Biaxially oriented metallocene linear low density polyethylene film, method and resin composition for same

1. An extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure comprising:

a core layer formed of a core resin composition comprising, by weight, a blend consisting essentially, by weight, of 50-90% of a first metallocene linear low density polyethylene (mLLDPE) resin having a melt index from about 0.8 dg/s to about 2 dg/s, about 5-25% of a second mLLDPE resin having melt index from about 0.1 dg/s to about 0.8 dg/s, and about 5-25% of a third mLLDPE resin having a melt index from about 2 dg/s to about 10 dg/s; and

a skin layer having a skin resin composition comprising one or more polyolefin plastomers, wherein the skin layer has a thickness of approximately 3% to 20% as compared to a total thickness of the extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure.

2. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyolefin plastomers comprise one or more metallocene propylene-based elastomer resins, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene acid copolymer, ethylene methyl acrylate, polyethylene-based polymer elastomer resins, polyethylene-based copolymer elastomer resins, and blends thereof.

3. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyolefin plastomers have a melting index higher than the first mLLDPE resin in the core layer.

4. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyolefin plastomers comprises at least one polyethylene-based plastomer.

5. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein the skin resin comprises about 0-100% by weight of a first metallocene propylene-based elastomer resin and about 100-0% by weight of a second metallocene propylene-based elastomer resin.

6. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein the blend comprises about 60-90% of the first mLLDPE resin, about 5-20% of the second mLLDPE resin, and about 5-20% of the third mLLDPE resin.

7. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein the blend has a molecular weight distribution of at least 4.

8. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein the skin layer is heat-sealable.

9. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein a melt viscosity of the core layer exceeds that of the skin layer.

10. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein at least one component of the core layer comprise a melting point with a temperature higher than a machine direction orientation (MDO) roll.

11. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional layers proximate to the core layer, the skin layer, and combinations thereof, and, optionally further comprising one or more additives to the one or more additional layers.

12. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein the skin layer has a higher melt index than a main component of the blend in the core layer.

13. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 having a haze of less than 10%.

14. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 , wherein a tensile strength at break is at least 8 kpsi in a machine direction, at least 18 kpsi in a transverse direction, and combinations thereof.

15. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 having a water vapor transmission rate of less than 9 g/m 2 /day at 100° F. at 90% relative humidity.

16. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 having seal strength of at least 650 g/in at 60 psi and 0.75 sec dwell time at 160° F.

17. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 having a hot tack of at least 65 g/in at 60 psi and 0.75 sec dwell time at 140° F.

18. The extruded, oriented, multilayer, film structure of claim 1 having a break load or a puncture force of at least 20 N.