Chevron Phillips 6109DK is a butene-copolymer linear low-density polyethylene blown-film resin with supplier-published nominal density 0.918 g/cm³ and nominal melt index 0.90 g/10 min at 190 °C/2.16 kg per ISO 1183-1:2019 and ISO 1133-1:2022. The butene comonomer distribution produces a controlled balance between dart impact, tear, and optical properties; this balance is exploited only when the resin is formulated with LDPE, HDPE, or metallocene plastomers in the downstream applications below. Pellets are non-hygroscopic, but surface condensation on cold pellets transferred into humid extrusion halls above 60% RH is controlled by hopper drying at 60–70 °C for 1–2 h to prevent bubble defects.

What Changes When 6109DK Replaces Standard LDPE in Deep-Freeze Film Blends?

In deep-freeze packaging, film must retain ductility after severe folding at freezer temperatures while resisting puncture by frozen product edges. The butene copolymer is compounded at a nominal ratio of 70 wt% 6109DK, 25 wt% high-clarity LDPE with a density of 0.923 g/cm³ and melt index of 0.3 g/10 min, and 5 wt% slip/antiblock masterbatch; this ratio holds haze below 9% per ASTM D1003-21 while maintaining dart impact above 140 g for 50 µm film per ASTM D1709-16a, Method A. Frost line height is set at 5–7 die diameters to balance quench rate and bubble stability; die gap is 1.9–2.3 mm, blow-up ratio is 2.2–2.8, and melt temperature is held between 193 °C and 210 °C on a linear low-density film screw with 24:1–30:1 L/D. Food-contact extrudate is specified under FDA 21 CFR 177.1520(c) and Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 with overall migration not exceeding 10 mg dm^-2; seal strength is checked by ASTM F88/F88M-15 with seal initiation over a 90–120 °C jaw temperature range. Converted products include IQF vegetable and seafood bags, ice cube bags, and frozen fruit pouches.

Container liner and refuse sack extrusion introduces 6109DK at 40–60 wt% with film-grade HDPE at 30–50 wt% and reclaimed edge trim up to 10 wt%. The blend is processed on a grooved-feed extruder with 30:1 L/D, a 200–300 mm die, internal bubble cooling, die gap 1.4–2.0 mm, blow-up ratio 3.0–4.2, and melt temperature 193–221 °C; increasing HDPE fraction raises tensile stiffness but narrows the melt fracture window, so adapter pressure is maintained below 40 MPa. Compliance for non-food industrial sack and can liner production is demonstrated under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 and Directive 94/62/EC, with combined lead, cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent chromium below 100 mg kg^-1 in packaging components. The film is drawn to 25–80 µm for refuse sacks and 80–120 µm for 200-L drum liners; dart impact is assessed by ISO 7765-1:2004 or ASTM D1709-16a, while puncture resistance is assessed by ASTM D5748-12 where liner integrity is critical. Finished applications include can liners for solvent and aqueous waste, hospital infectious-waste bags, and retail refuse sacks.

Garment Bag Films Where Haze Below 8% Must Be Held Across 25–50 µm Gauges

For transparent apparel packaging, the film compound is based on 60 wt% 6109DK, 35 wt% high-clarity LDPE, and 5 wt% silica-based antiblock masterbatch; erucamide slip is maintained at 500–800 ppm to keep static coefficient of friction between 0.25 and 0.45 per ISO 8295:2004. The extrusion line uses a single-flighted barrier screw with 25:1–30:1 L/D, a 150–250 mm die, die gap 1.8–2.2 mm, blow-up ratio 2.0–2.5, and melt temperature no higher than 200 °C to suppress gel formation from recycle. Corona discharge is applied to one surface at 38–42 dyn cm^-1 for flexographic or rotogravure printing; the opposite seal surface is kept below 36 dyn cm^-1 to prevent premature seal failure. Compliance is limited to Directive 94/62/EC heavy-metal restrictions and Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 because garment film is not a primary food-contact structure; brand-specific restricted substance lists may add limits for phthalates under REACH Annex XVII or Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/2005. Terminal products include continuous perforated rollstock for automatic baggers, shirt bags, dress covers, and retail mailer envelopes.

Perforated fresh-produce flow-wrap films are formed from 70 wt% 6109DK, 15 wt% metallocene ethylene-octene plastomer with density 0.902 g/cm³, and 15 wt% LDPE; anti-fog masterbatch is added at 1–2 phr rather than as part of the polymer matrix. The plastomer depresses seal initiation to approximately 85–95 °C but lowers bubble stability, requiring a dual-lip air ring and internal bubble cooling at blow-up ratio 2.0–2.4. A 65 mm extruder with 30:1 L/D barrier screw feeds a 300 mm die with 1.8 mm gap; melt temperature is capped at 193 °C to avoid degradation of anti-fog or antimicrobial additives. Downstream perforation by needle or laser brings oxygen transmission into the 2,500–6,000 cm³ m^-2 day^-1 atm^-1 range at 23 °C and 50% RH per ASTM D3985-17. Food-contact compliance is specified under FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 and Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, with anti-fog additive authorization and migration limits from Annex I. Converted products include open bags for leafy greens, broccoli florets, fresh herbs, and bakery items requiring condensation control.

Can 6109DK Function as the Sealant Web in Adhesive-Laminated Dry Food Packaging?

As a sealant web in adhesive-laminated structures, 6109DK is extruded into 25–40 µm monolayer film with 85 wt% 6109DK, 12 wt% LDPE, and 3 wt% slip/antiblock masterbatch; higher slip loadings are avoided because erucamide migration to the lamination surface reduces solventless polyurethane bond strength per ASTM F904-16. Primary substrates include 12 µm BOPP, 12 µm PET, or 9 µm aluminum foil, laminated with solventless adhesive at 2.0–2.5 g m^-2 coat weight and cured at 40–60 °C for 24–48 h. Heat seal strength is evaluated per ASTM F88/F88M-15, with a required minimum of 12 N/15 mm for dry snack pouches and 18 N/15 mm for pet food pouches under 0.2–0.4 MPa jaw pressure and 0.5–1.0 s dwell time. The sealant layer must satisfy FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 and Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 where direct dry food contact is intended; specific migration limits for masterbatch additives are confirmed against Annex I. Converted structures are used for powdered beverage sachets, dry soup pouches, cereal liner bags, and laminated pet food packaging.

When Blending 6109DK with Bimodal HDPE for Heavy-Duty Industrial Sacks

Heavy-duty shipping sacks for mineral fillers, fertilizer, and polymer pellets use 50 wt% 6109DK, 45 wt% bimodal HDPE with density 0.949 g/cm³ and melt index 0.1 g/10 min, and 5 wt% recycled plant scrap. The HDPE phase increases stiffness and top-load resistance, but Elmendorf tear per ASTM D1922-15 drops sharply when the 6109DK fraction falls below 35 wt%, establishing the lower bound as a hard processing limit. Extrusion runs on a high-stalk blown-film line with a 350 mm die, die gap 2.2–2.8 mm, blow-up ratio 2.0–2.8, melt temperature 204–218 °C, and stalk height 8–10 die diameters to limit thickness variation to ±8%. For dangerous goods transport, the finished sack must meet UN Model Regulations Chapter 6.1 for non-bulk packagings, using plastic film sack code 5H4 where applicable; material compliance is additionally verified under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 and Directive 94/62/EC heavy-metal limits. Finished sack bodies range from 100–180 µm, with gusseted widths up to 600 mm, and are supplied as flat or gusseted tubes for conversion into cement, fertilizer, salt, and chemical additive sacks.