POLYOLEFIN COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING BIO-BASED STARCH MATERIALS
Polyolefin compositions and methods of making and using the polyolefin compositions are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a composition comprising a polyolefin, a compatibilizer, a starch and a plasticizer.
1 . A composition comprising:
a polyolefin,
a compatibilizer,
a starch, and
a plasticizer.
2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene and combinations thereof.
3 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein the polyethylene is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene and combinations thereof.
4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of virgin polyethylene, recycled polyethylene, virgin polypropylene, recycled polypropylene and combinations thereof.
5 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises from about 20 to about 80% by weight, the compatibilizer comprises from about 1 to about 5% by weight, the starch comprises from about 10 to about 70% by weight, and the plasticizer comprises from about 3 to about 15% by weight of the composition.
6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the compatibilizer is selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene, maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene, maleic anhydride grafted polybutene and combinations thereof.
7 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the compatibilizer comprises maleated polypropylene with a melt flow of about 50 to about 500 g/10 minute and maleic anhydride grafting of about 0.5 to about 10 wt %.
8 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the starch is selected from the group consisting of corn, tapioca, maize, wheat, rice and combinations thereof.
9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, glycerine and combinations thereof.
10 . The composition of claim 1 further comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of stabilizers, colorants, antioxidants, flavorants, nanofillers, non-clay particles, glass-fiber reinforcements, anti-microbial agents, processing aids and combinations thereof.
11 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the anti-microbial agents are selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, copper and copper compounds, silver and silver compounds, colloidal silver, silver nitrate, silver sulphate, silver chloride, silver complexes, metal-containing zeolites, surface-modified metal-containing zeolites and combinations thereof.
12 . The composition of claim 11 , wherein the metal-containing zeolites comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, zinc, mercury, tin, lead, bismuth, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, zirconium and combinations thereof.
13 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the anti-microbial agents are selected from the group consisting of o-benzyl-phenol, 2-benzyl-4-chloro-phenol, 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether, 4,4′-dichloro-2-hydroxydiphenyl ether, 5-chloro-2-hydroxy-diphenyl-methane, mono-chloro-o-benzyl-phenol, 2,2′-methylenbis-(4-chloro-phenol), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and combinations thereof.
14 . A composition comprising:
a polyolefin,
a compatibilizer selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene, maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene, maleic anhydride grafted polybutene and combinations thereof,
a starch, and
a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, glycerine and combinations thereof.
15 . The composition of claim 14 , wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene and combinations thereof.
16 . The composition of claim 14 , wherein the starch is selected from the group consisting of corn, tapioca, maize, wheat, rice and combinations thereof.
17 . A method of making a polyolefin composition, the method comprising:
blending a polyolefin, a compatibilizer, a starch and a plasticizer to form a mixture.
18 . The method of claim 17 comprising extruding the blended mixture to form an extrudate.
19 . The method of claim 18 comprising shaping the extrudate to form an article selected from the group consisting of toys, computer casing, DVDs, toiletries, combs, consumer products, cellular phone casings, bags, foam material products, packaging, automobile parts, cookware and combinations thereof.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the articles are made by a process selected from the group consisting of injection molding, thermoforming, film blowing, stretch blow molding, extrusion blow molding, extrusion coatings, profile extrusion, film extrusion, cast films, cast products and combinations thereof.
21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene and combinations thereof.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the polyethylene is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene and combinations thereof.
23 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the compatibilizer is selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene, maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene, maleic anhydride grafted polybutene and combinations thereof.
24 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the compatibilizer comprises maleated polypropylene with a melt flow of about 50 to about 500 g/10 minute and maleic anhydride grafting of about 0.5 to about 10 wt %.
25 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the starch is selected from the group consisting of corn, tapioca, maize, wheat, rice and combinations thereof.
26 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, glycerine and combinations thereof.
27 . The method of claim 17 further comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of stabilizers, colorants, antioxidants, flavorants, nanofillers, non-clay particles, glass-fiber reinforcements, anti-microbial agents, processing aids and combinations thereof.
28 . A method of making a polyolefin composition, the method comprising:
blending a polyolefin and a compatibilizer to form a first mixture;
blending a starch and a plasticizer to form a second mixture;
feeding the first mixture into a first feed of an extruder;
feeding the second mixture into the extruder at a location downstream of the first feed, the second mixture blending with the first mixture;
extruding the blended mixture to form an extrudate.
29 . The method of claim 28 comprising vacuuming the vapor phase of the blended mixture.
30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein at least one of the first mixture and the second mixture comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of stabilizers, colorants, antioxidants, flavorants, nanofillers, non-clay particles, glass-fiber reinforcements, anti-microbial agents, processing aids and combinations thereof.
31 . A method of making a polyolefin film, the method comprising:
blending a polyolefin, a compatibilizer, a starch and a plasticizer to form a mixture; and
forming the film from the mixture.
32 . The method of claim 31 comprising applying the film to an article comprising a material selected from the group consisting of paper, plastics, wood, composite materials and combinations thereof.