POLYETHYLENE SQUEEZABLE POUCHES
The invention relates to a process for producing polyethylene aseptic squeezable pouches. The invention also covers said pouches and their use for medical packaging applications.
1 - 7 . (canceled)
8 . A method for producing a container product including a squeezable pouch comprising
a) extruding a metallocene catalyzed ethylene polymer having a density within the range of 0.928-0.942 g/cm 3 into a parison;
b) blow molding said parison into a pouch;
c) introducing a liquid into said pouch;
d) sealing said pouch containing said liquid to produce a sealed liquid containing pouch; and
e) sterilizing said pouch at a temperature of at least 118° C.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein said ethylene polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and a C 3 -C 8 alpha olefin comonomer.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein said comonomer is selected from the group consisting of propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, and 4-methyl-1-pentene.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein said comonomer is 1-hexene.
12 . The method of claim 8 wherein said metallocene catalyzed ethylene polymer is catalyzed by a metallocene having a bridged bis indenyl or bridged his tetrahydroindenyl ligand structure which is substituted or unsubstituted.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein said metallocene is a bridged his tetrahydroindenyl ligand structure.
14 . The method of claim 12 wherein said metallocene is a bridged bis indenyl or bridged bis tetrahydroindenyl ligand zirconium dichloride.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein said metallocene is a bridged bis tetrahydro indenyl zirconium dichloride.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein said metallocene is ethylene bis(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1-indenyl) zirconium dichloride.
17 . The method of claim 8 wherein said metallocene catalyzed polyethylene has a melt index M12 as measured according to ASTM D 1238 at 190° C. under a load of 2.16 kilograms within the range of 0.3-2.5 g/10 minutes.
18 . The method of claim 15 wherein said ethylene polymer has a melt index M12 within the range of 0.5-1.5 g/10 minutes.
19 . The method of claim 15 wherein said ethylene polymer has a melt index M12 within the range of 0.7-1.05 g/10 minutes.
20 . The method of claim 1 wherein said pouch is sterilized at a sterilization temperature of 119° C.
21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the said pouch is sterilized for 15 minutes.