Use of melt plasticizers to enhance processability and mechanical properties of polyolefin articles

Abstract

The present invention relates to plasticized polyolefin compositions comprising a polyolefin and plasticizer comprising certain types or grades of poly-esterified sucrose. The poly-esterified sucrose has a weight average molecular weight of between 1,800 grams/mole and 3,500 grams/mole, and is present at levels of about 0.01% to 80% by weight in the polyolefin and more preferably 0.10 to 1.25% by weight in the polyolefin. The polyolefin may be a polypropylene homopolymer, copolymer, or impact copolymer, or a high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, or linear low density polyethylene, or blends thereof. The compositions of the present invention exhibit significant increases in both axial and biaxial elongations, significant increases in the tenacity, significant reductions in the achievable linear density or reductions in the achievable gauge or thickness, significant improvements in throughputs and processing efficiencies and/or significant increases in the overall “toughness” of the extruded poly-esterified sucrose modified polyolefins.

1 . A polyolefin article comprised of 0.01% to 80.00% by weight of a poly-esterified sucrose having a weight average molecular weight of 1,800 grams per mole to 3,500 grams per mole.  
   
   
       2 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the polyolefin portion of the article is comprised of a balance of polypropylene homopolymer.  
   
   
       3 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the polyolefin portion of the article is comprised of a balance of iso-tactic polypropylene homopolymer.  
   
   
       4 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the polyolefin portion of the article is comprised of a balance of polypropylene co-polymer derived from any of the following co-monomers including ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 2-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, 1-hexadodecene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 2-methyl-1-butene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 3,3-dimethyl-1-butene, diethyl-1-butene, trimethyl-1-butene, 3-methyl-1-pentene, ethyl-1-pentene, propyl-1-pentene, dimethyl-1-pentene, methylethyl-1-pentene, diethyl-1-hexene, trimethyl-1-pentene, 3-methyl-1-hexene, dimethyl-1-hexene, 3,5,5-trimethyl-1-hexene, methylethyl-1-heptene, trimethyl-1-heptene, dimethyloctene, ethyl-1-octene, methyl-1-nonene, vinylcyclopentene, vinylcyclohexene, vinyinorbornene, cyclooctadiene, dicyclooctadiene, methylenenorbornene, 5-methylene-2-norbornene, 5-methyl-1,4-hexadiene, and 7-methyl-1,6-octadiene.  
   
   
       5 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the polyolefin portion of the article is comprised of a balance of linear low density polyethylene.  
   
   
       6 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the polyolefin portion of the article is comprised of a balance of low density polyethylene.  
   
   
       7 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the polyolefin portion of the article is comprised of a balance of high density polyethylene.  
   
   
       8 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is a continuous filament (CF) yarn.  
   
   
       9 . The polyolefin continuous filament yarn of  claim 8  wherein the continuous filament tape is a bulked continuous filament (BCF) yarn.  
   
   
       10 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is a staple fiber.  
   
   
       11 . The continuous filament yarn of  claim 8  wherein the continuous filament yarn is a partially oriented yarn.  
   
   
       12 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is a slit tape yarn.  
   
   
       13 . The polyolefin slit tape of  claim 12  wherein the slit tape is a fibrillated slit tape yarn.  
   
   
       14 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is a film produced from the blown film process.  
   
   
       15 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is a cast film produced from the cast die film process.  
   
   
       16 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is a blow molded part.  
   
   
       17 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is an injection molded part.  
   
   
       18 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is an extruded sheet.  
   
   
       19 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is an extruded profile.  
   
   
       20 . The polyolefin article of  claim 1  wherein the article is an extruded masterbatch composition.