Polyolefin-Polyester Blend for Oxygen Barrier and Printability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Polyolefins lack high oxygen barrier properties, heat resistance, and printability, often requiring costly surface treatments or additives that compromise mechanical properties.
Innovation Solution
A polymer composition blending polyolefins with a specific type of polyester that has repeating units with a chain length of at least 8 atoms, enhancing compatibility and polarity without the need for compatibilizers or chemical modifications, resulting in improved mechanical and printability properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If polyolefins are used to achieve low cost and good molding processability, then manufacturing cost and processability are improved, but oxygen barrier properties and heat resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by blending polyolefin with a specific polyester to create a polymer composition that combines the advantages of both materials. The polyester component provides improved oxygen barrier properties and heat resistance, while the polyolefin maintains good molding processability and cost-effectiveness.
2Ease of operation
If surface treatment is applied to polyolefins to improve printability, then printability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the polymer by incorporating polyester with specific structural characteristics (repeat units with at least one aromatic, saturated aliphatic or saturated cycloaliphatic dibasic acid and at least one aliphatic or cycloaliphatic glycol). This compositional change inherently improves printability without requiring additional surface treatment processes.
3Ease of operation
If polarity increasing additives are added to polyolefins to improve printability, then printability is improved, but mechanical properties and cost deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding expensive polarity-increasing additives that compromise mechanical properties, the patent uses a cost-effective polyester material that inherently provides the desired polarity and printability. The polyester blend maintains the mechanical properties of the polyolefin while eliminating the need for additional additives.
Data Source
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Figure 3
AI summary
The invention is directed to a polymer composition comprising a polyolefin and a polyester containing first repeating units of general structure (I) wherein RX is an organic group having a chain length of at least 8 atoms, - n1 is the number of first repeating units in the polyester. Such polymer composition is homogeneous and may be used as an alternative for pure polyolefin showing improved printability and oxygen permeability.