Note : Les revendications sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A packaging film composite having a
thickness in the range of about 0.5 to about 10 mils
comprised of an admixture of (1) about 80 to about
45 weight percent, based on 100 weight percent, of an
unvulcanized elastomeric block copolymer having the
general configuration A - B - A wherein each A is an
independently selected nonelastomeric monovinyl aromatic
hydrocarbon polymer block selected from styrene, .alpha.-methyl-
styrene and vinyl toluene having an average molecular
weight of about 7,000 to about 25,000 and a glass
transition temperature above about 25°C., the total
block A content being from about 20 to about 40 percent
by weight of the copolymer, and B is an elastomeric
conjugated diene polymer block selected from 1,3-butadiene
and isoprene having an average molecular weight from about
30,000 to about 100,000 and a glass transition tempera-
ture below about 10°C., said block copolymer being
further characterized by having a melt viscosity in the
range of about 0.1 to about 10 grams/10 minutes according
to ASTM No. D-1238, (2) about 20 to about 55 weight
percent of a thermoplastic resin selected from at least
one polymer of styrene, .alpha.-methylstyrene, styrene/.alpha.-methyl-
styrene, vinyl toluene, vinyl toluene/.alpha.-methylstyrene,
indene resins, alkyl phenolic resins, petroleum and coal
tar resins, said resins characterized by being soluble
in styrene and by having an intrinsic viscosity of about
0.02 to about 0.50 as determined in toluene at 30°C. and
16
(3) a sufficient amount of an anti-blocking agent.
2. The packaging film composite of claim 1
having a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 10 mils and
characterized by having an anti-block property of less
than about 10 grams, comprised of an admixture of an
unvulcanized radial or linear styrene-butadiene-styrene
elastomeric block copolymer, at least one thermoplastic
resin selected from polymers of styrene, .alpha.-methylstyrene
and styrene/.alpha.-methylstyrene and optionally containing
lubricants, fillers, pigments and stabilizers.
3. In a package of an article wrapped in a
film of an unvulcanized block copolymer, the improvement
in which said package is comprised of (A) an article
selected from at least one of unvulcanized rubber, com-
pounding ingredients for unvulcanized rubber, and
compounding ingredients for thermoplastic polymers in
(B) a packaging film composite of claim 1.
4. The package of claim 3 where said film
composite substantially encompasses said article, has
a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 10 mils, is charac-
terized by having an anti-block property less than about
10 grams, and is comprised of an admixture of an unvul-
canized radial or linear styrene-butadiene-styrene
elastomeric block copolymer, at least one thermoplastic
resin selected from polymers of styrene, .alpha.-methylstyrene
or styrene/.alpha.-methylstyrene and optionally containing
lubricants, fillers, pigments and stabilizers.
5. The package of claim 3 where said article
is an unvulcanized high unsaturation rubber tightly
17
wrapped and optionally heat sealed with said protective
film composite comprised of an admixture of said unvul-
canized elastomeric block copolymer, thermoplastic resin
and optionally containing lubricants, fillers, pigments
and stabilizers.
6. The package of claim 5 wherein said article
is selected from at least one of butadiene/styrene copoly-
mers, polybutadiene and cis-1,4-polyisoprene and where,
in said protective film composite, said block copolymer
is a radial or linear styrene-butadiene-styrene block
copolymer and said thermoplastic resin is selected from
at least one polymer of styrene, .alpha.-methylstyrene and
styrene/.alpha.-methylstyrene.
7. The package of claim 3 wherein said article
is at least one compounding ingredient for unvulcanized
rubber.
8. The package of claim 5 where said film
composite substantially encompasses said article and is
optionally heat sealed and said article is comprised of
at least one compounding ingredient for unvulcanized high
unsaturation rubber selected from resins, fillers,
accelerators, antioxidants, antiozonants, sulfur and
peroxide-type curatives and processing aids.
9. The package of claim 8 where said article
is selected from at least one of hydrocarbon resins,
fillers selected from clay, silicates and calcium
carbonate; accelerators selected from cadmium diethyl-
dithiocarbamate, tetramethyl thiuram disulfide, benzo-
thiazyl disulfide; phenolic, substituted thio ester and
18
amine-type antioxidants; aniline derivative, diamine and
thiourea anti-ozonants; sulfur-providing and peroxide
curatives; iron oxide and titanium dioxide color pigments;
carbon black, zinc oxide and hydrated silicon compound
reinforcing pigments; and polyethylene, silicon dioxide,
pumice and stearate processing aids.
10. The package of claim 7, packaged with said
film composite, optionally heat sealed, comprised of an
unvulcanized elastomeric styrene-butadiene-styrene block
copolymer, a thermoplastic resin selected from at least
one polymer of styrene, .alpha.-methylstyrene and styrene/
.alpha.-methylstyrene and optionally containing lubricants,
fillers, pigments and stabilizers.
11. The package of claim 8 where said article
is at least one compounding ingredient for thermoplastic
polymers.
12. The package of claim 11 where said article
is at least one compounding ingredient for polystyrene.
13. A compounded high unsaturation rubber
prepared by mixing a package of claim 11 wherein said
article is an unvulcanized high unsaturation rubber with
an additional package of claim 11 wherein said article is
at least one compounding ingredient for said unvulcanized
high unsaturation rubber.
14. A compounded thermoplastic polymer prepared
by mixing a thermoplastic polymer with a package of
claim 3 wherein said article is at least one compounding
ingredient for said thermoplastic polymer.
19
15. The compounded thermoplastic polymer of
claim 14 wherein said thermoplastic polymer is polystyrene.
16. A compounded high unsaturation rubber
prepared by mixing an unvulcanized high unsaturation
rubber with a package o f claim 7,
17. The compounded high unsaturation rubber of
claim 15 where said film composite has a thickness in the
range of 0.5 to 10 mils, is characterized by having an
antiblock property of less than about 10 grams, and is
comprised of said elastomeric block copolymer, thermo-
plastic resin and, optionally, containing lubricants,
fillers, pigments and stabilizers.
18. The compounded rubber of claim 17, sulfur
cured.
19. The compounded rubber of claim 17 where
said high unsaturation rubber is selected from at least
one of butadiene/styrene copolymers, polybutadiene and
cis-1,4-polyisoprene and wherein, in said film composite,
said block copolymer is a radial or linear styrene-
butadiene-styrene block copolymer and said thermoplastic
resin is selected from at least one polymer of styrene,
.alpha.-methylstyrene and styrene/.alpha.-methylstyrene.
20. The compounded rubber of claim 17 where
said packaged article is comprised of at least one
compounding ingredient for unvulcanized high unsaturation
rubber selected from resins, fillers, accelerators, anti-
oxidants, antiozonants, sulfur and peroxide-type curatives
and processing aids.
21. The compounded rubber of claim 20 where
said packaged article is selected from at least one of
hydrocarbon resins; fillers selected from clay, silicates
and calcium carbonate; accelerators selected from cadmium
diethyldithiocarbamate, tetramethyl thiuram disulfide
and benzothiazyl disulfide, phenolic, substituted thio-
ester and amine-type antioxidants; aniline derivative,
diamine and thiourea antiozonants; sulfur-providing and
peroxide curatives; iron oxide and titanium dioxide color
pigments; carbon black, zinc oxide and hydrated silicon
compound reinforcing pigments; and polyethylene, silicon
dioxide, pumice and stearate processing aids.
22. The compounded rubber of claim 21 which is
sulfur cured, where said rubber is selected from at least
one of butadiene/styrene copolymers, polybutadiene and
cis-1,4-polyisoprene and where, in said film composite,
said block copolymer is a styrene-butadiene-styrene block
copolymer and said thermoplastic resin is selected from
at least one polymer of styrene, .alpha.-methylstyrene and
styrene/.alpha.-methylstyrene.
23. In a method of preparing a package of an
article wrapped in a film of an unvulcanized block
copolymer, the improvement which comprises (A) wrapping
an article selected from at least one of unvulcanized
rubber, compounding ingredients for unvulcanized rubber,
and compounding ingredients for thermoplastic polymers
by substantially encompassing with a protective film
composite which is compatible therewith said unvulcanized
rubber or thermoplastic polymer, said film having a
21
thickness of about 0.5 to about 10 mils and comprised of
an admixture of (1) about 80 to about 45 weight percent,
based on 100 percent by weight, of an unvulcanized
elastomeric block copolymer having the general configura-
tion A - B - A wherein each A is an independently selected
nonelastomeric monovinyl aromatic hydrocarbon polymer
block selected from styrene, .alpha.-methylstyrene and vinyl
toluene having an average molecular weight of about
7,000 to about 25,000 and a glass transition temperature
above about 25°C., the total block A content being from
about 20 to about 40 percent by weight of the copolymer,
and B is an elastomeric conjugated diene polymer block
selected from 1,3-butadiene and isoprene having an average
molecular weight from about 30,000 to about 100,000
and a glass transition temperature below about 10°C.,
said block copolymer being further characterized by having
a melt viscosity in the range of about 0.1 to about
10 gms/10 min according to ASTM No. D-1238, correspondingly
(2) about 20 to about 55 weight percent of at least one
thermoplastic aromatic group-containing resin selected
from at least one polymer of styrene, .alpha.-methylstyrene,
styrene/.alpha.-methylstyrene, vinyl toluene, vinyl toluene/
.alpha.-methylstyrene, indene resins, alkyl phenolic resins and
petroleum and coal tar resins, said resins characterized
by being soluble in styrene and by having an intrinsic
viscosity in toluene at 30°C. of about 0.02 to about 0.5
and (3) a sufficient amount of an antiblocking agent
and, optionally, (B) heat sealing the film to form the
package.
22