Polyolefin production

A long chain branched polyethylene copolymer formed by a process comprising:

• copolymerizing ethylene in a reaction medium which comprises a solution or slurry with a catalyst system comprising:
• a metallocene compound of general formula Ind2R″MQ2 having a mole ratio of meso to racemic forms of the metallocene of at least 1:3, wherein
• each Ind is the same or different and is indenyl or substituted indenyl,
• R″ is a bridge that is substituted or unsubstituted and comprises a C1 to C4 alkylene radical, a dialkyl germanium or silicon or siloxane, alkyl phosphine or amine,
• M is a Group IV metal or vanadium,
• each Q is a hydrocarbyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a halogen,
• said catalyst being further comprised of an inert support;
• using a cocatalyst which activates the metallocene compound;
• and
• wherein said ethylene is polymerized without use of an exogenous comonomer.

A process for polymerizing ethylene comprising:

• forming a supported metallocene catalyst by adding an alumoxane dissolved in an inert hydrocarbon solvent to a slurry of a inert particulate support, wherein said particulate support material comprises silica particles having a surface area within the range of 200-900 m2/g and a pore volume within the range of 0.5-4.0 ml/g;
• adding a metallocene compound of the general formula Ind2R″MQ2 having a mole ratio of meso to racemic forms of the metallocene of at least 1:3, wherein
• each Ind is the same or different and is an indenyl or substituted indenyl,
• R″ is a bridge that is substituted or unsubstituted and comprises a C1 to C4 alkylene radical, a dialkyl germanium or silicon or siloxane, alkyl phosphine or amine, M is a Group IV metal or vanadium,
• each Q is hydrocarbyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or halogen;
• contacting said supported catalyst with ethylene to polymerize ethylene to produce an ethylene copolymer;
• and
• recovering said ethylene copolymer.