Melt blends of amorphous cycloolefin polymers and partially crystalline cycloolefin elastomers with improved toughness

A melt-blend resin composition prepared by melt-blending:

• (a) from 20 parts to 60 parts per hundred weight resin in the blend of a first amorphous cycloolefin polymer composition exhibiting a first glass transition temperature (Tg);
• (b) from 20 parts to 60 parts per hundred weight resin in the blend of a second amorphous cycloolefin polymer composition exhibiting a second glass transition temperature (Tg) which differs from the first glass transition temperature of the first amorphous cycloolefin copolymer composition;
• and
• (c) from 25 parts to 1 part per hundred weight resin in the blend of a partially crystalline, cycloolefin elastomer of norbornene and ethylene having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 30° C., a crystalline melting temperature of less than 125° C. and a % crystallinity by weight of 40% or less.

A melt-blend resin composition prepared by melt-blending:

• (a) from 60 parts to 94.5 parts per hundred weight resin in the blend of an amorphous cycloolefin polymer composition exhibiting a glass transition temperature (Tg) in the range of from 30° C. to 200° C.;
• (b) from 30-5 parts by weight of a thermoplastic elastomer;
• and
• (c) from 10 parts to 0.5 parts per hundred weight resin in the blend of a partially crystalline, cycloolefin elastomer of norbornene and ethylene having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 30° C., a crystalline melting temperature of less than 125° C. and a % crystallinity by weight of 40% or less.

A method of making a melt-blended film or sheet comprising:

• (a) preparing a molten resin blend composition by melt-blending:
• (i) from 60 parts to 99 parts per hundred weight resin in the blend of an amorphous cycloolefin polymer composition exhibiting a glass transition temperature in the range of from 30° C. to 200° C.;
• and
• (ii) from 40 parts to 1 part per hundred weight resin in the blend of a partially crystalline, cycloolefin elastomer of norbornene and ethylene having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 30° C., a crystalline melting temperature of less than 125° C. and a % crystallinity by weight of 40% or less;
• and
• (b) contemporaneously with step (a), extruding the melt-blended resin composition into a film.