SUBSTRATES

Maleic acid or maleic anhydride was grafted onto high density polyethylene (HDPE), giving rise to succinic acid or succinic anhydride groups along the polymer chain. These grafted polymers were blended with ungrafted linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) to form resin blends useful in extrusion coating onto metal foil substrates.

Grafting of unsaturated monomer molecules onto olefin polymers and copolymers has been disclosed in a number of patents. The grafting technique has been used to impart changes in the polymer to which .the grafted molecules were attached.

With respect to the invention described and claimed in this application, it was believed that the following patents were representative of the most relevant prior art on grafting of which we were aware:

U.S. 2,970,129; U.S. 3,177,269; U.S. 3,270,090;

U.S. 3,873,643; U.S. 3,882,194; U.S. 3,886,227

U.S. 4,087,587; U.S. 4,087,588; U.S. 4,239,830;

U.S. 4,298,712; U.S. 4,394,485; U.S. 4,762,890; U.K..2,081,723; Jap. Kokai 49 (1973)-129742.

The principal distinctions between low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and linear low density polyethylene copolymer (LLDPE) were well-known to practitioners of the polyethylene art and were described, e.g., in U.S. 4,327,009.

There are, basically, two types of olefin polymerization techniques for preparing high molecular weight olefin polymers and copolymers. The oldes- commercial technique involves high pressure, hign temperature, and- the use of a free radical initiator, such as a peroxide; these type polymers are generally known as low density polyethylene (LDPE) and are also known as ICI-type polyethylenes. These LDPE polymers contain branched chains of polymerized monomer mts pendant from the main polymer "backbone" and generally have densities in the range of 0.91-0.935 grams/cubic centimeter (gms/cm3).

The other commercially-used technique involves coordination catalysts of the "Ziegler" type or "Phillips" type and includes variations of the Ziegler type, such as the Natta type. These catalysts may be used at very high pressures, but may also (and generally are) used at very low or intermediate pressures. The products made by these coordination catalysts are generally known as "linear" polymers because of the substantial absence of branched chains of polymerized monomer units pendant from the main polymer "backbone" and they are also generally known as high density polyethylene (HDPE). It is these "linear" polymers to which the present invention pertains. Linear high

density polyethylene (HDPE) ordinarily has a density from 0.941 to 0.965 gms/cm3.

In some of the blends of the present invention there was used a "linear" type ethylene polymer wherein ethylene has been polymerized along with minor, amounts of alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated alkpnes having from 3 to 12 carbons per alkene molecule, preferably 4 to 8 and most preferably 8 carbons per alkene molecule (i.e., 1-octene). The amount of the alkene comonomer was generally sufficient to cause the density of the polymer to be substantially in the same density range as LDPE, due to the alkyl side chains on the polymer molecule, yet the polymer remains in the "linear" classification; they are conveniently referred to as "linear low density polyethylene" (LLDPE). These polymers retain much of the strength, crystallinity, and toughness normally found in HDPE homopolymers of ethylene, but the higher alkene comonomers impart high "cling" and "block" characteristics to extrusion- cast films and the high "slip" characteristic inherently found in HDPE was diminished.

The use of coordination-type catalysts for polymerizing ethylene into homopolymers or copolymerizing ethylene with higher alkenes to make copolymers having densities above 0.94 gms/cm3 (i.e., "HDPE" polymers) and/or for copolymerizing ethylene with higher alkenes to make copolymers having densities in the range of LDPE and medium density polyethylene (i.e., "LLDPE" copolymers) was disclosed variously in, e.g., U.S. 2,699,457; U.S. 2,862,917; U.S. 2,905,645; U.S. 2,846,425; U.S. 3,058,963 and U.S. 4,076,698. Density

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of the polyethylene useful in the present invention is as defined in ASTM D-1248.

Many uses have been disclosed for grafted olefin polymers and copolymers ^" . These include use of a maleic anhydride grafted olefin polymer as a blend component in the sheath of a bicomponent fiber as disclosed in U.S. 4,950,541.

U.S. 4,684,576 discloses a blend of maleic anhydride grafted HDPE with ungrafted LLDPE with the blend being in the form of a layer adhered to at least one substrate.

U.S. 4,452,942 discloses blends of X-methyl bicyclo(2.2.1)hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid anhydride (XMNA)-grafted LLDPE and HDPE with ungrafted olefins (e.g., LLDPE) that have such high adhesion to tin-free steel that the layers could not be separated. The comonomer in the LLDPE.was not identified.

While these references disclose adhesion of the grafted olefin polymers at room temperature and/or at elevated temperatures, these references fail to teach or describe specifically how to consistently maintain or improve adhesion of the grafted olefin polymer at elevated temperatures. Elevated temperatures may be encountered for example in multilayer structures useful for storing and subsequently cooking foods without changing containers.

A resin blend for coating metal foil substrates for use at elevated temperatures has now been discovered. The resin blend comprises a polymer blend consisting of 3 to 50 percent of grafted HDPE,- the remaining percentage consisting of an ungrafted LLDPE.

The LLDPE was preferably an ethylene/1-octene copolymer. The resin blend has enhanced adhesion to the metal foil substrate at elevated temperatures.

The high density polyethylene polymer (HDPE) for use in the present invention was a normally solid, high molecular weight polymer prepared using a coordination-type catalyst in a process wherein ethylene was homopolymerized or wherein ethylene was copolymerized with minor amounts of higher alkenes (e.g., at least one olefinically unsaturated alkene of from C ₃ -C ₁₂ ) to make copolymers having densities above 0.94 gms/cm3.

The LLDPE copolymer may have a density from 0.88 gms/cm3 to 0.94 gms/cm3, preferably 0.9 gms/cm3 to 0.925 gms/cπ.3. it is evident to practitioners of the relevant arts that the density will depend, in large part, on the particular alkene(s) used as comonomer(s) and on. the amount of said alkene(s) incorporated into the copolymer. The alkene(s) copolymerized with ethylene to make LLDPE comprises a minor amount of at least one olefinically unsaturated alkene of from C ₃ - C ₁₂ , most preferably from C ₄ -C ₈ ; 1-octene is especially preferred. The amount of said alkene may constitute 0.5 percent to 35 percent by weight of the copolymer, preferably 1 percent to 20 percent, most preferably 2 percent to 15 percent.

The LLDPE copolymer may have a melt index (MI) from 0.1 grams/10 minutes (gms/10 min) to 2000 gms/10 min as measured in accordance with ASTM D- 1238(E) (190°C/2.16 kg). Preferably the melt index is from 0.1 gms/10 min to 120 gms/10 min, most preferably 0.1 gms/10 min to 40 gms/10 min.

Practitioners of the relevant arts are aware that the melt index is inversely related to the molecular weight of the polymer.

The HDPE which was used in making the grafted HDPE (HDPEg) in accordance with the present invention is characterized as having a melt index from 0.1 gms/10 min ^• to 500 gms/10 min according to ASTM D-1238(E) and a density from 0.94 gms/cm.3 to 0.965 gms/cm3, preferably a melt index from 0.1 to 150 gms/10 min and a density from 0.945 to 0.96 gms/cm3. The grafted groups generally comprise 0.0001 to 10 weight percent, preferably 0.01 to 5 weight percent.

The ratio of grafted-HDPE/polyolefin (i.e. LLDPE) of the present blend is in the range of 0.5/99.5 to 99.5/0.5, preferably 3/97 to 50/50.

Maleic acid and maleic anhydride (MAH) compounds are known in these relevant arts as having their olefin unsaturation sites conjugated to the acid groups, in contradistinction to the fused ring and bicyclo structures of the non-conjugated unsaturated acids of, e.g., U.S. 3,873,643 and U.S. 3,882,194 and the like. Fumaric acid, like maleic acid of which it was an isomer, is also conjugated. Fumaric acid, when heated, gives off water and rearranges to form maleic anhydride, thus is operable in the present invention.

The grafting of the -succinic acid or succinic anhydride groups onto ethylene polymers may be done by methods described in the art, which involve reacting maleic acid or maleic anhydride in admixture with heated polymer, generally using a peroxide or free-radical initiator to expedite the grafting.

Grafting may be effected in the presence of oxygen, air, hydroperoxides, or other free radical initiators, or in the essential absence of these materials when the mixture of monomer and polymer was maintained under high shear in the absence of heat. A convenient method for producing the graft copolymer was the use of extrusion machinery, however, Brabender mixers or Banbury mixers, roll mills may also be used for forming the graft copolymers.

We prefer to employ a twin-screw devolatilizing extruder (such as a Werner & Pfleiderer twin-screw extruder) wherein maleic acid (or maleic anhydride) was mixed and reacted with the HDPE at molten temperatures, thereby producing and extruding the grafted polymer. The so-produced grafted polymer was then blended, as desired, with LLDPE to produce the blends of this invention.

U.S. Patent No. -4,68-4,576, describes the use of blends of HDPE grafted with maleic. acid or maleic anhydride to give rise to succinic acid or succinic anhydride groups along the polymer chain with other olefin polymers as an adhesive, for example, in extrusion coating of articles, as adhesive layers in films and packaging, as hot melt coatings, ¹ as wire and cable interlayers, and in other similar applications. Similar references describing adhesive blends containing HDPE grafted with unsaturated carboxylic acids, primarily for laminate structures, include U.S. Patent Nos. 4,460,632; 4,394,485; and 4,230,830 (now re- examined U.S. Patent No. B1 4,230,830) and U.K. Patent Application Nos. 2,081,723 and 2,113,696.

The following described methods and tests were used in testing the polymers and blends in the following examples.

The MAH-grafted HDPE homopolymers and copolymers of the present invention were useful alone in many applications wherein their adhesive properties and their strength properties offer an advantage to the user and were also useful as a blend component in improving the adhesive properties of other polymers, especially polyolefins such as LLDPE, LDPE, HDPE, polypropylene (PP) and oriented polypropylene (OPP), and were particularly useful as a blend component for improving the adhesive properties of ethylene/1-octene LLDPE copolymer. The polymers and blends of the present invention were useful for extrusion coating of articles, such as metals, metal foil substrates (e.g., aluminum, copper or. steel), polymer films (e.g., nylon), paper, wood, or glass, and as adhesive or barrier layers in multilayer films, as adhesive layers in packaging, as laminate adhesives, as hot melt coatings or adhesives, as wire and cable interlayers, and in other applications where the thermoplasticity, the processability, the tenacity and/or the adhesiveness was utilized. The polymers and blends of the present invention were especially useful when adhered to a metal foil substrate and used at elevated temperatures, (i.e., temperatures above 60°C) .

Adhesion Testing Procedure

Molding Specimens:

Using a compression molder having two platens set at 177°C (350°F) and two platens water cooled, a 25 mil

plaque of the material to be tested was molded. An appropriate amount of the adhesive thermoplastic resin blend to be tested was placed in a 25 mil mold 23 cm by 15 cm (9 inches by 6 inches) between two sheets of Mylar polyester, which, in turn, was placed between two metal plates (for support). . The support plates were- in good condition with no flaws which might be molded into the specimen. The support plates ^' containing the resin and mold were placed between the 177°C (350°F) platens of the compression molder and the platens closed and allowed to heat with no pressure for one minute. After this time period, 69 MPa (10,000 psi) pressure was applied for one minute. The support plates containing the mold and polymer were then removed and placed in the water cooled section, and the platens were raised until the middle platen of the compression molder was pushed up off of its supports. This puts a small amount of pressure on the hot polymer in the mold, and allows for proper cooling within one minute. After the one minute cooling cycle, the platens were lowered, and the mold was removed. The Mylar polyester was removed and the polymer was cut from the mold using a razor blade against a clean, hard surface.

Adhering Test Specimens to Substrate:

A molding configuration was prepared as listed below, traveling from top to bottom:

(1.)Metal support plate

(2.)Mylar polyester sheet

(3. )Substrate

(4.)Mylar polyester Tab

(5.)Adhesive thermoplastic to be tested, resting inside of 23 cm by 15 cm (9 inches by 6 inches) mold. (6.)Mylar polyester tab (7. )Substrate (8.)Mylar polyester sheet (9.)Metal support plate

This layered system was then placed between the 177°C (350°F) platens of the compression molder, and pressed immediately (with no melting time) to 69 MPa (10,000 psi) for two minutes. After this time period, the hot support plates ^* were removed from the heated platens of the molder and placed between the cooled platens of the molder. The ram was then raised until the middle platen was just raised off of its supports. Two minutes were allowed for cooling at which time when the mold configuration was removed from the molder. The Mylar polyester was removed from the samples to be tested. '

The above described laminate was then cut into two pieces across the Mylar polyester tab, and then into one inch strips across the tab. Five 2.54 cm (one inch) specimens were pulled using an Instron testing apparatus at a rate of 5 cm (2 inches) per minute, after a 15 minute equilibration time at the temperature at which

the samples were tested. Each data point reported was the average of five test specimens.

= e yene -octene copoymer aving

Ml = 1.0, density = 0.920 g/cm3

EB = ethylene/butene LLDPE copolymer having

Ml = 0.94, density = 0.921 g/cm3

**MAH = Maleic Anhydride

***HDPE properties before grafting were Ml = 10, density = 0.962 g/cm3

The data indicates that there was a surprising difference between the adhesion of aluminum foil substrate to an adhesive polymer blend consisting of HDPEg and ethylene/1-octene LLDPE copolymer, as opposed to the adhesion of aluminum foil substrate to a polymer blend consisting of HDPEg and ethylene/butene LLDPE copolymer, especially when tested at elevated temperatures (e.g., temperatures above 60°C). Elevated use temperatures above 80°C were especially preferred and temperatures above 100°C were most preferred.