A polyethylene homopolymer composition comprises: a first ethylene homopolymer having a density, d.sup.1 of from 0.943 to 0.975 g/cm.sup.3, a melt index, I.sub.2.sup.1 of from 0.01 to 10 g/10 min, and a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn of less than 3.0; and a second ethylene homopolymer having a density, d.sup.2 of from 0.950 to 0.985 g/cm.sup.3, a melt index, I.sub.2.sup.2 of at least 500 g/10 min, and a molecular weight distribution, M.sub.w/M.sub.n of less than 3.0; wherein the ratio of the melt index, I.sub.2.sup.2 of the second ethylene homopolymer to the melt index, I.sub.2.sup.1 of the first ethylene homopolymer is at least 50. The polyethylene homopolymer compositions which may be nucleated have a weight average molecular weight, M.sub.w of ≤75,000, a high load melt index, I.sub.21 of at least 200 g/10 min, a molecular weight distribution, M.sub.w/M.sub.n of from 4.0 to 12.0 and may be usefully employed in molding applications, such as, for example, in compression molded closures.

This disclosure relates to a continuous solution polymerization process wherein production rate is increased. Process solvent, ethylene, optional comonomers, optional hydrogen and a single site catalyst formulation are injected into a first reactor forming a first ethylene interpolymer. Process solvent, ethylene, optional comonomers, optional hydrogen and a heterogeneous catalyst formulation are injected into a second reactor forming a second ethylene interpolymer. The first and second reactors may be configured in series or parallel modes of operation. Optionally, a third ethylene interpolymer is formed in an optional third reactor, wherein an optional heterogeneous catalyst formulation may be employed. In a solution phase, the first, second and optional third ethylene interpolymers are combined, the catalyst is deactivated, the solution is passivated and following a phase separation process an ethylene interpolymer product is recovered.

The present invention relates to a novel metallocene catalyst compound for the production of a polyolefin resin having a high molecular weight and a wide molecular weight distribution or a method of preparing the same, and more particularly to a metallocene catalyst compound using a ligand containing a Group 15 or 16 element having a bulky substituent or a method of preparing the same. The present invention provides a novel metallocene catalyst compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 below.
(L.sup.1){(N-L.sup.2)Z.sup.1(Y)Z.sup.2(N-L.sup.3)}(X)M  [Chemical Formula 1]

A metal complex of the formula (1)

InCyLMZ.sub.p  (1), wherein M is a group 4 metal Z is an anionic ligand, p is number of 1 to 2, preferably 2, InCy is an indole fused cyclopentadienyl-type ligand of the formula (2)

##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 means for each index m individually a C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl that substitutes a hydrogen atom of the benzene ring, m is a number of 0 to 4, preferably 0 to 2, in particular 0, R.sup.2 means C.sub.1-C.sub.10-alkyl, C.sub.5-C.sub.10-cycloalkyl, and an unsubstituted or C.sub.1-C.sub.10-alkyl or C.sub.1-C.sub.4-dialkyl amino substituted C.sub.6-C.sub.10-aryl, in particular C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl substituted phenyl, more preferably methyl, phenyl or di-C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl substituted phenyl, in particular di-tert.-butyl-phenyl, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 being individually selected from the group of hydrogen, C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl, unsubstituted or C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl and/or halogen, in particular chlorine or fluorine substituted C.sub.6-C.sub.10-aryl, in particular unsubstituted or C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl substituted phenyl whereby preferably R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 being individually selected from the group of hydrogen, C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl, unsubstituted or C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl and/or halogen, in particular chlorine or fluorine substituted C.sub.6-C.sub.10-aryl, in particular C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl substituted phenyl, more preferably at least one of the radicals R.sup.3 to R.sup.5 shall mean C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl, in particular methyl, i-propyl and phenyl and, L is an amidinate ligand of the formula (3)

##STR00002## wherein the amidine-containing ligand is covalently bonded to the metal M via the imine nitrogen atom, and Sub.sub.1 is an unsubstituted or C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl and/or halogen, in particular chlorine or fluorine substituted C.sub.6-C.sub.10-aromatic substituent, in particular phenyl and Sub.sub.2 is a substituent comprising a heteroatom of group 15, through which Sub.sub.2 is bonded to the imine carbon atom or Sub.sub.1 and Sub.sub.2 together with the imino group they are connected to form a ligand of formula (3a)

##STR00003## wherein the amidine-containing ligand (3a) is covalently bonded to the metal M via the imine nitrogen atom N.sup.2, wherein the benzo ring fused to the amidine ring may be unsubstituted or contain further substituents R.sup.7, which are individually of the index “q” selected from the group of hydrogen, C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl and halogen and whereby q is a number of 0 to 4, preferably 0 to 2, most preferably 0, Sub.sub.4

This disclosure relates to a continuous solution polymerization process where ethylene interpolymer products having an improved color index; for example, products having higher whiteness (Whiteness Index (WI)) and lower yellowness (Yellowness Index (YI)). Product color was improved by adjusting selected solution polymerization reaction conditions. The disclosed ethylene interpolymer products have improved color relative to comparative polyethylene compositions.

Rotomolded articles, especially flexible rotomolded articles are made from an ethylene interpolymer product having a melt index, I.sub.2 of from 2.5 to 8.0 g/10 min, a density of from 0.905 to 0.920 g/cm.sup.3; and a Dilution Index, Yd, greater than 0. The ethylene interpolymer product comprises: (I) a first ethylene interpolymer; (II) a second ethylene interpolymer, and; (III) optionally a third ethylene interpolymer.

A solution polymerization process uses a reactor system in which a first stage is operated in a non adiabatic (cooled) manner and is connected to a second stage containing a downstream reactor that is operated adiabatically. In an embodiment, the first reactor stage includes at least one loop reactor and the second stage includes a tubular reactor. In an embodiment, the first stage is operated with a single site catalyst and at least one downstream reactor uses a Ziegler Natta catalyst.

This disclosure relates to ethylene interpolymer compositions. Specifically, ethylene interpolymer products having: a Dilution Index (Y.sub.d) greater than 0; total catalytic metal 3.0 ppm; 0.03 terminal vinyl unsaturations per 100 carbon atoms, and; optionally a Dimensionless Modulus (X.sub.d) greater than 0. The disclosed ethylene interpolymer products have a melt index from about 0.3 to about 500 dg/minute, a density from about 0.869 to about 0.975 g/cm.sup.3, a polydispersity (M.sub.w/M.sub.n) from about 2 to about 25 and a CDBI.sub.50 from about 20% to about 97%. Further, the ethylene interpolymer products are a blend of at least two ethylene interpolymers; where one ethylene interpolymer is produced with a single-site catalyst formulation and at least one ethylene interpolymer is produced with a heterogeneous catalyst formulation.

A metal complex of the formula (1) TCyLMZ.sub.p (1), wherein M is a group 4 metal, Z is an anionic ligand, p is the number 1 or 2, TCy is a thiophene-fused cyclopentadienyl-type ligand of the formula (2)

##STR00001##

is described. Methods of making and using the metal complex are also described.

A polyethylene powder having an average particle size of 70 m or more and less than 150 m, wherein a compressive strength at a time of 10% displacement of particles having a particle size of 60 m is 1.2 times or more and less than 2.5 times based on a compressive strength at a time of 10% displacement of particles having a particle size of 100 m.