A method for processing polyolefins may include contacting solid polyolefins with a solid catalyst to form a reaction mixture. The solid catalyst may be chosen from a zeolite, a microporous aluminosilicate, an alumina, or combinations thereof. The solid polyolefins may be chosen from polyethylene, polypropylene, or combinations thereof. The method may include mechanically agitating the reaction mixture to produce olefin-containing hydrocarbon polymers and separating the olefin-containing hydrocarbon polymers from the solid catalyst. The olefin-containing hydrocarbon polymers include a carbon-carbon double bond in the backbone of the hydrocarbon polymers.

A process for producing split crosslinked polyolefin sheets comprises producing a crosslinked polyolefin foam sheet having an opposing first surface region and second surface region, and an intermediate region disposed therebetween, wherein the intermediate region is configured to have a gel content lower than an average gel content of the first surface region and the second surface region, and an average cell size larger than an average cell size of the first surface region and the second surface region; and applying a splitting force to the crosslinked foam sheet such that a controlled tear propagation travels through the intermediate region until a first side of the crosslinked polyolefin foam sheet and a second side of the crosslinked polyolefin foam sheet are separated to produce two split polyolefin foam sheets. The split crosslinked polyolefin foam sheets may comprise a skin side comprising a closed cell surface, and a split side comprising an open cell surface having peak heights of about 150 μm to about 550 μm.

IMPROVING RECYCLED PLASTICS AND METHODS THEREOF The present invention provides methods for reducing extractables from plastic articles made from recycled plastic. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a plastic article in a chamber; and (b) providing a fluorination gas in the chamber, thereby exposing the plastic article to the fluorination gas. The method results in the reduction of the extractables from the plastic article

The invention relates to a for recycling fabric into plastic granule for plastic manufacturing processes, the method comprising the steps of: a) Collecting fabric comprising fabric fibers b) Pulverizing the fabric into a powder of fabric particles c) Pelletizing the powder with a binder such that fabric pellets comprising the powder of fabrics are formed d) Extruding a mixture of the fabric pellets and a plastic compound into plastic granule.

Described herein are systems and methods for the depolymerization of polyethylene-based plastics. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed that comprises combining a polyethylene-based plastic with a solvent in a reactor to generate a plastic solvent mixture, heating the plastic solvent mixture in the reactor, and fractionating the plastic solvent mixture into a gas phase product, a solid phase product, and a liquid phase product. In another embodiment, a system is disclosed that comprises a solvent, and a reactor configured to receive the polyethylene-based plastic and the solvent and convert the polyethylene-based plastic into a gas phase product, a solid phase product, and a liquid phase product, the reactor being configured to operate at a temperature greater than 275° C. and at a pressure greater than 2 megapascals.

A method for producing a microporous material comprising the steps of: providing an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); providing a filler; providing a processing plasticizer; adding the filler to the UHMWPE in a mixture being in the range of from about 1:9 to about 15:1 filler to UHMWPE by weight; adding the processing plasticizer to the mixture; extruding the mixture to form a sheet from the mixture; calendering the sheet; extracting the processing plasticizer from the sheet to produce a matrix comprising UHMWPE and the filler distributed throughout the matrix; stretching the microporous material in at least one direction to a stretch ratio of at least about 1.5 to produce a stretched microporous matrix; and subsequently calendering the stretched microporous matrix to produce a microporous material which exhibits improved physical and dimensional stability properties over the stretched microporous matrix.

A composite material and method of producing a composite material for use in fabrication, building and construction is disclosed. A composition as disclosed herein comprises a high proportion of particulate waste material dispersed in a matrix of thermoplastic polymer and wax. A method of producing a composite material comprises melt mixing thermoplastic polymer and wax with a particulate material, thereby dispersing the particulate material in a melt mixture of the composite material.

Cyclodextrin compositions including one or more radiation polymerizable monomers and a cyclodextrin inclusion complex, the cyclodextrin inclusion complex including a cyclodextrin compound and an olefinic inhibitor of an ethylene generation in produce, are coated onto packaging materials and cured. Treated containers and treated package inserts having the cured cyclodextrin compositions are useful in packaging of respiring plant materials.

The present invention provides methods for reducing extractables from plastic articles and improving barrier properties of such plastic articles. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a plastic article in a chamber; and (b) providing a fluorination gas and a second gas, such as oxygen or another halogen other than fluorine, in a chamber, thereby exposing the plastic article to the fluorination gas and the second gas. The method produces a treated plastic article that is both low in extractable components and suitable for use in packaging formulations containing an organic ingredient.

Polymer compositions and films are provided. The polymer compositions include (A) 10-50 wt % heterogeneously branched Ziegler-Natta-catalyzed LLDPE polymer having a composition distribution breadth index (CBDI) <50.0%; and (B) 90-50 wt % metallocene-catalyzed LLDPE polymer having melt index 0.5 g/10 min to 5.0 g/10 min; melt index ratio from 20 to 40; weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from 20,000 to 200,000 g/mol; a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) from 2.0 to 4.5; density 0.910 to 0.925 g/cm.sup.3; CDBI less than 35.0%; and comonomer distribution such that a first peak and a second peak in a comonomer distribution analysis, wherein the first peak has a maximum at a log(Mw) value of 4.3 to 4.7 and a TREF elution temperature of 85.0° C. to 95.0° C. and the second peak has a maximum at a log(Mw) value of 5.1 to 5.6 and a TREF elution temperature of 60.0° C. to 70.0° C.