PACKAGING
A preform is made by mixing cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and light shielding pigment(s) with PET. The preform is stretch-blow moulded to produce a bottle which may be white and opaque. Light may be restricted from entering the bottle to thereby restrict degradation of the bottle contents from certain wavelengths of visible light.
1 . A container body which comprises:
(i) a polymer; and
(ii) a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC).
2 . (canceled)
3 . A container body according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio (A) defined as the weight of polymer divided by the weight of COC in the container body is in the range 8 to 65
4 . A container body according to claim 3 , wherein said ratio (A) is in the range 30-39; or in range 9-15; and said polymer is polyester.
5 . A container body according to claim 4 , wherein said container body includes 1 to 10 wt % of COC.
6 . A container body according to claim 3 , wherein said COC includes a repeat unit of formula
which is optionally substituted; and/or a repeat unit of formula
CH 2 —CH 2 (II)
which is optionally-substituted; wherein said COC includes at least 40 mol % of said repeat unit of formula I and less than 70 mol % of said repeat unit of formula I; and said COC includes less than 60 mol % of said repeat unit of formula II and at least 30 mol % of said repeat unit of formula II.
7 . (canceled)
8 . A container body according to claim 3 , wherein said COC has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of greater than 100° C.
9 . A container body according to claim 1 , wherein said polymer is a polyester and the sum of the wt % of thermoplastic polymers in said container body is at least 94 wt %.
10 . (canceled)
11 . A container body according to claim 3 , wherein said container body includes a first light shielding pigment, wherein said container body includes no more than 4 wt % of said first light shielding pigment.
12 . A container body according to claim 11 , wherein said first light shielding pigment is selected from: titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), ultramarine blue (PB 29), metal oxide particles such as red iron oxide (PR 101), black iron oxide (PBlk 11), chromium green-black hematite (PG 17), cobalt aluminate (PB 28), aluminium trihydrate (Al(OH)3), barium sulfate (BaSO 4 ), zinc sulfide (ZnS), metal flake (eg aluminium or bronze flakes), calcium carbonate and mica, wherein said container body includes 1 to 4 wt % of said first light shielding pigment.
13 . A container body according to claim 11 , wherein said first light shielding pigment is titanium dioxide.
14 . (canceled)
15 . A container body according to claim 3 , wherein said container body includes no more than 4 wt % of titanium dioxide.
16 . (canceled)
17 . A container body according to claim 12 , wherein said container body includes a second light shielding pigment, which is different from said first light shielding pigment, wherein said second light shielding pigment is selected from titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), ultramarine blue (PB 29), metal oxide particles such as red iron oxide (PR 101), black iron oxide (PBlk 11), chromium green-black hematite (PG 17), cobalt aluminate (PB 28), aluminium trihydrate (Al(OH)3), barium sulfate (BaSO 4 ), zinc sulfide (ZnS), metal flake (eg aluminium or bronze flakes), calcium carbonate and mica.
18 . (canceled)
19 . (canceled)
20 . A container body according to claim 1 , wherein said container body includes 85-95 wt % polyester, 1-8 wt % titanium dioxide, 1-8 wt % of COC, 0.01 to 1 wt % of aluminium flake or powder and 0 to 1.5 wt % of a polymer which is incompatible/immiscible with the polyester.
21 . A container body according to claim 1 , wherein said container body includes 85-95 wt % polyester, 1-5 wt % titanium dioxide, 1-7 wt % of COC, 0.01 to 0.5 wt % of aluminium flake or powder and 0 to 1.5 wt % of a polymer which is incompatible/immiscible with the polyester.
22 . A container body according to claim 3 , wherein said container body has a L* value, measured on the CIELAB scale, of at least 85.
23 . A container body according to claim 1 , wherein said container body incorporates an oxidizable organic material for scavenging oxygen in use.
24 . A preform for making a container body according to claim 1 , the preform comprising:
(i) a polyester;
(ii) a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC).
25 . A preform according to claim 24 , wherein:
the sum of the wt % of polyester(s) and COC(s) in said preform is at least 94 wt %;
said preform includes only one layer of material;
said preform includes a first light shielding pigment selected from: titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), ultramarine blue (PB 29), metal oxide particles such as red iron oxide (PR 101), black iron oxide (PBlk 11), chromium green-black hematite (PG 17), cobalt aluminate (PB 28), aluminium trihydrate (Al(OH)3), barium sulfate (BaSO 4 ), zinc sulfide (ZnS), metal flake (eg aluminium or bronze flakes), calcium carbonate and mica;
said preform includes a second light shielding pigment selected from titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), ultramarine blue (PB 29), metal oxide particles such as red iron oxide (PR 101), black iron oxide (PBlk 11), chromium green-black hematite (PG 17), cobalt aluminate (PB 28), aluminium trihydrate (Al(OH)3), barium sulfate (BaSO 4 ), zinc sulfide (ZnS), metal flake (eg aluminium or bronze flakes), calcium carbonate and mica;
said first and second light shielding pigments are different and/or do not include all of the same elements.
26 . A preform according to claim 24 , wherein:
a ratio (C) defined as the weight of polyester divided by the weight of COC in the preform is in the range 8 to 65;
a ratio (D) defined as the weight of polyester divided by the weight of COC in a layer of the preform is in the range 8 to 65;
said preform includes 1 to 10 wt % of COC and 80 to 99 wt % of polyester;
said preform includes an injection moulding which is test-tube shaped;
said preform includes a first light shielding pigment which is titanium dioxide.
27 . (canceled)
28 . (canceled)
29 . (canceled)
30 . (canceled)
31 . (canceled)
32 . (canceled)
33 . (canceled)
34 . (canceled)
35 . (canceled)
36 . (canceled)
37 . A container body which comprises:
(i) a polyester; and
(ii) a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC);
wherein said container body includes 85-95 wt % polyester, 1-8 wt % titanium dioxide, 1-8 wt % of COC, 0.01 to 1 wt % of aluminum flake or powder and 0 to 1.5 wt % of a polymer which is incompatible/immiscible with the polyester;
wherein said container body has L* value, measured on the CIELAB scale of at least 85.