Soft heterophasic polyolefin composition

1. Heterophasic polypropylene composition having an MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 3.0 to 7.0 g/10 min, determined according to ISO 1133, and a Vicat A50 softening temperature of more than 110° C. measured according to DIN EN ISO 306 at 10 N on an injection moulded test specimen with the dimensions of 80×10×4 mm 3 and a heat rate of 50° C./h

including a propylene random copolymer matrix phase (A), and an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber phase (B) dispersed within the matrix phase, wherein the heterophasic polypropylene composition has a fraction soluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCS fraction) of 18 to 30 wt % based on the total weight of the heterophasic polypropylene composition, and a fraction insoluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCU fraction) of 70 to 82 wt % based on the total weight of the heterophasic polypropylene composition,

said heterophasic polypropylene composition having a tensile modulus of 450 to 850 MPa when measured according to ISO 527-2 at 23° C. temperature with an elongation rate of 1 mm/min on injection moulded test specimens type 1A prepared according to ISO 1873-2;

and a normalized maleic anhydride index I MA equal to or less than 0.036 μm −1 determined by IR absorbance measurements being normalised to the measured film thickness (d) in units of microns.

2. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 1 , wherein the XCS fraction is present in an amount of 18 to 28 wt. % with respect to the total heterophasic polypropylene composition.

3. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of units derived from comonomers selected from ethylene, and/or C 4 to C 12 alpha olefins in the fraction insoluble in xylene (XCU fraction) is 1.0 to 5.2 wt.-% with respect to the total weight of the fraction being insoluble in p-xylene (XCU fraction).

4. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of units derived from propylene in the fraction soluble in xylene (XCS fraction) is 45 to 75 wt.-% with respect to the total weight of the fraction being insoluble in p-xylene (XCU fraction).

5. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 1 , wherein the Peel Strength at 23° C. is at least 200 N/mm measured according to IS021809-1.

6. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 1 , wherein the fraction soluble in xylene (XCS fraction) contains an impact modifier comprising comonomers selected from the groups of C 2 C 3 , C 2 C 4 , or C 2 C 8 , or LDPE.

7. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 1 , wherein the normalized maleic anhydride index I MA is equal to or less than 0.034 μm −1 , preferably equal to or less than 0.032 μm −1 and most preferably equal to or less than 0.0315 μm −1 determined by IR absorbance measurements being normalised to the measured film thickness (d) in units of microns.

8. Article comprising the heterophasic propylene polymer composition according to claim 1 .

9. An article according to claim 8 , whereby the article is a steel pipe coated with an epoxy layer, whereas a layer from the heterophasic polypropylene compositions is directly coated on top of said epoxy layer.

10. Heterophasic polypropylene composition having an MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 3.0 to 7.0 g/10 min and having a tensile modulus of 450 to 850 MPa when measured according to ISO 527-2 at 23° C. temperature with an elongation rate of 1 mm/min on injection moulded test specimens type 1A prepared according to ISO 1873-2 and a Vicat A50 softening temperature of more than 110° C. measured according to DIN EN ISO 306 at 10 N on an injection moulded test specimen with the dimensions of 80×10×4 mm 3 and a heat rate of 50° C./h;

including a propylene random copolymer matrix phase (A), and an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber phase (B) dispersed within the matrix phase, wherein the heterophasic polypropylene composition has a fraction soluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCS fraction), and a fraction insoluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCU fraction), whereby the heterophasic polypropylene composition is obtainable by

melt mixing a first heterophasic polypropylene composition (C1) in an amount of 40 to 86 wt.-% with 10 to 30 wt.-% of a second heterophasic polypropylene composition (C2), 0 to 15 wt.-% of an impact modifier (H), 3 to 9 wt.-% of a reactive masterbatch (G), 1.0 to 4.5 wt.-% of a colour masterbatch (F), in the presence of 0.5 to 2.0 wt.-% additives (E) with respect to the final heterophasic polypropylene composition,

whereby the first heterophasic polypropylene composition (C1) has an MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 2.5 to 6.5 g/10 min and includes a propylene random copolymer matrix phase (A1) and an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber phase (B1) dispersed within the matrix phase; and

whereby the second heterophasic polypropylene composition (C2) has an MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 2.5 to 6.5 g/10 min and includes a propylene homopolymer matrix phase (A2) and an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber phase (B2) dispersed within the matrix phase; and

whereby the ratio of weights between C1 and C2 (C1:C2) is 4:3 to 9:1, preferably 1:1 to 8:1, and more preferably 1:1 to 7:1, and

whereby the colour masterbatch (F) contains a polypropylene homo- or copolymer or an ethylene polymer carrier in an amount of 40 to 75 wt.-% and 25 to 60 wt.-% pigments with respect to the total weight of the colour masterbatch, and

whereby the reactive masterbatch (G) contains a polypropylene homopolymer having an MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 40 to 70 g/10 min in an amount of 98.30 to 99.75 wt.-%, 0.2 to 1.5 wt.-% maleic anhydride and 0.05 to 0.20 wt.-% peroxide with respect to the reactive masterbatch (G).

11. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 10 , wherein the first heterophasic polypropylene has a comonomer content of 6 to 10 wt.-%, and/or wherein the fraction insoluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCU fraction) of the first heterophasic polypropylene includes 1.5 to 5.5 wt.-% ethylene.

12. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 10 , wherein the fraction soluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCS fraction) of the first heterophasic polypropylene is present in an amount of 20 to 28 wt.-%.

13. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 10 , wherein the fraction soluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCS fraction) of the first heterophasic polypropylene has an intrinsic viscosity of 1.20 to 1.40 dl/g in tetralin at 135° C., and/or wherein the second heterophasic polypropylene has a comonomer content of 8 to 15 wt.-%.

14. Heterophasic polypropylene composition having an MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 3.0 to 7.0 g/10 min and having a tensile modulus of 450 to 850 MPa when measured according to ISO 527-2 at 23° C. temperature with an elongation rate of 1 mm/min on injection moulded test specimens type 1A prepared according to ISO 1873-2, and a Vicat A50 softening temperature of more than 110° C. measured according to DIN EN ISO 306 at 10 N on an injection moulded test specimen with the dimensions of 80×10×4 mm 3 and a heat rate of 50° C./h;

including a propylene random copolymer matrix phase (A), and an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber phase (B) dispersed within the matrix phase, wherein the heterophasic polypropylene composition has a fraction soluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCS fraction), and a fraction insoluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCU fraction), whereby the heterophasic polypropylene composition is obtainable by

melt mixing a first heterophasic polypropylene composition (C1) in an amount of 54 to 79 wt.-% with 20 to 40 wt.-% of an intermediate (D) composition 1.0 to 4.5 wt.-% of a colour masterbatch (F) in the presence of 0.5 to 2.0 wt.-% additives (E), with respect to the final heterophasic polypropylene composition,

whereby the first heterophasic has an MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 2.5 to 6.5 g/10 min and includes a propylene random copolymer matrix phase (A1) and an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber phase (B1) dispersed within the matrix phase; and

whereby the ratio of weights between C1 and D (C1:D) is 5:4 to 8:2, preferably 1:1 to 7:2, and more preferably 1:1 to 6:2, and

whereby the colour masterbatch (F) contains a polypropylene homo- or copolymer or an ethylene polymer carrier in an amount of 40 to 75 wt.-% and 25 to 60 wt.-% pigments with respect to the total weight of the colour masterbatch, and

whereby the intermediate composition (D) is obtainable by

melt mixing a second heterophasic polypropylene (C2) in an amount of 55 to 85 wt.-% with 15 to 30 wt.-% of a reactive masterbatch (G) and 0 to 15 wt.-% of an impact modifier (H) with respect to the intermediate composition (D),

whereby the second heterophasic polypropylene (C2) has an MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 2.5 to 6.5 g/10 min and includes a propylene homopolymer matrix phase (A2) and an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber phase (B2) dispersed within the matrix phase; and

whereby the reactive masterbatch (G) contains a polypropylene homopolymer having an MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 40 to 70 g/10 min in an amount of 98.30 to 99.75 wt.-%, 0.2 to 1.5 wt.-% maleic anhydride and 0.05 to 0.20 wt.-% peroxide with respect to the polypropylene masterbatch (G).

15. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 14 , wherein the first heterophasic polypropylene has a comonomer content of 6 to 10 wt.-%, and/or wherein the fraction insoluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCU fraction) of the first heterophasic polypropylene includes 1.5 to 5.5 wt.-% ethylene.

16. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 14 , wherein the fraction soluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCS fraction) of the first heterophasic polypropylene is present in an amount of 20 to 28 wt.-%.

17. Heterophasic polypropylene composition according to claim 14 , wherein the fraction soluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCS fraction) of the first heterophasic polypropylene has an intrinsic viscosity of 1.20 to 1.40 dl/g in tetralin at 135° C., and/or wherein the second heterophasic polypropylene has a comonomer content of 8 to 15 wt.-%.

18. Process for providing a field joint for a pipe or pipeline comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least two pipe segments optionally comprising factory coating;

b) at least partially removing the factory coating from the pipe segments to form a surface area;

c) welding the pipe segment to form a pipe or pipeline;

d) applying an epoxy layer to the surface areas of said welded steel pipe or pipeline;

e) curing said epoxy layer; and

f) applying a layer comprising a heterophasic polypropylene polymer composition on top of the epoxy layer;

whereby the heterophasic polypropylene polymer composition is the outermost layer of the pipe or pipeline.

19. Process for providing a field joint for a pipe or pipeline according to claim 18 , whereby the heterophasic polypropylene polymer composition has

a MFR 2 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of 3.0 to 15.0 g/10 min, determined according to ISO 1133;

a Vicat A50 softening temperature of more than 110° C. measured according to DIN EN ISO 306 at 10 N on an injection moulded test specimen with the dimensions of 80×10×4 mm 3 ;

a heat rate of 50° C./h;

a fraction soluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCS fraction);

a fraction insoluble in p-xylene at 23° C. (XCU fraction);

a tensile modulus of 450 to 850 MPa when measured according to ISO 527-2 at 23° C. temperature with an elongation rate of 1 mm/min on injection moulded test specimens type 1A prepared according to ISO 1873-2; and

a normalized maleic anhydride index I MA equal to or less than 0.036 μm −1 determined by IR absorbance measurements being normalised to the measured film thickness (d) in units of microns.