Described is a mono-axially oriented polyolefin film including a core or base layer containing a plurality of voids formed by a cavitating agent, wherein the film is oriented at least 4 times in the machine direction, and exhibits excellent tear resistance in the transverse direction.

Novel or improved microporous single or multilayer battery separator membranes, separators, batteries including such membranes or separators, methods of making such membranes, separators, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes, separators and/or batteries are provided. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, a multilayer dry process polyethylene/polypropylene/polyethylene microporous separator which is manufactured using the inventive process which includes machine direction stretching followed by transverse direction stretching and a subsequent calendering step as a means to reduce the thickness of the multilayer microporous membrane, to reduce the percent porosity of the multilayer microporous membrane in a controlled manner and/or to improve transverse direction tensile strength. In a very particular embodiment, the inventive process produces a thin multilayer microporous membrane that is easily coated with polymeric-ceramic coatings, has excellent mechanical strength properties due to its polypropylene layer or layers and a thermal shutdown function due to its polyethylene layer or layers. The ratio of the thickness of the polypropylene and polyethylene layers in the inventive multilayer microporous membrane can be tailored to balance mechanical strength and thermal shutdown properties.

Novel or improved microporous single or multilayer battery separator membranes, separators, batteries including such membranes or separators, methods of making such membranes, separators, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes, separators and/or batteries are provided. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, a multilayer dry process polyethylene/polypropylene/polyethylene microporous separator which is manufactured using the inventive process which includes machine direction stretching followed by transverse direction stretching and a subsequent calendering step as a means to reduce the thickness of the multilayer microporous membrane, to reduce the percent porosity of the multilayer microporous membrane in a controlled manner and/or to improve transverse direction tensile strength. In a very particular embodiment, the inventive process produces a thin multilayer microporous membrane that is easily coated with polymeric-ceramic coatings, has excellent mechanical strength properties due to its polypropylene layer or layers and a thermal shutdown function due to its polyethylene layer or layers. The ratio of the thickness of the polypropylene and polyethylene layers in the inventive multilayer microporous membrane can be tailored to balance mechanical strength and thermal shutdown properties.

There is provided a co-injection molded multilayer structure comprising a barrier layer and outer layers laminated to contact with the barrier layer on its both sides, wherein the barrier layer is made of a resin composition (X) comprising an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) and an alkali metal salt (B) of a higher fatty acid, having a melting point of 250° C. or lower; the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) has an ethylene unit content of 20 to 60 mol % and a saponification degree of 90% or more, and a content of the alkali metal salt (B) in the barrier layer is 50 to 1500 ppm in terms of metal atoms; and the outer layers are made of a resin composition (Y) comprising an unmodified high-density polyethylene (F) and a maleic anhydride-modified polyethylene (G), and a maleic anhydride modification rate relative to the whole resin composition (Y) is 0.005 to 0.1 wt %. This co-injection molded multilayer structure has excellent adhesiveness, so that its oxygen barrier performance can be maintained even after being subjected to an impact due to falling or the like.

Disclosed herein are methods of making active, food-grade packaging resins using a reactive extrusion step that involves reacting a polymeric material with a ligand and one of a cross-linking agent and a radical initiator in an extruder, under temperature and pressure conditions effective to cause covalent binding of the ligand to the polymeric material by a linker that is the reaction product of the cross-linking agent or by direct bond formation between the ligand and the polymeric material, and then extruding the active, food-grade packaging resin. Also disclosed are the active packaging resins obtained from such methods, methods of forming food packaging materials from the active packaging resins, the food packaging materials that contain the active packaging resins, and methods of packaging perishable food in those food packaging materials.

An improved sheet for making a three-dimensional article for holding food, such as a food tray, and a method of making a three-dimensional article. The sheet comprises a substrate and a laminate film. The laminate film may comprise a ceramic film and a copolymer layer. The copolymer layer can repair any cracks that occur in the ceramic film when the sheet is thermoformed. The food tray is considered a single material that is recyclable.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for multilayer films, which, in one embodiment may comprise a core layer comprising at least 50 wt. % of high-density polyethylene. Further, the multilayer film may include a first skin layer comprising at least 80 wt. % of high-density polyethylene, and a second skin layer comprising either: (i) one or more low-density polyethylenes; or (ii) one or more polypropylene-based copolymers. The multilayer film may be oriented in at least one direction.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for multilayer films, which, in one embodiment may comprise a core layer comprising at least 50 wt. % of high-density polyethylene. Further, the multilayer film may include a first skin layer comprising at least 80 wt. % of high-density polyethylene, and a second skin layer comprising either: (i) one or more low-density polyethylenes; or (ii) one or more polypropylene-based copolymers. The multilayer film may be oriented in at least one direction.

This invention relates to an oriented polyethylene film comprising polyethylene having: (A) a melt flow index of 1.0 g/10 min or more, (B) a density of 0.90 g/cm.sup.3 to less than 0.940 g/cm.sup.3, (C) a g′.sub.LCB of greater than 0.8, (D) ratio of comonomer content at Mz to comonomer content at Mw is greater than 1.0, (E) ratio of comonomer content at Mn to comonomer content at Mw is greater than 1.0, and (F) a ratio of the g′.sub.LCB to the g′.sub.Zave is greater than 1.0, where the film has a 1% secant in the transverse direction of 70,000 psi or more and Dart Drop of 350 g/mil or more.

This invention relates to an oriented polyethylene film comprising polyethylene having: (A) a melt flow index of 1.0 g/10 min or more, (B) a density of 0.90 g/cm.sup.3 to less than 0.940 g/cm.sup.3, (C) a g′.sub.LCB of greater than 0.8, (D) ratio of comonomer content at Mz to comonomer content at Mw is greater than 1.0, (E) ratio of comonomer content at Mn to comonomer content at Mw is greater than 1.0, and (F) a ratio of the g′.sub.LCB to the g′.sub.Zave is greater than 1.0, where the film has a 1% secant in the transverse direction of 70,000 psi or more and Dart Drop of 350 g/mil or more.