The present invention relates to a multimodal polymer of ethylene, to the use of the multimodal polymer of ethylene in film applications and to a film comprising the multimodal polymer of ethylene of the invention.

The present invention relates to a multimodal polymer of ethylene, to the use of the multimodal polymer of ethylene in film applications and to a film comprising the multimodal polymer of ethylene of the invention.

A first embodiment which is a bimodal polymer having a weight fraction of a lower molecular weight (LMW) component ranging from about 0.25 to about 0.45, a weight fraction of a higher molecular weight (HMW) component ranging from about 0.55 to about 0.75 and a density of from about 0.931 g/cc to about 0.955 g/cc which when tested in accordance with ASTM D1003 using a 1 mil test specimen displays a haze characterized by equation: % Haze=2145−2216*Fraction.sub.LMW−181*a molecular weight distribution of the LMW component (MWD.sub.LMW)−932*a molecular weight distribution of the HMW component (MWD.sub.HMW)+27*(Fraction.sub.LMW*MWD.sub.LMW)+1019*(Fraction.sub.LMW*MWD.sub.HMW)+73*(MWD.sub.LMW*MWD.sub.HMW) wherein fraction refers to the weight fraction of the component in the polymer as a whole.

A first embodiment which is a bimodal polymer having a weight fraction of a lower molecular weight (LMW) component ranging from about 0.25 to about 0.45, a weight fraction of a higher molecular weight (HMW) component ranging from about 0.55 to about 0.75 and a density of from about 0.931 g/cc to about 0.955 g/cc which when tested in accordance with ASTM D1003 using a 1 mil test specimen displays a haze characterized by equation: % Haze=2145−2216*Fraction.sub.LMW−181*a molecular weight distribution of the LMW component (MWD.sub.LMW)−932*a molecular weight distribution of the HMW component (MWD.sub.HMW)+27*(Fraction.sub.LMW*MWD.sub.LMW)+1019*(Fraction.sub.LMW*MWD.sub.HMW)+73*(MWD.sub.LMW*MWD.sub.HMW) wherein fraction refers to the weight fraction of the component in the polymer as a whole.

Catalyst compositions containing a metallocene compound, a solid activator, and a co-catalyst, in which the solid activator or the supported metallocene catalyst has a d50 average particle size of 15 to 50 μm and a particle size distribution of 0.5 to 1.5, can be contacted with an olefin in a loop slurry reactor to produce an olefin polymer. A representative ethylene-based polymer produced using the catalyst composition has excellent dart impact strength and low gels, and can be characterized by a HLMI from 4 to 10 g/10 min, a density from 0.944 to 0.955 g/cm.sup.3, a higher molecular weight component with a Mn from 280,000 to 440,000 g/mol, and a lower molecular weight component with a Mw from 30,000 to 45,000 g/mol and a ratio of Mz/Mw ranging from 2.3 to 3.4.

Catalyst compositions containing a metallocene compound, a solid activator, and a co-catalyst, in which the solid activator or the supported metallocene catalyst has a d50 average particle size of 15 to 50 μm and a particle size distribution of 0.5 to 1.5, can be contacted with an olefin in a loop slurry reactor to produce an olefin polymer. A representative ethylene-based polymer produced using the catalyst composition has excellent dart impact strength and low gels, and can be characterized by a HLMI from 4 to 10 g/10 min, a density from 0.944 to 0.955 g/cm.sup.3, a higher molecular weight component with a Mn from 280,000 to 440,000 g/mol, and a lower molecular weight component with a Mw from 30,000 to 45,000 g/mol and a ratio of Mz/Mw ranging from 2.3 to 3.4.

The number of small gels that form in polyolefin thin films may be reduced by altering certain production parameters of the polyolefin. In some instances, the number of small gels may be influenced by the melt index of the polyolefin. However, in many instances, melt index is a critical part of the polyolefin product specification and, therefore, is not manipulated. Two parameters that may be manipulated to mitigate small gel count while maintaining the melt index are polyolefin residence time in the reactor and ICA concentration in the reactor.

The number of small gels that form in polyolefin thin films may be reduced by altering certain production parameters of the polyolefin. In some instances, the number of small gels may be influenced by the melt index of the polyolefin. However, in many instances, melt index is a critical part of the polyolefin product specification and, therefore, is not manipulated. Two parameters that may be manipulated to mitigate small gel count while maintaining the melt index are polyolefin residence time in the reactor and ICA concentration in the reactor.

Unoriented film comprising at least 70 wt.-% of an heterophasic propylene copolymer, said heterophasic propylene copolymer comprises a matrix being a random propylene copolymer and an elastomeric propylene copolymer dispersed in said matrix, wherein the heterophasic propylene copolymer has (a) a melt flow rate MFR.sub.2 (230° C.) in the range of 3.0 to 10.0 g/10 min, (b) a melting temperature in the range of 130 to 150° C., (c) a xylene cold soluble content in the range of 25 to 50 wt.-%, (d) comonomer content in the range of 10.0 to 15.0 wt.-%, wherein further the xylene cold soluble content of the heterophasic propylene copolymer has (e) a comonomer content in the range of 20 to 30 wt.-% and (f) an intrinsic viscosity in the range of 0.8 to below 2.0 dl/g.

Unoriented film comprising at least 70 wt.-% of an heterophasic propylene copolymer, said heterophasic propylene copolymer comprises a matrix being a random propylene copolymer and an elastomeric propylene copolymer dispersed in said matrix, wherein the heterophasic propylene copolymer has (a) a melt flow rate MFR.sub.2 (230° C.) in the range of 3.0 to 10.0 g/10 min, (b) a melting temperature in the range of 130 to 150° C., (c) a xylene cold soluble content in the range of 25 to 50 wt.-%, (d) comonomer content in the range of 10.0 to 15.0 wt.-%, wherein further the xylene cold soluble content of the heterophasic propylene copolymer has (e) a comonomer content in the range of 20 to 30 wt.-% and (f) an intrinsic viscosity in the range of 0.8 to below 2.0 dl/g.