Compositions of high molecular weight poly(hydroxy acid) polymer having good thermal stability and a weight average molecular weight of >100,000 by GPC. The compositions include one or more chain-terminator compounds/impurities which may be incorporated into the polymer and rendered harmless by the presence of appropriate amounts of bi-functional and multi-functional polymerization initiators. A process including first mixing glycolic acid and/or lactic acid (with chain-terminators), and a diol or di-acid initiator, and at least one multifunctional initiator to form a liquid monomer mixture in an agitated polycondensation reactor. Next, polycondensing to form a liquid reaction mixture comprising a pre-polymer having a weight average molecular weight of >10,000 by GPC, and greater than 80% by mole hydroxyl or carboxyl end-group termination, then crystallizing to form a first solid reaction mixture. Then, solid state polycondensing the solid reaction mixture to form a solid reaction mixture having a moisture level less than 50 ppm by weight. Then, mixing the solid reaction mixture with an appropriate reactive coupling agent in a melting and mixing extruder to couple and form the reaction mixture and form the final poly(hydroxy acid) polymer.

A breathable film having a specific ball-drop impact resistance of more than 100 mm per gram polymer per square meter. The film has a water vapor permeability of at least 1000 g/m2 in 24 hours. The elongation at break of the film in the machine direction is less than 200%.

Plastic containers and methods of forming the same are described. In some cases, the container is a recyclable multilayer extrusion blow-molded plastic container comprising high-density polyethylene with an enhanced oxygen barrier properties. The containers may be used for direct and non-direct food contact packaging, liquid packaging, as well as in aseptic packaging applications. The containers can have an oxygen transmission rate, according to ASTM D3985, of less than 10 cc/m.sup.2.day. The containers can be recycled in the HDPE recycling stream.

A polymer composition comprising two or more polymers may be used in preforms and containers for hot-fill beverages to increase recycled content, shelf-life of the contents, and stiffness of the container. One polymer may be polyethylene terephthalate and the second polymer may be either polyethylene furanoate or polyethylene naphthalate. The polymers may be blended to form a cube blend. A reheat agent may be used in the polymer composition. Methods of making the preform and the bottle are also disclosed. The polymer compositions may be made of increased recycled content without sacrificing transparency of the material and may be used to make clear preforms and bottles.

Disclosed is a container perform made from plastic material, including: a body; an open neck that extends from the body from which it is separated by a radially projecting flange; a bottom that closes the body opposite the neck; the body having a concave portion in axial cross section, where: B≤0.9.Math.A 0.5.C≤C′≤0.95.C in which A is the overall diameter of the body, measured below the flange; B is the outer diameter of the bottom, measured at the junction of same with the body; C is the cumulative height of the body and the bottom, measured from the flange; C′ is the height, measured axially, of the concave portion of the body, and the concave portion has, in axial cross-section, on an outer surface, an outer radius of curvature RE such that: 1.5.0≤RE≤10.C

A blow molded article, a method of making a blow molded article and a method of making a preform each having at least one layer comprising a thermoplastic resin and between 0.1% and 20% of an additive having a viscosity of greater than 1,000,000 cst. There is a refractive index difference of at least 0.04 between the additive and the thermoplastic resin. The high viscosity of the additive ensures even distribution of the additive within the thermoplastic resin in discrete domains, while additionally providing for a complex end look balancing opacity, gloss and depth.

A method of sub-ambient pressure processing of blow-molded polymer foams and skin-over-foam sandwich panel configurations for lightweight components having improved structural properties. The method can create either skinned or un-skinned foams that offer smooth interior and exterior surfaces, zero or controlled surface porosity, skins of pre-defined thickness, and foam cells that are expanded and oriented normal to the material plane, effectively spherical or polyhedral in nature, and offering improved bending and compressive strength.

Method for manufacturing an injection-moulded article using a recycled polyester Method for manufacturing an injection-moulded article, preferably a preform (11) of a bottle (I) in particular an aerosol bottle, made of polyester, said article, in particular said preform (II), preferably comprising a tubular body (14) closed at one end (16), the method comprising the following steps of: a) providing at least one polymer material comprising a recycled polyester in a weight proportion of at least 10% relative to the total weight of said at least one polymer material and an eventually supplement comprising virgin polyester to form the 100% by weight of said at least one polymer material, b) producing the injection-moulded article by injecting, into a mould, said at least one polymer material.

A method for heating a preform (1) comprising a body portion (4) extending along a longitudinal axis (A1). The method comprises the following steps:—introducing the preform (1) into a heating apparatus (5) comprising an array of infrared emitters (50) arranged in multiple columns (Cj) and rows (Ri); —setting power levels of the infrared emitters (50) so as to divide said array into subsets of columns (SCn); and—heating the preform while translating it in a direction parallel to the rows (Ri), and simultaneously rotating it around its longitudinal axis, the rotation and translation speeds, and the power levels of the infrared emitters (50) being set so that the power levels of the subsets of columns (SCn) facing zones (42) of the body portion extending longitudinally are different from the power levels of the subsets of columns facing the rest of the body portion, said zones extending relative to one another in a polygonal array.

A resin mixture contains a binder resin and carbon black dispersed in the binder resin. The binder resin contains a polyethylene terephthalate having an imide bond in its molecule and having a density of 1.3345 g/cm.sup.3 or less.