Abstract: An in-reactor polymer blend comprises (a) a propylene-containing first polymer; and (b) an ethylene-containing second polymer such that the polymer blend comprises between about 50 wt % and about 80 wt % units derived from ethylene and between about 50 wt % and about 20 wt % units derived from propylene. The blend is substantially free of dienes and the content of ethylene in the second polymer in the form of ethylene-ethylene-ethylene triads is at least 40%. The second polymer contains at least 0.1 branch having 8 or more carbon atoms per 10,000 carbons. In addition, the blend has a strain hardening index of at least 1.8, a shear thinning slope in the plot of log(dynamic viscosity) versus log(frequency) of less than ?0.2 and exhibits at least two peaks when subjected to Differential Scanning Calorimetry (first melt) corresponding to a first melting point of at least 150° C. and a second melting point of at least 40° C.

Abstract: An in-or polymer blend including (a) a propylene-containing first polymer; and (b) propylene-containing second polymer having a different crystallinity from the first polymer. The polymer blend has a melting temperature, Tm, of at least 135° C., a melt flow rate of at least 70 dg/min, a tensile strength of at least 8 MPa, an elongation at break of at least 300%.

Abstract: This invention relates to in-reactor polymer blends comprising at least 60 mole % of propylene and from 0.01 to 10 mole % of at least one diene selected from the group of C6 to C12 ?,?-diene, norbornadiene, vinyl norbornene and mixtures thereof with the balance being ethylene. The blend comprises first and second polymers having different crystallinities and or different Tg's.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to produce highly branched polymers with a polyolefin backbone structure of ethylene and precise control of the nature of the branching. In particular, the distribution of branch length and number of branches can be more precisely controlled via the polymerization method of the present invention. The method comprises using anionic chemistry to make unsaturated polydienes with a well-defined, highly-branched structure, and then hydrogenating these polydienes to form highly branched or dendritic saturated hydrocarbon polymers. Highly branched or dendritic polyethylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer and atactic polypropylene are among the saturated hydrocarbon polymers that can be anionically synthesized via the proper selection of diene monomer type, coupling agent, and hydrogenation conditions.

Abstract: A high throughput method to determine an amount of a comonomer in a copolymer sample of a copolymer system comprises the steps of providing a plurality of copolymer samples; creating an array of the copolymer samples; measuring a sample complex modulus of each of the copolymer samples at a comparison phase angle; and determining the amount of a comonomer in the copolymer sample by comparing the sample complex modulus to a calibration curve, wherein the calibration curve relates a concentration of the comonomer in the copolymer sample to a complex moduli of the copolymer sample determined at the comparison phase angle. A method of determining the amount of a comonomer in both a single copolymer sample, and in a high throughput scheme using the crossover modulus is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a polymer comprising one or more C3 to C40 olefins, optionally one or more diolefins, and less than 15 mole % of ethylene, where the polymer has: a) a Dot T-Peel of 1 Newton or more; and b) a branching index (g?) of 0.95 or less measured at the Mz of the polymer; c) an Mw of 100,000 or less. This invention also relates a polymer comprising one or more C3 to C40 olefins where the polymer has: a) a Dot T-Peel of 1 Newton or more on Kraft paper; b) a branching index (g?) of 0.95 or less measured at the Mz of the polymer; c) a Mw of 10,000 to 100,000; and d) a heat of fusion of 1 to 70 J/g. This invention also relates a polymer comprising one or more C3 to C40 olefins where the polymer has: a) a Dot T-Peel of 1 Newton or more on Kraft paper; b) a branching index (g?) of 0.98 or less measured at the Mz of the polymer; c) a Mw of 10,000 to 60,000; d) a heat of fusion of 1 to 50 J/g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to produce highly branched polymers with a polyolefin backbone structure of ethylene and precise control of the nature of the branching. In particular, the distribution of branch length and number of branches can be more precisely controlled via the polymerization method of the present invention. The method comprises using anionic chemistry to make unsaturated polydienes with a well-defined, highly-branched structure, and then hydrogenating these polydienes to form highly branched or dendritic saturated hydrocarbon polymers. Highly branched or dendritic polyethylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer and atactic polypropylene are among the saturated hydrocarbon polymers that can be anionically synthesized via the proper selection of diene monomer type, coupling agent, and hydrogenation conditions.

Abstract: A high throughput method to determine an amount of a comonomer in a copolymer sample of a copolymer system comprises the steps of providing a plurality of copolymer samples; creating an array of the copolymer samples; measuring a sample complex modulus of each of the copolymer samples at a comparison phase angle; and determining the amount of a comonomer in the copolymer sample by comparing the sample complex modulus to a calibration curve, wherein the calibration curve relates a concentration of the comonomer in the copolymer sample to a complex moduli of the copolymer sample determined at the comparison phase angle. A method of determining the amount of a comonomer in both a single copolymer sample, and in a high throughput scheme using the crossover modulus is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymer composition comprising essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymers having A) a backbone chain; B) a plurality of essentially hydrocarbyl sidechains connected to A), said sidechains each having a number-average molecular weight of from 2500 Daltons to 125,000 Daltons and a MWD by SEC of 1.0-3.5; and having A) a Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) at 190° C. at least 50% greater than that of a linear olefinic polymer of the same chemical composition and weight average molecular weight, preferably at least twice as great as that of said linear polymer, B) a ratio of the rubbery plateau modulus at 190° C. to that of a linear polymer of the same chemical composition less than 0.5, preferably <0.3, C) a ratio of the Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) to the absolute value of the complex viscosity in oscillatory shear (&eegr;*)at 100 rad/sec at 190° C.

Abstract: The invention is directed to essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymer composition comprising essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymers having A) a backbone chain, B) a plurality of essentially hydrocarbyl sidechains connected to A), said sidechains each having a number-average molecular weight of from 2500 Daltons to 125,000 Daltons and a MWD by SEC of 1.0-3.5; and having A) a Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) at 190° C. at least 50% greater than that of a linear olefinic polymer of the same chemical composition and weight average molecular weight, preferably at least twice as great as that of said linear polymer, B) a ratio of the rubbery plateau modulus at 190° C. to that of a linear polymer of the same chemical composition less than 0.5, preferably <0.3, C) a ratio of the Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) to the absolute value of the complex viscosity in oscillatory shear (&eegr;*)at 100 rad/sec at 190° C.

Abstract: The invention is directed to essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymer composition comprising essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymers having A) a backbone chain; B) a plurality of essentially hydrocarbyl sidechains connected to A), said sidechains each having a number-average molecular weight of from 2500 Daltons to 125,000 Daltons and a MWD by SEC of 1.0-3.5; and having A) a Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) at 190° C. at least 50% greater than that of a linear olefinic polymer of the same chemical composition and weight average molecular weight, preferably at least twice as great as that of said linear polymer, B) a ratio of the rubbery plateau modulus at 190° C. to that of a linear polymer of the same chemical composition less than 0.5, preferably <0.3, C) a ratio of the Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) to the absolute value of the complex viscosity in oscillatory shear (&eegr;*)at 100 rad/sec at 190° C.

Abstract: The invention is directed to essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymer composition comprising essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymers having A) a backbone chain, B) a plurality of essentially hydrocarbyl sidechains connected to A), said sidechains each having a number-average molecular weight of from 2500 Daltons to 125,000 Daltons and a MWD by SEC of 1.0-3.5; and having A) a Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) at 190° C. at least 50% greater than that of a linear olefinic polymer of the same chemical composition and weight average molecular weight, preferably at least twice as great as that of said linear polymer, B) a ratio of the rubbery plateau modulus at 190° C. to that of a linear polymer of the same chemical composition less than 0.5, preferably <0.3, C) a ratio of the Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) to the absolute value of the complex viscosity in oscillatory shear (&eegr;*)at 100 rad/sec at 190° C.

Abstract: The invention is directed to essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymer composition comprising essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymers having A) a backbone chain; B) a plurality of essentially hydrocarbyl sidechains connected to A), said sidechains each having a number-average molecular weight of from 2500 Daltons to 125,000 Daltons and a MWD by SEC of 1.0-3.5; and having A) a Newtonian kimiting viscosity (&eegr;0) at 190° C. at least 50% greater than that of a linear olefinic polymer of the same chemical composition and weight average molecular weight, preferably at least twice as great as that of said linear polymer, B) a ratio of the rubbery plateau modulus at 190° C. to that of a linear polymer of the same chemical composition less than 0.5, preferably <0.3, C) a ratio of the Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) to the absolute value of the complex viscosity in oscillatory shear (&eegr;*)at 100 rad/sec at 190° C.

Abstract: The invention is directed to essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymer composition comprising essentially saturated hydrocarbon polymers having A) a backbone chain; B) a plurality of essentially hydrocarbyl sidechains connected to A), said sidechains each having a number-average molecular weight of from 2500 Daltons to 125,000 Daltons and a MWD by SEC of 1.0-3.5; and having A) a Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) at 190° C. at least 50% greater than that of a linear olefinic polymer of the same chemical composition and weight average molecular weight, preferably at least twice as great as that of said linear polymer, B) a ratio of the rubbery plateau modulus at 190° C. to that of a linear polymer of the same chemical composition less than 0.5, preferably <0.3, C) a ratio of the Newtonian limiting viscosity (&eegr;0) to the absolute value of the complex viscosity in oscillatory shear (&eegr;*)at 100 rad/sec at 190° C.