A polymer composition includes: from about 20 wt. % to about 80 wt. % of a polymer base resin; from about 10 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of a thermally conductive filler; and from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of a dielectric ceramic filler having a Dk of at least 20 when measured at 1.1 GHz or greater. The polymer composition exhibits a dielectric constant greater than 3.0 at 1.1 GHz when tested using a split post dielectric resonator and network analyzer on a sample size of 120 mm by 120 mm and 6 mm thickness according to ASTM D150. The polymer composition exhibits a dissipation factor of less than 0.002 at 1.1 GHz when tested using a split post dielectric resonator and network analyzer on a sample size of 120 mm by 120 mm and 6 mm thickness according to ASTM D150.

Polymeric compositions comprising a polybutylene terephthalate; a low-density polyolefin selected from a low-density polyethylene, a polyolefin elastomer, or combinations thereof; and a maleated ethylene-based polymer. Optical cable components fabricated from the polymeric composition. Optionally, the polymeric composition can further comprise one or more additives, such as a filler. The optical fiber cable components can be selected from buffer tubes, core tubes, and slotted core tubes, among others.

An anaerobic biodegradation accelerator (ABA) for a host polymeric material, an ABA-incorporated polymeric material, and methods for production and application thereof are provided. The ABA includes a carrier matrix, at least one biotic component, a protective layer, a biodiversity promotor, a surfactant, a compatibilizer, an antioxidant, a plasticizer and a properties modifier. The ABA significantly enhances biodegradation rate of polymeric materials in anaerobic environments, and does not impact significantly on mechanical properties and other properties of the original polymeric material including food contact safety when they are used in food contact safe products such as cutleries, lunch boxes, cups and cup lids.

Embodiments relate to polyolefin compositions containing one or more high-density polyethylenes (HDPEs) and linear low-density polyethylenes (LLDPEs) and methods for forming the same. The polyolefin composition contains about 40 wt % to about 60 wt % of HDPE and about 40 wt % to about 60 wt % of LLDPE, by weight of the polyolefin composition. The HDPE has a density of greater than 0.93 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt index of about 0.2 dg/min to about 10 dg/min. The LLDPE has a density of less than 0.915 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt index of about 0.2 dg/min to about 10 dg/min. The polyolefin composition has a density of about 0.91 g/cm.sup.3 or greater, a melt index of about 0.5 dg/min to about 6 dg/min, and a T.sub.w1−T.sub.w2 value of about −25° C. or less.

Methods for forming polyolefin nanocomposite precursor compositions are provided. In embodiments, such a method comprises mixing a polyolefin, unmodified graphite, and a peroxide crosslinker via solid-state shear pulverization under conditions to form a polyolefin nanocomposite precursor composition comprising the polyolefin; exfoliated, unmodified graphite dispersed throughout the polyolefin; and unreacted peroxide crosslinker dispersed throughout the polyolefin, wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene, a copolymer of polyethylene, or combinations thereof. Methods of forming crosslinked polyolefin nanocomposites, the polyolefin nanocomposite precursor compositions, and crosslinked polyolefin nanocomposites are also provided.

Provided herein are polymer compositions and methods of making them, including blending a polymer and a polyethylene glycol (PEG) masterbatch. The PEG masterbatch can include one or more PEGs each having molecular weight less than 40,000 g/mol. The polymer can be a C.sub.2-C.sub.6 olefin homopolymer or a copolymer of two or more C.sub.2-C.sub.20 α-olefins. The PEG masterbatch and resulting polymer composition is preferably free or substantially free of fluorine, including fluoropolymer-based PPAs.

A low density polyethylene-asphaltene composition and a method of preparation of the low density polyethylene-asphaltene composition, the composition comprising an asphaltene, wherein the asphaltene is extracted from at least one of a heavy atmospheric residue, oil sands, bitumen, and biodegraded oils, and a weight percent of the asphaltene is 0.1%-25% relative to a total weight of the composition; and a low density polyethylene polymer with a density of 0.9 g/cm.sup.3-0.95 g/cm.sup.3. The asphaltene and the low density polyethylene polymer are uniformly dispersed throughout the low density polyethylene-asphaltene composition, the low density polyethylene-asphaltene composition has a weight loss onset 4° C.-20° C. higher than an average weight loss onset of the low density polyethylene polymer, and the low density polyethylene-asphaltene composition has a degree of crystallinity of 27%-34%.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a multimodal polyethylene composition in the reactor system according to the invention, comprising; (a) polymerizing ethylene in an inert hydrocarbon medium in the first reactor in the presence of a catalyst system, selected from Ziegler-Natta catalyst or metallocene, and hydrogen in an amount of 0.1-95% by mol with respect to the total gas present in the vapor phase in the first reactor to obtain a low molecular weight polyethylene or a medium molecular weight polyethylene; (b) removing in the hydrogen removal unit 98.0 to 99.8% by weight of the hydrogen comprised in a slurry mixture obtained from the first reactor at a pressure in the range of 103-145 kPa (abs) and transferring the obtained residual mixture to the second reactor; (c) polymerizing ethylene and optionally C.sub.4 to C.sub.12 α-olefin comonomer in the second reactor in the presence of a catalyst system, selected from Ziegler-Natta catalyst or metallocene, and in the presence of hydrogen in an amount obtained in step (b) to obtain a first high molecular weight polyethylene or a first ultra high molecular weight polyethylene in the form of a homopolymer or a copolymer and transferring a resultant mixture to the third reactor; and (d) polymerizing ethylene, and optionally α-olefin comonomer in the third reactor in the presence of a catalyst system, selected from Ziegler-Natta catalyst or metallocene, and hydrogen, wherein the amount of hydrogen in the third reactor is in a range of 1-70% by mol, preferably 1-60% by mol with respect to the total gas present in the vapor phase in the third reactor or optionally substantial absence of hydrogen to obtain a second high molecular weight polyethylene or a second ultra high molecular weight polyethylene homopolymer or copolymer; and a multimodal polyethylene composition obtainable this way.

Described herein are methods for rendering biodegradable a plastic material that is not itself biodegradable, by blending the plastic material with a carbohydrate-based polymeric material that is formed from one or more starches, and a plasticizer (e.g., glycerin). The carbohydrate-based polymeric material is less crystalline than the starting starch materials, e.g., being substantially amorphous, and having a crystallinity of no more than 20%. Third party testing shows blends of such materials render the entire blend biodegradable, believed to be due to the low crystalline substantially amorphous carbohydrate-based polymeric material breaking the hygroscopic barrier associated with the non-biodegradable plastic material, so that when blended together, both the plastic material and the carbohydrate-based polymeric material are biodegradable.

It is provided a polymer composition including at least the following components A) 40 to 94 wt.-% based on the overall weight of the polymer composition of a polymer blend, including a1) 50 to 95 wt.-% of polypropylene; a2) 5 to 50 wt.-% of polyethylene; C) 3 to 30 wt.-% based on the overall weight of the polymer composition of a compatibilizer being a copolymer of propylene and 1-hexene, including b1) 30 to 70 wt.-% of a first random copolymer of propylene and 1-hexene; and b2) 30 to 70 wt.-% of a second random copolymer of propylene and 1-hexene having a higher 1-hexene content than the first random propylene copolymer b1); 3 to 30 wt.-% of a modifier selected from the group consisting of plastomers, heterophasic polypropylene copolymers different from component B) and mixtures thereof; with the provisos that the weight proportions of components a1) and a2) add up to 100 wt.-%; the weight proportions of components b1) and b2) add up to 100 wt.-%; the weight proportions of components A), B) and C) add up to 100 wt.-%; component A) has a MFR.sub.2 (230° C., 2.16 kg) determined according to ISO 1133 in the range from 1.0 to 50.0 g/10 min; and component B) has a 1-hexene content in the range from 2.0 to 8.0 wt.-%.