# US 11,993,699 B2 · Polyethylene and controlled rheology polypropylene polymer blends and methods of use

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- Number: US 11,993,699 B2
- Document ID: US11993699B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/569,062
- Filed: 2019-09-12
- Published: 2020-03-19
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-14
- Assignees: Fina Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Fina Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Leonardo Rodriguez Cortes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993699B2

## CPC

- C08L 23/06: Polyethylene
- C08L 23/0815: {with aliphatic 1-olefins containing one carbon-to-carbon double bond}
- B29C 48/022: {characterised by the choice of material}
- C08F 8/50: Partial depolymerisation
- C08J 5/18: Manufacture of films or sheets
- C08J 9/04: using blowing gases generated by a previously added blowing agent
- C08L 23/12: Polypropene
- B29K 2023/06: {PE, i.e. polyethylene}
- C08F 2810/10: including a reactive processing step which leads, inter alia, to morphological and/or rheological modifications, e.g. visbreaking
- C08J 2323/08: Copolymers of ethene (C08J2323/16 takes precedence)
- C08J 2423/12: Polypropene
- C08L 2203/14: used for foams
- C08L 2203/16: used for films
- C08L 2203/18: used for pipes
- C08L 2205/025: containing two or more polymers of the same hierarchy C08L, and differing only in parameters such as density, comonomer content, molecular weight, structure
- C08L 2310/00: Masterbatches
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

Polymer blends, methods of making, and methods of using the polymer blends are described. A polymer blend can include a polyethylene (PE) polymer and a controlled rheology polypropylene (CRPP) polymer having a PE polymer to CRPP polymer (PE:CRPP) weight ratio of greater than 1:1.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A polymer blend comprising 85-99.9 wt % of a metallocene medium density polyethylene (PE) and 0.1-15 wt % of a controlled-rheology polypropylene (CRPP), wherein the CRPP comprises 0.001 wt.% to 5 wt.% of unreacted prodegradant blended therewith and the prodegradant consists of a peroxide compound, wherein the polymer blend has a higher melt strength than the melt strength of the PE absent the CRPP;
wherein:
a melt flow rate of the CRPP is 100 from 500 to 1,300 g/10 minutes as measured according to ASTM D1238 at a temperature of 230° C. with a ram weight of 2.16 kg;
a melt flow rate of the PE is from 3.9 g/10 minutes to 4.6 g /10 minutes as measured according to ASTM D1238 at a temperature of 230° C. with a ram weight of 2.16 kg; and
wherein a melt flow rate of the polymer blend is about the same as the melt flow rate of the PE as measured according to ASTM D1238 at a temperature of 230° C. with a ram weight of 2.16 kg;
a zero shear viscosity of the polymer blend is increased by a factor of 1.3 to 10 compared to a zero shear viscosity of the PE absent the CRPP; and
a breadth parameter of the polymer blend is reduced by 15% to 40% compared to the PE without the CRPP.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polymer blend of claim 1, wherein the blend includes 1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of CRPP and 99 wt. % to 90 wt. % of PE.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The polymer blend of claim 1, further comprising one or more additives.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The polymer blend of claim 3, wherein the additive comprises an antiblocking agent, an antistatic agent, an antioxidant, a neutralizing agent, a blowing agent, a crystallization aid, a dye, a flame retardant, a filler, an impact modifier, a mold release agent, an oil, another polymer, a pigment, a processing agent, a reinforcing agent, a nucleating agent, a clarifying agent, a slip agent, a flow modifier, a stabilizer, an UV resistance agent, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method of producing the polymer blend of claim 1, the method comprising:
(a) obtaining the controlled-rheology polypropylene (CRPP) comprising 0.001 wt. % to 5 wt. % of the unreacted prodegradant consisting of the peroxide; and
(b) combining 0.1-15 wt % of the CRPP obtained in the step (a) with 85-99.9 wt % of the metallocene medium density polyethylene (PE) to form the polymer blend of claim 1, wherein the polymer blend has a higher melt strength as compared to the melt strength of the step (b) PE absent the CRPP;
wherein:
a the melt flow rate of the CRPP is from 500 g/10 minutes to 1,300 g/10 minutes as measured according to ASTM D1238 at a temperature of 230° C. with a ram weight of 2.16 kg;
the melt flow rate of the PE is from 3.9 g/10 minutes to 4.6 g/10 minutes as measured according to ASTM D1238 at a temperature of 230° C. with a ram weight of 2.16 kg;
the melt flow rate of the polymer blend is about the same as less than a the melt flow as measured according to ASTM D1238 at a temperature of 230° C. with a ram weight of 2.16 kg;
the zero shear viscosity of the polymer blend is increased by a factor of 1.3 to 10 compared to the zero shear viscosity of the PE absent the CRPP; and
the breadth parameter of the polymer blend is reduced by 15% to 40% compared to the PE without the CRPP.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein obtaining the CRPP comprises reacting a polypropylene polymer with the prodegradant to produce the CRPP polymer having a melt flow rate of from 500 g/10 min to 1,300 g/10 minutes; and wherein the CRPP comprises the unreacted prodegradant.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising extruding the polymer blend.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising providing the polymer blend to a mold as a molten material, and cooling the polymeric blend in the mold.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising foaming or thermo- foaming the polymer blend.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

An article of manufacture comprising the polymeric blend of claim 1.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the article of manufacture is a film, a molded part, a container, a lid, a sheet, a pipe, a pipe coupling, a bottle, a cup, a tray, a pallet, or a toy.