Thin walled polyethylene container

Abstract

Thin walled polyethylene containers are suitable for the packaging of foods such as cottage cheese, ricotta cheese and ice cream. The containers have a higher softening point (which permits the containers to be “hot filled”) and high impact strength at low temperature (which is useful when a container of ice cream is dropped).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container having a nominal volume of from 100 mL to 12 L prepared by injection molding of ethylene copolymer resin, said container having a Vicat softening point of greater than 121° C. and an average test drop height point of greater than 2.5 feet as determined by ASTM D5276 wherein said ethylene copolymer resin is characterized by: 
 i) a density from 0.950 g/cc to 0.955 g/cc;  
 ii) a viscosity at 100,000 sec −1  shear rate and 280° C. of less than 3.5 Pascal seconds;  
 iii) a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn of from 2.2 to 2.8; and  
 iv) a hexane extractables content of less than 0.5 weight %.  
 
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  which is further characterized by having a total impact energy required for wall failure of greater than 3.0 foot-pounds at 23° C.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  which is further characterized by having a total impact energy required for base failure of greater than 0.20 foot-pounds at −20° C. as determined by ASTM D3763.