Method for producing a barrier layer laminate, barrier layer laminate, and container produced from the barrier layer laminate

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a barrier layer laminate, in particular in order to produce containers, wherein the following steps are carried out: - providing an extrudable barrier layer material; - providing a polyolefin; - providing particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of a laminated plastic material which is obtained by comminuting an existing or recycled extrudable layer laminate with a barrier layer; - mixing a part of the polyolefin with the particles in order to produce a recycling plastic mixture; - supplying the barrier layer material, the polyolefin, and the recycling plastic mixture to a respective extruder; and - carrying out a co-extrusion of the barrier layer material, the polyolefin, and the recycling plastic mixture in order to produce a barrier layer laminate with the following layer sequence: 1) a first outermost layer, namely a barrier outer layer; 2) an incorporated layer, namely a layer made of the recycling plastic mixture; and 3) a second outermost layer arranged opposite the first outermost layer, namely a polyolefin outer layer. The invention also relates to a barrier layer laminate produced using such a method, to a container produced from a barrier layer material, and to a method for same.

Description

[0001] Method for producing a barrier layer laminate, barrier layer laminate and container made from the barrier layer laminate

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to a method for producing a barrier layer laminate according to the preamble of claim 1, a barrier layer laminate according to the preamble of claim 8 and a container with / made of such a barrier layer laminate according to the preamble of claim 9 and further to methods for producing a container with / made of such a recycled barrier layer laminate.

[0004] Barrier layer laminates have been known in the art for some time. The term "barrier layer laminate" refers to laminates that have a barrier layer impermeable to gases. According to the current state of the art, the structure of barrier layer laminates is based on such laminates having one or more barrier layers that are integrated into the laminate structure, or rather the layer structure, of the remaining base laminate.

[0005] A disadvantage of these previously known barrier layer laminates is that a connection between the one or more barrier layers with the layers arranged adjacent to the barrier layer must, on the one hand, be very strong and stable in order to avoid delamination of the layers, which, on the other hand, leads to the barrier layers and the other

[0006] REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) The disadvantage is that the laminate layers are practically inseparable from one another. This has a particularly detrimental effect on the reuse or recycling of products manufactured with such a barrier layer laminate, such as packaging or containers, or their materials, and prevents effective recycling in most cases. This is essentially due to the fact that the structural base materials, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, from which such barrier layer laminates are made, are generally nonpolar, while the barrier layer materials themselves, such as polyamide or ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, contain polar groups.

[0007] The invention is based on the object of providing a method as well as a barrier layer laminate and a container produced with such a barrier layer laminate, by means of which the aforementioned problems are avoided and the reusability and recyclability of products comprising such barrier layer laminates is improved compared to the previous state of the art.

[0008] This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1, by a barrier layer laminate according to claim 8 and by a container produced from such a barrier layer laminate according to claim 9 and further by methods for producing a container with / from such a recycled barrier layer laminate according to claims 13 and 14.

[0009] In particular, the object of the invention is achieved by a method for producing a barrier layer laminate, in particular for producing containers, in which the following steps are carried out:

[0010] Providing an extrudable barrier layer material;

[0011] Providing a polyolefin;

[0012] Providing particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of layered plastic material obtained by comminuting existing or recycled extrudable layered laminate with barrier layer;

[0013] Mixing a portion of the polyolefin with the particles to produce a recycled plastic mixture; feeding the barrier layer material, the polyolefin, and the recycled plastic mixture into an extruder; and

[0014] Coextrusion of barrier layer material, polyolefin and recycled plastic blend to produce a barrier layer laminate with the following layer sequence:

[0015] 1) first outermost layer, namely a barrier outer layer;

[0016] 2) embedded layer, namely layer of recycled plastic mixture;

[0017] 3) second outermost layer arranged opposite the first outermost layer, namely polyolefin outer layer.

[0018] A key aspect of the invention is that the process according to the invention for producing a novel barrier layer laminate uses particles obtained by comminuting existing or recycled laminates with a barrier layer, such as a barrier layer laminate. An important aspect of the invention is that these particles, such as flakes or pellets, consist of a layered plastic material that itself already contains or has already contained a barrier layer.

[0019] By intensively mixing the particles with a structuring base material, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, which is used to manufacture the subsequent desired products, which may be, for example, plastic containers with a barrier layer, and then feeding this mixture into an extruder which is part of a coextrusion system for producing the desired barrier layer laminate, the different materials, i.e. the structuring base materials and the barrier layer material(s), are fused and bonded together so intimately that the structuring base material itself is given a certain barrier layer effect on the one hand and polar / non-polar phase separation is effectively avoided on the other.

[0020] A further important point of the invention is that the recycled plastic mixture obtained by intimately mixing the particles of already existing barrier layer plastic material with original structuring base polymer material is extruded between a first outermost layer of a barrier layer material and a second outermost layer arranged opposite the first outermost layer, which is a polyolefin outer layer made of the structuring base material.

[0021] The recycled plastic layer thus fulfills several extremely advantageous functions according to the invention. For example, the recycled plastic layer extruded between the first outermost barrier outer layer and the second outer layer made of polyolefin material opposite the first outer layer acts as a compatibilizer between the polar first outer layer and the polar second outer layer. The inner recycled plastic layer, due to its barrier layer material components, simultaneously reinforces the barrier layer effect of the first outer barrier outer layer.

[0022] A further extremely advantageous effect of the process according to the invention and of the barrier layer laminate produced thereby is that both the process according to the invention and the barrier layer laminate produced thereby and, in this context, of course also the containers produced from this barrier layer laminate enable a simple, very cost-effective and, moreover, extremely effective recycling of barrier layer laminates and in particular the barrier layer laminate produced according to the invention.

[0023] A further advantage of the process according to the invention and the products manufactured thereby is that the recycled plastic layer is embedded between two pure layer materials, namely the barrier outer layer and the polyolefin outer layer, so that the barrier layer laminate manufactured according to the invention has precisely defined properties on the outside, namely those of the barrier outer layer material used on the one hand and those of the polyolefin outer layer material used on the other, and any inhomogeneities or impurities that may be present in the recycled plastic layer are irrelevant for the manufactured product and do not appear. According to one embodiment of the invention, during the coextrusion process, an adhesion promoter layer is extruded between the barrier outer layer and the layer made of recycled plastic mixture in order to produce a 4-layer barrier laminate, i.e.h to produce a barrier layer laminate with four layers.

[0024] According to this embodiment, the adhesion promoter layer itself represents a layer of the 4-layer barrier laminate, which is extruded from a separate extruder nozzle between the outer barrier layer and the recycled plastic blend layer. This adhesion promoter layer advantageously serves to improve adhesion between the outer barrier layer and the recycled plastic blend layer.

[0025] According to a further embodiment of the invention, in the course of the coextrusion, a further layer of polyolefin, namely a polyolefin intermediate layer, is extruded between the adhesion promoter layer and the layer of recycled plastic mixture in order to produce a 5-layer barrier laminate, ie a barrier layer laminate with five layers.

[0026] According to the invention, this polyolefin intermediate layer serves to structurally reinforce the barrier layer laminate to be produced.

[0027] According to the invention, the recycled plastic mixture has a particle content in the range of 30 wt.% to 95 wt.%, preferably in the range of 45 wt.% to 80 wt.% and particularly preferably in the range of 55 wt.% to 75 wt.%.

[0028] Since these particles, which are particularly present in the form of flakes or pellets, themselves already represent recycled plastic material containing barrier layer components, such as ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and / or polyamide, a particle content in the range of 30 wt.% to 95 wt.%, preferably in the range of 45 wt.% to 80 wt.%, and particularly preferably in the range of 55 wt.% to 75 wt.% reflects the very high recycling capacity of the process according to the invention, since the process according to the invention is suitable for producing a barrier layer material that consists of more than half to three-quarters recycled material. By means of the process according to the invention, it is thus possible to produce a barrier layer material that is as good as new and consists primarily of recycled components.According to a further embodiment of the invention, the polyolefin outer layer may comprise an additive and / or a dye in the following proportions by weight of the total weight:.

[0029] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the dye content of the polyolefin outer layer in both the 4-layer barrier laminate and the 5-layer barrier laminate can also be in a range from 0 to 10 wt. %, preferably in a range from 0.1 to 9 wt. %, and particularly preferably in a range from 0.01 to 8 wt. %, with a weight percentage of 0 wt. % being particularly advantageous for a dye-free polyolefin outer layer and / or a dye-free barrier layer laminate. "Dye-free" here refers to a dye-free polyolefin outer layer or the "natural" color of the barrier layer laminate resulting from the layer sequence of the barrier layer laminate and its components, which does not contain an explicitly added dye.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a polyethylene modified with maleic anhydride is used as an additive, wherein the use of such an additive allows mixing and homogenization of the non-polar base polymer, ie polyethylene and / or polypropylene, with the polar barrier layer material, iePolyamide and / or ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, so that, for example when using HDPE as the base polymer and polyamide or ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer as the barrier layer material, after an initial mechanical mixing and subsequent heating in the extruder, a unique material mixture is created which is homogeneously mixed and shows no phase separation, so that products manufactured therefrom have similar characteristics, in particular with regard to their physical, mechanical and other properties, as if pure HDPE had been used to manufacture these products, so that this HDPE barrier layer material mixture can be used as a replacement and / or like HDPE.

[0031] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the polyolefin intermediate layer comprises an additive and / or a dye with weight proportions of the total weight which are in the following range: 8.6 ± 5 wt.%, preferably 6 ± 4 wt.% and particularly preferably 2.3 ± 2 wt.%.

[0032] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the dye content of the polyolefin interlayer in both the 4-layer barrier laminate and the 5-layer barrier laminate can also be in a range from 0 to 9 wt. %, preferably in a range from 0.1 to 6 wt. %, and particularly preferably in a range from 0.01 to 2 wt. %, with a weight percentage of 0 wt. % being particularly advantageous for a dye-free polyolefin interlayer and / or a dye-free barrier layer laminate. "Dye-free" here refers to a dye-free polyolefin interlayer or the "natural" color of the barrier layer laminate resulting from the layer sequence of the barrier layer laminate and its components, which does not contain an explicitly added dye.

[0033] Furthermore, the barrier layer laminate consists of layers with the following weight proportions of the total weight:

[0034] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the polyolefin used is a polyethylene having a density in the range of 0.94 g / cm 3 up to 0.97 g / cm 3 , preferably in the range of 0.95 g / cm 3 up to 0.97 g / cm 3 and particularly preferably in the range of 0.951 g / cm 3 up to 0.961 g / cm 3 , and preferably HDPE, is used.

[0035] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the invention, polyamide and / or ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) is preferably used as the barrier layer material.

[0036] Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a polyethylene modified with maleic anhydride having a density of greater than 0.800 g / cm 3 , preferably with a density in the range of 0.800 g / cm 3 up to 0.935 g / cm 3and optionally as an adhesion promoter, a polyethylene modified with maleic anhydride with a density of greater than 0.800 g / cm 3 , preferably with a density in the range of 0.800 g / cm 3 up to 0.935 g / cm 3 , particularly preferably with a density in the range of 0.921 ± 0.015 g / cm 3 used.

[0037] Furthermore, the object of the invention is also achieved by a barrier layer laminate produced by a method according to the above statements. Furthermore, the object of the invention is also achieved by a container produced from a barrier layer material according to the above statements.

[0038] Within the scope of the process according to the invention, the components of each separate layer of the barrier layer material to be produced are fed into a separate extruder, where they are transformed into a molten, pasty state through heating, friction, and transport within the extruder. Within each extruder, a homogeneous mass is formed that can be processed into well-distributed and defined layers. The respective layers are combined in a coextrusion machine, which, depending on whether 4-layer or 5-layer barrier laminates are to be produced, has four or five extruders that feed into a common coextrusion head, where a preform with interconnected layers of defined thickness is formed.

[0039] To produce a container from such a barrier layer material, the preform from the previous process is placed in a steel / aluminum mold in a non-molten state, which is cooled with cold water at temperatures between 8°C and 15°C to form and cool the preform to a predetermined design, transforming the formed container from a pasty state to a solid state. Shaping is achieved by injecting compressed air at a pressure in the range of 7 to 10 bar into the preform for a specific time, allowing the manufactured product to undergo the correct shaping and solidification, thus assuming the shape of the mold.

[0040] Barrier layer laminates produced using the process according to the invention, as well as products made therefrom, such as containers, can be crushed after use and ground into flakes or pellets, which can be fully reused for the production of a new barrier layer laminate using the process according to the invention, so that virtually no material loss or waste is generated. These flakes or pellets can then be immediately and directly fed back into the production process according to the invention or stored for future use, so that again neither material loss nor waste is generated and the material of the produced barrier layer laminate can be reused in a closed cycle. An important point in the process according to the invention is that the flakes produced in the previous process have well-defined, separate layers provided with additives.For homogenization and compatibilization to occur, the materials must be mixed. With the correct heating and pressure, the additive maleic anhydride (MA) reacts with the non-polar moiety in the polyethylene and the polar moiety in the EVOH and / or polyamide, improving miscibility and reducing surface tension. This facilitates and improves dispersion of the materials, giving the mixture properties very similar to those of pure HDPE with dispersed amine group molecules, thus achieving the good recycling properties of the barrier layer laminate according to the invention.

[0041] With the help of an extruder, the material, i.e. the flakes or pellets, is taken up through a hopper so that through the extrusion process with the right temperature, the right LD ratio and the right compression, the repelletization material can be produced, which is ready for the next process, i.e. recycling cycle.

[0042] The method according to the invention thus achieves the object of using the pellets produced in the previous method as starting material for the production of a new barrier layer material or a new packaging.

[0043] Thus, the object according to the invention is also achieved by a container which was produced to a proportion of 45 wt.% to 80 wt.%, preferably 55 wt.% to 75 wt.% and particularly preferably 68 wt.% to 72 wt.% from a recycled and homogenized barrier layer material according to the above statements or from a recycled and homogenized barrier layer material according to the above statements, wherein the above-mentioned proportion of recycled and homogenized barrier layer material in the container according to the invention is supplemented to 100 wt.% with a proportion of a virgin high-density polyethylene, namely virgin HDPE.

[0044] With regard to the term "virgin" polyolefin, "virgin" polyethylene or "virgin" HDPE, it should be noted that, in the context of this invention, this term is understood to mean pure polyolefin, polyethylene or HDPE that comes directly from the manufacturing process and is not mixed or blended with other substances.

[0045] A significant advantage of the barrier layer material according to the invention is that this barrier layer material, originally produced in multiple layers, can itself be used as a raw material for the production of new containers, since the non-polar substances present in the multi-layer barrier laminate, ie mainly polyolefin, in particular HDPE, as well as the polar substances present therein, iein particular the barrier layer materials polyamide and / or EVOH, can be mixed and reorganized with one another due to the presence of a compatibilizer, namely the additive maleic anhydride used according to the invention, wherein it has been found according to the invention that the barrier layer material according to the above statements and in the above-specified weight percentage ratio behaves almost identically to pure polyolefin after intensive mixing and homogenization, for example in an extruder, and can therefore not only be excellently mixed with pure, i.e. "virgin" polyolefin, but can also be bonded, in particular over a large area, without the need for any further functional substances, such as primers or adhesives.

[0046] The key advantage of such a barrier layer material, or barrier layer laminate, produced according to the invention and subsequently homogenized is that the barrier layer material can be easily homogenized after its initial use, for example, for a film or a container or another article made therefrom, and in doing so, it develops almost identical properties to the polyolefin on which the barrier layer material is based. According to the invention, HDPE has been found to be particularly suitable as a base olefin.

[0047] An important point in the further use of the barrier layer laminate produced according to the invention and subsequently homogenized for other containers, such as bottles or canisters, is that the thus homogenized recycled material, or material from the barrier layer laminate, is mixed together with a "virgin" polyolefin, whereby an important point is that the base olefin of the recycled material from the barrier layer laminate and the added "virgin" polyolefin are of the same type, such as HDPE.

[0048] For further use of the barrier layer laminate produced according to the invention and subsequently homogenized, this recycled material is mixed with a proportion of "virgin" polyolefin, in particular HDPE, in a proportion of 45% by weight to 80% by weight, preferably 55% by weight to 75% by weight and particularly preferably 68% by weight to 72% by weight, wherein the respective proportions of recycled material from barrier layer laminate and "virgin" polyolefin complement each other to a total of 100%.

[0049] Thus, a further important point of the invention is that for the production of containers from the barrier layer laminate produced according to the invention and subsequently homogenized together with admixed "virgin" polyolefin, no further substance, such as an adhesive or a primer or even a barrier layer material, is necessary to produce a container from this recycled material according to the invention.

[0050] The recycled material according to the invention, which, in addition to the material of the original barrier layer laminate, exclusively comprises the same polyolefin that also represents the base olefin of the barrier layer laminate, is thus a uniform and essentially completely homogeneous extrudable material mixture with essentially the same properties as the pure base olefin. As already mentioned, this base olefin according to the invention is preferably HDPE.

[0051] According to one embodiment of the invention, the container is a single-layer container, wherein the recycled and homogenized barrier layer material and the "virgin" polyolefin, in particular HDPE, are homogeneously mixed with one another.

[0052] Alternatively, the container can also be designed as a two-layer container, wherein the recycled and homogenized barrier layer material and the "virgin" polyolefin, in particular HDPE, are arranged side by side in a manner that adheres to one another.

[0053] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the container is a three-layer container, wherein the recycled and homogenized barrier layer material is arranged centrally and flatly adhering to each other between two "virgin" HDPE layers on both sides.

[0054] According to the invention, it is thus possible to produce a container consisting of a single homogeneous material which, as a single layer, defines the shape and the wall of the container.

[0055] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the container according to the invention can also be designed in two layers, wherein the recycled material made of barrier layer laminate and the "virgin" polyolefin, in particular HDPE, are fully adhered to one another in the form of two layers of discrete origin, which, due to their essentially identical properties, lie against one another at their respective interfaces and are intimately and inseparably connected to one another.

[0056] According to a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the recycled material made of barrier layer laminate can also be surrounded on both sides by the "virgin" polyolefin, in particular HDPE, wherein here too the connection between the two "virgin" polyolefin layers, namely preferably HDPE layers, and the inner layer made of recycled material made of barrier layer laminate is intimate, inseparable over the entire surface and without damage.

[0057] According to the invention, the container is a rigid, preferably self-supporting container, for example a bottle- or canister-like, optionally stackable container, which preferably has a capacity in the range of 0.5 liters to 50 liters, particularly preferably in the range of 1 liter to 20 liters. Furthermore, the container according to the invention can also be suitable for holding hazardous materials, such as flammable and / or oily liquids, but also alkalis or acids.

[0058] Furthermore, the object of the invention is also achieved by a method for producing a container, which is characterized by the following steps:

[0059] Providing a barrier layer laminate according to the above embodiments or a, preferably cleaned, container made from the barrier layer laminate; comminuting the barrier layer laminate or the container to produce particles, in particular flakes or pellets;

[0060] Providing a polyolefin, such as preferably a polyethylene having a density in the range of 0.94 g / cm 3 up to 0.97 g / cm 3 , preferably in the range of 0.95 g / cm 3 up to 0.97 g / cm 3 and particularly preferably in the range of 0.951 g / cm 3 up to 0.961 g / cm 3 , and particularly preferably a high density polyethylene, namely HDPE;

[0061] Filling the comminuted barrier layer laminate, in particular the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, and the polyolefin, in particular HDPE, into a common extruder in order to homogeneously mix the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the barrier layer laminate and the preferably flake and / or pellet-shaped polyolefin, in particular HDPE, and to extrude them together through a single extruder nozzle into a preform of the container in order to produce a single-layer container; or

[0062] Filling the comminuted barrier layer laminate, in particular the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, and the polyolefin, in particular HDPE, into two extruders, in particular with concentrically arranged extruder nozzles, in order to extrude the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the barrier layer laminate and the preferably flake- and / or pellet-shaped polyolefin, in particular HDPE, parallel to each other through two extruder nozzles into a preform of the container to produce a two-layer container; or

[0063] Filling the comminuted barrier layer laminate, in particular the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, and the polyolefin, in particular HDPE, into three extruders, in particular with extruder nozzles arranged concentrically to one another, in order to extrude the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the barrier layer laminate and the preferably flake- and / or pellet-shaped polyolefin, in particular HDPE, parallel to one another through three extruder nozzles into a preform of the container in order to produce a three-layer container, wherein the polyolefin, in particular HDPE, is filled into the two outer extruders;

[0064] Inflating the respective produced preform.

[0065] An important aspect of this inventive process is that a barrier layer laminate and / or a container made therefrom or another product made therefrom is first provided, which is then comminuted into particles, such as flakes or pellets. Furthermore, an important aspect of the inventive process is that a "virgin" polyolefin, which preferably corresponds to the base polyolefin of the barrier layer laminate, is provided.

[0066] Depending on whether a single-, two-, or three-layer container is to be produced, the starting material, namely the shredded barrier layer laminate and the "virgin" polyolefin, is now fed into a common extruder or, depending on the number of desired layers, two or three separate extruders, which are suitable for producing a preform of the desired container in a conventional manner known from the prior art.

[0067] In the case of a desired two-layer container, the shredded barrier layer laminate is fed into one extruder, while the virgin polyolefin is fed into the other extruder.

[0068] In the case of a desired three-layer container, the shredded barrier layer laminate is also fed into one extruder, while the "virgin" polyolefin is divided between two extruders.

[0069] The extruder nozzles are preferably arranged concentrically to one another, whereby it is important to ensure that the extruder nozzles, or rather the contents to be extruded with them, are arranged in the desired order, so that in a two-layer container the "virgin" polyolefin, in particular HDPE, is arranged inside or outside the container to be produced, as desired, and that in a three-layer container the middle layer consists of the homogenized barrier layer laminate material. Due to the joint extrusion, i.e. the coextrusion of the respective two or three layers which are to form the container according to the invention, the respective layers come into contact with one another while still hot immediately after leaving the extruder nozzles, which leads to an optimal and strong bond between the layers.This optimal bonding of the layers is further facilitated by the fact that the material properties of the homogenized barrier layer laminate material, which is preferably based on HDPE, and the "virgin" polyolefin, in particular HDPE, are almost, i.e. essentially, identical and can therefore be intimately bonded together.

[0070] Furthermore, the object of the invention is also achieved by a method for producing a single-layer container, wherein the following steps are carried out:

[0071] Providing material of at least one container made of homogenized barrier layer laminate material and virgin polyolefin, in particular HDPE;

[0072] Comminuting the material of at least one container made of homogenized barrier layer laminate material and virgin polyolefin, in particular HDPE, to produce particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the material;

[0073] Filling the comminuted material into an extruder to homogeneously mix the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the comminuted material and extrude them together through an extruder nozzle into a preform of the container to produce a single-layer container;

[0074] Inflating the produced preform.

[0075] An important and very advantageous aspect of the inventive method for producing a container from recycled material is that the material required to produce the "recycling container" made from recycled material can be reused repeatedly to produce a container in a virtually closed-loop process once the original barrier layer laminate has been mixed with "virgin" polyolefin, in particular HDPE. This is therefore practically a closed-loop process. The proportion of additive, namely maleic anhydride, in the recycled material to be extruded can optionally be supplemented to a proportion in the range of 0.9 wt.% to 2.0 wt.% prior to extrusion in order to ensure consistently good mixing and homogenizability of the material required to produce the desired recycling container.

[0076] To produce a container according to the invention, the granules obtained from the barrier layer laminate are fed to a blower in a proportion of, for example, 70% by weight of the total packaging, while in this example, the remaining 30% by weight is virgin HDPE. Since amine groups of polyamide chains and / or hydroxyl residues of EVOH are dispersed in the barrier layer laminate granules, it is possible to blend or homogenize the granules with virgin HDPE, resulting in a unique blend without phase separation that has similar properties to HDPE and can thus be used to produce new packaging with the same physical, mechanical, and performance properties as packaging made from virgin raw material or even PCR-HDPE (Post Consumer Recycled HDPE).

[0077] Further embodiments of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

[0078] The invention is described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments.

[0079] The following describes barrier layer laminates according to the invention which can be used in the form of 4-layer barrier laminates and 5-layer barrier laminates for the production of containers, for example with a capacity of four liters, 10 liters or even 20 liters, but also for all other desired volumes.

[0080] According to the invention, in the described embodiments,

[0081] • Structural base polymer HDPE (high-density polyethylene) with a density in the range of 0.951 g / cm 3 up to 0.961 g / cm 3 ,

[0082] Barrier layer material EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer) with a density of 1.19 g / cm 3 or a polyamide with a density in the range of 1.05 g / cm 3 up to 1.06 g / cm 3, • Adhesive: 0.2% modified LDPE (low density polyethylene) with a density of 0.921 g / cm 3 ,

[0083] • Additive a 0.9% modified VLDPE (very low density polyethylene) with a density of 0.875 g / cm 3 , is used. The dye used is in the same density range as the aforementioned substances.

[0084] According to the invention, these substances are each fed into the extruders assigned to them in accordance with the exemplary embodiments mentioned below and are coextruded at temperatures in the range from 170°C to 250°C, preferably 190°C to 230°C, to give the desired

[0085] Barrier layer laminate extruded.

[0086] Within the scope of this corextrusion, three-dimensional preforms can be produced which, after cooling to a temperature in the range of 8°C to 15°C, are then blown into a desired container with a desired geometry in a blow mold enclosing the preforms using compressed air and a pressure in the range of seven to ten bar.

[0087] The weight percentages in the tables below are given in grams.

[0088] Implementation example 1 Implementation example 2

[0089] Example 3 Implementation example 4

[0090] Implementation example 5 Implementation example 6

[0091] Example 7 The respective barrier layer laminate obtained from the embodiments 1-7 can be homogenized after the first use of the barrier layer laminate for containers or other products and mixed with "virgin" base polymer, for example HDPE, or extruded in parallel with these, in order to produce single-, double-, or triple-layer containers which preferably have a capacity in the range of 0.5 l to 50 l, preferably 1 l to 20 l and are in turn self-supporting, i.e. dimensionally stable, and optionally also stackable.

[0092] These single-, two- or three-layer containers produced in this way can in turn be used in a closed-loop process to produce further single-, two- or three-layer containers, essentially without any loss of material.

[0093] To produce a container from such a mixed barrier layer laminate and virgin polyolefin, particularly HDPE, the preform, as already described above, is placed in a non-molten state from the previous process into a steel / aluminum mold, which is cooled with cold water at temperatures between 8°C and 15°C to form and cool the preform with a predetermined design, whereby the formed container transforms from a pasty state to a solid state. Shaping is carried out by injecting compressed air at a pressure in the range of 7 to 10 bar into the preform for a specific time, so that the manufactured product undergoes the correct shaping and solidification and thus assumes the shape of the mold.

[0094] At this point, it should be noted that all parts described above, viewed individually and in any combination, particularly the details shown in the drawings, are claimed as essential to the invention. Modifications to these are familiar to those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims Method for producing a barrier layer laminate, in particular for producing containers, characterized by the following steps: Providing an extrudable barrier layer material, namely in particular polyamide or ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH); Providing a polyolefin, namely in particular a polyolefin, such as preferably a polyethylene having a density in the range of 0.94 g / cm 3 up to 0.97 g / cm 3 , preferably in the range of 0.95 g / cm 3 up to 0.97 g / cm 3 and particularly preferably in the range of 0.951 g / cm 3 up to 0.961 g / cm 3 , and particularly preferably a high density polyethylene, namely HDPE; Providing particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of layered plastic material obtained by comminuting existing or recycled extrudable layered laminate with barrier layer; Mixing a portion of the polyolefin with the particles to produce a recycled plastic blend; Feeding the barrier layer material, the polyolefin and the recycled plastic mixture into an extruder each; and Coextrusion of barrier layer material, polyolefin and recycled plastic blend to produce a barrier layer laminate with the following layer sequence: 1) first outermost layer, namely a barrier outer layer; 2) embedded layer, namely layer of recycled plastic mixture; 3) a second outermost layer arranged opposite the first outermost layer, namely a polyolefin outer layer. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, during the coextrusion, an adhesion promoter layer, namely in particular a maleic anhydride-modified polyethylene with a density of greater than 0.800 g / cm 3 , preferably with a density in the range of 0.800 g / cm 3 up to 0.935 g / cm 3 , particularly preferably with a density in the range of 0.921 ± 0.015 g / cm 3, is extruded in to produce a 4-layer barrier laminate. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that, during the coextrusion, a further layer of polyolefin, namely a polyolefin intermediate layer, is extruded between the adhesion promoter layer and the layer of recycled plastic mixture in order to produce a 5-layer barrier laminate. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recycled plastic mixture has a particle content in the range of 30 wt.% to 95 wt.%, preferably in the range of 45 wt.% to 80 wt.%, and particularly preferably in the range of 55 wt.% to 75 wt.%. Method according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the polyolefin outer layer contains an additive, namely preferably a polyethylene modified with maleic anhydride with a density of greater than 0.800 g / cm 3 , preferably with a density in the range of 0.800 g / cm3 up to 0.935 g / cm 3 , and / or a dye with the following weight proportions: or only the additive and no added dye. Process according to one of the preceding claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the polyolefin intermediate layer contains the additive and / or a dye in the following weight proportions: 8.6 ± 5 wt.%, preferably ± 4 wt.%, and particularly preferably ± 3 wt.%, or only the additive and no added dye. Method according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the barrier layer laminate consists of layers with the following weight proportions: A barrier layer laminate produced by a method according to any one of the preceding claims. A container made from a barrier layer material according to claim 8. Container, in particular according to claim 9, characterized in that the container is made of a proportion of 45 wt.% to 80 wt.%, preferably 55 wt.% to 75 wt.% and particularly preferably 68 wt.% to 72 wt.% of a recycled and homogenized barrier layer material according to claim 8 or of a recycled and homogenized barrier layer material produced according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 7 and of a proportion supplementing this proportion of recycled and homogenized barrier layer material to 100 wt.% of a virgin high-density polyethylene, namely virgin HDPE. Container, in particular according to one of the preceding claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the container is a single-layer container, wherein the recycled and homogenized barrier layer material and the virgin HDPE are homogeneously mixed with one another; or the container is a two-layer container, wherein the recycled and homogenized barrier layer material and the virgin HDPE are arranged adjacent to one another, adhering to one another; or the container is a three-layer container, wherein the recycled and homogenized barrier layer material is arranged between the virgin HDPE, adhering to one another on both sides. Container, in particular according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the container is a rigid, preferably self-supporting container, for example a bottle- or canister-like container, and optionally a stackable container, which preferably has a capacity in the range of 0.5 liters to 50 liters, particularly preferably in the range of 1 liter to 20 liters. A method for producing a container according to any one of the preceding claims 9 to 12, characterized by the following steps: Providing a barrier layer laminate according to claim 8 or manufactured according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 7 or a, preferably cleaned, container made from a barrier layer laminate according to claim 8 or from a barrier layer laminate manufactured according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 7; Comminuting the barrier layer laminate or the container to produce particles, in particular flakes or pellets; Providing a polyolefin, such as preferably a polyethylene having a density in the range of 0.94 g / cm 3 up to 0.97 g / cm 3 , preferably in the range of 0.95 g / cm 3 up to 0.97 g / cm 3 and particularly preferably in the range of 0.951 g / cm 3 up to 0.961 g / cm 3 , and particularly preferably a high density polyethylene, namely HDPE; Filling the comminuted barrier layer laminate, in particular the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, and the polyolefin, in particular HDPE, into a common extruder in order to homogeneously mix the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the barrier layer laminate and the preferably flake and / or pellet-shaped polyolefin, in particular HDPE, and to extrude them together through a single extruder nozzle into a preform of the container in order to produce a single-layer container; or Filling the comminuted barrier layer laminate, in particular the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, and the polyolefin, in particular HDPE, into two extruders, in particular with extruder nozzles arranged concentrically to one another, in order to extrude the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the barrier layer laminate and the, preferably flake and / or pellet-shaped, polyolefin, in particular HDPE, to be extruded parallel to each other through two extruder dies into a preform of the container to produce a two-layer container; or Filling the comminuted barrier layer laminate, in particular the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, and the polyolefin, in particular HDPE, into three extruders, in particular with extruder nozzles arranged concentrically to one another, in order to extrude the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the barrier layer laminate and the preferably flake- and / or pellet-shaped polyolefin, in particular HDPE, parallel to one another through three extruder nozzles into a preform of the container in order to produce a three-layer container, wherein the polyolefin, in particular HDPE, is filled into the two outer extruders; Inflating the respective preform produced. A method for producing a single-layer container, in particular a single-layer container according to one of the preceding claims 10 to 12, characterized by the following steps: Providing material of at least one container manufactured according to claim 13; Comminuting the material of at least one container manufactured according to claim 13 to produce particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the material; Filling the comminuted material of at least one container produced according to claim 13 into an extruder in order to homogeneously mix the particles, in particular flakes or pellets, of the comminuted material and to extrude them together through an extruder nozzle into a preform of the container in order to produce a single-layer container; Inflating the produced preform. Method according to one of the preceding claims 13 or 14, characterized in that the proportion of additive, namely maleic anhydride, in the recycling material to be extruded is optionally supplemented to a proportion in the range of 0.9 wt.% to 2.0 wt.% before extrusion.

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