Process for making pouches from flex-crack-resistant, LDPE films

1. A process for making a pouch, said process comprising the steps of:

(I) providing a film structure comprising a sealant film;

(II) forming said film structure into a tubular member;

(III) heat-sealing the longitudinal edges of said tubular member;

(IV) filling said tubular member with flowable material;

(V) heat-sealing a first transverse end of said tubular member to form a pouch; and

(VI) sealing and cutting through a second transverse end of said tubular member to provide a filled pouch;

wherein said sealant film in Step (I) comprises:

(a) from about 2.0 wt % to about 9.5 wt %, based on 100 wt % total composition, of an ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer;

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is present in an amount that optimizes flex crack resistance as measured using a Gelbo Flex tester set up to test in accordance with ASTM F392;

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is present in an amount that minimizes reduction of thermal resistance, as measured using DSC (ASTM E794/E793) Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), which determines temperature and heat flow associated with material transitions as a function of time and temperature;

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is present in an amount that maximizes stiffness of said sealant film layer as measured using Tensile Modulus of said polyethylene films measured in accordance with ASTM Method D882; and

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is manufactured in a polymerization process using a single-site or metallocene catalyst and has a density of from 0.850 to 0.890 g/cc and a melt index of 0.3 to 5 g/10 min,

(b) from about 70.5 wt % to about 98.0 wt %, based on too wt % total composition, of one or more polymers selected from ethylene homopolymers and ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymers, having a density between 0.915 g/cc and 0.935 g/cc and a melt index of 0.2 g/to min to 2 g/to min, and

(c) from about 0 wt % to about 20.0 wt %, based on 100 wt % total composition, of processing additives selected from slip agents, antiblock agents, colorants and processing aids, and

wherein said sealant film has a thickness of from about 2 μm to about 60 μm.

2. The process as recited in claim 1 , wherein said film structure is a monofilm.

3. The process as recited in claim 1 , wherein said film structure is a multi-layer film structure.

4. The process as recited in claim 3 , wherein in said multi-layer film structure, one or both outer layers is a sealant layer.

5. The process as recited in claim 1 , wherein said film structure is a multi-ply film structure comprising at least one intermediate or inner ply of said sealant film.

6. The process a recited in claim 1 , wherein the sealing is performed by impulse sealing.

7. A process for making a pouch, said process comprising the steps of:

(I) providing a film structure comprising a sealant film;

(II) forming said film structure into a tubular member;

(III) heat-sealing the longitudinal edges of said tubular member;

(IV) filling said tubular member with flowable material;

(V) heat-sealing a first transverse end of said tubular member to form a pouch; and

(VI) sealing and cutting through a second transverse end of said tubular member to provide a filled pouch;

wherein said sealant film in Step (I) comprises:

(a) from about 2.0 wt % to about 9.5 wt %, based on 100 wt % total composition, of an ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer;

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is present in an amount such that the film structure develops 10 or less pinholes per 300 cm 2 in 20,000 cycles of Gelbo Flex testing, as measured using a Gelbo Flex tester set up to test in accordance with ASTM F392;

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is present in an amount such that said film structure has a thermal resistance at temperatures just above 100° C., as measured using DSC (ASTM E794/E793) Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), which determines temperature and heat flow associated with material transitions as a function of time and temperature;

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is present in an amount such that the film structure has a minimum tensile modulus of 20,000 psi as measured using Tensile Modulus of the polyethylene films measured in accordance with ASTM Method D882;

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is manufactured in a polymerization process using a single-site or metallocene catalyst and has a density of from 0.850 g/cc to 0.890 g/cc and a melt index of 0.3 g/10 min to 5 g/10 min,

(b) from about 70.5 wt % to about 98.0 wt %, based on 100 wt % total composition, of one or more polymers selected from ethylene homopolymers and ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymers having a density between 0.915 ace and 0.935 g/cc and a melt index of 0.2 g/10 min to 2 g/10 min, and

(c) from about 0 wt % to about 20.0 wt %, based on 100 wt % total composition, of processing additives selected from slip agents, antiblock agents, colorants, and processing aids, and

wherein said sealant film has a thickness of from about 2 μm to about 60 μm.

8. The process as recited in claim 7 , wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer in (a) and (b) are each ethylene-octene interpolymers.

9. The process as recited in claim 7 , wherein component (c) is present in an amount of from about 3 wt % to about 5 wt % based on 100 wt % total composition.

10. The process as recited in claim 7 , wherein said film structure is a monofilm.

11. The process as recited in claim 7 , wherein said film structure is a multi-layer film structure.

12. The process as recited in claim 11 , wherein in said multi-layer film structure, one or both outer layers is a sealant layer.

13. The process as recited in claim 7 , wherein said film structure is a multi-ply film structure comprising at least one intermediate or inner ply of said sealant film.

14. The process a recited in claim 7 , wherein the sealing is performed by impulse sealing.

15. A process for making a pouch, said process comprising the steps of:

(I) providing a film structure comprising a sealant film;

(II) forming said film structure into a tubular member;

(III) heat-sealing the longitudinal edges of said tubular member;

(IV) filling said tubular member with flowable material;

(V) heat-sealing a first transverse end of said tubular member to form a pouch; and

(VI) sealing and cutting through a second transverse end of said tubular member to provide a filled pouch;

wherein said sealant film in Step (I) comprises:

(a) from about 2.0 wt % to about 9.5 wt %, based on 100 wt % total composition, of an ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer;

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is present in an amount that optimizes flex crack resistance as measured using a Gelbo Flex tester set up to test in accordance with ASTM F392;

wherein said ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymer is manufactured in a polymerization process using a single-site or metallocene catalyst and has a density of from 0.850 to 0.890 g/cc and a melt index of 0.3 to 5 g/10 min,

(b) from about 70.5 wt % to about 98.0 wt %, based on 100 wt % total composition, of one or more polymers selected from ethylene homopolymers and ethylene C 4 -C 10 -alpha-olefin interpolymers, having a density between 0.915 g/cc and 0.935 g/cc and a melt index of 0.2 g/10 min to 2 g/10 min, and

(c) from about 0 wt % to about 20.0 wt %, based on 100 wt % total composition, of processing additives selected from slip agents, antiblock agents, colorants and processing aids, and

wherein said sealant film has a thickness of from about 2 μm to about 60 μm.

16. The process a recited in claim 15 , wherein the sealing is performed by impulse sealing.