The invention provides a multimodal propylene butene random copolymer having a melt flow rate (MFR.sub.2) of 1.0 to 20.0 g/10 min and a butene content of 5.0 to 20.0 wt %, wherein said copolymer is prepared using a single site catalyst and wherein said copolymer comprises: (i) 30 to 70 wt % of a propylene butene copolymer (A) having an MFR.sub.2 of 0.5 to 20.0 g/10 min and a butene content of 2.0 to 10.0 wt %; and (ii) 70 to 30 wt % of a propylene butene copolymer (B) having an MFR.sub.2 of 0.5 to 20.0 g/10 min and a butene content of 4.0 to 20.0 wt %; wherein copolymers (A) and (B) are different.

What is disclosed is a Ziegler-Natta catalyzed ethylene and alpha-olefin LLDPE copolymer having a unique composition distribution and long chain-branching. The polymers of the present invention inherently exhibit outstanding melt strength with great bubble stability, sufficient flexibility, excellent gel performance, as well as desirable mechanical properties such as balanced toughness and stiffness, which are desirable properties for thick gauge film applications. Specifically, the polymers of the present invention.

What is disclosed is a Ziegler-Natta catalyzed ethylene and alpha-olefin LLDPE copolymer having a unique composition distribution and long chain-branching. The polymers of the present invention inherently exhibit outstanding melt strength with great bubble stability, sufficient flexibility, excellent gel performance, as well as desirable mechanical properties such as balanced toughness and stiffness, which are desirable properties for thick gauge film applications. Specifically, the polymers of the present invention.

A tennis ball including a non-foamed thermoplastic core defining an internal volume. The core includes a thermoplastic material having a specific gravity of 0.86 to 1.38, a flexural modulus of 2.0 to 50.0 MPa, and a Shore D hardness of 10 to 70. A thickness of the thermoplastic material is between 3.0 and 8.0 mm. The thickness of the thermoplastic material is configured to maintain dimensional stability at internal pressures of between zero and 15 psi.

A tennis ball including a non-foamed thermoplastic core defining an internal volume. The core includes a thermoplastic material having a specific gravity of 0.86 to 1.38, a flexural modulus of 2.0 to 50.0 MPa, and a Shore D hardness of 10 to 70. A thickness of the thermoplastic material is between 3.0 and 8.0 mm. The thickness of the thermoplastic material is configured to maintain dimensional stability at internal pressures of between zero and 15 psi.

The present invention relates to a heterophasic polyolefin composition and articles produced therefrom with improved mechanical and optical properties, particularly low stress whitening. The present invention further relates to a process for the preparation of such a heterophasic polyolefin composition, articles made therefrom, particularly films, and uses of the heterophasic polyolefin composition. The heterophasic propylene copolymer composition comprises a heterophasic propylene copolymer (HECO) comprising a matrix (M) being a propylene homopolymer (H-PP) and an elastomeric propylene copolymer (EPC) dispersed in said matrix (M), wherein the heterophasic propylene copolymer (HECO) has (a) a melt flow rate MFf3/4 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) measured according to ISO 1133 in the range of 5.0 to 25.0 g/10 min, (b) a soluble fraction content (SF) determined by TREF fractionation on CRYSTEX QC, Polymer Char (Valencia, Spain) in the range of 10.0 to 25.0 wt. %, (c) an ethylene content of the soluble fraction content (SF) in the range of from 18 wt. % to less than 39 wt. %, (d) an intrinsic viscosity (IV) determined according to DIN ISO 1628/1 (in decalin at 135° C.) of the soluble fraction (SF) in the range of from 1.5 to 2.5 dl/g, (e) a crystalline fraction content (CF) determined by TREF fractionation on CRYSTEX QC, Polymer Char (Valencia, Spain) in the range of 75 to 90 wt. %, (f) an ethylene content of the crystalline fraction content (CF) of from 0.1 wt. % to 5.0 wt. %, and the heterophasic propylene copolymer composition has a total ethylene content in the range of from 7 to 30 wt. %, determined by quantitative NMR spectroscopy.

The present invention relates to a heterophasic polyolefin composition and articles produced therefrom with improved mechanical and optical properties, particularly low stress whitening. The present invention further relates to a process for the preparation of such a heterophasic polyolefin composition, articles made therefrom, particularly films, and uses of the heterophasic polyolefin composition. The heterophasic propylene copolymer composition comprises a heterophasic propylene copolymer (HECO) comprising a matrix (M) being a propylene homopolymer (H-PP) and an elastomeric propylene copolymer (EPC) dispersed in said matrix (M), wherein the heterophasic propylene copolymer (HECO) has (a) a melt flow rate MFf3/4 (2.16 kg, 230° C.) measured according to ISO 1133 in the range of 5.0 to 25.0 g/10 min, (b) a soluble fraction content (SF) determined by TREF fractionation on CRYSTEX QC, Polymer Char (Valencia, Spain) in the range of 10.0 to 25.0 wt. %, (c) an ethylene content of the soluble fraction content (SF) in the range of from 18 wt. % to less than 39 wt. %, (d) an intrinsic viscosity (IV) determined according to DIN ISO 1628/1 (in decalin at 135° C.) of the soluble fraction (SF) in the range of from 1.5 to 2.5 dl/g, (e) a crystalline fraction content (CF) determined by TREF fractionation on CRYSTEX QC, Polymer Char (Valencia, Spain) in the range of 75 to 90 wt. %, (f) an ethylene content of the crystalline fraction content (CF) of from 0.1 wt. % to 5.0 wt. %, and the heterophasic propylene copolymer composition has a total ethylene content in the range of from 7 to 30 wt. %, determined by quantitative NMR spectroscopy.

Polypropylene polymer compositions are disclosed that can be formulated to have excellent clarity properties in conjunction with excellent impact resistance properties at subzero temperatures. The polypropylene polymer compositions are heterophasic compositions containing a first phase polymer combined with a second phase polymer. The first phase polymer is a polypropylene and alpha-olefin copolymer while the second phase polymer is also a polypropylene and alpha-olefin random copolymer. The second phase polymer contains relatively high amounts of ethylene. The increased amounts of ethylene in the second phase polymer were found to dramatically improve impact resistance at subzero temperatures.

Polypropylene polymer compositions are disclosed that can be formulated to have excellent clarity properties in conjunction with excellent impact resistance properties at subzero temperatures. The polypropylene polymer compositions are heterophasic compositions containing a first phase polymer combined with a second phase polymer. The first phase polymer is a polypropylene and alpha-olefin copolymer while the second phase polymer is also a polypropylene and alpha-olefin random copolymer. The second phase polymer contains relatively high amounts of ethylene. The increased amounts of ethylene in the second phase polymer were found to dramatically improve impact resistance at subzero temperatures.

Provided herein are polyethylene compositions with unimodal molecular weight distribution exhibiting an excellent balance of physical properties. The polyethylene compositions may have density of 0.935 to 0.975 g/cm.sup.3 and Melt Index (I.sub.2.16) of 0.1 to 1 g/10 min. Polyethylene compositions of certain embodiments may exhibit environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR, 10% Igepal, ASTM D1693 Cond. B) within the range from 45 to 80 hours, and/or (ESCR, 100% igepal, ASTM D1693 Cond. B) within the range from 70 to 250 hours. Such ESCR outperforms other unimodal resins of similar melt index and density, approaching ESCR performance of more expensive and complex resins with bimodal molecular weight distribution. The polyethylene compositions of certain embodiments may have two distinct crystalline fractions as shown by temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF).