Degradable multilayered structures

A degradable multilayered barrier film comprising:

• (a) a gas barrier layer of a chlorine-free, naturally biodegradable polymer, the gas barrier layer being substantially impermeable to oxygen gas;
• and
• (b) a moisture barrier layer of a quenched mesophase propylene-based material contacting the gas barrier layer, and containing a prodegradant system comprising from about 5 ppm to about 2000 ppm of a transition metal in the form of a salt, wherein said multilayered film is radiation-resistant.

A compostable multilayered barrier film comprising:

• (a) a gas barrier layer of a chlorine-free, naturally biodegradable polymer, the gas barrier layer being substantially impermeable to oxygen gas;
• and
• (b) a moisture barrier layer of a quenched mesophase propylene-based material contacting the gas barrier layer, the quenched mesophase material containing a prodegradant system of an auto-oxidative component comprising a fatty acid, substituted fatty acid or derivatives, or blends thereof, the fatty acid having 10 to 22 carbon atoms, said auto-oxidative component being at between about 0.1 to 10 weight percent based on the total composition wherein the auto-oxidative component provides at least 0.1 weight percent of unsaturated species and at least 0.1 weight percent of free acid species in the total composition, and from 5 to 2000 ppm of a transition metal in the form of a salt wherein the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, manganese, copper, cerium, vanadium and iron, wherein said multilayered film is radiation-resistant.

A degradable, radiation-resistance composition comprising a quenched mesophase propylene-based material containing a prodegradant system comprising from about 5 ppm to about 2000 ppm of a transition metal in the form of a salt.

A method of containing a perishable material with a degradable packaging film comprising:

• (a) providing a degradable multilayered packaging film comprised of a first layer of a polyolefin polymer containing a prodegradant system comprising from about 5 ppm to about 2000 ppm of a transition metal in the form of a salt, and a second layer of a polyolefin polymer, wherein the polyolefin polymer of the first layer, the second layer or the first and second layers comprises a quenched mesophase propylene-based material, wherein said multilayered film is radiation-resistant;
• and
• (b) contacting the perishable material with the second layer of the packaging film, wherein the second layer serves to prevent the dispersal of the prodegradant system from the first layer of the packaging film to the perishable material prior to disposal of the packaging film.

A method of forming a degradable, radiation resistant article comprising:

• (a) extruding a propylene-based material containing a prodegradant system comprising from about 5 ppm to about 2000 ppm of a transition metal in the form of a salt to form an extrudate;
• and
• (b) quenching the extrudate immediately after extruding to provide a radiation-resistant article of a mesophase propylene-based material containing said prodegradant system therein.

A method of using a degradable multilayered film as a barrier film comprising:

• (a) providing a degradable multilayered film comprised of a gas barrier layer of a chlorine-free, naturally biodegradable polymer, the gas barrier layer being substantially impermeable to oxygen gas, and a moisture barrier layer of a quenched mesophase propylene-based material contacting the gas barrier layer, the quenched mesophase propylene-based material containing a prodegradant system comprising from about 5 ppm to about 2000 ppm of a transition metal in the form of a salt, wherein said multilayered film is radiation-resistant;
• and
• (b) interposing the degradable multilayered film between a protected environment and an external environment such that gases and moisture cannot substantially pass through the degradable multilayered film.