NON-POROUS MOISTURE AND GAS PERMEABLE FILMS

1 . A composition comprising a blend of polyamide, an organic acid modified ionomer, and, optionally, a compatibilizer wherein

the organic acid modified ionomer comprises a blend of (a) one or more ethylene acid copolymers or E/W copolymers; E represents copolymerized units of ethylene, W represents copolymerized units of at least one C 3 -C 8 α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and (b) one or more organic acids, or salt thereof;

the organic acid has from 4 to 36 carbon atoms, optionally substituted on the longest carbon chain with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 8 alkyl group, OH group, and OR 1 group;

each R 1 is independently C 1 -C 8 alkyl group, C 1 -C 6 alkoxyalkyl group, or COR 2 group;

each R 2 is independently C 1 -C 8 alkyl group;

the organic acid or salt thereof is present in the composition from about 5 to about 50 weight % of the combination of (a) and (b);

at least 50% of the combined acidic groups in the E/W copolymer and the organic acid are nominally neutralized to the corresponding salts containing metal ions wherein at least 50% of the metal ions are alkali metal ions; and

the compatibilizer is selected from the group consisting of a dicarboxylate-containing copolymer, an ethylene acid copolymer, and an ethylene epoxide-containing ester copolymer;

the ethylene acid copolymer comprises copolymerized units of ethylene, copolymerized units of at least one C 3 to C 8 α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, and copolymerized units of vinyl acetate, alkyl acrylate, or alkyl methacrylate; and

the ethylene epoxide-containing ester copolymer comprises copolymerized units of ethylene, copolymerized units of one or more olefins of the formula CH 2 ═C(R 5 )CO 2 R 6 , and 0 to about 70% of copolymerized units of one or more olefins of the formula CH 2 ═C(R 3 )CO 2 R 4 ;

R 3 is hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms;

R 4 is an alkyl group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms;

R 5 is hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and

R 6 is glycidyl, based on the total weight of the ethylene ester copolymer.

2 . The composition of claim 1 wherein, based on the total weight of the composition, the blend comprises

(1) 25 to 85 weight % of polyamide, 25 to 45 weight % of the organic acid modified ionomer, 0 to 15 weight % of the dicarboxylate-containing polymer, 0 to 20 weight % of the ethylene acid terpolymer, and 0 to 15 weight % of ethylene glycidyl ester copolymer; or

(2) 25 to 45 weight % of polyamide, 25 to 85 weight % of the organic acid modified ionomer, 0 to 15 weight % of the dicarboxylate-containing polymer, 0 to 20 weight % of the ethylene acid terpolymer, and 0 to 15 weight % of ethylene glycidyl ester copolymer and the polyamide is an aliphatic polyamide, amorphous polyamide, or partially aromatic polyamide.

3 . The composition of claim 2 wherein the polyamide is selected from the group consisting of nylon-6, nylon-11, nylon-12, and nylon-6,12, nylon-66, nylon-610, nylon-612, nylon-1010, and nylon-1212), nylon-66/610, nylon 6/66, nylon 6/69, nylon MXDA, nylon 6-I/6-T, or combinations of two or more thereof.

4 . The composition of claim 2 wherein the polyamide is nylon-6 homopolymer or copolymer, nylon 66, nylon 612, nylon 6/66, nylon 6/12, nylon 6/69, or nylon MXDA.

5 . The composition of claim 2 wherein the polyamide is nylon-6, nylon-6/66, nylon-66, or mixtures of nylon-6/66 and nylon-6.

6 . The composition of claim 3 wherein the organic acid has from 12 to 36 carbon atoms and is selected from the group consisting of caproic, caprylic, capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, isostearic, 12-hydroxystearic, oleic, iso-oleic, linoleic, erucic, arachidic, behenic acid, and combinations of two or more thereof and the metal ion is potassium ion.

7 . The composition of claim 2 comprising 0.1 to 15% of the dicarboxylate-containing copolymer.

8 . The composition of claim 5 comprising 0.1 to 15% of the dicarboxylate-containing copolymer.

9 . The composition of claim 2 comprising 0.1 to 15 weight % of the ethylene epoxide-containing ester copolymer.

10 . The composition of claim 2 comprising 0.1 to 20% of the ethylene acid copolymer.

11 . An film comprising or produced from a first layer comprising a composition as recited in claim 1 wherein the film has a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of at least about 300 g/m 2 -day, measured according to ASTM D6701-01, at 37.8° C. at 100% relative humidity.

12 . The film of claim 11 the MVTR is at least about 750.

13 . The film of claim 12 the MVTR is at least about 1000 and the film is biaxially oriented.

14 . The film of claim 11 wherein the film is a multilayer film further comprising at least one second layer comprising a polyamide composition other than the composition recited in claim 1 .

15 . The film of claim 14 wherein the first layer is an inner layer and the second layer is a surface layer.

16 . The film of claim 13 comprising two second layers wherein the surface layer comprises a composition comprising, based on the total weight of composition, 45 to 85% of polyamide, 25 to 45% of the organic acid modified ionomer composition, 0 to 15 weight % of dicarboxylate-containing polymer, 0 to 20 weight % of ethylene acid terpolymer, and 0 to 15 weight % of ethylene glycidyl ester copolymer, and the inner layer comprises a second organic acid modified ionomer composition other than the organic acid modified ionomer composition.

17 . The film of claim 12 comprising two surface layers and an inner layer wherein the surface layer comprises a polyamide and the inner layer comprises a composition comprising, based on the total weight of composition, 25 to 45% of polyamide 45 to 85% of the organic acid modified ionomer composition, 0 to 15% of dicarboxylate-containing polymer, 0 to 20% of ethylene acid terpolymer, and 0 to 15% of ethylene glycidyl ester copolymer.

18 . The film of claim 12 comprising two surface layers and an inner layer wherein

the surface layer comprises a composition comprising, based on the total weight of composition, 45 to 85% of polyamide, 25 to 45% of the organic acid modified ionomer composition, 0 to 15% of dicarboxylate-containing polymer, 0 to 20% of ethylene acid terpolymer, 0 to 15% of ethylene glycidyl ester copolymer; and

the inner layer comprises a composition comprising, based on the total weight of composition, 25 to 45% of polyamide, 45 to 85% of the organic acid modified ionomer composition, 0 to 15% of dicarboxylate-containing polymer, 0 to 20% of ethylene acid terpolymer, and 0 to 15% of ethylene glycidyl ester copolymer.

19 . The film of claim 12 wherein the film is in the form of a package for containing and processing a foodstuff wherein the package is optionally a tubular sausage casing and the foodstuff is optionally treated with smoke and heat.

20 . A method for processing a foodstuff comprising producing a composition as recited in claim 2 ; converting the composition to a film; converting the film to a package; placing a foodstuff inside the package; and treating the foodstuff with smoke and heat.