AQUEOUS POLYOLEFIN DISPERSION

Abstract

The invention relates to an aqueous polyolefin dispersion comprising from 50 to 100 wt. % of a aqueous dispersion A comprising the following ingredients: from 30 to 90 wt. % of A1, a copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid [E(M)AA] or a mixture of different copolymers of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, from 10 to 70 wt. % of A2, another polymer, not being a copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, or a mixture of other polymers, and from 0-15 wt. % of additive from 0 to 50 wt. % of a compound B, where compound B is a material dispersable or soluble in water and different from any of the ingredients of dispersion A wherein the wt. % of A and B is based on the solid content of the whole aqueous polyolefin dispersion and the wt % of the ingredients of dispersion A is based on the solid content of dispersion A, the sum of the wt. % of ingredients i to iii of dispersion A is 100%.

Claims

1. An aqueous polyolefin dispersion comprising a. from 50 to 100 wt. % of an aqueous dispersion A comprising the following ingredients: a. from 30 to 90 wt. % of A1, a copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid [E(M)AA] or a mixture of different copolymers of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, b. from 10 to 70 wt. % of A2, another polymer, not being a copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, or a mixture of other polymers, and c. from 0-15 wt. % of additive, b. from 0 to 50 wt. % of a compound B, where compound B is a material dispersable or soluble in water and different from any of the ingredients of dispersion A, wherein the wt. % of aqueous dispersion A and compound B is based on the solid content of the whole aqueous polyolefin dispersion, the wt % of the ingredients of dispersion A is based on the solid content of dispersion A, the sum of the wt. % of ingredients a.-c. of dispersion A is 100%, and A2 comprises one or more of copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA), copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) modified with maleic anhydride, polyolefins modified with maleic anhydride, polyolefin elastomers, styrene butadiene block copolymers (SBS), random copolymers (SBC), ethylene-propylene-non-conjugated diene terpolymer (EPDM), maleic anhydride modified ethylene-propylene-non-conjugated diene terpolymer, and co- and terpolymers of ethane, propene, and 1-butene.

2. The aqueous polyolefin dispersion according to claim 1 wherein the copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid has a content of (meth)acrylic based groups in the copolymer of at least 15 wt. %, wherein the wt. % is based on the total weight of the copolymer.

3. The aqueous polyolefin dispersion according to claim 1 wherein all ingredients and compounds are food safe materials.

4. The aqueous polyolefin dispersion according to claim 1 wherein A2 comprises one or more of copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) and copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) modified with maleic anhydride.

5. The aqueous polyolefin dispersion according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous polyolefin dispersion contains dispersed hybrid particles containing both A1, the copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, and A2, the another polymer not being a copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid.

6. A process for preparing an aqueous polyolefin dispersion of dispersion A and compound B, wherein: dispersion A comprises the following ingredients: a. from 30 to 90 wt. % of A1, a copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid or a mixture of different copolymers of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, b. from 10 to 70 wt. % of A2, another polymer, not being a copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, or a mixture of other polymers, and c. from 0-15 wt. % of additive where compound B is a material dispersable or soluble in water and different from any of the ingredients of dispersion A, wherein: the wt. % of A and B is based on the solid content of the whole aqueous polyolefin dispersion, the wt % of the ingredients of dispersion A is based on the solid content of dispersion A, the sum of the wt. % of ingredients a.-c. of dispersion A is 100%, and A2 comprises one or more of copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA), copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) modified with maleic anhydride, polyolefins modified with maleic anhydride, polyolefin elastomers, styrene butadiene block copolymers (SBS), random copolymers (SBC), ethylene-propylene-non-conjugated diene terpolymer (EPDM), maleic anhydride modified ethylene-propylene-non-conjugated diene terpolymer, and co- and terpolymers of ethane, propene, and 1-butene, the process comprising providing at least 50 wt. % of the aqueous dispersion A and compound B in an amount of up to 50 wt. %: mixing all solid components of dispersion A at a temperature in the range of 50 C. to 200 C. after which a homogenous compound of all components is obtained and mixing the homogeneous compound with water, compound B, and a neutralizing agent at a temperature 2 to 20 C. above the highest melting temperature of all solid components of dispersion A until an aqueous dispersion is obtained wherein all dispersed particles have a particle size below 150 m.

7. The process according to claim 6 wherein the mixing of the solid components of dispersion A is performed in a twin screw extruder.

8. The process according to claim 6 wherein the mixing of the homogeneous compound with water, compound B and a neutralizing compound is performed under elevated pressure.

9. The process according to claim 8 wherein the mixing of the homogeneous compound with water, compound B and a neutralizing compound is performed at a pressure which is higher than the vapor pressure of water at the mixing temperature.

10. (canceled)

11. The aqueous polyolefin dispersion according to claim 1, wherein compound B comprises one or more of polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyethylene glycol.

12. A composition comprising a heat sealing varnish for aluminum foils, the varnish including an aqueous polyolefin dispersion according to claim 1.

13. A composition comprising a heat sealing varnish for aluminum foils, the varnish including an aqueous polyolefin dispersion prepared in accordance with claim 6.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0068] Various aqueous dispersions were prepared using the following procedure: [0069] In a first step a compound was prepared by mixing and kneading the individual ingredients in a Leistritz ZSE 18 Maxx twin screw extruder at a temperature in the range of 80-150 C. (temperature was selected based on the ingredients), where different temperature zones were created inside the extruder. The pressure inside the extruder was 35 bar maximum. [0070] In a next step the extruded compound was fed into a Bchi 2I Pressure reactor, equipped with a dissolver mixer operating at speeds between 100-1000 rpm. The dispersion was prepared at elevated temperature in the range of 90-150 C. at sometimes elevated pressure (additional pressure in the range of 0-100 bar).

[0071] The ingredients and conditions for each example are given in Table 1 below.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Example 1 2 3 4 5 6* 7* Extruder EAA#3 80 80 60 80 50 100 EAA#9 100 POP#8 20 RP EVA #2 20 40 30 POE#11 20 PVP#31 15 PEG#40 5 Pressure Solid content (%) 20 30 25 20 35 25 20 vessel Base NH3 NH3 NH3 NH3 NH3 NH3 NaOH Temperature 100 90 100 100 100 90 110 ( C.) Overpressure 6-8 6-8 0-1 0-1 6-8 6 6-8 (bar) Rotational 500 500 1000 500 500 500 500 speed (revolutions per min) Viscosity (mPa*s) 12.5 170 310 6.7 213 471 pH 9.3 8.6 9.1 9.1 9.0 8.2 9.2 Average particle size 53.5 17.9 26.3 45.9 33.4 23.5 (m) Visual inspection A A B A A C D EAA#3: PRIMACOR 5980; dispersible polymer which is an ethylene acrylic acid copolymer (20 wt % comonomer), DOW EAA#9: Escor 5200, ethylene acrylic acid copolymer (15 wt % comonomer), ExxonMobil POP#8: AFFINITYTM GA 1950, POP, polyolefin plastomer containing Ethylen-1-Octen, DOW RP EVA #2: OREVAC T 9305, a random terpolymer of ethylene, vinyl acetate and maleic anhydride, ARKEMA POE#11: VistamaxxTM 6202 POE; primarily composed of isotactic propylene repeat units with random ethylene distribution, ExxonMobil - PVP#31: Kollidon 17 PF; soluble polyvinylpyrrolidone, Mw: 7000-11000, BASF PEG#40: Polyethylenglycol 10000, Mw: 9000-12500, Merck *Comparative Example A: Milky dispersion B: Milky viscous dispersion C: dispersion with discrete particles D: High viscous paste