Branched Polyethylene With Improved Processing and High Tear Films Made Therefrom

A polymer blend composition comprising:

• a) 0.5 wt % to 99.9 wt % of an ethylene-based copolymer comprising 75.0 wt % to 99.5 wt % of ethylene-derived units and 0.5 wt % to 25.0 wt % of C3 to C20 olefin derived units;
• the ethylene-based copolymer having:
• a) a density in the range of from 0.900 to less than 0.950 g/cm3;
• b) a g′(vis) of less than 0.80;
• c) a melt index, I2 of from 0.25 to 1.5 g/10 min.;
• d) a Mw/Mn within a range from 3.0 to 6.0:
• e) a Mz/Mn of greater than 8.0;
• and
• f) an absence of a local minimum loss angle at a complex modulus, G*, of 1.00×104 to 3.00×104 Pa;
• and
• b) 0.1 wt % to 99.5 wt % of a polymer selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, and combinations thereof.

A film comprising at least 5 wt % of an ethylene-based copolymer comprising 75.0 wt % to 99.5 wt % of ethylene-derived units and 0.5 wt % to 25.0 wt % of C3 to C20 olefin derived units;

• the ethylene-based copolymer having:
• a) a density in the range of from 0.900 to less than 0.950 g/cm3;
• b) a g′(vis) of less than 0.80;
• c) a melt index, I2 of from 0.25 to 1.5 g/10 min.;
• d) a Mw/Mn within a range from 3.0 to 6.0;
• e) a Mz/Mn of greater than 8.0;
• and
• f) an absence of a local minimum loss angle at a complex modulus, G*, of 1.00×104 to 3.00×104 Pa;
• wherein the film has:
• (i) a 1% Secant Modulus MD of 30,000 psi or greater:
• (ii) an Elmendorf Tear MD value of 100 g/mil or greater, and
• (iii) a Dart Impact of 225 g/mil or greater.

A process for the production of an ethylene-based copolymer comprising contacting ethylene and of one or more C3 to C20 olefins in at least one gas phase reactor at a temperature in the range of from 60 to 90° C. and at a reactor pressure of from 70 to 7000 kPa, in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a bridged metallocene compound represented by the following formula:

• wherein:
• M is a group 4 metal;
• T is a group 14 atom;
• D is hydrogen, methyl, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group;
• Ra and Rb are independently, hydrogen, halogen, or a C1 to C20 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, and Ra and Rb can form a cyclic structure including substituted or unsubstituted aromatic, partially saturated, or saturated cyclic or fused ring system;
• each X1 and X2 is independently selected from the group consisting of C1 to C20 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl groups, hydrides, amides, amines, alkoxides, sulfides, phosphides, halides, dienes, phosphines, and ethers, and X1 and X2 can form a cyclic structure including aromatic, partially saturated, or saturated cyclic or fused ring system;
• each of R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 is, independently, hydrogen, halide, alkoxide or a C1 to C40 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, and any of adjacent R2, R3, R4, and/or R5 groups may form a fused ring or multicenter fused ring systems, where the rings may be substituted or unsubstituted, and may be aromatic, partially unsaturated, or unsaturated;
• and
• each of R6, R7, R8, and R9 is, each independently, hydrogen or a C1 to C40 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group;
• and
• further provided that at least two of R6, R7, R8, and R9 are C1 to C40 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl groups.