Articles and methods made from recycled materials containing water-based adhesives

Abstract

This disclosure provides a method. In one embodiment, the method includes the step of preparing pellets of recycled non-virgin material. The recycled non-virgin material is formed from a multilayer structure comprising at least (i) a layer composed of an olefin-based polymer and (ii) an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is composed of a water-based adhesive composition. The method includes the steps of blending the pellets with an olefin-based polymer blend component to form a blended material, and forming an article from the blended material.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The environmental hazards caused by plastic waste are well known. Large-scale social initiatives have been adopted to recycle and reuse plastic materials, which are referred to herein as recycled non-virgin materials. Attempts to reprocess recycled non-virgin materials and reincorporate them into usable consumer goods continue to expand. [Background technology]

[0002] However, it has been found that articles made from recycled non-virgin materials may have inferior physical properties. Film-based articles formed from recycled non-virgin materials, in particular, have insufficient tear strength, tensile strength, and / or dirt impact strength. Recycled non-virgin materials made from packaging materials containing adhesives (laminated and / or coated articles) are particularly difficult to recycle because the adhesives adversely affect the physical properties of the recycled articles. Efforts to form film-based articles with appropriate physical properties from recycled non-virgin materials containing water-based adhesives or coatings have not yet been fully successful.

[0003] In this technical field, there is a recognized need for polymer compositions containing water-based adhesives that, when recycled, can produce recycled articles with appropriate physical properties compared to recycled articles produced from olefin-based polymer materials that do not contain water-based adhesives. Furthermore, there is also a need for polymer films / laminates containing water-based adhesives that, when recycled, can produce film-based articles with appropriate tear strength, tensile strength, and / or dirt impact strength. [Overview of the project]

[0004] This disclosure provides a method. The method includes the step of preparing pellets of recycled non-virgin material. The recycled non-virgin material is formed from a multilayer structure comprising at least (i) a layer composed of an olefin-based polymer and (ii) an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is composed of a water-based adhesive composition. The method includes the steps of blending the pellets with an olefin-based polymer blend component to form a blended material, and forming an article from the blended material.

[0005] This disclosure also provides articles comprising an olefin-based polymer blend component and a recycled non-virgin material. The recycled non-virgin material is formed from a multilayer structure comprising at least (i) a layer composed of an olefin-based polymer and (ii) an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is composed of a water-based adhesive composition.

[0006] definition All references to the periodic table of elements shall refer to the periodic table of elements published by CRC Press, Inc., 1990–1991. References to element groups in this periodic table shall follow the new notation for group numbering.

[0007] For the purposes of U.S. patent practice, the content of any referenced patent, patent application, or publication is incorporated by reference in whole, particularly with respect to the disclosure of definitions (to the extent that it does not conflict with any definition specifically provided herein) and general knowledge in the art (or equivalent U.S. editions thereof).

[0008] The numerical ranges disclosed herein include all values ​​from the lower limit to the upper limit, including the lower and upper limits. For ranges containing obvious values ​​(e.g., 1 or 2, or 3 to 5, or 6 or 7), any lower ranges between any two obvious values ​​are also included (e.g., the above range 1 to 7 includes the lower ranges 1 to 2; 2 to 6; 5 to 7; 3 to 7; 5 to 6, etc.).

[0009] Unless otherwise stated, by contextual implication or by practice in the art, all parts and percentages are based on weight, and all test methods are current as of the filing date of this disclosure.

[0010] The terms "adhesive" or "adhesive composition" refer to a composition that adheres to at least one substrate. An adhesive composition can be used as a coating layer on a substrate or as an adhesive layer between two or more substrates in a laminate.

[0011] The terms “blend” or “polymer blend,” as used herein, refer to a blend of two or more polymers. Such a blend may or may not be miscible (i.e., it does not undergo phase separation at the molecular level). Such a blend may or may not undergo phase separation. Such a blend may or may not contain one or more domain configurations as determined by transmission electron spectroscopy, light scattering, X-ray scattering, and other methods known in the art.

[0012] The terms "coating" or "coating composition" refer to an adhesive composition that adheres to a single surface of a substrate or film. The coating is the outermost layer of the substrate or film. A coated article, for example, a coated film, has a coating, which is the outermost (or innermost) layer containing the adhesive composition. A coated article differs from a laminate, where the adhesive composition is placed between or sandwiched between film / substrate layers.

[0013] The term "composition" refers to a composition, as well as a mixture of materials including reaction products and decomposition products formed from the materials of the composition.

[0014] The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” and their derivatives, are not intended to exclude the existence of any additional components, steps, or procedures, whether or not they are specifically disclosed. To avoid any doubt, all compositions claimed through the use of the term “comprising” may include any additional additives, adjuvants, or compounds, whether polymers or not, unless the opposite is stated. In contrast, the term “consisting essentially of” excludes any other components, steps, or procedures from the scope of any subsequent description, except for components, steps, or procedures that are not essential to the practicality. The term “consisting of” excludes any components, steps, or procedures that are not specifically delineated or enumerated. The term “or” refers to the individually enumerated members and any combination thereof, unless otherwise stated. The use of the singular includes the use of the plural, and vice versa.

[0015] An "ethylene-based polymer" is a polymer that contains more than 50 weight percent (wt%) of polymerized ethylene monomers (relative to the total amount of polymerizable monomers) and may optionally contain at least one comonomer. Ethylene-based polymers include ethylene homopolymers and ethylene copolymers (units derived from ethylene, meaning one or more comonomers). The terms "ethylene-based polymer" and "polyethylene" can be used interchangeably. Non-limiting examples of ethylene-based polymers (polyethylene) include low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear polyethylene. Non-limiting examples of linear polyethylene include linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), ultra-low-density polyethylene (ULDPE), very low-density polyethylene (VLDPE), multi-component ethylene-based copolymers (EPE), ethylene / α-olefin multi-block copolymers (also known as olefin block copolymers (OBC)), substantially linear or linear plastomers / elastomers, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Generally, polyethylene can be produced in gas-phase fluidized bed reactors, liquid-phase slurry process reactors, or liquid-phase solution process reactors using heterogeneous catalytic systems such as Ziegler-Natta catalysts, homogeneous catalytic systems containing Group IV transition metals and ligand structures, such as metallocenes, non-metallocene metal centers, heteroaryls, heterovalent aryloxyethers, phosphine imines, and others. Combinations of heterogeneous and / or homogeneous catalytic systems can also be used in either single-reactor or double-reactor configurations.

[0016] High-density polyethylene (or "HDPE") is a C4-C64 polyethylene. 10α-olefin comonomer, or C4C8α-olefin comonomer, and ethylene homopolymer or ethylene / α-olefin copolymer having a density of 0.940 g / cc, 0.945 g / cc, 0.950 g / cc, 0.953 g / cc to 0.955 g / cc, 0.960 g / cc, 0.965 g / cc, 0.970 g / cc, 0.975 g / cc, or 0.980 g / cc. HDPE may be monomodal copolymer or multimodal copolymer. "Monomodal ethylene copolymer" has one distinct peak in gel permeation chromatography (GPC) showing the molecular weight distribution of ethylene / C4~C 10 It is an α-olefin copolymer. A "multimodal ethylene copolymer" is defined as an ethylene / C4-C copolymer that has at least two distinct peaks in the GPC showing its molecular weight distribution. 10 These are α-olefin copolymers. Multimodal copolymers include copolymers with two peaks (bimodal) and copolymers with more than two peaks. Non-limiting examples of HDPE include ELITE® 5960G1 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Resins (available from The Dow Chemical Company), DOW® High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Resins (available from The Dow Chemical Company), CONTINUUM® Bimodal Polyethylene Resins (available from The Dow Chemical Company), LUPOLEN® (available from LyondellBasell), and HDPE products from Borealis, Ineos, and ExxonMobil.

[0017] "Low-density polyethylene" (or "LDPE") is an ethylene homopolymer, or at least one C3-C3 polymer. 10LDPE consists of ethylene / α-olefin copolymers containing α-olefins, has a density of 0.915 g / cc to less than 0.940 g / cc, and contains long-chain branching with a wide MWD. ​​LDPE is typically produced by high-pressure free-radical polymerization (carried out in a tubular reactor or autoclave using a free radical initiator). Non-limiting examples of LDPE include AGILITY® 1021 Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Resins (available from The Dow Chemical Company), MarFlex® (Chevron Phillips), LUPOLEN® (LyondellBasell), and LDPE products from Borealis, Ineos, ExxonMobil, and other companies.

[0018] "Linear low-density polyethylene" (or "LLDPE") is defined as a unit derived from ethylene and at least one C3-C3 compound. 10 LLDPE is a linear ethylene / α-olefin copolymer containing a heterogeneous distribution of short-chain branches, including units derived from α-olefin comonomers. In contrast to conventional LDPE, LLDPE is characterized by having little to no long-chain branches. LLDPE has a density of less than 0.910 g / cc to 0.940 g / cc. Non-limiting examples of LLDPE include ELITE® 5400G linear low-density polyethylene resin (available from The Dow Chemical Company), TUFLIN® linear low-density polyethylene resin (available from The Dow Chemical Company), DOWLEX® polyethylene resin (available from the Dow Chemical Company), FINGERPRINT® polyethylene resin (available from the Dow Chemical Company), and MARLEX® polyethylene (available from Chevron Phillips).

[0019] An "olefin-based polymer" or "polyolefin" is a polymer containing a majority or greater than 50% by weight of polymerized olefin monomers, such as ethylene or propylene, and may optionally contain at least one comonomer. Non-limiting examples of olefin-based polymers are ethylene-based polymers and propylene-based polymers.

[0020] "Plastic" typically refers to polymer materials that can be molded or shaped when subjected to heat and / or pressure. Non-limiting examples of plastics include ethylene-based polymers and propylene-based polymers. Plastics do not include glass, metal, and / or wood or other cellulosic materials (i.e., paper-based materials).

[0021] A “polymer” is a polymer compound prepared by polymerizing monomers, whether of the same or different types. Therefore, the general term polymer encompasses the terms “homopolymer” (used to refer to a polymer prepared from only one type of monomer, although it should be understood that trace amounts of impurities may be incorporated into the polymer structure) and “interpolymer.” Trace amounts of impurities, such as catalyst residues, may be incorporated into and / or within the polymer. “Polymer” also encompasses all forms of copolymers, such as random copolymers and block copolymers. The terms “ethylene / α-olefin polymer” and “propylene / α-olefin polymer” refer to copolymers, as described above, prepared by polymerizing ethylene or propylene with one or more additional, polymerizable α-olefin monomers, respectively. Polymers are often described as "made from" one or more specified monomers, "based on" specified monomers or monomer types, or "containing" specified monomer content. It should be noted that in this context, the term "monomer" is understood to refer to the polymerized residues of the specified monomers, not the unpolymerized species. Generally, in this specification, polymers are described as being based on "units" of the polymerized forms of the corresponding monomers.

[0022] Polyurethane is a polymer having polyurethane bonds derived from a chemical reaction between isocyanate groups and polyols. The chemicals holding the isocyanate groups and polyols can have many different compositions. For example, polyurethane polymers can be produced by reacting one or more isocyanate-terminated polymers with small molecule polyols, such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, neopentyl glycol, 1,6-hexanediol, and combinations thereof. Alternatively, polyurethane polymers can be produced by reacting one or more hydroxyl-terminated polymers with small isocyanates, such as toluene diisocyanate (TDI), 4,4'-methylene bisphenyl isocyanate (MDI), hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), 4,4'-methylene dicyclohexyl diisocyanate, 1,5-naphthylene diisocyanate, 1,3-bis(isocyanatomethyl)benzene, dimers and trimers of these isocyanates, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, polyurethane polymers can also be produced by reacting one or more hydroxyl-terminated polymers with one or more isocyanate-terminated polymers. Common backbone materials for hydroxyl and isocyanate-terminated polymers used for polyurethane synthesis include polyesters, polyethers, polycarbonates, poly(meth)acrylates, polyamides, nylons, and silicones. Polyurethanes can be linear or crosslinked.

[0023] A "propylene-based polymer" is a polymer containing more than 50 weight percent of polymerized propylene monomer (relative to the total amount of polymerizable monomers), and optionally containing at least one comonomer. The terms "propylene-based polymer" and "polypropylene" can be used interchangeably.

[0024] The term "recyclability" or "mechanical recyclability" as used herein means that a first material or article having an adhesive or coating is mechanically recyclable or has the potential to be recycled; the first material or article having the adhesive or coating can be mechanically reprocessed to produce a second material or article having a desired range of physical properties, and this second article has at least a 33% or less change in mechanical or physical properties compared to the performance of a control material or control article reprocessed in the same manner as the second article and not containing the adhesive or coating. An example of a test method and guidelines for determining the recyclability of plastic articles can be found, but is not limited to, in the publication "Critical Guidance Protocol for PE Film and Flexible Packaging" Document Number FPE-CG-01, Revision date - August 2, 2022, of The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR).

[0025] "Ultra-low density polyethylene" (or "ULDPE") and "Very-low density polyethylene" (or "VLDPE") are linear ethylene / α-olefin copolymers containing a heterogeneous short-chain branch distribution comprising units derived from ethylene and units derived from at least one C3-C 10 α-olefin comonomer, respectively. ULDPE and VLDPE each have a density of 0.885 g / cc to 0.915 g / cc. Non-limiting examples of ULDPE and VLDPE include AFFINITY™ PL 1850G ultra linear low density polyethylene resin (available from The Dow Chemical Company), ATTANE™ ultra-low density polyethylene resin (available from The Dow Chemical Company), and FLEXOMER™ very-low density polyethylene resin (available from The Dow Chemical Company).

[0026] Test Method Density is measured according to ASTM D792, Method B. Results are reported in grams per cubic centimeter (g / cc).

[0027] Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) can be used to measure the melting, crystallization, and glass transition behavior of polymers over a wide range of temperatures. For example, this analysis is performed using a TA Instruments Q1000 DSC equipped with an RCS (refrigerated cooling system) and an autosampler. During the test, a nitrogen purge gas flow of 50 ml / min is used. Each sample is melt-compressed at about 175 °C to form a thin film. Then, the melted sample is air-cooled to room temperature (about 25 °C). A 3 - 10 mg, 6 mm diameter sample is taken from the cooled polymer, weighed, placed in a light aluminum dish (about 50 mg), and sealed. Then, the analysis is performed to determine its thermal properties.

[0028] The melting point, Tm, is determined from the DSC heating curve, which is first done by drawing a baseline between the start and end points of the melting transition. Then, a tangent is drawn to the data on the low-temperature side of the melting peak. The point where this tangent intersects the baseline is the extrapolated start point of melting (Tm). This is described in Bernhard Wunderlich, The Basis of Thermal Analysis, in Thermal Characterization of Polymeric Materials 92, 277 - 278 (Edith A. Turi ed., 2d ed. 1997).

[0029] The crystallization temperature, Tc, is determined from the DSC cooling curve in the same manner as above, except that a tangent is drawn to the high-temperature side of the crystallization peak. The point where this tangent intersects the baseline is the extrapolated start point of crystallization (Tc).

[0030] The glass transition temperature, Tg, is determined from the DSC heating curve as the point at which half of the sample acquires the heat capacity of a liquid, as described in Bernhard Wunderlich, The Basis of Thermal Analysis, in Thermal Characterization of Polymeric Materials 92, 278-279 (Edith A. Turi ed., 2d ed. 1997). The baselines are drawn below and above the glass transition region and extrapolated through the Tg region. Tg is the temperature at which the heat capacity of the sample is midway between these baselines.

[0031] The melt index (MI) (I2) is measured according to ASTM D1238 (190°C / 2.16kg), and the result is reported in grams per 10 minutes (g / 10 min) or decigrams per minute (dg / min). The melt index (I10) is measured according to ASTM D1238 (190°C / 10kg), and the result is reported in g / 10 min. The melt index ratio (I10 / I2) is measured according to ASTM D1238 at a temperature of 190°C, and is the ratio of the values ​​obtained at 10kg and 2.16kg.

[0032] Tear strength is measured according to ASTM D1922, and the results are reported in Gram Force (gf).

[0033] Tensile strength is measured according to ASTM D882, and the results are reported in kilopounds per square inch (ksi).

[0034] Tensile elongation is measured according to ASTM D882, and the results are reported as a percentage (%).

[0035] Dirt impact strength is measured according to ASTM D1709A, and the results are reported in Newtons (N) for force or in Joules (J) for energy.

[0036] Film haze is measured according to ASTM D1709A, and the results are reported as a percentage (%). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0037] This disclosure provides a method. In one embodiment, the method includes the step of preparing pellets of recycled non-virgin material. The recycled non-virgin material is formed from a multilayer structure. The multilayer structure includes (i) a layer composed of an olefin-based polymer and (ii) an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer includes a water-based adhesive composition. The method includes the steps of blending the pellets of recycled non-virgin material with an olefin-based polymer blend component to form a blended material, and forming an article from the blended material.

[0038] This method includes the step of preparing pellets of recycled non-virgin material. The term “recycled non-virgin material,” as used herein, includes particles of polymer material recycled from consumer plastics and / or industrial plastics, referred to as post-consumer recycled polymer material (“PCR”) and post-industrial recycled polymer material (“PIR”). Non-limiting examples of such PCR / PIR articles include polymer materials used as plastic consumer articles and / or plastic industrial articles, previously used in the context of single-layer films, multi-layer films, and laminates, such as plastic packaging materials, pipes, fibers, industrial waste, or molded products for consumer or industrial use. In other words, recycled non-virgin material is formed from waste plastic and may contain trace amounts of paper (from labels), ink, etc. Recycled non-virgin material is reprocessed plastic material recovered after the plastic material has completed its initial use; i.e., plastic articles that have already served their original purpose. Recycled non-virgin material is typically recovered from recycling programs and / or recycling plants. Recycled non-virgin materials typically require additional cleaning and processing before they can be put back into the production line.

[0039] The method includes the step of preparing pellets of recycled non-virgin material. The recycled non-virgin material is formed from a multilayer structure. As used herein, a “multilayer structure” has (i) layers composed of an olefin-based polymer, (ii) an adhesive layer composed of a water-based adhesive composition, and (iii) an optional additional layer. The multilayer structure may be a laminated article comprising at least one olefin-based polymer layer and at least one adhesive layer that adheres the layer having the olefin-based polymer to another layer. Alternatively, the multilayer structure may be a coated article comprising at least one adhesive layer applied as a coating (or coating layer) to the surface of an olefin-based polymer substrate.

[0040] In one embodiment, the multilayer structure from which the recycled non-virgin material is formed is a multilayer film, for example, a waste film used in consumer food packaging. The multilayer film has layers composed of olefin-based polymers. The olefin-based polymer can be an ethylene-based polymer or a propylene-based polymer. In a further embodiment, the olefin-based polymer for the layers is one or more ethylene-based polymers. Non-limiting examples of suitable ethylene-based polymers include ethylene homopolymers or ethylene / α-olefin copolymers. Ethylene-based copolymers are ethylene / C3-C 12 These are α-olefin copolymers or ethylene / C4-C8 α-olefin copolymers. Non-limiting examples of comonomers suitable for ethylene / α-olefin copolymers include propylene, butene, hexene, and octene. 12The α-olefin copolymer (or ethylene / C4-C8α-olefin copolymer) can be MDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, ULDPE, VLDPE, HDPE, or combinations thereof. The layer having the olefin-based polymer may contain one or more additives, including, but not limited to, slip agents, anti-blocking agents, and combinations thereof. The multilayer film may be a laminated article or a coated article, as previously discussed herein.

[0041] The multilayer structure (from which the recycled non-virgin material is formed) also includes at least one adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is composed of an aqueous adhesive composition. The adhesive may be an adhesive layer in a laminate, or a coating layer on a film or substrate. The adhesive layer may contain a detectable trace amount of water in the multilayer structure and / or the recycled non-virgin material. The aqueous adhesive composition may optionally contain one or more components, such as fillers, dyes and pigments, tackifiers, plasticizers, rheological modifiers, polymers (e.g., thermoplastic resins other than those discussed above herein), dehydrating agents (e.g., silanes), benzoyl chloride, other polyols (e.g., aliphatic polyols), ultraviolet indicators, and solvents.

[0042] Without being limited to any particular theory, the recyclability of a multilayer structure containing a layer of olefin-based polymer (ethylene-based polymer) and an adhesive layer of a solvent-free polyurethane adhesive composition can be determined by comparing the Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) and aliphatic carbon ratio (ACR) of the solvent-free polyurethane adhesive composition with their respective thresholds. The "Hansen solubility parameter" (or "HSP"), as used herein, is a set of physicochemical parameters of a substance that can be used to predict the type of interactive forces involved in the compatibility between a substance and another material. The basis for HSP is that the cohesive energy of two substances can be estimated by the sum of London dispersion forces, intermolecular dipole interactions, and hydrogen bonding interactions. HSP values ​​are available from DW van Krevelen's book “Properties of Polymers” 4th ed., Completely Revised Edition, Elsevier: Amsterdam, 2009, ebook ISBN: 9780080915104.

[0043] In the context of water-based adhesive compositions, a multilayer structure containing a water-based adhesive composition is more likely to be recyclable than not (or more likely to be recyclable) if the HSP of the water-based adhesive or coating composition is 21.0 or less. More specifically, in the context of water-based adhesive compositions, having an HSP value of 21.0 or less results in a probability of over 75% (or 100%) that recycled non-virgin material formed from a multilayer structure having an olefin-based polymer (ethylene-based polymer) layer and an adhesive or coating layer composed of a water-based adhesive composition will be recyclable into a film-based article with appropriate physical properties. Conversely, in the context of water-based adhesives or coating compositions, if a multilayer structure having an olefin-based polymer (ethylene-based polymer) layer and an adhesive or coating layer composed of a water-based adhesive composition fails to meet an HSP value of 21.0 or less, the probability of recycled non-virgin material containing a water-based adhesive composition being recyclable into a film-based article with appropriate physical properties will be less than 50% (or 0%). The selection of water-based adhesives for increasing the probability of recyclability in recycled non-virgin materials is described in full in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 63 / 482,099, filed January 30, 2023, “A method for modeling the chemical compatibility of chemical species with polyethylene” (Agent Reference Number: 84969-US-PSP), which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0044] In one embodiment, the method includes selecting an aqueous adhesive composition having a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) value of 21.0 or less for an adhesive layer or coating layer (for a multilayer structure). The selection of the aqueous adhesive composition having the above-mentioned HSP value is made at the time the multilayer film structure is formed.

[0045] In one embodiment, the aqueous adhesive composition of recycled non-virgin material is an aqueous adhesive composition having a polyol component and an isocyanate curing component. The polyol component is a blend of polyether polyol and polyester polyol. One non-limiting example of such a polyol component is OPULUX® MC5005G (available from The Dow Chemical Company). One non-limiting example of such an isocyanate curing component is CR9-101 (available from The Dow Chemical Company). An aqueous adhesive composition comprising OPULUX® MC5005 and CR9-101 (and optional additives) exhibits an HSP value of 21.0 or less. More specifically, an aqueous adhesive composition comprising OPULUX® MC5005 and CR9-101 (and optional additives) exhibits an HSP value of 20.0 or less. Therefore, a water-based adhesive or coating agent comprising OPULUX® MC5005 and CR9-101 (and optional additives) results in a probability of over 75% (or 100% probability) that recycled non-virgin material formed from a multilayer structure having a layer of olefin-based polymer (ethylene-based polymer) and an adhesive or coating layer composed of OPULUX® MC5005 and CR9-101 (and optional additives) can be successfully recycled into film-based articles with appropriate physical properties.

[0046] In one embodiment, the aqueous adhesive composition of recycled non-virgin material is an aqueous adhesive composition having a polyol component and an isocyanate curing component. The polyol component is a blend of polyether polyol and polyester polyol. One non-limiting example of such a polyol component is ROBOND® L-90M (available from The Dow Chemical Company). One non-limiting example of such an isocyanate curing component is CR9-101 (available from The Dow Chemical Company). An aqueous adhesive composition comprising ROBOND® L-90M and CR9-101 (and optional additives) exhibits an HSP value of 21.0 or less. More specifically, an aqueous adhesive comprising ROBOND® L-90M and CR9-101 (and optional additives) exhibits an HSP value of 20.0 or less. Therefore, a water-based adhesive comprising ROBOND® L-90M and CR9-101 (and optional additives) results in a greater than 75% (or 100% probability) that recycled non-virgin material formed from a multilayer structure having a layer of olefin-based polymer (ethylene-based polymer) and an adhesive or coating layer composed of ROBOND® L-90M and CR9-101 (and optional additives) can be successfully recycled into film-based articles with appropriate physical properties.

[0047] In one embodiment, the aqueous adhesive or coating composition of the recycled non-virgin material is an aqueous adhesive composition containing an EVA-PE copolymer blend. One non-limiting example of such an EVA-PE copolymer blend is ADCOTE™ 37JD1198 (available from The Dow Chemical Company). The aqueous adhesive composition of ADCOTE™ 37JD1198 (and optional additives) exhibits an HSP value of 21.0 or less. More specifically, the aqueous adhesive composition composed of ADCOTE™ 37JD1198 (and optional additives) exhibits an HSP value of 20.0 or less. Therefore, the aqueous adhesive composition composed of ADCOTE™ 37JD1198 (and optional additives) has a probability of more than 75% (or a probability of 100%) of being successfully recycled into a film-based article having appropriate physical properties, where the recycled non-virgin material is formed from a multilayer structure having a layer of an olefin-based polymer (ethylene-based polymer) and an adhesive layer or coating layer composed of ADCOTE™ 37JD1198 (and optional additives).

[0048] The multilayer structure (from which the recycled non-virgin material is formed) may include one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or more additional layers, each of these layers being composed of an olefin-based polymer (i.e., an ethylene-based polymer). Ethylene / C3-C 12 The α-olefin copolymer (or ethylene / C4-C8 α-olefin copolymer) may be any ethylene / C3-C 12 α-olefin copolymer (or ethylene / C4-C8 α-olefin copolymer) previously disclosed herein. It is understood that the multilayer structure may also include one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or more additional adhesive layers of the aqueous adhesive or coating layer composition.

[0049] In one embodiment, the recycled non-virgin material formed from a multilayer structure comprises ethylene-based polymers (virgin ethylene-based polymers and non-virgin ethylene-based polymers) in a ratio of 99.5% to 80% by weight, or 99.5% by weight, or 99% by weight, or 98% by weight, or 97% by weight, or 96% by weight, or 95% by weight, or 94% by weight, or 93% by weight, or 92% by weight, or 91% by weight, or 90% by weight, 90% by weight, or 89% by weight, or 88% by weight, or 87% by weight, or 86% by weight, or 85% to 84% by weight, or 83% by weight, or 82% by weight. The product contains, or in amounts of 81% by weight, or 80% by weight, and a complementary amount of water-based adhesive composition (in amounts such as obtaining 100% by weight of recycled non-virgin material) or 0.5% to 20% by weight, or 0.5% by weight, or 1% by weight, or 2% by weight, or 3% by weight, or 4% by weight, or 5% by weight, or 6% by weight, or 7% by weight, or 8% by weight, or 9% by weight, or 10% by weight, or 11% by weight, or 12% by weight, 13% by weight, or 14% by weight, or 15% by weight, or 16% by weight, or 17% by weight, or 18% by weight, or 19% by weight, or 20% by weight of water-based adhesive composition. Weight percentages are based on the total weight of recycled non-virgin material.

[0050] In one embodiment, the water-based adhesive composition may be an internal adhesive layer of a laminate. The adhesive layer can improve interlayer adhesion between functional layers of olefin-based polymers and prevent delamination of the multilayer structure. In another embodiment, the water-based adhesive composition is included in an outer layer, for example, a coating layer of a coated article. The coating layer can provide mechanical support and protection for other layers of the coated article. Furthermore, the outer layer of the water-based adhesive composition in the coating layer may be particularly well suited for protection, engraving, and / or printing.

[0051] In one embodiment, the method includes the step of pelletizing a multilayer structure to form pellets of recycled non-virgin material. The multilayer structure is a consumer and / or industrial article that has been subjected to a molding process and has completed its initial purpose, as previously disclosed. The multilayer structure (i.e., a multilayer film having layers of olefin-based polymers (ethylene-based polymers) and adhesive layers (or coating layers) having an aqueous adhesive composition (HSR ≤ 21.0)) is crushed, flakened, or otherwise pulverized and pelletized to form recycled non-virgin material. Pelletization may include the step of crushing or flakening the multilayer structure to form flakes. The method may further include the step of densifying the flakes to form pellets of recycled non-virgin material. In one embodiment, a multilayer structure having at least (i) an olefin-based polymer (ethylene-based polymer) and (ii) an adhesive layer (or coating layer) having an aqueous adhesive composition is subjected to a pelletizer unit capable of converting the multilayer structure into pellets of recycled non-virgin material.

[0052] This method includes the step of blending pellets of recycled non-virgin material with an olefin-based polymer blend component to form a blended material. The olefin-based polymer blend component may be in the form of pellets, flakes, or a combination thereof.

[0053] Olefin-based polymer blend components include (i) recycled olefin-based polymer multilayer films, (ii) virgin ethylene-based polymers, and (iii) combinations thereof. Olefin-based polymer blend components differ from recycled non-virgin material pellets in that the materials / structures from which the olefin-based polymer blend components are formed do not contain an adhesive layer or contain an adhesive within it. In particular, olefin-based polymer blend components lack or exclude water-based adhesives or coating compositions.

[0054] In one embodiment, the olefin-based polymer blend component is a recycled olefin-based multilayer film. The recycled olefin-based multilayer film relative to the olefin-based polymer blend component may be the same multilayer film as the multilayer structure, except that the recycled olefin-based multilayer film relative to the olefin-based polymer blend component does not contain an adhesive layer or otherwise does not contain an adhesive. In a further embodiment, the recycled olefin-based multilayer film is a recycled ethylene-based multilayer film, and each layer of this recycled olefin-based multilayer film contains only a recycled ethylene-based polymer (and an optional additive) (or consists only of a recycled ethylene-based polymer).

[0055] In one embodiment, the olefin-based polymer blend component is a virgin olefin-based polymer. As used herein, “virgin olefin-based polymer” means one or more olefin-based polymers that do not contain PCR and / or PIR. The virgin olefin-based polymer has not been subjected to a molding process to form an article for first use (other than the formation of the first pellet after polymerization).

[0056] In further embodiments, the virgin olefin-based polymer is a virgin ethylene-based polymer. Virgin ethylene-based polymers differ from non-virgin ethylene-based polymers in that they do not contain resin particles recycled from post-consumer or post-industrial articles. For example, virgin ethylene-based polymers are not reprocessed materials recovered after the material has completed its initial use, i.e., after it has already fulfilled its initial purpose.

[0057] In one embodiment, the blended material contains 1% to 99% by weight, or 1% to 75% by weight, or 1% by weight, or 2.5% by weight, or 5% by weight, or 10% by weight, or 15% by weight, or 20% by weight, or 30% by weight, or 40% by weight, or 50% by weight, or 60% by weight, or 70% by weight, or 75% by weight of recycled non-virgin material and a complementary amount of olefin-based polymer blend component (in an amount such that 100% by weight of the blended material is obtained), or 99% to 1% by weight, or 99% to 25% by weight, or 99% by weight, or 97.5% by weight, or 95% by weight, or 90% by weight, or 85% by weight, or 80% by weight, or 70% by weight, or 60% by weight, or 50% by weight, or 40% by weight, or 30% by weight, or 25% by weight of olefin-based polymer blend component. The weight percentages are relative to the total weight of the blended material.

[0058] In one embodiment, the blended material contains 50% by weight pellets formed from recycled non-virgin material and 50% by weight pellets of an olefin-based polymer blend component. The weight percentages are relative to the total weight of the blended material.

[0059] Next, the olefin-based polymer blend component is transferred to the feed zone of an extruder. This extruder is designed to densify and melt pellets of both the recycled non-virgin material and the olefin-based polymer blend component to form a molten pool of polymer. This pool of polymer can be pressurized and extruded from the extruder through a die, converting the polymer into solid pellets. The term “extrude” or “purging” refers to the process of introducing a polymer into an extruder and propelling the polymer along a screw through a region of high temperature and pressure, where the polymer is melted and compressed, and finally extruded through a die. The extruder may be a single-screw extruder, a multi-screw extruder, a disc extruder, or a ram extruder. This method may also include the step of extruding pellets of the blended material to form an extruded product.

[0060] The method includes the step of forming an article from an extruded material (an extruded material of a blend). Since the article contains recycled non-virgin material, the article is a recycled article. The method includes the step of forming recycled articles from an extruded material (an extruded material of a blend), namely (recycled) pellets, (recycled) single-layer films, (recycled) multi-layer films, (recycled) laminates, (recycled) plastic packages, (recycled) pipes, (recycled) fibers, (recycled) molded products, and any combination thereof.

[0061] In one embodiment, the forming step includes molding an extruded material (an extruded blend of materials) into a molded article. The terms “molding” or “molded,” as used herein, refer to the process of melting a polymer, forming an extruded material, and then placing this extruded material into a mold (the mold being the inverse of the desired shape) to form an article (or part) of the desired shape and size. Molding may be unpressurized or pressurized.

[0062] In one embodiment, the method includes the step of injection molding an extruded material (formed from molten pellets of blended material) to form an injection-molded article. The term "injection molding," as used herein, refers to the process of melting a polymer material and injecting it under high pressure into a mold (the mold being the inverse of the desired shape) to form an article of a desired shape and size. The mold may be made of metal, such as steel and aluminum.

[0063] In one embodiment, the method includes the step of blow-molding an extruded material (formed from molten pellets of blended materials) to form a blow-molded article. The term "blow molding," as used herein, refers to a process that includes the steps of placing the extruded material in the center of a mold and inflating it with blow pins to press the polymer against the mold walls, and then allowing the product to solidify by cooling. Blow molding can be used to produce hollow plastic containers.

[0064] In one embodiment, the method includes producing a film from an extruder (an extruder of blended materials), which includes placing a gear pump downstream of the extruder, the gear pump providing high and stable pressure to extrude the extruder through a blown film die to form a film.

[0065] In one embodiment, the method includes the step of forming a recycled film from a blended material, the recycled film exhibiting less than 33 percent change in the performance of the same physical properties compared to the performance of a film formed from 100% by weight of an olefin-based polymer blend component (which does not include an aqueous adhesive composition). The physical film properties compared between the recycled film and the 100% by weight olefin-based polymer blend component film include tear strength, tensile strength, dig impact strength, and combinations thereof. For example, if the 100% by weight olefin-based polymer blend component film has a dig impact strength of 100 g, the recycled film (formed from the blended material) will have a dig impact strength of less than 100 g ± 33%, i.e., a dig impact strength of 67 g to 133 g.

[0066] In one embodiment, the method includes the step of blending pellets of recycled non-virgin material in an amount of 1% to 99% by weight, or 1% to 75% by weight, or 50% by weight, with an olefin-based polymer blend component (which is a recycled olefin-based polymer film (the same film as the multilayer film in a multilayer structure, but without the adhesive composition)) in an amount of 99% to 1% by weight, or 99% to 25% by weight, or 50% by weight, to form a blended material. The recycled non-virgin material includes 88% to 99.5% by weight of an ethylene-based polymer (relative to the total weight of the recycled non-virgin material) and 12% to 0.5% by weight of an aqueous adhesive composition having a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) value of 21.0 or less. The method includes the step of extruding the blended material to form a recycled film. The recycled film exhibits a change of less than 33 percent in the performance of the same physical properties compared to the performance of a film consisting of a recycled olefin-based polymer multilayer film of the olefin-based polymer blend component. The physical properties are selected from one, some, or all of the following properties: tear strength, tensile strength, and / or dirt impact strength.

[0067] This disclosure provides articles. In one embodiment, the article is a recycled article and is formed from a blend of an olefin-based polymer blend component and a recycled non-virgin material. The recycled non-virgin material is formed from a multilayer structure having (i) a layer composed of an olefin-based polymer and (ii) an adhesive layer composed of a water-based adhesive composition exhibiting a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) value of 21.0 or less.

[0068] The olefin-based polymer blend components are selected from virgin olefin-based polymers, recycled olefin-based polymer multilayer films, and combinations thereof.

[0069] The (recycled) article contains 1% to 99% by weight, or 1% to 75% by weight, or 50% by weight of recycled non-virgin material, and 99% to 1% by weight, or 99% to 25% by weight, or 50% by weight of an olefin-based polymer blend component, based on the total weight of the (recycled) article. The (recycled) article contains 88% to 99.5% by weight, or 90% to 99.0% by weight, or 95% to 99.0% by weight, or 97% to 99% by weight of an ethylene-based polymer (virgin ethylene-based polymer and non-virgin ethylene-based polymer), based on the total weight of the (recycled) article, and 0.5% to 12% by weight, or 1% to 10% by weight, or 1% to 5% by weight, or 1% to 3% by weight of an aqueous adhesive composition.

[0070] In one embodiment, the articles are recycled articles, which include (recycled) pellets, (recycled) single-layer films, (recycled) multi-layer films, (recycled) laminates, (recycled) plastic packaging, (recycled) pipes, (recycled) fibers, (recycled) molded products, and any combination thereof.

[0071] In one embodiment, the (recycled) article is a recycled film. The recycled film contains 1% to 75% or 50% by weight of recycled non-virgin material and 99% to 25% or 50% by weight of an olefin-based polymer blend component, relative to the total weight of the (recycled) article. The (recycled) article contains 88% to 99.5% or 90% to 99.0% by weight of an ethylene-based polymer, or 95% to 99.0% or 97% to 99% by weight, relative to the total weight of the (recycled) article, and 0.5% to 12% or 1% to 10% by weight, or 1% to 5% or 1% to 3% by weight of an aqueous adhesive composition. The aqueous adhesive composition has a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) value of 21.0 or less, or less than 20.0. The olefin-based polymer blend component is a recycled ethylene-based polymer multilayer film. The recycled film exhibits less than 33 percent change in the performance of the same physical properties compared to a film consisting solely of 100% by weight of an olefin-based blend component (recycled ethylene-based polymer multilayer film). The film's physical properties are one, some, or all of the following: tear strength, tensile strength, and / or dirt impact strength.

[0072] Rather than being limiting, some embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail in the following embodiments. [Examples]

[0073] Table 1 below lists the materials used in the comparative sample (CS) and the examples of the present invention (IE).

[0074] [Table 1]

[0075] A. Production of multilayer films A multilayer olefin-based polymer film (referred to as interchangeable as a 7-layer film) is fabricated on a 7-layer blown film line (available from Hosokawa-Alpin). The material composition of each of the 7 layers is listed in Table 2. The 7-layer blown film line utilizes seven extruders with a diameter of 50 mm (L / D ratio) and a die gap of 30. These extruders feed into a 250 mm diameter spiral mandrel die with a 2 mm die gap, a lay flat of 610 mm, and a gauge of 2 mil (50 pm). The production rate is 148 kg / hour (kg / hour), and the melting temperature is in the range of approximately 185°C to 245°C. A blow-up ratio of 2.5 is used for blowing the 7-layer film, and the 7-layer film is then cooled with single-lip air rings and internal bubble cooling. The line speed is approximately 17 m / min (m / min), and the 7-layer film is corona-treated to achieve an average surface energy of >38 dynes / cm².

[0076] Table 2 below provides the structure / composition of a 7-layer film with a thickness of 50 μm.

[0077] [Table 2]

[0078] B.Multilayer structure 1. Laminate The laminate is formed by bonding two 7-layer films together, that is, by applying a layer of the aqueous adhesive composition shown in Table 3A to the surface of one 7-layer film, and then positioning the other 7-layer film in contact with the adhesive layer, as described below.

[0079] 2. Coated film The coated article (coated film) is formed by applying layers of the aqueous adhesive composition shown in Table 3A to the surface of a single seven-layer film as described below.

[0080] Table 3A below shows the composition and application amount of the water-based adhesive composition applied to the 7-layer film when forming the resulting multilayer structure.

[0081] [Table 3]

[0082] As shown in Table 3A, the water-based adhesive composition WBA1 formed from OPULUX (trademark) MC5004 / CR9-101 exhibits a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) value of 21.0 or less (WBA1 19.1). The water-based adhesive composition ADCOTE (trademark) 37JD1198 exhibits an HSP value of 21.0 or less (WBA2 19.4). The water-based adhesive composition WBA3 formed from OPULUX (trademark) MC5005G / CR9-101 exhibits an HSP value of 21.0 or less (WBA3 19.0). The water-based adhesive composition WBA4 formed from ROBOND (trademark) L-90M / CR9-101 exhibits an HSP value of 21.0 or less (WBA4 19.6). The water-based adhesive composition WBA5 formed with ROBOND (trademark) L-2150 / CR9-101 cannot exhibit an HSP value of 21.0 or less (WBA5 21.8).

[0083] Lamination of multilayer structures is performed using a Labocombi 400 series, a commercially available laminator (available from Nordmeccanica). The Labocombi 400 has a maximum film width of 406 mm and a minimum film width of 254 mm. The laminator includes a gravure deck for lamination of water-based adhesives. The laminator further includes a two-zone forced-air dryer and a 7.5 kW corona treatment unit (available from Enercon Industries Corporation) for both primary and secondary films. The coated film is dried in the drying section of the laminator, resulting in a residual moisture content of 10 mg / m². 2Evaporate the solvent until it is less than 0. The maximum line speed of the laminator is 400 meters per minute (m / min) (or 1,312 feet per minute). All unwinds use a 76mm or 152mm core, and rewinds use a 76mm core. Once lamination is complete, allow the laminate to fully cure for 7 days at 21±1°C and 50% relative humidity.

[0084] Table 3B below shows the structure / composition for coated film 1, coated film 2, and coated film 3. Each coated film has a 7-layer film / water-based adhesive composition structure.

[0085] [Table 4]

[0086] Table 3C below shows the structure / composition for Laminate 1 and Laminate 2, which have a 7-layer film / water-based adhesive composition.

[0087] [Table 5]

[0088] C. Film shredding / pelletization Each of the generated multilayer structures (coated film 1, coated film 2, coated film 3, laminate 1, and laminate 2) is subsequently reprocessed by shredding each multilayer structure into a granular form and then pelletizing the shredded multilayer structures, resulting in the formation of recycled non-virgin material. Shredding and pelletizing are achieved using an INTAREMA® 605K pelletizer unit (available from EREMA North America, Inc., 23 Old Right Road-Unit #2, Ipswich, MA01938, USA). The barrel zone of the pelletizer is operated at 171°C, and the pelletizer zone is operated at 176°C. The resulting pellets of recycled non-virgin material have an average size of 30 pellets per gram.

[0089] Table 4 below shows the composition of recycled non-virgin materials.

[0090] [Table 6]

[0091] D. Blending ratio for formulation After pelletization, the pellets of the recycled non-virgin material (RPM1 pellets, RNM2 pellets, RNM3 pellets, RNM4 pellets, and RNM5 pellets) are blended with the pellets of the olefin-based polymer blend component in an approximately 50:50 wt% ratio. The olefin-based polymer blend component (referred herein interchangeably to “control pellets”) is a recycled olefin-based polymer multilayer film (referred herein interchangeably to “recycled 7-layer film”) obtained by shredding and pelletizing a 7-layer film. Furthermore, this recycled olefin-based polymer multilayer film differs from the pellets of the recycled non-virgin material in that the recycled olefin-based polymer multilayer film is not made into a multilayer structure and therefore does not contain water-based adhesives or coatings, nor is it laminated.

[0092] A blown film is formed from a blended material having 50% by weight of recycled 7-ply film and 50% by weight of recycled non-virgin material. The conditions for producing the blown film are shown in Table 5A below. The resulting films formed from a blend of 50% by weight of an olefin-based polymer blend component (i.e., recycled 7-ply film) and 50% by weight of recycled non-virgin material are provided for RNM1, RNM2, RNM3, RNM4, and RNM5, respectively. A corresponding first control film formed from 100% by weight of recycled 7-ply film is also provided (formed under the production conditions of Table 5A), as shown in Table 5B. Similarly, a corresponding second control film formed from 100% by weight of recycled 7-ply film is also provided (formed under the production conditions of Table 5A), as shown in Table 5B.

[0093] [Table 7]

[0094] [Table 8]

[0095] Tables 6A and 6B below show the dig impact strength, tear strength, and tensile strength values ​​for Example IE3 (Table 6A) (including WBA1 in Table 3A), Example IE4 (Table 6A) (including WBA2 in Table 3A), Example IE5 (Table 6B) (including WBA3 in Table 3A), Example IE6 (Table 6B) (including WBA4 in Table 3A), and IE7 (Table 6A) (including WBA5 in Table 3A) of the present invention. Table 6 also includes the mechanical properties for control films CS1 (Table 6A) and CS2 (Table 6B), which are each formed from 100% by weight recycled 7-ply film. CS1 is prepared from a first batch of recycled 7-ply film. CS2 is prepared from a second batch of recycled 7-ply film several weeks after the preparation of CS1.

[0096] [Table 9]

[0097] [Table 10]

[0098] Table 7A shows the percentage change in values ​​when comparing (i) CS1 to IE3, (i) CS1 to IE4, and (i) CS1 to IE7. Table 7B shows the percentage change in values ​​when comparing (ii) CS2 to IE7 and (i) CS2 to IE6.

[0099] [Table 11]

[0100] [Table 12]

[0101] The “Film IE3 (Blend)” column in Table 6A shows that Film IE3 (recycled film), formed from 50% by weight of recycled 7-ply film and 50% by weight of RNM1 (relative to the total weight of Film IE3), shows improvements in dirt impact strength, tear strength, and tensile strength values ​​compared to Film IE7 (Blend) in Table 6A, which shows Film IE7 composed of 50% by weight of 7-ply film and 50% by weight of RNM5 (this RNM5 contains WBA5 (HSP>21.0)) (relative to the total weight of Film IE7), if this recycled non-virgin material contains WBA1 (HSP<21.0).

[0102] The “Film IE4 (Blend)” column in Table 6A further shows that Film IE4 (recycled film), formed from 50% by weight of recycled 7-ply film and 50% by weight of RNM2 (relative to the total weight of Film IE4), shows improvements in dirt impact strength, tear strength, and tensile strength values ​​compared to Film IE7 (Blend) in Table 6A, which shows Film IE7 composed of 50% by weight of 7-ply film and 50% by weight of RNM5 (this RNM5 contains WBA5 (HSP>21.0)) (relative to the total weight of Film IE7), when this recycled non-virgin material contains WBA2 (HSP<21.0).

[0103] The "CS2 vs. IE5 %Δ" column in Table 7B shows that film IE5 (recycled film), formed from 50% by weight of recycled 7-ply film and 50% by weight of RNM3 (relative to the total weight of film IE5), shows a percentage improvement in dirt impact strength, tear strength, and tensile strength compared to film IE7, which is composed of 50% by weight of 7-ply film and 50% by weight of RNM5 (this RNM5 contains WBA5 (HSP>21.0)) (relative to the total weight of film IE7), when this recycled non-virgin material contains WBA3 (HSP<21.0).

[0104] The “CS2 vs IE6 %Δ” column in Table 7B further shows that film IE6 (recycled film), formed from 50 wt% recycled 7-ply film and 50 wt% RNM4 (relative to the total weight of film IE6), shows a percentage improvement in dirt impact strength, tear strength, and tensile strength compared to film IE7, which is composed of 50 wt% recycled 7-ply film and 50 wt% RNM5 (this RNM5 contains WBA5 (HSP>21.0)) (relative to the total weight of film IE7), when this recycled non-virgin material contains WBA4 (HSP<21.0).

[0105] The “CS1 vs. IE3 %Δ” and “CS1 vs. IE4 %Δ” columns in Table 7A further show that films IE3 and IE4 exhibit less than 33% change in the performance of physical properties such as dirt impact, tear strength, and tensile strength compared to film CS1 (CS1 consisting of 100% by weight of an olefin-based polymer blend component, which is a recycled 7-layer film). Therefore, Table 7A demonstrates the recyclability of recycled non-virgin materials including layers of olefin-based polymers (formed from a coating having one 7-layer film, all of which are ethylene-based polymers) and layers of water-based adhesive compositions having an HSP value of 21.0 or less.

[0106] The “CS2 vs IE6 %Δ” column in Table 7B also shows that film IE6 exhibits less than a 33% change in the performance of its physical properties, such as dirt impact, tear strength, and tensile strength, compared to film CS2 (CS2 consisting of 100% by weight of an olefin-based polymer blend component, which is a recycled 7-layer film). Therefore, Table 7B demonstrates the recyclability of recycled non-virgin materials, including layers of olefin-based polymers (formed from a laminate having two 7-layer films, all of which are ethylene-based polymers) and layers of water-based adhesives or coating compositions having an HSP value of 21.0 or less.

[0107] In contrast, the “CS1 vs CS7 %Δ” column in Table 7A demonstrates that recycled non-virgin materials containing layers of olefin-based polymers (formed from a laminate with two 7-layer films, all of which are ethylene-based polymers) and layers of water-based adhesives or coating compositions (WBA5) that do not have an HSP value of 21.0 or less are not recyclable. This is demonstrated by a change of more than 33% in the performance of physical properties such as dirt impact strength, tear strength, and tensile strength compared to film CS1 (film CS1 consisting of 100% by weight of an olefin-based polymer blend component, which is a recycled 7-layer film).

[0108] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and examples contained herein, but is specifically intended to include modifications of these embodiments, including some embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments, as are included in the following claims.

Claims

1. A step of preparing pellets of recycled non-virgin material, wherein the recycled non-virgin material is formed from a multilayer structure comprising at least (i) a layer containing an olefin-based polymer and (ii) an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer comprising a water-based adhesive composition, The steps include blending the aforementioned pellets with an olefin-based polymer blend component to form a blended material, The steps of forming an article from the blended material and Methods that include...

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting an aqueous adhesive composition having a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) value of 21.0 or less as the aqueous adhesive composition, prior to the preparation step.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the olefin-based polymer blend component is selected from the group consisting of virgin olefin-based polymers, recycled olefin-based polymer multilayer films, and combinations thereof.

4. 99.5% to 88% by weight of an ethylene-based polymer, and 0.5% to 12% by weight of an aqueous adhesive composition The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising the step of preparing pellets of the recycled non-virgin material containing the recycled non-virgin material.

5. The process includes the step of blending 1% to 75% by weight of the pellets of the recycled non-virgin material with 99% to 25% by weight of the olefin-based polymer blend component to form the blended material. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the olefin-based polymer blend component is a recycled olefin-based polymer multilayer film.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the multilayer structure is selected from the group consisting of single-layer films, multilayer films, laminates, plastic packages, molded products, and combinations thereof.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising the step of forming an article selected from the group consisting of pellets, single-layer films, multi-layer films, multi-layer laminates, plastic packages, pipes, fibers, and molded products from the blended material.

8. The article is a film, The method according to claim 7, wherein the film exhibits a change of less than 33 percent in the performance of the same physical properties compared to the performance of a film consisting solely of the olefin-based polymer blend component.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the physical properties are selected from the group consisting of tear strength, tensile strength, dirt impact, film haze, and combinations thereof.

10. Olefin-based polymer blend components, and A recycled non-virgin material formed from a multilayer structure comprising at least (i) a layer containing an olefin-based polymer and (ii) an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer contains an aqueous adhesive composition. Articles that include [this item].

11. The article according to claim 10, wherein the aqueous adhesive or coating composition has a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) value of 21.0 or less.

12. The article according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the olefin-based polymer blend component is selected from the group consisting of virgin olefin-based polymers, recycled olefin-based polymer multilayer films, and combinations thereof.

13. 99.5% to 88% by weight of an ethylene-based polymer, and 0.5% to 12% by weight polyurethane adhesive The article according to any one of claims 10 to 12, including the article described in any one of claims 10 to 12.

14. An article according to any one of claims 10 to 13, selected from the group consisting of pellets, single-layer films, multi-layer films, multi-layer laminates, plastic packaging materials, pipes, fibers, and molded products.

15. The article according to claim 14, wherein the article is a film, and the film exhibits a change of less than 33 percent in the performance of the same physical properties compared to the performance of the same physical properties of a film made of the olefin-based blend component.

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