Polymeric compositions including their uses and methods of production

A container comprised of a polymeric composition consisting essentially of:

• (i) about 80 parts to 99.5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polymeric composition of a high density polyethylene polymer having an ethylene content of at least 80 mol %, wherein the high density polyethylene polymer has a melting point from about 120° C. to about 145° C., as determined by DSC;
• (ii) about 1 part to about 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polymeric composition of a second polymer component, wherein the second polymer component consists of at least 75 wt. % propylene-derived units, from about 5 to about 25 wt. % ethylene-derived units and, optionally, propylene-derived units, and wherein the second polymer component has heat of fusion of less than 75 J/g and wherein the propylene-derived units of the second polymer component have an isotactic triad fraction of about 75% to about 99%;
• and
• (iii) optionally one or more additives selected from the group consisting of fire retardants, antioxidants, plasticizers, pigments, vulcanizing accelerators, curative accelerators, cure retarders, processing aids, processing oils, flame retardants, tackifying resins, flow improvers, antiblocking agents, coloring agents, lubricants, mold release agents, nucleating agents, reinforcements, fillers, and mixtures thereof;
• wherein the polymeric composition and the high density polyethylene polymer each have an environmental stress crack resistance (F100) of at least 24 hours determined according to ASTM D-1693;
• and a flex modulus determined according to ASTM D-790 of at least 410 MPa;
• and
• wherein the ratio of F100 of the polymeric composition to the F100 of the high density polyethylene polymer is at least 1.2.

An extruded article comprised of a polymeric composition consisting essentially of:

• a. from about 80 parts to 99.5 parts per 100 parts of the polymeric composition of a high density polyethylene polymer having an ethylene content of at least 80 mol %, wherein the high density polyethylene polymer has a melting point from about 120° C. to about 145° C., as determined by DSC;
• b. from about 1 part to about 30 parts per 100 parts of the polymeric composition of a second polymer component, wherein the second polymer component consists of at least 75 wt. % propylene-derived units, from about 5 to about 25 wt. % ethylene-derived units, and, optionally, propylene-derived units, and wherein the second polymer component has a heat of fusion of less than 75 J/g and wherein the propylene-derived units of the second polymer component have an isotactic triad fraction of about 65% to about 99%;
• and
• c. optionally one or more additives selected from the group consisting of fire retardants, antioxidants, plasticizers, pigments, vulcanizing accelerators, curative accelerators, cure retarders, processing aids, processing oils, flame retardants, tackifying resins, flow improvers, antiblocking agents, coloring agents, lubricants, mold release agents, nucleating agents, reinforcements, fillers, and mixtures thereof;
• wherein the polymeric composition and the high density polyethylene polymer each have an environmental stress crack resistance (F100) of at least 24 hours determined according to ASTM D-1693;
• and a flex modulus determined according to ASTM D-790 of at least 410 MPa;
• and
• wherein the ratio of F100 of the polymeric composition to the F100 of the high density polyethylene polymer is at least 1.2.

An extruded article comprising;

• a polymeric composition consisting essentially of:
• (a) from about 80 wt. % to about 99.5 wt. % of a high density polyethylene polymer having an MI of from 0.02 to 30, an Mw/Mn of from 1.5 to 40, and a density of 0.95 g/cm3;
• (b) from about 1 to about 30 wt. % of a propylene-based polymer consisting of:
• (i) from about 75 wt. % to about 95 wt. % propylene-derived units, and
• (ii) from about 5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % ethylene-derived units,
• wherein the propylene-based polymer has a heat of fusion of less than 75 J/g, an isotactic triad fraction of about 75% to about 99%;
• and
• (c) optionally one or more additives selected from the group consisting of fire retardants, antioxidants, plasticizers, pigments, vulcanizing accelerators, curative accelerators, cure retarders, processing aids, processing oils, flame retardants, tackifying resins, flow improvers, antiblocking agents, coloring agents, lubricants, mold release agents, nucleating agents, reinforcements, fillers, and mixtures thereof;
• wherein the extruded article has a flex modulus of at least 410 MPa, and an environmental stress crack resistance (F100) of at least 24 hours and
• wherein the ratio of F100 of the polymeric composition to the F100 of the high density polyethylene polymer is at least 1.2.