1. Cyclic Olefin Copolymer:
A High Performance Modifier for
Conventional Polyolefins
SPE Polyolefins 2007 Conference
February 25 – 28, 2007; updated 2013
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2. TOPAS® Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC)
A New Addition to the Ethylene Copolymer Family
Polyolefin Resin
Amorphous
Clear and Colorless
High Purity
High Moisture Barrier
Good Chemical Resistance
Easy to Process
Easy to Reprocess
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3. TOPAS® COC - Film & Packaging Examples
Pouches Forming Webs
Optical Film Blister Packaging
COC
Soft Shrink Film Shrink Sleeves
TOPAS® COC enhances a broad range
of film and packaging applications
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4. TOPAS® COC - Enhancement in Value
Customized Performance
Barrier
WVTR = extended shelf life
Special barrier (e.g. acetic acid, alcohol, aroma, flavor, acids,
bases, peroxide; moderate gas barrier)
Mechanical Properties
Added stiffness = downgauging of softer polymers
Improved thermoforming
Higher temperature resistance
Controlled tear
Superior twist retention
Curl reduction
Seal Properties
Improved seal strength, hot tack and temperature window
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5. TOPAS® COC - Barrier Properties
23C/50%
10 000
Oxygen Barrier [cm3·mil/100 in2·atm·d]
1 000 LDPE EVA12 PCL
HDPE PC
BOPP Cellulose Acetate
100 PP PS PVC
TOPAS® COC PVC hard plasticized
10 PET PA 6
PCTFE Starch
PEN
1
PAN MXD
PVdC Cellulose
0.1 EVOH
LCP
Sources: Permeability Properties of Plastics and Elastomers, Massey, 2nd Edition; various datasheets; internal data
0.01
0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1 000 10 000
Water Vapor Barrier [g·mil/100 in2·atm·d] 38C/90%
TOPAS® COC can extend the shelf life of products
due to its very high moisture barrier
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9. Modulus as a Function of Temperature
2.7 mil Three-Layer Blown Film (COC + PE Blend / PE / COC + PE Blend)
250
2% Secant Modulus in MPa
200
150 70C
75C
100 80C
85C
50
0
LLDPE 10% 8007 8% 8007 10% 6013
(Dowlex 2045) (78°C Tg) 3% 6013 (136oC Tg)
136°C Tg grade dramatically increases modulus of PE
at hot fill temperature
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11. HDPE/COC Blends: G-Modulus
10000
1000
Shear Modulus (N)/mm2
6017
6015
100
6013
8007
10
1
-40 0 40 80 120 160 200 240
Temperature ( °C)
High modulus for temperature resistant applications
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12. Formed 4.7-mil mono COC vs. 6-mil Polyolefin coex
PP/LLDPE+LDPE/PP h-LLDPE w/15% 9506 & 6013
COC
Cost ($/MSI)
160
Formed Corner Puncture (lb) 140 Gauge (mil)
120
100
Formed Cavity Puncture (lb) 80 Haze (%)
60
40
20
Formed Cavity Gauge Variation (%) 0 Gloss (60o)
Retained Volume (%) MD Modulus (ksi)
TD Tensile Strength (ksi) TD Modulus (ksi)
MD Tensile Strength (ksi)
Thermoforming: Amorphous is best
TOPAS® COC forms much better than other polyolefins
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13. TOPAS® COC - Medical Device Packaging
Description:
Forming web for medical device packaging with
PE/COC blends
Value Proposition:
Good forming properties
Excellent dimensional stability
Excellent stiffness
Cost-effective solution: downgauging and reclaim
PE COC Grades:
PE/COC blend
PE 68oC Tg and 78oC Tg
Customer:
Not disclosed
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14. TOPAS® COC - Zipper/Closure System for Bags
Description:
Zipper (Pactiv Hefty® Slide-Rite®)
Value Proposition:
Curl and Shrinkage control (no camber)
Easy open / close (COF)
Mechanical strength and stiffness
Moisture barrier
COC Grades:
6013F-04, 8007F-04
Customer:
Pactiv, US
Others
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15. TOPAS® COC Improves Seal Characteristics
Seal Strength is typically maintained or improved with low Tg COC
addition levels up to 15% in LDPE, LLDPE and plastomers.
Hot Tack strength is increased up to 100% with the addition of 15% low Tg
COC in LDPE, LLDPE, and plastomers.
Seal Initiation Temperature (SIT) can increase by 5 to 10oC with low Tg
COC levels of 15% depending on the base polyolefin.
Blends using high Tg COC typically reduce sealability and can be utilized
to reduce seal bar sticking in non-seal film surfaces.
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16. Typical Film Structures (blends)
COC / Polyethylene Blend Films
LDPE, LLDPE, Plastomer, EVA
Semi-compatible blends
Increasing compatibility
EVA - HDPE - LDPE - LLDPE - Plastomer
Depending on...
crystallinity (density, refractive index)
side chains, viscosity
Typical blend mixes
5 - 30% PE in COC
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18. TOPAS® COC – Regulatory Status - Food & Medical
USA
FDA regulation 21 CFR § 177.1520 “Olefin polymers” (3.9)
FDA Food Contact Notification (FCN #405), effective 2004, expanded prior FCN to cover
all applications including bottles (See http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnnavigation.cfm?rpt=fcslisting.)
FDA FCN #1104, effective Sep 2011, covers new E-140 grade for many conditions of use
FDA Drug Master File -- DMF #12132
FDA Device Master File -- MAF #1043
Europe
Monomers and additives are listed in the EU Plastics Regulation 10/2011 (PIM - Plastic
Implementation Measure)
Norbornene has a Specific Migration Limit (SML) of 0.05 mg/kg
TOPAS® COC is the only cyclic olefin resin meeting all major global
regulatory requirements for food contact and medical use
Contact us for compliance of specific grades!
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19. Summary
As a polyolefin, TOPAS® COC has good compatibility with most polyolefins.
Addition of relatively low levels of COC can dramatically increase the modulus of
polyolefins and the modulus enhancement is maintained up to the HDT of the
COC.
COC addition can be used to improve the barrier of polyolefins or to “fine tune” a
target transmission.
COC improves seal characteristics of many polyolefins.
COC enhances thermoforming and reduces curl.
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