Embodiments of the invention described herein relate to a polyethylene polymer composition suitable for use in the manufacture of packaging articles, flexible films and/or sheets. In one embodiment, the copolymer comprises a polyethylene resin with density 0.918 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.935 g/cm.sup.3, G′ at G″.sub.(500 Pa) value, as determined from Dynamic Mechanical Analysis at 190° C., of less than 40 Pa, M.sub.z/M.sub.w of greater than 2, CDBI.sub.50 of greater than 60. Other embodiments relate to polymer compositions with defined molecular characteristics and formulations suitable for use in the manufacture of articles including films, sheets, bags and pouches with improved creep resistance and high toughness and a good balance of film stiffness and processability in monolayer and/or multi-layer film structures.

The present process embodiments for synthesizing long-chain branched copolymers include contacting together one or more C.sub.2-C.sub.14 alkene monomers, at least one diene or polyene, optionally a solvent, and a multi-chain catalyst. The multi-chain catalyst includes a plurality of polymerization sites and produces at least two polymer chains of the C.sub.2-C.sub.14 alkene monomers, each polymer chain polymerizing at one of the polymerization sites. The process synthesizes the long-chain branched polymers by connecting the two polymer chains with the diene or polyene, the joining of the two polymer chains being performed in a concerted manner during the polymerization.

The present process embodiments for synthesizing long-chain branched copolymers include contacting together one or more C.sub.2-C.sub.14 alkene monomers, at least one diene or polyene, optionally a solvent, and a multi-chain catalyst. The multi-chain catalyst includes a plurality of polymerization sites and produces at least two polymer chains of the C.sub.2-C.sub.14 alkene monomers, each polymer chain polymerizing at one of the polymerization sites. The process synthesizes the long-chain branched polymers by connecting the two polymer chains with the diene or polyene, the joining of the two polymer chains being performed in a concerted manner during the polymerization.

Ethylene-based polymers of this disclosure include a melt viscosity ratio (V.sub.0.1/V.sub.100) at 190° C. of at least 10, where V.sub.0.1 is the viscosity of the ethylene-based polymer at 190° C. at a shear rate of 0.1 radians/second, and V.sub.100 is the viscosity of the ethylene-based polymer at 190° C. at a shear rate of 100 radians/second; and a molecular weight tail quantified by an MWD area metric, A.sub.TAIL, and A.sub.TAIL is less than or equal to 0.04 as determined by gel permeation chromatography using a triple detector.

Ethylene-based polymers of this disclosure include a melt viscosity ratio (V.sub.0.1/V.sub.100) at 190° C. of at least 10, where V.sub.0.1 is the viscosity of the ethylene-based polymer at 190° C. at a shear rate of 0.1 radians/second, and V.sub.100 is the viscosity of the ethylene-based polymer at 190° C. at a shear rate of 100 radians/second; and a molecular weight tail quantified by an MWD area metric, A.sub.TAIL, and A.sub.TAIL is less than or equal to 0.04 as determined by gel permeation chromatography using a triple detector.

Ethylene-based polymers of this disclosure include an average g′ less than 0.86, where the average g′ is an intrinsic viscosity ratio determined by gel permeation chromatography using a triple detector; and a molecular weight tail quantified by an MWD area metric, A.sub.TAIL, and A.sub.TAIL is less than or equal to 0.04 as determined by gel permeation chromatography using a triple detector.

Ethylene-based polymers of this disclosure include an average g′ less than 0.86, where the average g′ is an intrinsic viscosity ratio determined by gel permeation chromatography using a triple detector; and a molecular weight tail quantified by an MWD area metric, A.sub.TAIL, and A.sub.TAIL is less than or equal to 0.04 as determined by gel permeation chromatography using a triple detector.

A polyethylene composition which when made into a film layer having a thickness of about 1 mil exhibits a machine direction (MD) 1% secant modulus of ≥190 MPa and an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of ≥650 cm.sup.3 per 100 inch.sup.2 per day, and when made into a film layer having a thickness of about 2 mil exhibits a seal initiation temperature (SIT) of ≤100° C. and an area of hot tack window (AHTW) of ≥160 Newtons.Math.° C.

A polyethylene composition which when made into a film layer having a thickness of about 1 mil exhibits a machine direction (MD) 1% secant modulus of ≥190 MPa and an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of ≥650 cm.sup.3 per 100 inch.sup.2 per day, and when made into a film layer having a thickness of about 2 mil exhibits a seal initiation temperature (SIT) of ≤100° C. and an area of hot tack window (AHTW) of ≥160 Newtons.Math.° C.

Non-random isobutylene copolymer includes repeat units derived from isobutylene and one or more comonomers selected from isoprene, butadiene, cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, limonene, substituted styrenes, and C4 to C10 dienes other than isoprene, butadiene, limonene, cyclopentadiene, or dicyclopentadiene, wherein the molar ratio of isobutylene derived repeat units to the comonomer derived repeat units is from 75:1 to 1.5:1. The non-random copolymers have a molecular weight, Mn, of from 200 to 20,000 Daltons and typically have a high double bond content and a high vinylidene double bond content when diene monomers are utilized.