IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,053,568

Granted Patent B2

US 10,053,568 · App. 15/123,313 · Granted Aug 21, 2018

Heterophasic propylene copolymer with high melting point

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,053,568
App. No.: 15/123,313
Granted: Aug 21, 2018
Kind: B2

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USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

Heterophasic propylene copolymer for retortability, said copolymer has a comonomer content in the range of 1.5 to 14.0 mol-%; a melting temperature in the range of 140 to 15° C. and a xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction in the range of 10.0 to below 30.0 wt.-%.

Claims (223)

1. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) comprising:

(i) a matrix (M) being a propylene copolymer (R-PP) and

(ii) an elastomeric propylene copolymer (EC) dispersed in said matrix (M),

said heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) has

(a) a comonomer content in the range of 1.5 to 14.0 mol %;

(b) a melting temperature determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the range of 140 to 155° C.;

(c) a xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction determined according to ISO 16152 (25° C.) in the range of 10.0 to equal or below 30.0 wt. %,

wherein further the propylene copolymer (RAHECO) fulfills

(d) the in-equation (I):

⁢

(

XCS

)

⁢

(

total

)

2.1

(

)

wherein;

C(XCS) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the total heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

C(total) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the total heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO); and

(e) the in-equation (II):

Tm≥ 153.5−1.8 C (XCI) (II)

Tm is melting temperature [in ° C.] of the total heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

C(XCI) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold insoluble (XCI) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO).

2. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) comprising:

(i) a matrix (M) being a propylene copolymer (R-PP); and

(ii) an elastomeric propylene copolymer (EC) dispersed in said matrix (M),

said heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) has

(a) a comonomer content in the range of 1.5 to 14.0 mol %;

(b) a melting temperature determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the range of 140 to 155° C.;

(c) a xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction determined according to ISO 16152 (25° C.) in the range of 10.0 to equal or below 30.0 wt. %,

wherein said propylene copolymer (R-PP) comprises a first polypropylene fraction (PP1) and a second propylene copolymer fraction (R-PP2), the comonomer content in the first polypropylene fraction (PP1) is at most 2.5 mol. %.

3. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , wherein:

(a) the comonomer content [in mol %] in the propylene copolymer (R-PP) is higher than in the first polypropylene fraction (PP1); and/or

(b) the weight ratio between the first polypropylene fraction (PP1) and the second propylene copolymer fraction (R-PP2)[(PP1)/(R-PP2)] is in the range of 10:90 to 60:40.

4. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , wherein:

(a) the comonomer content between a first polypropylene fraction (PP1) and the propylene copolymer (R-PP) differ by at least 1.5 mol %; and/or

(b) the comonomer content between the first polypropylene fraction (PP1) and the second propylene copolymer fraction (R-PP2) differ by at least 3.0 mol%.

5. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , wherein:

(a) the first polypropylene fraction (PP1) is a propylene homopolymer; and/or

(b) the second propylene copolymer fraction (R-PP2) has a comonomer content in the range of 4.0 to 18.0 mol %.

6. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according claim 2 , fulfilling

(a) the in-equation (I):

⁢

(

XCS

)

⁢

(

total

)

≥

2.1

(

)

wherein;

C(XCS) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the total heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

C(total) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the total heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO); and/or

(b) the in-equation (II):

Tm≥ 152.0−1.8 C (XCI) (II)

Tm is melting temperature [in °C.] of the total heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

C(XCI) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold insoluble (XCI) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO).

7. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , wherein:

(a) the propylene copolymer (R-PP) has a comonomer content in the range of 1.5 to 14.0 mol %; and/or

(b) the elastomeric propylene copolymer (EC) has a comonomer content in the range of 18.0 to 60.0 mol %.

8. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , wherein the comonomer in the propylene copolymer (R-PP) and/or the elastomeric propylene copolymer (EC) is ethylene.

9. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , wherein;

(a) the xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) has a comonomer content, e.g. ethylene content, in is in the range of 18.0 to 60.0 mol %; and/or

(b) the xylene cold in-soluble (XCI) fraction has a comonomer content, e.g. ethylene content, in is in the range of 1.5 to 14.0 mol %.

10. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , wherein the intrinsic viscosity of the xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) is in the range of 1.1 to 2.2 dl/g.

11. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , fulfilling

(a) in-equation (III):

⁢

(

XCS

)

⁢

(

XCI

)

5.0

(

III

)

wherein;

C(XCS) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

C(XCI) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold insoluble (XCI) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO); and/or

(b) in-equation (IV):

⁢

(

total

)

XCS

0.38

(

)

Wherein;

C(total) is the comonomer content [in mol-%] of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

XCS is the content [in wt. %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO); and/or

⁢

(

XCS

)

XCS

1.1

(

)

wherein;

C(XCS) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

XCS is the content [in wt. %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO).

12. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , having a first glass transition temperature Tg(1) and a second glass transition temperature Tg(2), wherein said first glass transition temperature Tg(1) is above the second glass transition temperature Tg(2) and second glass transition temperature Tg(2) is at least 40° C.

13. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , having

(a) a first glass transition temperature Tg(1) in the range of −12 to +2° C.; and/or

(b) a second glass transition temperature Tg(2) in the range of −60 to −30° C.; and/or

Tg (2)<11.8−1.65× C (XCS) (VI)

wherein:

Tg(2) is the second glass transition temperature of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

C(XCS) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO).

14. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 , having:

(a) a flexural modulus measured according to ISO 178 of at most 550 MPa; and/or

(b) a hexane extractable content determined according to FDA method on cast films of 100 μm of below 2.4 wt. %.

15. Article comprising the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 2 .

16. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 1 , wherein:

(a) the propylene copolymer (R-PP) has a comonomer content in the range of 1.5 to 14.0 mol %; and/or

(b) the elastomeric propylene copolymer (EC) has a comonomer content in the range of 18.0 to 60.0 mol %.

17. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 1 , wherein the comonomer in the propylene copolymer (R-PP) and/or the elastomeric propylene copolymer (EC) is ethylene.

18. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 1 , wherein;

(c) the xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) has a comonomer content, e.g., ethylene content, in is in the range of 18.0 to 60.0 mol %; and/or

(d) the xylene cold in-soluble (XCI) fraction has a comonomer content, e.g. ethylene content, in is in the range of 1.5 to 14.0 mol %.

19. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 1 , wherein the intrinsic viscosity of the xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) is in the range of 1.1 to 2.2 dl/g.

20. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 1 , fulfilling

⁢

(

XCS

)

⁢

(

XCI

)

5.0

(

III

)

wherein;

C(XCS) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

C(XCI) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold insoluble (XCI) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO); and/or

⁢

(

total

)

XCS

0.38

(

)

wherein;

C(total) is the comonomer content [in mol-%] of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

XCS is the content [in wt. %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO); and/or

⁢

(

XCS

)

XCS

1.1

(

)

wherein;

C(XCS) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

XCS is the content [in wt. %] of the xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO).

21. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 1 , having a first glass transition temperature Tg(1) and a second glass transition temperature Tg(2), wherein said first glass transition temperature Tg(1) is above the second glass transition temperature Tg(2) and second glass transition temperature Tg(2) is at least 40° C.

22. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 1 , having

(a) a first glass transition temperature Tg(1) in the range of −12 to +2° C.; and/or

(b) a second glass transition temperature Tg(2) in the range of −60 to −30° C.; and/or

Tg (2)<11.8−1.65× C (XCS) (VI)

wherein:

Tg(2) is the second glass transition temperature of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO);

C(XCS) is the comonomer content [in mol %] of the xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO).

23. Heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 1 , having:

(a) a flexural modulus measured according to ISO 178 of at most 550 MPa; and/or

(b) a hexane extractable content determined according to FDA method on cast films of 100 μm of below 2.4 wt. %.

24. Article comprising the heterophasic propylene copolymer (RAHECO) according to claim 1 .

Assignments (2)

CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Feb 23, 2022

From: BOREALIS AG

To: BOREALIS AG

Reel/Frame 059219/0949 →

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2016

From: WANG, JINGBO; DOSHEV, PETAR; GAHLEITNER, MARKUS; LILJA, JOHANNA

To: BOREALIS AG

Reel/Frame 039897/0968 →