Basell Poliolefine Italia, S.p.a.

Montell Technology Company Bv

Arco Chemical Technology, L.p.

Nova Chemicals Inc.

Jay S Rosenthal

Bakhtiar Alam Shah

Dominic A Berta

Nitya P Khasat

Jeanine A Smith

Michael D Wolkowicz

Elisabeth S Papazoglou

A polyolefin nanocomposite is prepared by melt blending (a) a polyolefin and (b) a smectite clay in the presence of at least one intercalating agent that is a solid at room temperature and is selected from the group consisting of (a) hydroxy-substituted carboxylic acid esters, (b) amides, (c) hydroxy-substituted amides, and (d) oxidized polyolefins, wherein the ratio of the intercalating agent to the clay is at least 1:3, based on the ash content of the clay.

Method for making polyolefin nanocomposites

A co-extruded sheet made from olefin polymer materials includes (1) at least one outer layer of (a) a propylene polymer having a melt flow rate of 0.5-15 dg/min, or a graft copolymer comprising a backbone of a propylene polymer material, to which is graft polymerized a vinyl monomer, and (b) a nucleating agent having a melting point greater than 265&deg; C. and (2) another layer made from (a) about 5% to about 50% of a high melt strength propylene homopolymer or copolymer, and/or about 5% to about 40% of chopped glass fibers, (b). optionally about 5% to about 40% of an inorganic filler, (c) about 2% to about 50% of an olefin polymer composition, and (d) optionally about 5% to about 70% of one or more other olefin polymer materials. When the second layer is reinforced with glass fibers, the stiffness of the sheet is increased while maintaining impact strength. The sheet has high surface gloss and good chemical resistance, and can be thermoformed using a melt phase thermoforming process wherein the surface temperature of the nucleated propylene polymer layer is from at least 310&deg; F.

High surface gloss, co-extruded sheets from olefin polymer materials

A co-extruded sheet made from olefin polymer materials includes (1) at least one outer layer of (a) a propylene polymer having a melt flow rate of 0.5-15 dg/min, or a graft copolymer comprising a backbone of a propylene polymer material to which is graft polymerized a vinyl monomer, and (b) a nucleating agent having a melting point greater than 265&deg; C. and (2) another layer made from (a) about 5% to about 50% of a high melt strength propylene homopolymer or copolymer, (b) optionally about 5% to about 40% of an inorganic filler, (c) about 2% to about 50% of an olefin polymer composition, and (d) optionally about 5% to about 70% of one or more other olefin polymer materials. The sheet has high surface gloss and good chemical resistance, and can be thermoformed using a melt phase thermoforming process wherein the surface temperature of the nucleated propylene polymer layer is from at least 310&deg; F.

High surface gloss, co-extruded sheets from propylene polymer materials

A polymer composition with improved scratch and mar resistance contains (1) a graft copolymer comprising a backbone of a propylene polymer material having graft polymerized thereto at least one vinyl monomer capable of being polymerized by free radicals, and (2) an additive selected from the group consisting of (a) about 0.5% to about 10% of at least one low molecular weight ethylene polymer or a functionalized derivative thereof, and (b) a combination of (i) about 0.5% to about 10% of at least one of the low molecular weight ethylene polymers in (a) and (ii) about 0.5% to about 10% of inorganic microspheres, based on the total weight of the composition. Optionally the composition can also contain a compatibilizing agent such as an unsaturated carboxylic acid-functionalized propylene polymer material. The composition can optionally contain about 2% to about 30% of one or more rubber components, about 15% to about 50% of a broad molecular weight distribution propylene polymer material, or a combination of the two.

Polypropylene graft copolymers with improved scratch and mar resistance

A heat resistant polymer such as a styrene maleic anhydride copolymer which has been contaminated with a minor amount of a vinyl chloride polymer such as polyvinyl chloride may be stabilized sufficiently by incorporation of calcium carbonate to allow contaminated heat resistant polymer reclaimed in this manner to match the performance of non-contaminated heat resistant polymer. Instrument panels comprising such heat resistant polymers and polyvinyl chloride polymers may thus be readily recycled and reused to form new molded articles exhibiting with little or no deterioration in properties.

Thermoplastic resin compositions having improved performance

A process for the preparation of moldable polymer blends having improved low temperature impact properties and reduced brittleness is disclosed. In one embodiment, a polyamide such as nylon-6 and an anhydride functionalized elastomer such as an EPDM rubber grafted with maleic anhydride are first melt-blended. The resulting composition is then blended with a thermoplastic copolymer of an .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride such as maleic anhydride and a monovinyl aromatic monomer such as styrene. The moldable polymer blends thus obtained are suitable for use as engineering resins.

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West Chester, PA, United States of America

Jay S Rosenthal