Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.

Exxonmobil Chemicals Patents, Inc.

Galen Charles Richeson

William Michael Ferry

Aspy Keki Mehta

Rainer Kolb

Main Chang

Weiqing Weng

Armenag Hagop Dekmezian

Jean-Roch H Schauder

Palanisamy Arjunan

Prasadarao Meka

Chon-Yie Lin

James Norris Coffey

Pawan Kumar Agarwal

Alistair Duncan Westwood

Thomas T Sun

Jennifer J Austin

Rajan K Chudgar

Vincent Bernard Gallez

Olivier Jean Georjon

John W M Roberts

Narayanaswami R Dharmarajan

Chia Yung Cheng

Cynthia Ann Mitchell

Michael Glenn Williams

Michael C Chen

Jurgen J M Schroeyers

Christopher R Davey

G Allan Stahl

Described herein are fibers, nonwoven fabrics, and other nonwoven articles comprising a blend of at least one propylene-based elastomer and an impact copolymer. The impact copolymer is a reactor blend and comprises a propylene homopolymer component and a copolymer component, where the copolymer component comprises less than about 55 wt % ethylene-derived units, based on the weight of the copolymer component.

Fibers and nonwoven materials prepared therefrom

Described herein are propylene-based polymer compositions that comprise a reactor blend of a first polymer component and a second polymer component. The first polymer component has an ethylene content of from greater than 12 to less than 19 wt % ethylene, and the second polymer component has an ethylene content of from greater than 4 to less than 10 wt % ethylene. Preferably, the ethylene content of the first and second polymer components satisfy the formula:&#x2212;1.7143+29.771&#x2264;&#x2264;&#x2212;1.9167+37.25.The propylene-based polymer compositions are particularly useful for forming meltspun nonwoven compositions that exhibit a desirable balance of retractive force and permanent set.

Polymer compositions and nonwoven compositions prepared therefrom

Described herein are fibers, nonwoven fabrics, and other nonwoven articles comprising a blend of at least one propylene-based elastomer and a broad molecular weight polypropylene or a broad molecular weight impact copolymer. The broad molecular weight polypropylene has a molecular weight distribution (MWD) of greater than 4.5. The impact copolymer is a reactor blend and comprises a propylene homopolymer component and a copolymer component, where the propylene homopolymer component has a molecular weight distribution (MWD) of greater than 4.5.

The invention relates to an heat-activated fabric comprising a polymer blend of 70 to 100 wt % of a polymer blend component and 0 to 30 wt % of a propylene polymer, wherein the polymer blend component comprises a first propylene-based polymer, wherein the first propylene-based polymer is a homopolymer of propylene or a copolymer of propylene and ethylene or a Cto Calpha-olefin and a second propylene-based polymer, wherein the second propylene-based polymer is a homopolymer of propylene or a copolymer of propylene and ethylene or a Cto Calpha-olefin, wherein the second propylene-based polymer is different than the first propylene-based polymer and wherein the polymer blend component has a MFR of greater than or equal to 20 g/10 min to less than 10,000 g/10 min; and wherein the propylene polymer has a MFR of greater than or equal to 20 g/10 min to less than 5,000 g/10 min.

Heat-activated fabrics made from blends containing propylene-based polymers

The invention relates to a fiber comprising a blend of 10-50 wt % of a polymer blend modifier and 50-90 wt % of a propylene-based elastomer; 5-50 wt % of a propylene-modifier and 50-95 wt % of a propylene-based elastomer; and 5-35 wt % of a polymer blend modifier and 65-95 wt % of a propylene-modifier. The polymer blend modifier has a first propylene-based polymer and a different second propylene-based polymer that is a propylene homopolymer or a copolymer of propylene and ethylene and a Cto Calpha-olefin. The propylene-modifier is a propylene homopolymer or a copolymer of propylene with 0.5-4 wt % ethylene or Cto Calpha-olefins. The propylene-based elastomer is propylene and 5-25 wt % of one or more Cto C-Calpha-olefins and has a triad tacticity greater than 90% and a heat of fusion less than 75 J/g.

Polymer compositions and nonwoven materials prepared therefrom

Disclosed is a process for producing spunbond fibers comprising melt blending a polypropylene having a melt flow rate (230/2.16) of from 10 to 30 dg/min with a peroxide visbreaker such that the resulting melt flow rate of the visbroken polypropylene is from 50 to 100 dg/min; melt extruding the visbroken polypropylene through a die block such that filaments of the visbroken polypropylene being produced are exposed to a cabin pressure of from 4500 to 7000 Pa; and forming fibers of from less than 6.0 denier. Nonwoven fabrics and multiple-layer structures can be made from the fibers described herein that are useful for filtering and absorption related articles.

Method of producing polypropylene spunbond fibers

Multilayer meltblown composites, articles made therefrom, and methods for making same. One method can include meltblowing a first material to form a first meltblown layer; meltblowing a second material to form a second meltblown layer; and meltblowing a third material to form a third meltblown layer, wherein each material is the same or different, each material includes at least one resin having a MFR of about 2,000 dg/min or less, as measured by ASTM D1238, 2.16 kg, 230&#xb0; C., and at least one of the first, second, and third materials comprises an elastomer having a recovery of at least 70% after 100% deformation, as determined by ASTM D412.

Multi-layered meltblown composite and methods for making same

Propylene-based polymer compositions are provided comprising propylene and from about 5 wt % to about 20 wt % of one or more Cand/or C-C&#x3b1;-olefins. The polymer compositions have a triad tacticity greater than about 90%, a heat of fusion less than about 75 J/g, and a melt flow rate (MFR) greater than or equal to about 25 g/10 min (230&#xb0; C., 2.16 kg). Further, the polymer compositions are reactor grade compositions comprising a reactor blend of a first polymer and a second polymer, preferably where both of the first and second polymers are prepared using the same catalyst system. Meltspun nonwoven fabrics, such as meltblown or spunbond fabrics, comprising such polymer compositions are also provided, as well as processes for forming the nonwoven fabrics.

Disclosed herein is a spunbond fiber of visbroken polypropylene having an M/Mof from 3.5 to 7.0, an M/Mof from greater than 2.0 and a melt flow rate (230/2.16) of from 50 to 100 dg/min. Also disclosed is a process for producing spunbond fibers comprising melt blending a polypropylene having a melt flow rate (230/2.16) of from 10 to 30 dg/min with a peroxide visbreaker such that the resulting melt flow rate of the visbroken polypropylene is from 50 to 100 dg/min; melt extruding the visbroken polypropylene through a die block such that filaments of the visbroken polypropylene being produced are exposed to a cabin pressure of from 4500 to 7000 Pa; and forming fibers of from less than 6.0 denier. Nonwoven fabrics and multiple-layer structures can be made from the fibers described herein that are useful for filtering and absorption related articles.

Polypropylene spunbond fibers and methods for making same

Temperature resistant multilayer composites, methods for making same, and articles made therefrom. The method can include extruding one or more polyolefin polymers having a MFR from less than 90 dg/min through at least one die having a plurality of nozzles to form a plurality of continuous fibers, at least one die operating at a melt pressure from greater than 500 psi (3447 kPa) to form at least one elastic meltblown layer; adhering the at least one elastic meltblown layer to at least one extensible layer to form a multilayer composite; and at least partially crosslinking the elastic meltblown layer or the extensible layer or both.

Method for producing temperature resistant nonwovens

A blended polypropylene composition, fiber, and nonwoven articles made therefrom are provided. In one aspect, the blended polypropylene composition comprises a first polymer component having a molecular weight distribution of from 2.5 to 8, and a second polymer component having a molecular weight distribution of from 1.8 to 3. The first polymer component has a melt flow rate of greater than 30 g/10 min. and the second polymer component has a melt flow rate of less than 40 g/10 min., and the blended polypropylene composition has a melt flow rate of greater than 5 g/10 min.

Polypropylene resin suitable for fibers and nonwovens

The present invention is a meltblown fiber and a fabric manufactured from the fiber comprising reactor grade polypropylene having a melt flow rate of from 100 to 5000 and having less than 50 stereo defects per 1000 units. Further, the polypropylene is typically produced from a metallocene catalyzed process, the metallocene being at least one bridged 2,4 di-substituted indenyl metallocene in one embodiment, and a bridged 4-phenyl indenyl metallocene in another embodiment. The metallocene is part of a system that can include a fluorided support and a non-coordinating anion activator.

Polypropylene fibers and fabrics

The co-polymerization reaction of one or more olefin monomers, such as propylene, with &#x3b1;,&#x3c9;-diene units and the resulting copolymers are provided. More specifically, the copolymer may have from 90 to 99.999 weight percent of olefins and from 0.001 to 2.000 weight percent of &#x3b1;,&#x3c9;-dienes. The copolymer may have a weight average molecular weight in the range from 50,000 to 2,000,000, a crystallization temperature in the range from 115&#xb0; C. to 135&#xb0; C. and a melt flow rate in the range from 0.1 dg/min to 100 dg/min. These copolymers may be employed in a wide variety of applications, the articles of which include, for example, films, fibers, such as spunbonded and meltblown fibers, fabrics, such as nonwoven fabrics, and molded articles. The copolymer may further include at least two crystalline populations. Desirably, the melting point range of one of the crystalline populations is distinguishable from the melting point range of another crystalline population by a temperature range of from 1&#xb0; C. to 8&#xb0; C. More desirably, one of the crystalline populations has a melting point in the range from 152&#xb0; C. to 158&#xb0; C. and another crystalline population has a melting point in the range from 142&#xb0; C. to 148&#xb0; C.

Propylene diene copolymers

The co-polymerization reaction of one or more olefin monomers, such as propylene, with &agr;,&ohgr;-diene units and the resulting copolymers are provided. More specifically, the copolymer may have from 90 to 99.999 weight percent of olefins and from 0.001 to 2.000 weight percent of &agr;,&ohgr;-dienes. The copolymer may have a weight average molecular weight in the range from 50,000 to 2,000,000, a crystallization temperature in the range from 115&deg; C. to 135&deg; C. and a melt flow rate in the range from 0.1 dg/min to 100 dg/min. These copolymers may be employed in a wide variety of applications, the articles of which include, for example, films, fibers, such as spunbonded and meltblown fibers, fabrics, such as nonwoven fabrics, and molded articles. The copolymer may further include at least two crystalline populations. Desirably, the melting point range of one of the crystalline populations is distinguishable from the melting point range of another crystalline population by a temperature range of from 1&deg; C. to 8&deg; C. More desirably, one of the crystalline populations has a melting point in the range from 152&deg; C. to 158&deg; C. and another crystalline population has a melting point in the range from 142&deg; C. to 148&deg; C.

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Humble, TX, United States of America

Galen Charles Richeson