Polyethylene compositions having improved printability
Polyethylene compositions having improved printability are provided. The compositions which are comprised of a polyethylene base resin, polyethylene glycol and polyethylene modified with carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid derivative functionality are melt blended under conditions of mixing and shear to increase their melt elasticity.
1 . A composition having improved ink adhesion consisting essentially of:
(a) 85 to 98.75 weight percent, based on the total composition, polyethylene base resin,
(b) 0.25 to 5 weight percent, based on the total composition, polyethylene glycol having a number average molecular weight from 500 to 20000, and
(c) 1 to 10 weight percent, based on the total composition, polyethylene resin grafted with 0.2 to 4 weight percent unsaturated carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid anhydride;
and wherein the melt elasticity of said composition is at least 20 percent greater than that of the polyethylene base resin.
2 . The composition of claim 1 wherein base resin (a) is an ethylene homopolymer or copolymer of ethylene and a C 3-8 α-olefin having a density from 0.890 to 0.970 g/cm 3 and melt index from 0.01 to 50 g/10 min.
3 . The composition of claim 2 wherein (b) has a number average molecular weight from 1000 to 6000.
4 . The composition of claim 3 wherein (a) is a copolymer of ethylene and butene-1 or hexene-1.
5 . The composition of claim 4 wherein (a) is linear low density polyethylene having a density from 0.906 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and melt index from 0.1 to 10 g/10 min.
6 . The composition of claim 4 wherein (a) is high density polyethylene having a density from 0.945 to 0.965 and melt index from 0.05 to 15 g/10 min.
7 . The composition of claim 2 wherein (a) is low density polyethylene having a density from 0.910 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and melt index from 0.5 to 20 g/10 min.
8 . The composition of claim 2 comprising 90 to 96 weight percent (a), 0.5 to 4 weight percent (b) and 2.5 to 7.5 weight percent (c).
9 . The composition of claim 2 wherein (c) is a high density polyethylene resin or linear low density polyethylene resin grafted with 0.2 to 4 weight percent maleic anhydride.
10 . A process for producing polyethylene articles having improved printability comprising:
(a) combining (i) 85 to 98.75 weight percent, based on the total composition, polyethylene base resin, said resin having a density from 0.890 to 0.970 g/cm 3 and melt index from 0.01 to 50 g/10 min and selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymers and copolymers of ethylene and C 3-8 α-olefins, (ii) 0.25 to 5 weight percent, based on the total composition, polyethylene glycol having a number average molecular weight from 500 to 20000, and (iii) 1 to 10 weight percent, based on the total composition, polyethylene resin grafted with 0.2 to 4 weight percent unsaturated carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid anhydride;
(b) melt blending the product obtained from step (a) under conditions of mixing and shear such that the melt elasticity of the resulting composition is at least 20% greater than that of polyethylene base resin (i); and
(c) fabricating the melt blended product obtained from step (b) to produce an article having a printable surface.
11 . The process of claim 10 wherein (i) is linear low density polyethylene having a density from 0.906 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and melt index from 0.1 to 10 g/10 min, (ii) has a number average molecular weight from 1000 to 6000 and (iii) is a high density polyethylene resin or linear low density polyethylene resin grafted with 0.2 to 4 weight percent maleic anhydride.
12 . The process of claim 10 wherein (i) is high density polyethylene having a density from 0.945 to 0.965 g/cm 3 and melt index from 0.05 to 15 g/10 min, (ii) has a number average molecular weight from 1000 to 6000 and (iii) is a high density polyethylene resin or linear low density polyethylene resin grafted with 0.2 to 4 weight percent maleic anhydride.
13 . The process of claim 10 wherein (i) is low density polyethylene having a density from 0.910 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and melt index from 0.5 to 20 g/10 min, (ii) has a number average molecular weight from 1000 to 6000 and (iii) is a high density polyethylene resin or linear low density polyethylene resin grafted with 0.2 to 4 weight percent maleic anhydride.
14 . The process of claim 10 wherein (i) and (ii) are combined, melt blended and pelletized prior to mixing with (iii).
15 . The process of claim 10 wherein the melt blended product obtained from step (b) is pelletized prior to fabrication.
16 . The process of claim 10 wherein the melt blended product obtained from step (b) is fabricated into film or sheet.
17 . The process of claim 10 wherein the melt blended product obtained from step (b) is extrusion coated onto a flexible, rigid or semi-rigid substrate.