Disclosed herein are ethylene-based polymers having low densities and narrow molecular weight distributions, but high melt strengths for blown film processing. Such polymers can be produced by peroxide-treating a metallocene-catalyzed resin.

The present invention relates to compounds according to formula I:

##STR00001##

wherein: each R1-R10 may individually be H, a halogen, an alkoxy moiety, a siloxy moiety, a nitrogen-containing moiety, an alkyl moiety, an aryl moiety, or an aralkyl moiety, wherein each R1-R10 comprises ≤10 carbon atoms, wherein each of R1-R10 may form a cyclic moiety with an adjacent R1-R10 moiety; Y is O or N—R11, wherein R11 is an alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or aralkyl moiety comprising 1-12 carbon atoms; M is a group 3 or 4 transition metal; X is a sigma-bonded ligand, or a diene; z is the number of ligands X that are bonded to M. Such compounds may be used in a catalyst system for olefin polymerisation.

The present invention relates to compounds according to formula I:

##STR00001##

wherein: each R1-R10 may individually be H, a halogen, an alkoxy moiety, a siloxy moiety, a nitrogen-containing moiety, an alkyl moiety, an aryl moiety, or an aralkyl moiety, wherein each R1-R10 comprises ≤10 carbon atoms, wherein each of R1-R10 may form a cyclic moiety with an adjacent R1-R10 moiety; Y is O or N—R11, wherein R11 is an alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or aralkyl moiety comprising 1-12 carbon atoms; M is a group 3 or 4 transition metal; X is a sigma-bonded ligand, or a diene; z is the number of ligands X that are bonded to M. Such compounds may be used in a catalyst system for olefin polymerisation.

A metallocene complex of formula (I): each X is a sigma-ligand; in the group R.sub.2Si— at least one R is methyl or ethyl, and the other R is selected from methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl or isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl and phenyl; each R.sup.1 independently is the same or can be different and are a CH.sub.2—R.sup.7 group, with R.sup.7 being H or linear or branched C.sub.1-6-alkyl group, C.sub.3-8 cycloalkyl group, or C.sub.6-10 aryl group; each R.sup.2 is independently a —CH═, —CY═, —CH.sub.2—, —CHY— or —CY.sub.2— group, wherein Y is a C.sub.1-6 hydrocarbyl group and where n is 2-6; each R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently the same or can be different and are hydrogen, a linear or branched C.sub.1-6-alkyl group, a C.sub.7-20 arylalkyl, C.sub.7-20 alkylaryl group, C.sub.6-20 aryl group, or an —OY group, wherein Y is a is a C.sub.1-6 hydrocarbyl group; R.sup.5 is a linear or branched C.sub.1-6-alkyl group, C.sub.7-20 arylalkyl, C.sub.7-20 alkylaryl group or C.sub.6-20-aryl group; and R.sup.6 is a C(R.sup.8).sub.3 group, with R.sup.8 being a linear or branched C.sub.1-6 alkyl group; (A) wherein at least one R.sup.3 per phenyl group and at least one R.sup.4 is not hydrogen, and wherein at least one R.sup.3 per phenyl group and at least one R.sup.4 is hydrogen; or (B) wherein one R.sup.3 is an —OY group, wherein Y is a is a C.sub.1-6 hydrocarbyl group, in 4 position of each phenyl group and the two other R.sup.3 groups are tert-butyl groups; and/or (C) wherein one R.sup.4 is an —OY group, wherein Y is a is a C.sub.1-6 hydrocarbyl group, in 4-position of the phenyl ring and the two other R.sup.4 groups are tert-butyl groups.

##STR00001##

A metallocene complex of formula (I): each X is a sigma-ligand; in the group R.sub.2Si— at least one R is methyl or ethyl, and the other R is selected from methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl or isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl and phenyl; each R.sup.1 independently is the same or can be different and are a CH.sub.2—R.sup.7 group, with R.sup.7 being H or linear or branched C.sub.1-6-alkyl group, C.sub.3-8 cycloalkyl group, or C.sub.6-10 aryl group; each R.sup.2 is independently a —CH═, —CY═, —CH.sub.2—, —CHY— or —CY.sub.2— group, wherein Y is a C.sub.1-6 hydrocarbyl group and where n is 2-6; each R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently the same or can be different and are hydrogen, a linear or branched C.sub.1-6-alkyl group, a C.sub.7-20 arylalkyl, C.sub.7-20 alkylaryl group, C.sub.6-20 aryl group, or an —OY group, wherein Y is a is a C.sub.1-6 hydrocarbyl group; R.sup.5 is a linear or branched C.sub.1-6-alkyl group, C.sub.7-20 arylalkyl, C.sub.7-20 alkylaryl group or C.sub.6-20-aryl group; and R.sup.6 is a C(R.sup.8).sub.3 group, with R.sup.8 being a linear or branched C.sub.1-6 alkyl group; (A) wherein at least one R.sup.3 per phenyl group and at least one R.sup.4 is not hydrogen, and wherein at least one R.sup.3 per phenyl group and at least one R.sup.4 is hydrogen; or (B) wherein one R.sup.3 is an —OY group, wherein Y is a is a C.sub.1-6 hydrocarbyl group, in 4 position of each phenyl group and the two other R.sup.3 groups are tert-butyl groups; and/or (C) wherein one R.sup.4 is an —OY group, wherein Y is a is a C.sub.1-6 hydrocarbyl group, in 4-position of the phenyl ring and the two other R.sup.4 groups are tert-butyl groups.

##STR00001##

This invention relates bisindenyl metallocene catalyst compounds having long (at least 4 carbon atoms) linear alkyl groups substituted at the two position and substituted or unsubstituted aryl groups at the four position and process using such catalyst compounds, particularly in the solution process at higher temperatures.

This invention relates bisindenyl metallocene catalyst compounds having long (at least 4 carbon atoms) linear alkyl groups substituted at the two position and substituted or unsubstituted aryl groups at the four position and process using such catalyst compounds, particularly in the solution process at higher temperatures.

Methods to produce heterogeneous polyethylene granules, the method including: contacting first olefin monomers and second olefin monomers with a catalyst system in a single reaction zone to produce heterogeneous polyethylene granules and recovering the heterogeneous polyethylene granules; wherein the catalyst system includes a product of a combination including: one or more catalysts having a Group 3 through Group 12 metal atom or lanthanide metal atom; at least one activator; and optionally, one or more support material compositions; and wherein the heterogeneous polyethylene granules include a product of a combination of: a first portion comprising a first polyethylene including the first olefin monomers and the second olefin monomers; a second portion including a second polyethylene including the first monomers and the second monomers; and wherein the first polyethylene has a higher second monomer weight percent than the second polyethylene, are provided.

Methods to produce heterogeneous polyethylene granules, the method including: contacting first olefin monomers and second olefin monomers with a catalyst system in a single reaction zone to produce heterogeneous polyethylene granules and recovering the heterogeneous polyethylene granules; wherein the catalyst system includes a product of a combination including: one or more catalysts having a Group 3 through Group 12 metal atom or lanthanide metal atom; at least one activator; and optionally, one or more support material compositions; and wherein the heterogeneous polyethylene granules include a product of a combination of: a first portion comprising a first polyethylene including the first olefin monomers and the second olefin monomers; a second portion including a second polyethylene including the first monomers and the second monomers; and wherein the first polyethylene has a higher second monomer weight percent than the second polyethylene, are provided.

Embodiments are directed towards a use of a supported gas-phase biphenylphenol polymerization catalyst to make a polymer via a gas-phase polymerization process, wherein the supported gas-phase biphenylphenol polymerization catalyst is made from a gas-phase biphenylphenol polymerization precatalyst of Formula I.