Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C49/00—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C49/0005—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor characterised by the material
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/13—Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
  • Y10T428/1352—Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/13—Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
  • Y10T428/1352—Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
  • Y10T428/139—Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/13—Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
  • Y10T428/1352—Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
  • Y10T428/1397—Single layer [continuous layer]

Definitions

• This invention relates to improvements in and relating to the production of containers by blow moulding of a polymer material, in particular a high density polyethylene (HDPE) .
• a polymer material in particular a high density polyethylene (HDPE) .
• HDPE high density polyethylene
• moulding techniques In the production of containers using polymer materials, a variety of moulding techniques may be used, in particular blow moulding, slush moulding, injection moulding and rotational moulding.
• blow moulding For very large containers, e.g. for use as oil or water tanks, rotational moulding is a preferred technique; however for medium to large sized containers, e.g. 8 to 250L volume, blow moulding is commonly used.
• a heated parison or extrudate is expanded to contact the interior surface of a mould by the action of pressurized gas within the parison and/or by application of a partial vacuum within the mould, e.g. by use of a mould having within its surface gas outlet vents through which a partial vacuum may be applied.
• the heated polymer For blow moulding to be successful, the heated polymer must be able to stretch smoothly to produce a satisactorily uniform skin in contact with the mould surface .
• the polymer used has typically been a high molecular weight (HM ) high density polyethylene (HDPE) , generally with a melt flow rate (MFR 21 ) in the range 2 to 12 g/10 min.
• HM high molecular weight
• HDPE high density polyethylene
• MFR 21 melt flow rate
• Such materials may be produced for example by chromium-catalysed ethylene polymerization.
• the choice of such materials essentially represents a compromise between the properties of the polymer, in particular the processability properties required for the blow moulding to be performed efficiently and successfully and the mechanical and chemical properties required for the end uses of the blow moulded containers, e.g. impact resistance, stiffness, and environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) .
• ESCR environmental stress crack resistance
• HDPE high density polyethylene
• Such HDPE is referred to hereinafter as bimodal.
• the invention provides a process for the preparation of an at least 2L (e.g. 2 to 1000L, preferably 2 to 250L, more preferably 8 to 230L, still more preferably 30 to 225L) volume polyethylene container which process comprises blow moulding a bimodal HDPE .
• an at least 2L e.g. 2 to 1000L, preferably 2 to 250L, more preferably 8 to 230L, still more preferably 30 to 225L
• the parison is conveniently part -blown before the mould is closed, the mould is then closed and the blowing of the parison is completed.
• polyethylene is meant a polymer the majority by weight of which derives from ethylene monomer units. While the different polyethylene components of the bimodal HDPE may all be ethylene copolymers, and while an ethylene homopolymer may be one of the components, the polyethylene components cannot all be ethylene homopolymers . Where one component is an ethylene homopolymer, this is preferably the component with the lower weight average molecular weight (Mw) and its Mw is preferably 5000 to 100000 D, more preferably 20000 to 40000 D. In the ethylene copolymer components, comonomer contributions, e.g. up to 20% by weight more preferably up to 10% by weight, may derive from other copolymerizable monomers, generally C 3 .
• Mw weight average molecular weight
• C 3 _ ⁇ o, comonomers particularly singly or multiply ethylenically unsaturated comonomers, in particular C 3 _ 10 ⁇ -olefins such as propene, but-1-ene, hex-1-ene, etc.
• ethylene copolymer is used herein to relate to a polyethylene deriving from ethylene and one or more such copolymerizable comonomers
• the polyethylene may contain minor, e.g up to 10% by weight, preferably up to 5% by weight of other polymers, e.g. other polyolefins in particular polypropylenes, as well as additives such as plasticizers, colours, fillers, radiation stabilizers, antioxidants, etc., generally in amounts up to 10% by weight, preferably up to 5% by weight .
• HDPE is meant a polyethylene having a density of 940 to 980 kg/m 3 , preferably 945 to 975 kg/m 3 , more preferably 945 to 960 kg/m 3 , and a crystallinity of 60 to 95%, preferably 70 to 90%.
• the HDPE used according to the invention is a bimodal or multimodal polymer.
• bimodal or multimodal
• the polymer consists of at least two fractions (components) , one of which has a relatively low molecular weight and a relatively high density and another of which has a relatively high molecular weight and a relatively low density.
• MWD molecular weight distribution
• the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of a polymer produced in a single polymerization stage using a single monomer mixture, a single polymerization catalyst and a single set of process conditions (ie. temperature, pressure etc.) will show a single maximum, the breadth of which will depend on catalyst choice, reactor choice, process conditions, etc, ie . such a polymer will be monomodal .
• a bimodal or multimodal polyethylene may be produced by blending two or more monomodal polyethylenes having differently centred maxima in their MWDs .
• the bimodal polyethylene may be produced by polymerization using conditions which create a bimodal or multimodal polymer product, e.g. using a catalyst system or mixture with two or more different catalytic sites, using two or more stage polymerisation process with different process conditions in the different stages (e.g. different temperatures, pressures, polymerisation media, hydrogen partial pressures, etc) . (See EP-A-778289)
• Such a bimodal (or multimodal) HDPE may be produced relatively simply by a multistage ethylene polymerization, e.g. using a series of reactors, with comonomer addition in only the reactor (s) used for production of the higher/highest molecular weight component (s) .
• Examples of bimodal PE production are given in EP-A-778289 and W092/12182.
• ethylene homopolymer is produced by slurry polymerization involving use of recycled diluent, that diluent may contain small amounts of higher ⁇ - olefins as contaminants.
• ethylene homopolymer is meant herein a polymer containing at least 99.9% by weight of ethylene units.
• the homopolymerization catalysts may be at least partially active during the copolymerization reaction, any copolymer component making up less than 5% by weight of the total polymer shall not be considered to be the lowest molecular weight component in an HDPE according to the invention.
• the copolymer component (s) of the HDPE used according to the invention will generally contain at least 0.1% by weight, preferably at least 0.5% by weight of non-ethylene monomer units, e.g. 0.5 to 6% of such comonomer units.
• the polymerization reactions used to produce the HDPE of the invention may involve conventional ethylene homopolymerization or copolymerization reactions, e.g. gas-phase, slurry phase, liquid phase polymerizations, using conventional reactors, e.g. loop reactors, gas phase reactors, batch reactors etc. (see for example W097/44371 and W096/18662) .
• the catalyst systems used may likewise be any conventional systems, e.g. chromium catalysts, Ziegler-Natta and metallocene or metallocene : aluminoxane catalysts, either homogeneous or more preferably heterogeneous catalysts, e.g.
• catalysts supported on inorganic or organic particulates in particular on magnesium halides or inorganic oxides such as silica, alumina or silica-alumina.
• inorganic or organic particulates in particular on magnesium halides or inorganic oxides such as silica, alumina or silica-alumina.
• supported Ziegler-Natta catalysts as the molecular weight can then conveniently be controlled using hydrogen.
• supported metallocene catalysts it is particularly straightforward to select desired molecular weights by appropriate selection of particular metallocenes .
• the metallocenes used will typically be group IVa to Via metals (in particular Zr or Hf) complexed by optionally substituted cyclopentadienyl groups, e.g.
• Suitable metallocenes and aluminoxane cocatalysts are widely described in the literature, e.g. the patent publications of Borealis, Hoechst, Exxon, etc .
• the HDPE will be prepared using multistage polymerization using a single catalyst system or a plurality of catalyst systems, e.g. two or more metallocenes, one or more metallocenes and one or more Ziegler-Natta catalysts, two or more chromium catalysts, one or more chromium catalysts and one or more Ziegler- Natta catalysts, etc.
• a single catalyst system or a plurality of catalyst systems e.g. two or more metallocenes, one or more metallocenes and one or more Ziegler-Natta catalysts, two or more chromium catalysts, one or more chromium catalysts and one or more Ziegler- Natta catalysts, etc.
• bimodal HDPE in the production of relatively large, ie . 2 to 1000L, e.g. 2 to 250L, preferably 8 to 240L, more preferably 20 to 230L, and still more preferably 30 to 225L, containers results in surprisingly increased values for ESCR.
• ESCR F 50 is measured as the time taken for 50% of samples to be broken when bent and contained in a detergent solution. The test is a standard one categorised as ESCR, ASTM D-1693 condition B, 10% Igepal) .
• Such F 50 values for relatively large containers are particularly surprising in view of the relatively low F 50 values (ca. 400 h) achieved for small (0.45L) containers using blow-moulding of bimodal HDPE in EP-A- 778289.
• the bimodal HDPE used in the process of the invention preferably has the following characteristics Density: 940 to 970, preferably 945 to 960 kg/m 3 ; Weight Average Molecular Weight (Mw) : 200000 to 450000, preferably 250000 to 350000 Dalton;
• MFR 2i 2 to 12 g/10 min, preferably 3 to 8 g/10 min; Molecular Weight Distribution (i.e. Mw/Mn) : 15 to 55, preferably 18 to 50; Tensile Modulus: at least 900 mPa; Comonomer Content: 0.5 to 10% wt , preferably 1 to 2 wt
• MFR 2 and MFR 21 are routinely measured according to ISO 1133 at 190°C under 2.16 and 21.6 kg loads respectively.
• Tensile modulus may be measured according to ISO 527.2.
• Bimodal HDPE having such characteristics may be prepared by the technique described in EP-B-517868 or by conventional use of Ziegler Natta, metallocene or chromium catalysts. Especially preferably the bimodal HDPE is produced using a series of two or more reactors, in particular a loop reactor followed by one or more gas phase reactors, preferably using a Ziegler-Natta polymerization catalyst.
• the polymer used according to the invention preferably contains a high molecular weight component (e.g. with a molecular weight tail of about 5000000 Daltons) to increase melt strength of the HDPE composition under elongational deformation.
• a high molecular weight component e.g. with a molecular weight tail of about 5000000 Daltons
• This can be achieved in one of several ways, e.g.
• crosslinking of a polymer by timed addition of crosslinking agents in the extruder whereby to tailor- make a high molecular weight grade (i.e. to add a HMW "tail" to the polymer) .
• the invention provides a blow-moulded binded HDPE container having a volume of at least 2L (preferably 8 to 240L, etc) , and an ESCR F 50 of at least 500 hours, preferably at least 800 hours, more preferably 1000 hours, e.g. 1000 to 2000 hours.
• the containers of the invention may be produced in conventional blow-moulding apparatus.
• the containers of the invention may be produced without loss of the impact strength or ESCR properties using faster than normal blowing rates, ie . with more efficient and economical usage of the blow moulding apparatus.
• the containers of the invention may be used indoors or out of doors for storing gases, liquids or solids, especially liquids such as water, glues, solvent-based soaps, paints, varnishes, chemical solutions, oils and other liquid chemicals.
• the containers may be open (e.g. tanks, basins, etc) or may be closed, for example with lids or caps or inlet or outlet ducts.
• Ethylene, propane and hydrogen were introduced at 2.4 kg/hour, 25 kg/hour and 1 g/hour respectively into a 50 dm 3 slurry loop reactor operated at 85°C and 65 bar.
• the catalyst of Example 1 was introduced at a rate sufficient to produce polyethylene (PE) at about 1.9 kg PE/hour.
• the MFR 2 and density of the PE product were estimated to be about 10 g/10 min and 970 kg/m 3 respectively.
• the slurry was withdrawn continuously and introduced into a second loop reactor of volume 500 dm 3 , operating at 95 °C and 61 bar. Additional ethylene, propane and hydrogen were added to produce a PE of MFR 2 330 g/10 min and density 974 kg/m 3 at 30 kg PE/hour.
• the polymer which contained the active catalyst, was continuously withdrawn, separated from the reaction medium and transferred to a gas phase reactor.
• additional ethylene, hydrogen and 1-butene comonomer were added to produce a PE of MFR 21 7.3 g/10 min and density 949 kg/m 3 at 69 kg PE/hour.
• the low MW (high MFR) fraction thus represented 45% of the total polymer.
• Polymerization was effected as in Example 2 except that 36 kg PE/hour was formed in the second loop reactor, 77 kg PE/hour was formed in the gas phase reactor and the MFR 21 and density of the final PE were 3.3 g/10 min and 952 kg/m 3 respectively.
• the low MW (high MFR) fraction represented 48% of the total polymer.
• Ethylene, propane and hydrogen were introduced into a 50 dm 3 slurry loop reactor operating at 80°C and 65 bar at 2.0 kg/hour, 28 kg/hour and 1 g/hour respectively.
• a catalyst according to Example 3 of EP-B- 688794 was added to produce PE at a rate of 1.6 kg PE/hour.
• the MFR 2 and density of the PE were estimated to be about 10 g/10 min and 970 kg/m 3 respectively.
• the slurry was continuously withdrawn and introduced into a second loop reactor of 500 dm 3 volume operating at 95°C and 61 bar. Additional ethylene, propane and hydrogen were added so that the second loop reactor produced PE at a rate of 34 kg PE/ hour with MFR 2 and density of 55 g/10 min and 970 kg/m 3 respectively.
• PE polymer containing the active catalyst, was withdrawn continuously from the second loop reactor, separated from the reaction medium and transferred to a gas phase reeactor where additional ethylene, hydrogen and 1-butene comonomer were added such that PE was produced at 70 kg PE/hour with MFR 21 and density of 6.9 g/10 min and 948 kg/m 3 respectively.
• the fraction of low MW (high MFR) polymer was thus 50%.
• Polymerization was effected as in Example 4 except that 38 kg PE/hour and 78 kg PE/hour were formed in the second loop reactor and the gas phase reactor respectively.
• the final PE had MFR 2i and density of 7.3 g/10 min and 948 kg/m 3 respectively and the low MW fraction was 50%.
• the measured properties of the polymers of Examples 2 to 5 and a comparison PE prepared using a chromium based catalyst are set out in Table 1 below.
• the comparison PE is commercially available as HE8214 from Borealis AS.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Addition Polymer Or Copolymer, Post-Treatments, Or Chemical Modifications (AREA)
• Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)
• Blow-Moulding Or Thermoforming Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
• Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)
• Glass Compositions (AREA)
• Iron Core Of Rotating Electric Machines (AREA)

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• 1999
  • 1999-08-19 GB GBGB9919718.8A patent/GB9919718D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2000
  • 2000-08-15 JP JP2001518243A patent/JP2003507538A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-08-15 AU AU65842/00A patent/AU755618B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-08-15 AT AT00953328T patent/ATE251024T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-08-15 WO PCT/GB2000/003149 patent/WO2001014122A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-08-15 DE DE60005692T patent/DE60005692T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-08-15 KR KR1020027002133A patent/KR100755573B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-08-15 CN CNB008126887A patent/CN1178779C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-08-15 ES ES00953328T patent/ES2206289T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-08-15 EP EP00953328A patent/EP1204523B1/en not_active Revoked
  • 2000-08-15 US US10/049,879 patent/US7569175B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

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