene, (ii) ethylene, propylene, and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) containing from 1 to 10% of the alpha-olefin and over 55% of both ethylene and alpha-olefin, and (iii) ethylene and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) containing over 55% of said alpha-olefin, which copolymer is insoluble in xylene at room or ambient temperature; and (c) from about 40 to 80 parts of a copolymer fraction wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of (i) ethylene and propylene containing from 20% to less than 40% ethylene, (ii) ethylene, propylene, and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) wherein the alpha-olefin is present in an amount of 1 to 10% and the amount of ethylene and alpha-olefin present is from 20% to less than 40%, and (iii) ethylene and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) containing from 20% to less than 40% of said alpha-olefin, and optionally with 0.5 to 10 % of a diene, said copolymer fraction being soluble in xylene at ambient temperature, and having an intrinsic viscosity of from 1.5 to 4.0 dl/g; with the total of the (b) and (c) fractions, based on the total olefin polymer composition, being from about 50% to 90%, and the weight ratio of (b)/(c) being less than 0.4%, wherein said composition (1) is prepared by polymerization in at least two stages and has a flexural modulus of less than 150 MPa; and (2) from about 95 to 55% of a crystalline homopolymer of a C 2-10 alpha-olefin monomer or of a copolymer selected from the group consisting of (i) propylene with ethylene, (ii) propylene with ethylene and a C 4-10 alpha-olefin monomer and (iii) propylene with a C 4-10 alpha-olefin monomer, provided that, when the comonomer is ethylene, the maximum polymerized ethylene content is about 10%, when the comonomer is a C 4-10 alpha-olefin monomer, the maximum polymerized content is about 20% and when the comonomers are ethylene and a C 4-10 alpha-olefin monomer, the maximum polymerized content of both is about 30%.

Claim 13

A film or sheet material comprising a blend of (1) from about 5 to 45% an olefin polymer composition which is comprised of (a) from about 10 to 50 parts of a propylene homopolymer having an isotactic index greater than 80, or a copolymer selected from the group consisting of (i) propylene and ethylene, (ii) propylene, ethylene and a CH 2 ═CHR alpha-olefin, where R is a C 2-8 straight or branched alkyl, and (iii) propylene and an alpha-olefin as defined in (ii), said copolymer containing over 80% propylene and having an isotactic index greater than 80; (b) from about 5 to 20 parts of a semi-crystalline, essentially linear copolymer fraction having a crystallinity of about 20 to 60% wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of (i) ethylene and propylene containing over 55% ethylene, (ii) ethylene, propylene, and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) containing from 1 to 10% of the alpha-olefin and over 55% of both ethylene and alpha-olefin, and (iii) ethylene and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) containing over 55% of said alpha-olefin, which copolymer is insoluble in xylene at room or ambient temperature; and (c) from about 40 to 80 parts of a copolymer fraction wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of (i) ethylene and propylene containing from 20% to less than 40% ethylene, (ii) ethylene, propylene, and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) wherein the alpha-olefin is present in an amount of 1 to 10% and the amount of ethylene and alpha-olefin present is from 20% to less than 40%, and (iii) ethylene and an alpha-olefin as defined in (a) (ii) containing from 20% to less than 40% of said alpha-olefin, and optionally with 0.5 to 10 % of a diene, said copolymer fraction being soluble in xylene at ambient temperature, and having an intrinsic viscosity of from 1.5 to 4.0 dl/g; with the total of the (b) and (c) fractions, based on the total olefin polymer composition, being from about 50% to 90%, and the weight ratio of (b)/(c) being less than 0.4%, wherein said composition (1) is prepared by polymerization in at least two stages and has a flexural modulus of less than 150 MPa; and (2) from about 95 to 55% of a crystalline homopolymer of a C 2-10 alpha-olefin monomer or of a copolymer selected from the group consisting of (i) propylene with ethylene, (ii) propylene with ethylene and a C 4-10 alpha-olefin monomer and (iii) propylene with a C 4-10 alpha-olefin monomer, provided that, when the comonomer is ethylene, the maximum polymerized ethylene content is about 10%, when the comonomer is a C 4-10 alpha-olefin monomer, the maximum polymerized content is about 20% and when the comonomers are ethylene and a C 4-10 alpha-olefin monomer, the maximum polymerized content of both is about 30%.

Claim 14

The material of claim 11 wherein (1) (a) is a copolymer of propylene and ethylene, (1) (c) is a terpolymer of propylene, ethylene and butene-1.

Claim 15

The material of claim 11 wherein (1) (a) is a copolymer of propylene and butene-1, (1) (c) is a copolymer of propylene and ethylene.

Claim 16

The material of claim 13 wherein (1) is present in an amount from 10 to 30%.