An activated, titanium-based, spray-dried Ziegler-Natta catalyst system containing a titanium-based Ziegler-Natta catalyst, a carrier material, and an activator mixture comprising an effective amount of an activator mixture comprising triethylaluminum and diethylaluminum chloride for producing a substantially uniform comonomer composition distribution. Also, polyolefins; methods of making and using same; and articles containing same.

An activated, titanium-based, spray-dried Ziegler-Natta catalyst system containing a titanium-based Ziegler-Natta catalyst, a carrier material, and an activator mixture comprising an effective amount of an activator mixture comprising triethylaluminum and diethylaluminum chloride for producing a substantially uniform comonomer composition distribution. Also, polyolefins; methods of making and using same; and articles containing same.

In various embodiments, a thermoplastic composition may comprise from 0.5 wt. % to 75.0 wt. % of recycled polyethylene comprising a blend of polyethylene recovered from post-consumer material, pre-consumer material, or combinations thereof, and from 25.0 wt. % to 99.5 wt. % of virgin raw polyethylene comprising unimodal polyethylene, bimodal polyethylene, or combinations thereof, wherein at least 90.0 wt. % of the thermoplastic composition is comprised of the post-consumer recycled polyethylene and the virgin raw polyethylene. Manufactured articles made from the thermoplastic composition, such as coated conductors, are also provided.

In various embodiments, a thermoplastic composition may comprise from 0.5 wt. % to 75.0 wt. % of recycled polyethylene comprising a blend of polyethylene recovered from post-consumer material, pre-consumer material, or combinations thereof, and from 25.0 wt. % to 99.5 wt. % of virgin raw polyethylene comprising unimodal polyethylene, bimodal polyethylene, or combinations thereof, wherein at least 90.0 wt. % of the thermoplastic composition is comprised of the post-consumer recycled polyethylene and the virgin raw polyethylene. Manufactured articles made from the thermoplastic composition, such as coated conductors, are also provided.

Supported chromium catalysts containing a solid oxide and 0.1 to 15 wt. % chromium, in which the solid oxide or the supported chromium catalyst has a particle size span from 0.5 to 1.4, less than 3 wt. % has a particle size greater than 100 μm, and less than 10 wt. % has a particle size less than 10 μm, can be contacted with an olefin monomer in a loop slurry reactor to produce an olefin polymer. Representative ethylene-based polymers produced using the chromium catalysts have a HLMI of 4 to 70 g/10 min, a density from 0.93 to 0.96 g/cm.sup.3, from 150 to 680 ppm solid oxide (such as silica), from 1.5 to 6.8 ppm chromium, and a film gel count of less than 15 catalyst particle gels per ft.sup.2 of 25 micron thick film and/or a gel count of less than or equal to 50 catalyst particles of greater than 100 μm per five grams of the ethylene polymer.

Supported chromium catalysts containing a solid oxide and 0.1 to 15 wt. % chromium, in which the solid oxide or the supported chromium catalyst has a particle size span from 0.5 to 1.4, less than 3 wt. % has a particle size greater than 100 μm, and less than 10 wt. % has a particle size less than 10 μm, can be contacted with an olefin monomer in a loop slurry reactor to produce an olefin polymer. Representative ethylene-based polymers produced using the chromium catalysts have a HLMI of 4 to 70 g/10 min, a density from 0.93 to 0.96 g/cm.sup.3, from 150 to 680 ppm solid oxide (such as silica), from 1.5 to 6.8 ppm chromium, and a film gel count of less than 15 catalyst particle gels per ft.sup.2 of 25 micron thick film and/or a gel count of less than or equal to 50 catalyst particles of greater than 100 μm per five grams of the ethylene polymer.

Low molecular weight, highly branched polyolefins are provided. Also provided are catalyst-mediated methods of making the low molecular weight, highly branched polyolefins and a catalyst system for carrying out the methods. The catalyst system is a homogeneous catalytic system that includes a single-site organozirconium complex and hydrocarbon-soluble perfluoroarylborate co-catalyst that is highly active for the oligomerization of olefin monomers in non-polar media.

Low molecular weight, highly branched polyolefins are provided. Also provided are catalyst-mediated methods of making the low molecular weight, highly branched polyolefins and a catalyst system for carrying out the methods. The catalyst system is a homogeneous catalytic system that includes a single-site organozirconium complex and hydrocarbon-soluble perfluoroarylborate co-catalyst that is highly active for the oligomerization of olefin monomers in non-polar media.

Catalyst systems and methods for making and using the same. A method of polymerizing olefins to produce a polyolefin polymer with a multimodal composition distribution, includes contacting ethylene and a comonomer with a catalyst system. The catalyst system includes a first catalyst compound and a second catalyst compound that are co-supported to form a commonly supported catalyst system. The first catalyst compound includes a compound with the general formula (C.sub.5H.sub.aR.sup.1.sub.b)(C.sub.5H.sub.cR.sup.2.sub.d)HfX.sub.2. The second catalyst compound comprises the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein each R.sup.3 or R.sup.4 is independently H, a hydrocarbyl group, a substituted hydrocarbyl group, or a heteroatom group, wherein each R.sup.3 or R.sup.4 may be the same or different, and each X is independently a leaving group selected from a labile hydrocarbyl, a substituted hydrocarbyl, a heteroatom group, or a divalent radical that links to an R.sup.3 group.

Catalyst systems and methods for making and using the same. A method of polymerizing olefins to produce a polyolefin polymer with a multimodal composition distribution, includes contacting ethylene and a comonomer with a catalyst system. The catalyst system includes a first catalyst compound and a second catalyst compound that are co-supported to form a commonly supported catalyst system. The first catalyst compound includes a compound with the general formula (C.sub.5H.sub.aR.sup.1.sub.b)(C.sub.5H.sub.cR.sup.2.sub.d)HfX.sub.2. The second catalyst compound comprises the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein each R.sup.3 or R.sup.4 is independently H, a hydrocarbyl group, a substituted hydrocarbyl group, or a heteroatom group, wherein each R.sup.3 or R.sup.4 may be the same or different, and each X is independently a leaving group selected from a labile hydrocarbyl, a substituted hydrocarbyl, a heteroatom group, or a divalent radical that links to an R.sup.3 group.