The present invention relates to a polymerisation process, comprising: a) supplying a feed containing ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin having 3 to 12 carbon atoms in a hydrocarbon solvent to a polymerisation reactor, b) contacting the feed of step a) in the reactor with a catalyst to form a reaction mixture containing an ethylene-alpha-olefin co-polymer, whereby the average residence time in the reactor is chosen to be between 0.5 and 30 minutes, c) withdrawing the reaction mixture from the polymerisation reactor as a reactor outlet stream which comprises the ethylene-alpha-olefin co-polymer, unreacted monomer, catalyst, and hydrocarbon solvent, and d) separating hydrocarbon solvent, monomer and comonomer from the reactor outlet stream and recycling it back to the polymerisation reactor without further purification steps, wherein in step c) no more than 5 wt. % of catalyst in an active state is leaving the reactor.

Catalyst system for producing ethylene copolymers in a high temperature solution process, the catalyst system comprising

(i) a metallocene complex of formula (I)

##STR00001## M is Hf or a mixture with Zr, provided that more than 50% by moles of the complex of Formula I has M=Hf X is a sigma ligand R are the same or different from each other and can be saturated linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.5-C.sub.10 aryl, C.sub.6-C.sub.20 alkylaryl or C.sub.6-C.sub.20 arylalkyl groups, which can optionally contain up to 2 heteroatoms or silicon atoms R.sup.1 is a C.sub.6-C.sub.20-aryl, which can be unsubstituted or substituted by one or up to 5 linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl group(s) R.sup.2 is a saturated linear or cyclic C.sub.3-C.sub.20 alkyl group or a branched CR.sup.3R.sup.4R.sup.5 group, wherein R.sup.3 is hydrogen or an C.sub.1-C.sub.20 alkyl group and R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are the same or are different and can be an C.sub.1-C.sub.20 alkyl group and (ii) a boron containing cocatalyst.

Catalyst system for producing ethylene copolymers in a high temperature solution process, the catalyst system comprising

(i) a metallocene complex of formula (I)

##STR00001## M is Hf or a mixture with Zr, provided that more than 50% by moles of the complex of Formula I has M=Hf X is a sigma ligand R are the same or different from each other and can be saturated linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.5-C.sub.10 aryl, C.sub.6-C.sub.20 alkylaryl or C.sub.6-C.sub.20 arylalkyl groups, which can optionally contain up to 2 heteroatoms or silicon atoms R.sup.1 is a C.sub.6-C.sub.20-aryl, which can be unsubstituted or substituted by one or up to 5 linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl group(s) R.sup.2 is a saturated linear or cyclic C.sub.3-C.sub.20 alkyl group or a branched CR.sup.3R.sup.4R.sup.5 group, wherein R.sup.3 is hydrogen or an C.sub.1-C.sub.20 alkyl group and R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are the same or are different and can be an C.sub.1-C.sub.20 alkyl group and (ii) a boron containing cocatalyst.

It is provided a polymer composition including at least the following components A) 70 to 97 wt.-% based on the overall weight of the polymer composition of a polymer blend, including a1) 50 to 95 wt.-% of polypropylene; a2) 5 to 50 wt.-% of polyethylene; B) 3 to 30 wt.-% based on the overall weight of the polymer composition of a copolymer of propylene and 1-hexene, including b1) 30 to 70 wt.-% of a first random copolymer of propylene and 1-hexene; and b2) 30 to 70 wt.-% of a second random copolymer of propylene and 1-hexene having a higher 1-hexene content than the first random propylene copolymer b1); with the provisos that the weight proportions of components a1) and a2) add up to 100 wt.-%; the weight proportions of components b1) and b2) add up to 100 wt.-%; component A) has a MFR.sub.2 (230° C., 2.16 kg) determined according to ISO 1133 in the range from 1.0 to 50.0 g/10 min; component B) has a 1-hexene content in the range of 2.0 to 8.0 wt.-% based on the overall weight of component B); and the polymer composition is free from plastomers being an elastomeric copolymer of ethylene and 1-octene having a density in the range from 0.860 to 0.930 g/cm.sup.3.

It is provided a polymer composition including at least the following components A) 70 to 97 wt.-% based on the overall weight of the polymer composition of a polymer blend, including a1) 50 to 95 wt.-% of polypropylene; a2) 5 to 50 wt.-% of polyethylene; B) 3 to 30 wt.-% based on the overall weight of the polymer composition of a copolymer of propylene and 1-hexene, including b1) 30 to 70 wt.-% of a first random copolymer of propylene and 1-hexene; and b2) 30 to 70 wt.-% of a second random copolymer of propylene and 1-hexene having a higher 1-hexene content than the first random propylene copolymer b1); with the provisos that the weight proportions of components a1) and a2) add up to 100 wt.-%; the weight proportions of components b1) and b2) add up to 100 wt.-%; component A) has a MFR.sub.2 (230° C., 2.16 kg) determined according to ISO 1133 in the range from 1.0 to 50.0 g/10 min; component B) has a 1-hexene content in the range of 2.0 to 8.0 wt.-% based on the overall weight of component B); and the polymer composition is free from plastomers being an elastomeric copolymer of ethylene and 1-octene having a density in the range from 0.860 to 0.930 g/cm.sup.3.

Blown films, especially monolayer blown films, of high stiffness, the blown films comprising at least 95.0 wt % of a specific propylene-1-butene random copolymer.

Blown films, especially monolayer blown films, of high stiffness, the blown films comprising at least 95.0 wt % of a specific propylene-1-butene random copolymer.

Ethylene-based polymers having a density of 0.952 to 0.968 g/cm3. a ratio of HLMI/MI from 185 to 550. an IB parameter from 1.46 to 1.80, a tan δ at 0.1 sec.sup.-1 from 1.05 to 1.75 degrees, and a slope of a plot of viscosity versus shear rate at 100 sec.sup.-1 from 0.18 to 0.28 are described, with low melt flow versions having a HLMI from 10 to 30 g/10 min and a Mw from 250,000 to 450,000 g/mol, and high melt flow versions having a HLMI from 30 to 55 g/10 min and a Mw from 200,000 to 300,000 g/mol. These polymers have the processability of chromium-based resins, but with improved stress crack resistance and topload strength for bottles and other blow molded products.

Ethylene-based polymers having a density of 0.952 to 0.968 g/cm3. a ratio of HLMI/MI from 185 to 550. an IB parameter from 1.46 to 1.80, a tan δ at 0.1 sec.sup.-1 from 1.05 to 1.75 degrees, and a slope of a plot of viscosity versus shear rate at 100 sec.sup.-1 from 0.18 to 0.28 are described, with low melt flow versions having a HLMI from 10 to 30 g/10 min and a Mw from 250,000 to 450,000 g/mol, and high melt flow versions having a HLMI from 30 to 55 g/10 min and a Mw from 200,000 to 300,000 g/mol. These polymers have the processability of chromium-based resins, but with improved stress crack resistance and topload strength for bottles and other blow molded products.

Catalyst systems and methods for making and using the same. A method of methylating a catalyst composition while substantially normalizing the entiomeric distribution is provided. The method includes slurrying the organometallic compound in dimethoxyethane (DME), and adding a solution of RMgBr in DME, wherein R is a methyl group or a benzyl group, and wherein the RMgBr is greater than about 2.3 equivalents relative to the organometallic compound. After the addition of the RMgBr, the slurry is mixed for at least about four hours. An alkylated organometallic is isolated, wherein the methylated species has a meso/rac ratio that is between about 0.9 and about 1.2.