The disclosure are directed to a process for polymerizing ethylene-based polymers. The process includes polymerizing ethylene and optionally one or more (C.sub.3-C.sub.14)α-olefin monomer, and at least one diene, in the presence of at least one multi-chain catalyst and at least one single-chain catalyst. The process may include a solvent. The multi-chain catalyst in the process includes a plurality of polymerization sites. Long-chain branched polymers are synthesized by connecting the two polymer chains of the multi-chain catalyst with the diene, the joining of the two polymer chains being performed in a concerted manner during the polymerization. The ethylene-based polymers are produced and include at least two molecular weight polymer fractions. The multi-chain catalyst produces the high molecular weight fraction, which is the long-chain branched polymer.

The disclosure are directed to a process for polymerizing ethylene-based polymers. The process includes polymerizing ethylene and optionally one or more (C.sub.3-C.sub.14)α-olefin monomer, and at least one diene, in the presence of at least one multi-chain catalyst and at least one single-chain catalyst. The process may include a solvent. The multi-chain catalyst in the process includes a plurality of polymerization sites. Long-chain branched polymers are synthesized by connecting the two polymer chains of the multi-chain catalyst with the diene, the joining of the two polymer chains being performed in a concerted manner during the polymerization. The ethylene-based polymers are produced and include at least two molecular weight polymer fractions. The multi-chain catalyst produces the high molecular weight fraction, which is the long-chain branched polymer.

The present disclosure provides methods for producing an olefin polymer by contacting a C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin, ethylene and a diene with a catalyst system including an activator and a metallocene catalyst compound comprising a substituted or unsubstituted indacenyl group and obtaining a C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin-ethylene-diene terpolymer typically comprising from 1 to 35 mol % of ethylene, from 98.9 to 65 mol % C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin, and, optionally, from 0.1 to 10 mol % diene. Preferably, a propylene-ethylene-ethylidene norbornene is obtained.

The present disclosure provides methods for producing an olefin polymer by contacting a C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin, ethylene and a diene with a catalyst system including an activator and a metallocene catalyst compound comprising a substituted or unsubstituted indacenyl group and obtaining a C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin-ethylene-diene terpolymer typically comprising from 1 to 35 mol % of ethylene, from 98.9 to 65 mol % C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin, and, optionally, from 0.1 to 10 mol % diene. Preferably, a propylene-ethylene-ethylidene norbornene is obtained.

An olefin-based copolymer and a method of making the same are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, an olefin-based copolymer has a density (d) of 0.85 to 0.89 g/cc, a melt index (MI), measured at 190° C. and 2.16 kg load, of 15 g/10 min to 100 g/10 min, a number of unsaturated functional groups (total V) per 1,000 carbon atoms of 0.8 or less, a vinylene content, and a vinyl content, wherein the vinylene content, the vinyl content and the total V satisfy (a) vinylene content/total V=0.1 to 0.7 and (b) vinylene content/vinyl content=0.8 to 1.6. The olefin-based copolymer has controlled content and kind of an unsaturated functional group in the olefin-based copolymer and thus, has high flowability, and may show improved physical properties of hardness, flexural strength and tensile strength.

An olefin-based copolymer and a method of making the same are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, an olefin-based copolymer has a density (d) of 0.85 to 0.89 g/cc, a melt index (MI), measured at 190° C. and 2.16 kg load, of 15 g/10 min to 100 g/10 min, a number of unsaturated functional groups (total V) per 1,000 carbon atoms of 0.8 or less, a vinylene content, and a vinyl content, wherein the vinylene content, the vinyl content and the total V satisfy (a) vinylene content/total V=0.1 to 0.7 and (b) vinylene content/vinyl content=0.8 to 1.6. The olefin-based copolymer has controlled content and kind of an unsaturated functional group in the olefin-based copolymer and thus, has high flowability, and may show improved physical properties of hardness, flexural strength and tensile strength.

The present disclosure provides methods for producing an olefin polymer by contacting a C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin, ethylene and a diene with a catalyst system including an activator and a metallocene catalyst compound comprising a substituted or unsubstituted indacenyl group and obtaining a C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin-ethylene-diene terpolymer typically comprising from 30 to 55 mol % ethylene, from 69.09 to 45 mol % C.sub.3 to C.sub.40 comonomer, and from 0.01 to 7 mol % diene wherein the Tg of the terpolymer is −28° C. or less. Preferably, a propylene-ethylene-ethylidene norbornene is obtained.

The present disclosure provides methods for producing an olefin polymer by contacting a C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin, ethylene and a diene with a catalyst system including an activator and a metallocene catalyst compound comprising a substituted or unsubstituted indacenyl group and obtaining a C.sub.3-C.sub.40 olefin-ethylene-diene terpolymer typically comprising from 30 to 55 mol % ethylene, from 69.09 to 45 mol % C.sub.3 to C.sub.40 comonomer, and from 0.01 to 7 mol % diene wherein the Tg of the terpolymer is −28° C. or less. Preferably, a propylene-ethylene-ethylidene norbornene is obtained.

Pellet-stable olefinic copolymer bimodal rubber is made using parallel reactors, with one reactor synthesizing higher molecular weight (MW) rubber with dual catalysts, with an improved molecular weight split ratio and an improved composition distribution of the moderate and ultra-high MW components, while another reactor synthesizes random isotactic polypropylene copolymer (RCP). The effluents are reactor-blended and result in pellet-stable bimodal rubber (P-SBR), which may be pelletized. When making thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) with P-SBR, the need to granulate rubber bales and subsequently use talc, clay, or other anti-agglomeration agents to prevent granulated rubber crumbs from agglomerating are eliminated. TPVs made with P-SBR have vulcanized rubber particles that are smaller and more uniform in size, resulting in TPVs with higher particle counts and more thermoplastic “ligaments” between the particles, with such ligaments being made stronger by the added RCP. Such thus-produced TPVs have a lower hysteresis and flexural modulus, and better elastic properties.

Pellet-stable olefinic copolymer bimodal rubber is made using parallel reactors, with one reactor synthesizing higher molecular weight (MW) rubber with dual catalysts, with an improved molecular weight split ratio and an improved composition distribution of the moderate and ultra-high MW components, while another reactor synthesizes random isotactic polypropylene copolymer (RCP). The effluents are reactor-blended and result in pellet-stable bimodal rubber (P-SBR), which may be pelletized. When making thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) with P-SBR, the need to granulate rubber bales and subsequently use talc, clay, or other anti-agglomeration agents to prevent granulated rubber crumbs from agglomerating are eliminated. TPVs made with P-SBR have vulcanized rubber particles that are smaller and more uniform in size, resulting in TPVs with higher particle counts and more thermoplastic “ligaments” between the particles, with such ligaments being made stronger by the added RCP. Such thus-produced TPVs have a lower hysteresis and flexural modulus, and better elastic properties.