Homopolymers and copolymers of ethylene

Abstract

Ethylene homopolymers and copolymers having a broad molecular distribution, excellent toughness and improved processability are disclosed. These polymers may be prepared by use of a single metallocene catalyst system in a single reactor in the gas phase. These polymers of density typically 0.85-40.95 are defined in particular by their melt strength (MS) and long chain branching (LCB) characteristics and are particularly suitable for use in low density film applications.

claims:  
     
         1 . A copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said copolymer having: 
 a) a long chain branching g′ value of less than or equal to 0.9 and    b) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(P) of greater than 0.6 wherein MS is the melt strength of the copolymer in cN and P is the extrusion pressure of the copolymer in MPa.    
     
     
         2 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 1  wherein g′ is less than or equal to 0.8.  
     
     
         3 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 1  wherein g′ is in the range 0.5 to 0-9.  
     
     
         4 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 3  wherein g′ is in the range 0.55 to 0.85.  
     
     
         5 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 4 . wherein g′ is in the range 0.65 to 0.8.  
     
     
         6 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 1  wherein δ(MS)/δ(P) is greater than 0.65.  
     
     
         7 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 6  wherein δ(MS)/δ(P) is greater than 0.80.  
     
     
         8 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 6  wherein δ(MS)/δ(P) is in the range greater than 0.65 to less than 1.4.  
     
     
         9 . A. copolymer as claimed in  claim 6  wherein δ(MS)/δ(P) is in the range from 0.8 to 1.2.  
     
     
         10 . A copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said copolymer having: 
 a) a long chain branching g′ value of less than or equal to 0.9 and    b) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(log{dot over (γ)}) of greater than 7.5 wherein MS is the melt strength of the copolymer in cN and {dot over (γ)} is the shear rate of the copolymer in secs −1 .    
     
     
         11 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 10  wherein g′ is less than or equal to 0.8  
     
     
         12 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 10  wherein g′ is in the range 0.5 to 0.9.  
     
     
         13 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 12  wherein g′ is in the range 0.55 to 0.85.  
     
     
         14 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 13 . wherein g′ is in the range 0.65 to 0.8.  
     
     
         15 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 10  wherein δ(MS)/δ(logy) is greater than 8.0.  
     
     
         16 . A copolymer as claimed in  claim 10  wherein δ(MS)/δ(log{dot over (γ)}) is from 8.0 to 12.0.  
     
     
         17 . A homopolymer of ethylene or a copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said homopolymer or copolymer having: 
 a) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(P) of greater than 0.6 and    b) an M w /M n  value of in the case of the copolymer less than 8 and in the case of the homopolymer less than 6 wherein MS is the melt strength of the copolymer or homopolymer in cN and P is the extrusion pressure of the copolymer or homopolymer in MPa and M w /M n  is the ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight of the copolymer or homopolymer as measured by gel permeation chromatography.    
     
     
         18 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  claim 17  wherein δ(MS)/δ(P) is greater than 0.8.  
     
     
         19 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  claim 18  wherein δ(MS)/δ(P) is greater than 0.75.  
     
     
         20 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  claim 17  wherein δ(MS)/δ(P) is in the range greater than 0.8 to 1.2.  
     
     
         21 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the M w /M n  value is less than 6.  
     
     
         22 . A homopolymer of ethylene or a copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said homopolymer or copolymer having: 
 a) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(log{dot over (γ)}) of greater than 7.5 and    b) an M w /M n  value of less than 6.5 wherein MS is the melt strength of the copolymer in cN and {dot over (γ)} is the shear rate of the copolymer in secs −1  and M w /M n  is the ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight as measured by gel permeation chromatography.    
     
     
         23 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  claim 22  wherein δ(MS)/δ(log{dot over (γ)}) is greater than 8.0  
     
     
         24 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  claim 22  wherein δ(MS)/δ(logy) is from 8.0 to 12.0.  
     
     
         25 . A homopolymer of ethylene or a copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said homopolymer or copolymer having a long chain branching g′ value of between about 0.6 and about 0.9.  
     
     
         26 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  claim 25  wherein g′ is from 0.65 to 0.8.  
     
     
         27 . A copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha-olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said copolymer having: 
 (a) a long chain branching g′ value of less than or equal to 0.9 and    (b) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(log {dot over (γ)}) and a M w /M n  satisfy the relationship:      log[δ ( MS )/δ( log  {dot over (γ)})]≧0.6  log ( Mw/Mn )+0.3     wherein Mw/Mn is the ratio of weight average molecular weight to number molecular weight as measured by gel chromatography.    
     
     
         28 . A copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha-olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said copolymer having: 
 (a) a long chain branching g′ value of less than or equal to 0.9 and    (b) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(P) and Mw/Mn which satisfy the relationship:    δ( MS )/δ( P )≧0.12  Mw/Mn       wherein Mw/Mn is the ratio of weight average molecular weight to number molecular weight as measured by gel chromatography.    
     
     
         29 . A copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha-olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said copolymer having: 
 (a) an flow activation energy, Ea, of value greater than or equal to 40 kJ/mol and    (b) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(log {dot over (γ)}) and a Mw/Mn which satisfy the relationship:      log[δ ( MS )/δ( log  {dot over (γ)})]≧0.6  log ( Mw/Mn )+0.3         wherein Mw/Mn is the ratio of weight average molecular weight to number molecular weight as measured by gel chromatography.    
     
     
         30 . A copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha-olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said copolymer having: 
 (a) an flow activation energy, Ea, of value greater than or equal to 40 kJ/mol and    (b) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(P) and Mw/Mn which satisfy the relationship:    δ( MS )/δ( P )≧0.12  Mw/Mn       wherein Mw/Mn is the ratio of weight average molecular weight to number molecular weight as measured by gel chromatography.    
     
     
         31 . A copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha-olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said copolymer having: 
 (a) a long chain branching g′ value of less than or equal to 0.9 and    (b) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(P) and a flow activation energy Ea satisfy the relationship:      Log[δ ( MS )/δ( P )]≧3.7−2.4  log ( Ea )     wherein Ea is measured by dynamic rheometry.    
     
     
         32 . A copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha-olefins containing from three to twenty carbon atoms said copolymer having: 
 (a) a long chain branching g′ value of less than or equal to 0.9 and    (b) a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(log{dot over (γ)}) and a flow activation energy Ea satisfy the relationship:      Log[ δ( MS )/δ( log{dot over (γ)} )]≧2.75−1.25  log ( Ea )     wherein Ea is measured by dynamic rheometry.    
     
     
         33 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in any one of claims  1 ,  10 ,  17 ,  22 ,  25 ,  27 - 32  obtainable by continuously polymerising ethylene alone or with one or more alpha olefins having from three to twenty carbon atoms in the gas phase in a single reactor containing a fluidised bed of polymer particles said polymerisation being carried out in the presence of a single metallocene catalyst.  
     
     
         34 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  claim 33  obtainable by continuously polymerising ethylene alone or with one ore more alpha olefins having from three to twenty carbon atoms in the gas phase in a reaction system comprising a single reactor containing a fluidised bed of polymer particles, a recycle loop connecting the inlet and outlet of the reactor and means for withdrawing the homopolymer or copolymer either continuously or periodically from the reactor whilst polymerisation is occurring, said polymerisation being carried out in the presence of a single metallocene catalyst.  
     
     
         35 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  33  or  claim 34  obtainable by continuously polymerising ethylene alone or with one or more alpha olefins having from three to twenty carbon atoms in the gas phase in a single reactor containing a fluidised bed of polymer particles said polymerisation being carried out in the presence of a single metallocene catalyst having the following general formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
 M is titanium, zirconium or hafnium,  
 D is a stable conjugated diene optionally substituted with one or more hydrocarbyl groups, silyl groups, hydrocarbylsilyl groups, silylhydrocarbyl groups or mixtures thereof, said D having from 4 to 40 non-hydrogen atoms and forming a π-complex with M,  
 Z is a bridging group comprising an alkylene group having 1-20 carbon atoms or a dialkyl silyl- or germanyl group or alkyl phosphine or amino radical,  
 R is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms and x is 1-6.  
 
       
     
     
         36 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in 33 or  claim 34  obtainable by continuously polymerising ethylene alone or with one or more alpha olefins having from three to twenty carbon atoms in the gas phase in a single reactor containing a fluidised bed of polymer particles said polymerisation being carried out in the presence of a single metallocene catalyst having the following general formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
 M is titanium, zirconium or hafnium in the +2 oxidation state,  
 D is a stable conjugated diene selected from the group consisting of s-trans-η 4 ,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene; s-trans-η 4 -3-methyl-1,3-pentadiene; s-trans-η 4 -1,4-dibenzyl-1,3-butadiene; s-trans-η 4 -2,4-hexadiene; s-trans-η 4 -1,4-ditolyl-1,3-butadiene; s-trans-η 4 -1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadiene; scis-η 4 -1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene; s-cis-η 4 -3-methyl-1,3-pentadiene; s-cis-η 4 -2,4-hexadiene; s-cis-η 4 2,4-hexadiene; s-cis-η 4 1,3-pentadiene; s-cis-η 4 -1,4-ditolyl-1,3-butadiene; and s-cis-η 4 -1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadiene, said s-cis diene group forming a π-complex as defined herein with the metal.  
 Z is a bridging group comprising an alkylene group having 1-20 carbon atoms or a dialkyl silyl- or germanyl group or alkyl phosphine or amino radical,  
 R is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms and x is 1-6.  
 
       
     
     
         37 . A homopolymer or copolymer as claimed in  33  or  claim 34  obtainable by continuously polymerising ethylene and, in the case of copolymerising, one ore more alpha olefins having from three to twenty carbon atoms in the gas phase in a single reactor containing a fluidised bed of polymer particles said polymerisation being carried out in the presence of a single metallocene catalyst having the following formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         38 . A film exhibiting a dart impact value measured by ASTM D-1709 (Method A) in the range about greater than 100 and up to about 2000 comprising a copolymer as claimed in claims  1 ,  10 ,  17 ,  22 ,  25 ,  27 - 32 .  
     
     
         39 . A film exhibiting a dart impact value measured by ASTM-D1709 (Method A) in the range about greater than 100 and up to about 2000 comprising a copolymer of ethylene and an alpha-olefin of from 3 to 10 carbon atoms which has a density of from 0.910-0.930, a I 21 /I 2  value of ≧35, a long chain branching g′ value of less than or equal to 0.9 and a value of the derivative function δ(MS)/δ(P) of greater than 0.6.  
     
     
         40 . A film exhibiting a dart impact value measured by ASTM-D 1709 (Method A) in the range about greater than 100 and up to about 2000 comprising a copolymer of ethylene and an alpha-olefin of from 3 to 10 carbon atoms which has a density of from 0.910-0.930, a I 21 /I 2  value of ≧35, a long chain branching g′ value of less than or equal to 0.9 and a value of the derivatie function δ(MS)/δ(P) and flow activation energy Ea satisfy the relationship  
         log[ δ( MS )/δ( P )]≧3.7−2.4  log ( Ea ).