A method of preparing a high-purity metallocene catalyst capable of providing various selectivities and high activities for polyolefin copolymers, wherein a metallocene compound is formed by reacting a ligand compound with a zirconium compound, and then lithium chloride as a reaction by-product included in the metallocene compound is prepared in a form of a complex compound and effectively removed in a subsequent step of extracting the catalyst, thereby effectively preparing the high-purity metallocene catalyst, is provided.

The present invention relates to an ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer and, more particularly, to an ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer that exhibits excellent environmental stress crack resistance by appropriately controlling the ratio of crystal structure domain and amorphous domain, and the like. The ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer comprises an ethylene repeating unit and an alpha-olefin repeating unit, and has a crystal structure including a crystalline domain containing lamellar crystals and an amorphous domain containing a tie molecule that mediates bonding between the lamellar crystals. The lamellar crystal thickness (dc) of the ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer as calculated from the result of Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) analysis is between 12.0 and 16.0 nm, the amorphous domain thickness (da) is between 4.0 and 5.3 nm, and the thickness ratio da/dc is between 0.3 and 0.4.

Provided is an olefin-based polymer with excellent processability. The olefin-based polymer according to the present invention has a high molecular weight and a broad molecular weight distribution to show excellent processability and improved mechanical properties, thereby being usefully applied according to the intended use.

Provided are an olefin-based polymer having excellent melt strength and a film including the same. The olefin-based polymer according to the present invention may have excellent processability, haze and mechanical properties, and in particular, high melt strength, thereby being usefully applied to films, etc.

Processes are provided which include copolymerization using two different metallocene catalysts, one capable of producing high Mooney-viscosity polymers and one suitable for producing lower Mooney-viscosity polymers having at least a portion of vinyl terminations. The two catalysts may be used together in polymerization to produce copolymer compositions of particularly well-tuned properties. For instance, polymerizations are contemplated to produce high-Mooney metallocene polymers that exhibit excellent processability and elasticity, notwithstanding their high Mooney viscosity. Other polymerizations are also contemplated in which lower-Mooney metallocene polymers are produced, which also exhibit excellent processability and elasticity, while furthermore having excellent cure properties suitable in curable elastomer compound applications. Many of the contemplated polymerizations include controlling the ratio of the two metallocene catalysts used in the polymerization so as to obtain the desired Mooney viscosity and desired rheology (indicated by Mooney Relaxation Area) of the copolymer compositions.

The present disclosure relates to asymmetric ansa-metallocene catalyst compounds that include at least one indenyl ligand substituted at the 3-position with a C.sub.3-C.sub.40 -branched alkyl, such as 1-methylethyl, 1-methylpropyl, 1-methylbutyl, 1-ethylbutyl, 1,3-dimethylbutyl, 1-methyl-1-ethylbutyl, 1,1-diethylbutyl, 1-propylpentyl, and the like. Catalyst systems prepared with the catalyst compounds, polymerization methods using such catalyst systems, and polyolefins made using the polymerization methods are also described.

A terpolymer of ethylene, of 1,3-butadiene and of an aromatic ?-monoolefin is provided. The terpolymer contains more than 60 mol %, preferably at least 70 mol %, and preferably at most 90 mol % of ethylene units, at most 10 mol % of aromatic ?-monoolefin units and 1,2-cyclohexanediyl units. Such a diene terpolymer rich in ethylene units has the advantage of exhibiting a reduced, or even zero, crystallinity.

The present disclosure generally relates to processes for the oligomerization of alpha olefins with high yield to dimer and trimer oligomer products, where heavier products including tetramers are relatively minimal. These processes utilize catalyst compositions comprising a metallocene containing at least one indenyl ligand, and the indenyl ligand can have at least one halogenated substituent, such as a fluorinated substituent. Such oligomerization processes utilizing the disclosed metallocene-based catalyst systems demonstrate increased olefin conversion without an accompanying shift of the product distribution toward heavier products.

Catalyst compositions are disclosed herein, as well as embodiments of catalyst systems and their use in the production of olefin polymers. The catalysts disclosed herein are simple organometallic, metallocene complexes having at least one guaiazulene-based ligand (e.g., guaiazulene or a guaiazulene derivative). Additionally, the catalyst can be combined with an activator, such as methyl alumoxane and/or a non-coordinating anion to provide a catalyst system. Either the catalyst or the catalyst system can be combined with a support, such as silica and/or alumina. The catalyst system, supported or unsupported, can be used to polymerize olefins, such as propylene or ethylene.

The present disclosure also relates to lubrication compositions comprising a long branched ethylene copolymer and methods for making compositions. Compositions of the present disclosure can be a composition including an oil and a ethylene copolymer, the copolymer having one or more of an MWD from about 2.0 to about 6.5; an Mw(LS) from about 30,000 to about 300,000 g/mol; a g.sub.vis of from about 0.5 to about 0.97; an ethylene content of about 40 wt % to less than 80 wt %. The compostion has a shear stability index (30 cycles) of from about 1% to about 60%; and a kinematic viscosity at 100? C. of from about 3 cSt to about 25 cSt. A method of making a composition includes blending an oil with a copolymer is also disclosed. Additionally, provided are novel long chain branched ethylene propylene copolymers and methods to produce such copolymers.