CHILL CAST MULCH FILM
The agricultural film of the present invention includes a monolayer and multilayer embodiment wherein a first layer is composed of at least one polyolefin polymer wherein the film has a thickness of from about 0.1-10 mils and the film is formed by chill cast extrusion. A method for making the agricultural film of the present invention is also provided.
1 . An monolayer agricultural film comprising:
at least one polyolefin polymer,
wherein said film has a thickness of from about 0.1-10 mils;
wherein said film is formed by chill cast extrusion.
2 . The film of claim 1 wherein said film comprises from about 1-100% by weight of said at least one polyolefin polymer.
3 . The film of claim 2 wherein said film comprises from about 70-90% by weight of said at least one polyolefin polymer.
4 . The film of claim 1 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutenes, polyisoprene, polyesters, homopolymers thereof, copolymers thereof, terpolymers thereof, α-olefin propylene copolymers, metallocene-catalyzed polyolefin polymers, and mixtures thereof.
5 . The film of claim 4 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, and mixtures thereof.
6 . The film of claim 4 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, propylene homopolymers, random copolymers, and mixtures thereof.
7 . The film of claim 2 , said film further comprising from about 0-99% by weight of at least one additive.
8 . The film of claim 7 , said film further comprising from about 10-30% by weight of at least one additive.
9 . The film of claim 8 wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of color concentrates, neutralizers, process aids, lubricants, stabilizers, hydrocarbon resins, antistatics, slip agents, antioxidants, fillers, specialty additives, and antiblocking agents.
10 . The film of claim 1 wherein said film has a thickness of from about 0.1-5 mils.
11 . A multilayer agricultural film comprising:
at least one first layer comprising at least one polyolefin polymer; and
at least one second layer comprising at least one polyolefin polymer;
wherein said film has a thickness of up from about 0.1-10 mils;
wherein said film is formed by chill cast extrusion.
12 . The film of claim 11 wherein said first layer comprises from about 1-100% by weight of said at least one polyolefin polymer.
13 . The film of claim 12 wherein said first layer comprises from about 70-90% by weight of said at least one polyolefin polymer.
14 . The film of claim 13 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutenes, polyisoprene, polyester, homopolymers thereof copolymers thereof, terpolymers thereof, α-olefin propylene copolymers, metallocene-catalyzed polyolefin polymers, and mixtures thereof.
15 . The film of claim 14 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, and mixtures thereof.
16 . The film of claim 14 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, propylene homopolymers, random copolymers, and mixtures thereof.
17 . The film of claim 2 , said first layer further comprising from about 0-99% by weight of at least one additive.
18 . The film of claim 17 , said first layer further comprising from about 10-30% by weight of at least one additive.
19 . The film of claim 18 wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of color concentrates, neutralizers, process aids, lubricants, stabilizers, hydrocarbon resins, antistatics, slip agents, antioxidants, fillers, specialty additives, and antiblocking agents.
20 . The film of claim 11 wherein said second layer comprises from about 1-100% by weight of said at least one polyolefin polymer.
21 . The film of claim 20 wherein said second layer comprises from about 70-90% by weight of said at least one polyolefin polymer.
22 . The film of claim 21 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutenes, polyisoprene, polyester, homopolymers thereof, copolymers thereof, terpolymers thereof, α-olefin propylene copolymers, metallocene-catalyzed polyolefin polymers, and mixtures thereof.
23 . The film of claim 22 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, and mixtures thereof.
24 . The film of claim 22 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, propylene homopolymers, random copolymers, and mixtures thereof.
25 . The film of claim 20 , said second layer further comprising from about 0-99% by weight of at least one additive.
26 . The film of claim 25 , said second layer further comprising from about 10-30% by weight of at least one additive.
27 . The film of claim 26 wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of color concentrates, neutralizers, process aids, lubricants, stabilizers, hydrocarbon resins, antistatics, slip agents, antioxidants, fillers, specialty additives, and antiblocking agents.
28 . The film of claim 11 wherein said film has a thickness of from about 0.1-5 mils.
29 . The film of claim 11 wherein said first layer comprises from about 1-100% by weight of said film.
30 . The film of claim 29 wherein said first layer comprises from about 50-80% by weight of said film.
31 . The film of claim 11 wherein said first layer has a thickness of from about 0.1-10 mils.
32 . The film of claim 11 wherein said second layer has a thickness of from about 0.1-9.9 mils.
33 . The film of claim 11 wherein said film further comprises at least one additional layer.
34 . The film of claim 33 , said at least one additional layer comprising at least one polyolefin polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutenes, polyisoprene, polyester, homopolymers thereof, copolymers thereof, terpolymers thereof, α-olefin propylene copolymers, metallocene-catalyzed polyolefin polymers, and mixtures thereof.
35 . The film of claim 33 , wherein said at least one additional layer has a thickness of from about 0.1-9.8 mils.
36 . A method for making an agricultural film comprising the steps of:
providing a film resin composed of at least one polyolefin polymer,
feeding said resin through a slit die onto a continuously moving chill roll to form an agricultural film;
cooling said film on said chill roll;
stretching said film to a thickness of from about 0.1-10 mils.
37 . The method of claim 36 wherein said film comprises from about 1-100% by weight of said at least one polyolefin polymer.
38 . The method of claim 37 wherein said film comprises from about 70-90% by weight of said at least one polyolefin polymer.
39 . The method of claim 36 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutenes, polyisoprene, polyester, homopolymers thereof, copolymers thereof, terpolymers thereof, α-olefin propylene copolymers, metallocene-catalyzed polyolefin polymers, and mixtures thereof.
40 . The method of claim 39 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, and mixtures thereof.
41 . The method of claim 39 wherein said polyolefin polymer is selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, propylene homopolymers, random copolymers, and mixtures thereof.
42 . The method of claim 37 , said film further comprising from about 0-99% by weight of at least one additive.
43 . The method of claim 42 wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of color concentrates, neutralizers, process aids, lubricants, stabilizers, hydrocarbon resins, antistatics, slip agents, antioxidants, fillers, specialty additives, and antiblocking agents.
44 . The method of claim 36 wherein said film has a thickness of from about 0.1-5 mils.
45 . The method of claim 16 , said film comprising one or more layers.
46 . The method of claim 45 , said layers comprising at least one polyolefin polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutenes, polyisoprene, polyester, homopolymers thereof, copolymers thereof, terpolymers thereof, α-olefin propylene copolymers, metallocene-catalyzed polyolefin polymers, and mixtures thereof.